Episode 132 – Finding optimism at the end of 2020
In this episode, Sandy and Nora look back at 2020 and try to say so-long to 2020 with a bit of optimism and lots of anger.
Year: 2020
Episode 131 – PART TWO of Sandy and Nora Audience Appreciation Night
In this episode, Sandy and Nora talk about: organizing within unions, (not) going into journalism, making arts agencies more radical (and less close to power!) and how progressives can resist transphobia.
Episode 130 – free tuition, UOttawa sucks and organizing the Christians
This is Part 1 of Audience Appreciation Night – Sandy and Nora take questions and comments from listeners and talk about policing, education, organizing and pacing yourself for the long haul of radical action.
You’re invited! Sandy and Nora Listener Appreciation Night
Join us on Sunday, Nov. 29 at 8:00 EST, 5:00 PST for a live video chat as we celebrate the almost end of 2020.
Get your ticket! The event link will be emailed to all ticket holders on Sunday afternoon.
Tickets are available here: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/sandy-and-nora-listener-appreciation-night-tickets-130749805187
Episode 129 – Sandy and Nora Live at the Vancouver Podcast Festival
In this episode, Sandy and Nora cover a lot of ground: from media to unions, from COVID-19 to how Sandy and Nora come up with show topics to how their relationship has changed over the years (including: do they ever fight?!)
This episode was recorded as part of the Vancouver Podcast Festival.
Episode 128 – doing nothing about COVID workplace outbreaks
In this episode, Sandy and Nora talk about how COVID outbreaks are still most common in workplaces, and yet, no politician has a plan to address workplace health and safety, which will exacerbate the pandemic and make things even worse.
Episode 127 – Decoding the US election
In this episode, Sandy and Nora look at the US election results: what they mean and, importantly, what they mean for leftist organizing and for Canadians. Lots of other updates in the episode too!
Episode 126 – is it ignorance or is it malice? It’s malice.
In this episode, Sandy and Nora talk about how the pandemic has not harmed people equally, and how discussions about the racialized impact are being erased from mainstream media’s coverage.
Episode 125 – Thinking big
In this episode, Sandy and Nora talk about the need for conversations about big thinking. How can we use the pandemic to build new projects, new economies and new ways of organizing ourselves?
Correction — Nora forgot Saskatchewan at a certain point in the episode. When you catch it, you can tell yourself you won.
Episode 124 – white rage in Nova Scotia: terrorism or genocide?
In this episode, Sandy and Nora talk about why taking action in support of Mi’kmaq fishers, and Indigenous struggles everywhere, is so critical. They also talk about seniority in the labour movement, and how eliminating seniority isn’t going to fix systemic racism in the workplace.
Contest is closed but you can buy merch here still:Â https://twitter.com/amybeatrice/status/1317161330260979713
Nora’s book launch RSVP: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/billets-noras-55-hour-book-launch-open-house-pandemic-nightmare-edition-125505517381
RESOURCES:
Donations:Â https://t.co/qp5x3vOqcb?amp=1
Twitter thread of ideas: https://twitter.com/TheAgentNDN/status/1317325273730371584
How others are helping: https://www.cbc.ca/news/indigenous/mi-kmaw-fishers-creative-support-1.5770229?__vfz=medium%3Dsharebar
Episode 123 – difficulty sleeping
In this episode, Sandy and Nora talk about the Vice-Presidential debates, Ottawa Police thinking that they are soldiers in a war zone and what happens to Canada if the US is plunged into civil war? Thoughts that keep us up at night.
Episode 121 – surfing the second wave. Of anxiety.
In this episode, Sandy and Nora talk about the second wave — how it’s being talked about, how it’s not being covered, and how we need to reject individualist narratives about what will save us. We also talk about the tragic death of Joyce Echaquon in Joliette, and how medical racism needs to be combated by government, unions and popular movements.
Video of Seth Cardinal Dodginghorse: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h47zK6b6B0Y
In this episode, Nora mispronounces Atikamekw. It’s Ah-tee-ka-mik. Nora apologizes for this.
In this episode for the ambient sound of LA. That window gets closed at minute 15.
Episode 120 – throned speech
In this episode, Sandy and Nora decode the Liberal throne speech and — surprise — discover that it’s mostly hot air!
They also talk about Breonna Taylor and what the decision to not investigate further means.
Episode 119 – is white supremacy intensifying?
From saddling Black entrepreneurs with debt and calling it progress, to white settler fishers in Nova Scotia threatening Mi’kmaq fishers asserting their constitutionally-protected rights, to a white supremacist committing random murder in Toronto, Sandy and Nora ask: is white supremacy intensifying? It’s always bad but it seems like its … particularly bad right now?
Episode 118 – pulling the forest fire alarm
In this episode, Sandy and Nora talk about the inexplicable inaction from everyone with power to take the climate crisis seriously. It is an episode of rage and some jokes. But mostly rage.
Episode 117 – white supremacy and racial frauds
In this episode, Sandy and Nora explore the phenomenon of white people claiming non-white identity: as a pursuit of power, as a colonial act and as it manipulates the politics of identity to maintain white supremacy.
Episode 116 – do not wait for things to get worse
It has been a week. In this episode, Sandy and Nora walk through the month of news that happened this week and explain how, and why, there is urgency right now to take radical action.
Episode 115 – Liberals having a proroguing good time
In this episode, Sandy and Nora talk about Bill Morneau’s resignation, Chrystia Freeland being a woman and how Justin Trudeau really hopes that Canadians will not pay close enough attention.
Episode transcripted (unedited): https://docs.google.com/document/d/1z0-6Qj0mXnGofTLZGQhMnRV643_8fPOrtj8o5TvmVOk/edit?usp=sharing
Episode 114 – being radical is reasonable
In this episode, Sandy and Nora talk about how the idea of reasonableness is weaponized against radical, leftwing ideas. We need to resist this and expose how the radical ways in which to transform society are actually the reasonable option.
In this episode, Sandy accidentally said Bernie when she meant Biden. See if you can find where!
Transcript available here (unedited): https://docs.google.com/document/d/1JnO5p52SUTWbr0faNFG5CBDHgWGHh4ZDSnNIOUlVbTk/edit?usp=sharing
Episode 113 – where is the institutional left?
In this episode, Sandy and Nora warn that if the left in Canada – not-for-profits, labour unions and the NDP – don’t get involved in the radical, grassroots movements that are emerging, they may be relegated to the dustbin of history.
Episode 112 – How do we know what we know?
In this episode, Sandy and Nora talk about how changing the way you think about the world can help you make better political predictions. By understanding how power operates, we can anticipate how power will react, and pivot our demands accordingly.
Episode 111 – the end of Canada’s old stock media?
In this episode, Sandy and Nora talk about how COVID-19 may land a death blow against Canada’s mainstream media.
Episode 110 – painted statues and union apologies
This past week, Sandy and Nora have both found themselves in different crises — we talk about civil disobedience, police PR and what happens when a labour leader makes a mistake.
Episode 109 – Liberal Fiberal
In this episode, Sandy and Nora talk about the Liberal tendency to work through other organizations, lik, WE to build support and consensus for the Liberal brand. Plus – Quebec’s new Me Too movement and that Harper’s fReE sPeEcH letter.
Note: Nora misspoke and said Bob Rae had been appointed the ambassador for the US. He’s been appointed the ambassador to the UN.
Episode 108 – we have already won
In this episode, Sandy and Nora talk about how we measure victories, and how changing society’s norms and values is the first step before legislative and legal changes are possible. Blowing open the Overton window.
Episode 107 – Liberals and WE are BFFs
In this episode, Sandy and Nora talk about yet another Liberal scheme! And, Sandy reminisces about the famous 2016 BLM action that blocked the Toronto Pride Parade.
Episode 106 – ok, so what now?
In this episode, Sandy and Nora talk about how to seize this moment and make sure that our political demands are met. COVID-19 has changed Canada’s status quo, and already politicians are resisting calls for widespread change.
Episode 105 – if white is a verb, Canadian media keeps whiting
In this episode, Sandy and Nora talk about Canadian media, and how white supremacy is embedded throughout, making life hell for racialized journalists and diminishing the quality and accuracy of the news.
Episode 104 – no police? No problem.
In this episode, Sandy and Nora respond to some of the questions that listeners asked about defunding the police. We also talk about the role that power and white supremacy play in policing and we celebrate hitting Number Ten on Canada’s news podcast charts.
Episode 103 – abolish the police
In this episode, Sandy and Nora talk about how society could abolish the police and create new services that would keep more people safe and offer more services to people who need them. Also, Sandy explains a conversation with a CBC producer.
Full transcript can be found here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1T9MH4OsPoa1c1DxcdHxS9Yq0gEWWEuxQsS4N4NttZBs/edit?usp=sharing
Episode 102 – a she-cession? Really?
In this episode, Sandy and Nora explore the narrative that has emerged about how the COVID-19 pandemic has hurt women in particular. They argue that recessions always hurt women and that framing this one as being somehow unique erases the racial and classed dynamic of who is most injured.
Episode 101 – will politicians let COVID-19 kill the arts?
In this episode, Sandy and Nora ask why artists have been forgotten in the pandemic response, and argue that we need to give them money to survive and practice their art, with no strings attached.
To use the discount code mentioned in the show to order Nora’s book, go here: https://fernwoodpublishing.ca/books
Cover image is from here: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/how-street-artists-around-world-are-reacting-to-life-with-covid-19-180974712/
Episode 100 – Universal income? Basic.
In this episode Sandy and Nora celebrate 100 by going back to a debate that has surfaced in the past few weeks: universal basic income. They argue that a UBI, in absence of a strong social support system, would be a mistake.
Episode 99 – The economy is code for white supremacy
As politicians and some activists demand that the economy be opened, Sandy and Nora examine how opening the economy is upholding whiteness and reinforcing white supremacy.
Episode 98 – policing in the fog of covid-19
In this episode, Sandy and Nora examine how police power seems to be growing unchecked while we all ride out the pandemic.
Episode 97 – Education in the time of coronavirus
In this episode, Sandy and Nora argue that the pandemic has exposed how higher education’s obsession with money has damaged its capacity to work in the public interest. Education under coronavirus: what should it look like?
Episode 96 – Deaths in long-term care, death by police
Sandy and Nora talk about the harrowing stats coming from long-term care, and how police have not stopped killing people, even though we’re all locked down.
Correction: in this episode, Nora confused Stratford, Ontario with Woodstock, Ontario. This has been something she has been doing since she was like 5. Elizabeth Wetlauffer’s murders did not take place in Stratford.
Episode 95 – Trudeau’s coronavirus schemes
In this episode, Sandy and Nora talk about all the ways in which Justin Trudeau and the federal Liberals have avoided the easiest way to help all Canadians and instead, chosen programs that are more bureaucratic, cumbersome and that will leave so many people behind.
Note: since this was recorded on Sunday, April 5, the Liberals have announced that they intend to expand the CERB, with more details coming later on.
Episode 94 – resistance in the age of pandemic
In this episode, Sandy and Nora talk about what resistance might look like with everyone locked down. How do we disrupt the status quo when we’re living through an incredible moment of disruption? We talk through the options that we still have.
Read the show transcript here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1TTjedwtUWfgiy4O6YTV0fBh543l3RO7udPsK-MoQ38I/edit?usp=sharing
Episode 93 – fighting despair in quarantine
In this episode, Sandy and Nora talk about our new normal, and what politicians must do to start helping Canadians weather the storm.
Episode 92 – COVID-19 and the crisis of neoliberalism
In this episode, Sandy and Nora grapple with the calm before the storm and try to explain why different generations of people are reacting differently to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Episode 91 – the coronavirus
In this episode, Sandy and Nora talk about how we can protect ourselves, and others from the coronavirus. This means demanding stronger healthcare, Pharmacare and focusing on communities who are most at risk.
Episode 90 – are partisan politics anti-democratic?
In this episode, Sandy and Nora debate whether or not partisan politics are anti-democratic. Sandy says no, Nora says yes. Will they reach a conclusion?
Episode 89 – fight attacks on education
In this episode, Sandy and Nora talk about the importance of fighting attacks against education. They also talk about how Justin Trudeau has failed in dealing with Wet’suwet’en and solidarity actions.
Episode 88 – hope and joy in our movements
In this episode, Sandy and Nora talk about the importance of hope and joy. How do we find hope when it feels like nothing we do can change the status quo.
Episode 87 – Solidarity with Wet’suwet’en
In this episode, Sandy and Nora talk about the important work of Land Defenders, both at Wet’suwet’en and across Canada. From Indigenous sovereignty to fighting against climate change and massive profits, we encourage everyone to get involved in this struggle.
Photo from https://unistoten.camp
Transcript available here (feel free to help us edit it!): https://docs.google.com/document/d/1jL-PzjJ0TCfzQQgpQrDdQExFczNQww0cfQWWhLH1rwE/edit
Episode 86 – a. c. a. b.
In this episode, Sandy and Nora talk about police and the various shenanigans they’re up to across Canada. We also talk briefly about the commemoration of the Islamophobic attack of January 29 2017 and Ryerson University’s attempt to shut down the Ryerson Students’ Union.
Shout-out to Unifor workers who have put their bodies on the picket line this week and who felt the force of Regina police, a group we forgot to mention in our round-up.
Episode 85 – The pull of the US Empire on Canada
From climate change policy to Iran, 2020 has shown already that Canada is incapable of making its own decisions. In this episode, Sandy and Nora talk about the need for social movements to re-imagine Canadian sovereignty and untie ourselves from the United States.
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