CANADALAND

Who Drugged James Cameron? A Titanic Mystery

The mystery of who drugged the cast and crew of the blockbuster Titanic is Hollywood lore. In 1996 James Cameron shot part of Titanic in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, when someone dumped PCP into the clam chowder the team was sharing on the last night of shooting. Over 50 people ended up in hospital.  There was a police investigation but the case was never solved. Over the decades theories as to who and why have sprouted. These range from disgruntled caterers to vengeful bikers to insurance scams. Canadaland decided to take up the case and look for the answer: who spiked the Titanic chowder? Host: Jesse Brown Credits: Julian Abraham (Reporter), Bruce Thorson (Senior Producer), Caleb Thompson (Mixing & Mastering) max collins (Director of Audio), Jesse Brown (Editor and Publisher) Additional Writing and Production from Rick Courtney. Fact checking by max collins Additional music by Audio Network More information: Further Reading: “Grips are doing wheelies in wheelchairs” [https://variety.com/2022/film/news/titanic-crew-members-drugged-pcp-clam-chowder-1235465618/] - Variety James Cameron Recalls the Night the Titanic Crew Were Spiked with PCP [https://www.cbc.ca/radio/q/james-cameron-titanic-q-tom-power-interview-1.6741386] - CBC James Cameron on CBC’s The Q [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lSi_bwaOFwU] - Video Sponsors:  MUBI [https://mubi.com/en/canadaland]: To stream great cinema at home, you can try MUBI free for 30 days at mubi.com/canadaland [http://mubi.com/canadaland]. BetterHelp [https://betterhelp.com/canadaland]: Visit https://BetterHelp.com/canadaland today to get 10% off your first month. Douglas [https://douglas.ca/Canadaland]: Douglas is giving our listeners a FREE Sleep Bundle with each mattress purchase. Get the sheets, pillows, mattress and pillow protectors FREE with your Douglas purchase today. Visit do [http://douglas.ca/Canadaland]uglas.ca/canadaland [https://douglas.ca/canadaland] to claim this offer Can’t get enough Canadaland? Follow @Canadaland_Podcasts on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/canadaland_podcasts/%252523] for clips, announcements, explainers and more. If you value this podcast, support us [https://canadaland.com/join]! You’ll get premium access to all our shows ad free, including early releases and bonus content. You’ll also get our exclusive newsletter, discounts on merch at our store [https://canadalandstore.com/], tickets to our live and virtual events, and more than anything, you’ll be a part of the solution to Canada’s journalism crisis, you’ll be keeping our work free and accessible to everybody. ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Is Carney Really Making Christianity a Hate Crime?

The politics of Canada’s proposed hate crime law, Bill C-9.  In order to pass the Combatting Hate Act, the Liberals are teaming up with the Bloc Quebecois and removing the exemption for religious texts in existing hate speech laws. The Conservatives  aren’t happy about it.  But do we need to update our hate crime laws in the first place?  Host: Jesse Brown [jesse@canadaland.com] Credits: James Nicholson (Producer), Lucie Laumonier (Associate producer and Fact Checking) tom sayers (Mixing and Mastering), max collins (Director of Audio), Jesse Brown (Editor) Guest: Jan Wong [http://www.janwong.ca]   Further reading:  * Liberals back Bloc's proposal to remove religious exemption from hate speech laws | CBC News [https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/government-bill-religious-exemption-hate-speech-9.7009646] * Anti-hate bill stalled after Fraser’s office brokered deal without PMO approval: sources | CBC News [https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/liberals-anti-hate-bill-stalled-9.7007038] * Canada’s hate-crime bill must confront the enforcement gap [https://policyoptions.irpp.org/2025/10/hate-crimes-enforcement-gap/] - Policy Options * FIRST READING: The biblical passages that Canada could list as hate speech [https://nationalpost.com/opinion/biblical-passages-canada-could-list-as-hate-speech] - National Post * Bill C-9 was meant to curb hate. Why is it drawing controversy? - iPolitics [https://www.ipolitics.ca/2025/12/11/bill-c-9-was-meant-to-curb-hate-why-its-drawing-controversy/] * #5 Why Here? [https://www.canadaland.com/podcast/5-why-here/] - What Is Happening Here [Podcast]  * Is There a Better Way to Cut a Cake? - The New York Times [https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/03/dining/cake-cutting.html] * Decades-old study on common weed killer retracted after journal editor says Monsanto may have helped write it | CBC News [https://www.cbc.ca/news/health/glyphosate-retraction-9.7004363]          Sponsors:  Squarespace [https://squarespace.com/canadaland]: Check out Squarespace.com/canadaland [http://squarespace.com/canadaland] for a free trial, and when you’re ready to launch use code canadaland to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain. oxio [https://canadaland.oxio.ca/]: Head over to canadaland.oxio.ca [http://canadaland.oxio.ca/] and use code CANADALAND for your first month free!  BetterHelp [http://betterhelp.com/canadaland]:  Visit BetterHelp.com/canadaland [http://betterhelp.com/canadaland] today to get 10% off your first month.   If you value this podcast, Support us [https://canadalandnetwork.supercast.com/]! You’ll get premium access to all our shows ad free, including early releases and bonus content. You’ll also get our exclusive newsletter, discounts on merch at our store [https://canadalandstore.com/], tickets to our live and virtual events, and more than anything, you’ll be a part of the solution to Canada’s journalism crisis, you’ll be keeping our work free and accessible to everybody.  ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Death by Kayak: a True Spy Story

In 2022, artist Hua Yong died while kayaking off the Sunshine Coast in BC. A former Chinese agent alleges it was a murder.  Radio-Canada tells the story of how China continues to target dissidents living in Canada.  Plus, India joins the battle for the Arctic and a new low for freelance writing rates.  Host: Jesse Brown [jesse@canadaland.com] Credits: James Nicholson (Producer), Lucie Laumonier (Associate producer and Fact Checking) tom sayers (Mixing and Mastering), max collins (Director of Audio), Jesse Brown (Editor) Guest: Jan Wong [http://www.janwong.ca]   Further reading:  * A Chinese dissident hunted by Beijing dies mysteriously in Canada | Investigation [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZRYMHhI6P5g] Enquête - Radio-Canada [YouTube] * A Chinese dissident died suddenly in B.C. This ex-spy who snooped on him says it may not have been an accident [https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/chinese-spy-speaks-out-enquete-radio-canada-9.7003661] - CBC News * Un espion chinois révèle ses secrets à Radio-Canada - [https://ici.radio-canada.ca/recit-numerique/14722/espion-chinois-secrets-radio-canada-dissident] Radio-Canada * ‘I don’t know who I can trust,’ says Quebec YouTuber harassed by Chinese government [https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/quebec-youtuber-harrassed-9.7001718]- CBC News * Coroner’s investigation into death of Chinese dissident in B.C. still open after nearly two years - The Globe and Mail [https://www.theglobeandmail.com/politics/article-coroners-investigation-into-death-of-chinese-dissident-in-bc-still/] * Secret Chinese spying operations in Australia revealed | Four Corners [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=STq7LNwa3Gs&t=24s] [YouTube]  * Former Chinese spy who spoke to Four Corners set to give evidence to Canada's Foreign Interference Commission - ABC News [https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-08-06/ex-chinese-spy-set-to-testify-canada-foreign-interference-probe/104176640] * Putin and Modi to join forces in Arctic [https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/12/05/putin-modi-to-join-forces-in-arctic/] - The Telegraph   Sponsors: Douglas, [https://douglas.ca/Canadaland] oxio [https://canadaland.oxio.ca], https://article.com/CANADALANDBetterHelp [http://betterhelp.com/canadaland],  Douglas [https://douglas.ca/Canadaland]:  Douglas is giving our listeners a FREE Sleep Bundle with each mattress purchase. Get the sheets, pillows, mattress and pillow protectors FREE with your Douglas purchase today.  Visit do [http://douglas.ca/Canadaland]uglas.ca/canadaland [https://douglas.ca/canadaland] to claim this offer  oxio [https://canadaland.oxio.ca/]: Head over to canadaland.oxio.ca [http://canadaland.oxio.ca/] and use code CANADALAND for your first month free!  BetterHelp [http://betterhelp.com/canadaland]:  Visit BetterHelp.com/canadaland [http://betterhelp.com/canadaland] today to get 10% off your first month. If you value this podcast, Support us [https://canadalandnetwork.supercast.com/]! You’ll get premium access to all our shows ad free, including early releases and bonus content. You’ll also get our exclusive newsletter, discounts on merch at our store [https://canadalandstore.com/], tickets to our live and virtual events, and more than anything, you’ll be a part of the solution to Canada’s journalism crisis, you’ll be keeping our work free and accessible to everybody.  ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Tabernac to the Future: Referendum Likely Coming

As Premier François Legault plunges in the polls, he’s panic-legislating: turbo-charging secularism laws, unveiling a “made-in-Quebec” constitution, and reigniting old identity battles that haven’t burned this hot in decades. Then we head west, where B.C. Conservative leader John Rustad resigned after a spectacular caucus revolt. Sam asks him directly: why did his own MLAs want him gone, who he blames, and whether he regrets anything. Host: Sam Konnert Credits: Aviva Lessard (Senior Producer), Sam Konnert (Host/Producer), Noor Azrieh (Host/Producer), tom sayers (Audio Editor and Technical Producer), max collins (Director of Audio) Jesse Brown (Editor), Tony Wang (Artwork) Guests: Martin Patriquin [https://thelogic.co/author/mpatriquin/], John Rustad [https://www.leg.bc.ca/members/43rd-Parliament/Rustad-John] Background reading on our website [https://www.canadaland.com/podcast/1277-tabernac-to-the-future-referendum-likely-coming/]. Sponsors:  Douglas [https://www.douglas.ca/canadaland/] is giving our listeners a FREE Sleep Bundle with each mattress purchase. Get the sheets, pillows, mattress and pillow protectors FREE with your Douglas purchase today at douglas.ca/canadaland [http://douglas.ca/canadaland] If you value this podcast, Support us [https://canadalandnetwork.supercast.com/]! You’ll get premium access to all our shows ad free, including early releases and bonus content. You’ll also get our exclusive newsletter, discounts on merch, tickets to our live and virtual events, and more than anything, you’ll be a part of the solution to Canada’s journalism crisis, you’ll be keeping our work free and accessible to everybody.  Can't get enough Canadaland? Follow @Canadaland_Podcasts on Instagram for clips, announcements, explainers and more. ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

How the CBC Divides Canadians

The CBC is broken: how should it be fixed? Defund the whole thing? Refund the whole thing? Double down on digital? Stop chasing digital relevance? The list goes on and on. You've heard them all. But for a moment, forget about funding or even political bias. Just ask: why does the CBC exist?  What is its underlying ideology? Not its political ideology, but its philosophy for why we need it. Does it have one? Does it need one? If it does have one, is it working or is that what needs to change? David Cayley spent over 40 years at the CBC as a journalist and producer. For 30 of those years he worked on CBC Radio’s Ideas program. He's now published a book, The CBC: How Canada's Public Broadcaster Lost Its Voice (and How it Can Get it Back). It's both an ideological history of the CBC's past and a manifesto for the CBC's future. In it, he puts his finger right on the root problem. The CBC is there for everyone. It's supposed to speak to all of the Canadian public. However, if the public has splintered beyond recognition, what's left to speak to? Host: Jesse Brown Credits: Tristan Capacchione (Producer), Bruce Thorson (Senior Producer), max collins (Director of Audio), Jesse Brown (Editor and Publisher) Featured Guest: David Cayley Fact checking by Julian Abraham Additional music by Audio Network More information: * The CBC: How Canada's Public Broadcaster Lost Its Voice (and How it Can Get it Back) [https://sutherlandhousebooks.com/product/the-cbc/] — Sutherland House * David Cayley [https://www.davidcayley.com/] Sponsors:  oxio [https://canadaland.oxio.ca]: Head over to https://canadaland.oxio.ca [https://canadaland.oxio.ca] and use code CANADALAND for your first month free!  BetterHelp [https://betterhelp.com/canadaland]: Visit https://BetterHelp.com/canadaland today to get 10% off your first month. Can’t get enough Canadaland? Follow @Canadaland_Podcasts on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/canadaland_podcasts/#] for clips, announcements, explainers and more. If you value this podcast, support us [https://canadaland.com/join]! You’ll get premium access to all our shows ad free, including early releases and bonus content. You’ll also get our exclusive newsletter, discounts on merch at our store [https://canadalandstore.com/], tickets to our live and virtual events, and more than anything, you’ll be a part of the solution to Canada’s journalism crisis, you’ll be keeping our work free and accessible to everybody. ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.