Access to Information Under Attack (Ep. 17)

Access to Information Under Attack (Ep. 17)

Freedom of Information laws are under attack across Canada, most notably in Ontario, where the Doug Ford government has stripped journalists' and the public's right to obtain records from the premier's office and some of the highest levels of government. In this episode, Justin Brake speaks with Newfoundland and Labrador Information and Privacy Commissioner Kerry Hatfield, who says what's happening in Ontario is a travesty, not just for that province but for the entire country. Hatfield explains what makes Newfoundland and Labrador's access to information laws unique, and why we need to protect in the forthcoming statutory review of the province's 2015 ATIPP Act. If you haven’t already, sign up for The Independent’s free email newsletter [https://theindependent.ca/newsletter/]. When we learn more about the statutory review of the province’s access to information legislation, including the process and timelines for gathering public input, we’ll let you know. If you like berrygrounds and would like to support the show, please consider becoming a monthly donor to The Independent [https://theindependent.mystagingwebsite.com/support-us/].  berrygrounds is a proud member of the Harbinger Media Network. The show is hosted, produced and edited by me, Justin Brake. Music in this episode is thanks to Shane Iver at Silverman Sound Studio [https://www.silvermansound.com/free-music/sailor-vee].

Ready or not, AI is HERE (Ep. 16)

Tech journalist, author and podcast host Paris Marx joins Justin Brake for a wide-ranging discussion about Artificial Intelligence and the ways AI is impacting our lives and the environment. Recorded live April 25, 2026 at the Rotary Arts Centre in Corner Brook, with Paris Marx joining virtually from St. John’s. berrygrounds is a proud member of the Harbinger Media Network. Visit Harbinger [https://harbingermedianetwork.com/] for more progressive Canadian podcasts. Music in this episode, Gravitational Collapse [https://www.silvermansound.com/free-music/gravitational-collapse], courtesy Shane Ivers of Silverman Sound Studios. Further Reading: Major N.L. healthcare report contains errors likely generated by A.I. [https://theindependent.ca/news/lji/major-n-l-healthcare-report-contains-errors-likely-generated-by-a-i/] (The Independent / Nov. 22, 2025) PCs to review A.I. use in government-commissioned reports [https://theindependent.ca/news/lji/pcs-to-review-a-i-use-in-government-commissioned-reports/] (The Independent / Nov. 24, 2025) Province updated public procurement process days after Deloitte AI scandal exposed [https://theindependent.ca/news/lji/province-updated-public-procurement-process-days-after-deloitte-ai-scandal-exposed/] (The Independent / March 18, 2026) Generative AI is a societal disaster [https://disconnect.blog/generative-ai-is-a-societal-disaster/] (Disconnect / Paris Marx / Oct. 24, 2025) 'Disgraceful' deep-fake AI video condemned by presidential candidate [https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/czxkn504lqpo] (BBC / Oct. 22, 2025)

The Lobster Trap (Ep. 15)

It's a fishery buzzword — a lifeline for many coastal communities and a luxurious menu item driving a global seafood craze. Lobster—one time once considered a poor man's food—now fuels a multi-billion-dollar machine. But investigative journalist Greg Mercer's book, The Lobster Trap: The Global Fight for a Seafood on the Brink [https://www.penguinrandomhouse.ca/books/729061/the-lobster-trap-by-greg-mercer/9780771006326], tells a different story—one unfolding both above and below the ocean’s surface. In Ep. 15 of berrygrounds, Seasplainer authors Jenn Thornhill Verma and Leila Beaudoin interview Mercer, a reporter with the Globe & Mail, about the time he spent with fishermen in Atlantic Canada and what he learned about lobster in the process of writing his book.    A very special thanks to Kelly Russell and Pigeon Inlet Productions [https://kellyrussell.bandcamp.com/] for sharing with us Lem Snow's recording of The Great Lobster Boil [https://kellyrussell.bandcamp.com/album/the-great-lobster-boil]. If you like berrygrounds and would like to support the show, please consider becoming a monthly donor to The Independent [https://theindependent.mystagingwebsite.com/support-us/].  berrygrounds is a proud member of the Harbinger Media Network [https://harbingermedianetwork.com/].

Lessons from the Pitcher Plant (Ep. 14)

Have you ever wondered why and how the pitcher plant became a symbol of Newfoundland and Labrador, and of our collective identity? “The pitcher plant is unique, creative and resilient. It is beautiful and tenacious, tough and adaptable. It has thrived throughout all regions of our province for centuries, just as our people have done," Premier Danny Williams said in 2006 at a launch for the province's new "brand" signature. “It is an important part of our history and a true symbol of who we are and what we’re made of. It is the symbol by which the world will know us.” Sarracenia purpurea "really is resilient and creative," Sara Swain writes in her new essay for The Independent, Lessons from the Pitcher Plant. "But the source of its celebrated qualities is not its carnivory; it is its mutual hospitality, collaboration, and cooperation. This living reality makes it an auspicious symbol for Newfoundland and Labrador after all, just not for the reasons we’ve come to expect." In Ep. 14, Swain reads her full essay for our listeners. And she tells host Justin Brake about how reflections on her own identity as a Newfoundlander, and a chance encounter with a pitcher plant near her favourite St. John's swimming hole, led her to writing the essay. Lessons from the Pitcher Plant was originally published Jan. 24, 2024 at TheIndependent.ca. Click here [https://theindependent.ca/longread/lessons-from-the-pitcher-plant/] to read the full essay. Very special thanks to All The Wiles (Katie Baggs, Jared Klok, Ben Rigby, Billy Nicol and Jake Nicol) for their song "Handful of Sand". If you like berrygrounds and would like to support the show, please consider becoming a monthly donor to The Independent [https://theindependent.mystagingwebsite.com/support-us/].  berrygrounds is a proud member of the Harbinger Media Network [https://harbingermedianetwork.com/] and Unrigged.ca [https://www.unrigged.ca/].

Project Nujio'qonik & the Environmental Assessment "Act" (Ep. 13)

Did we learn anything from Muskrat Falls and the public inquiry that followed? Surely, a multi-billion dollar project with significant resistance from locals wouldn't be pushed through without a social license...again?  That's exactly what residents of the West Coast say is happening with World Energy GH2's Project Nujio'qonik, a proposed wind-to-hydrogen megaproject that would see hundreds of windmills scattered across the Port au Port Peninsula and the Codroy Valley. Residents are watching in horror as the company and the province appear to be rushing the project through the approvals process in order to be first to market. In this episode, we speak with Port au Port resident Duran Felix, a retired analyst who spent his career reviewing documents for Canada's military and has reviewed World Energy GH2's 4,000-plus page environmental impact statement. We also speak with Camille Ouellette-Dallaire, an assistant professor of environmental science at Memorial University's Grenfell campus in Corner Brook who once worked for the federal government reviewing environmental impact statements. For some backstory, listen to berrygrounds Episode 2: Port au Port and the Wind Industry Acid Test [https://theindependent.ca/podcasts/berrygrounds/port-au-port-and-the-wind-industry-acid-test/]. If you like our show and would like to support berrygrounds' coverage of the province's emerging wind-to-hydrogen industry, please consider becoming a monthly subscriber [https://theindependent.mystagingwebsite.com/support-us/].  The songs "Depth of Focus" and "Fearful New World" are courtesy Shane Ivers of Silverman Sound Studios [https://www.silvermansound.com/].