In this episode, Sandy and Nora talk about how everything is going — people aren’t seemingly doing too well. They talk about the need for the left to get its shit together, to focus less on internal issues and start or continue doing anything.
In this episode, Sandy and Nora argue that the reluctance of anyone in power to discuss the fall of the American empire is going to come back to bite us all on the ass someday soon.
In this episode, Sandy and Nora talk about the refusal of people in power to accept blame and instead, externalize their guilt however they can. Plus, we talk about how everything in society feels to be hanging by a thread.
In this episode, Sandy and Nora talk about a new Toronto Star investigation that has found that the Charter of Rights and Freedoms is regularly being violated by Canadian police.
In this episode, Sandy and Nora talk about what has just happened in Ontario, why voter turnout was so low and what we need to do to resist austerity. Plus, what are the lessons in other parts of Canada?
In this episode, Sandy and Nora talk about the Buffalo shooting and how Canadians journalists have oriented around it. They call out journalists for not going deep enough into the issues and how liberal politics interact with the far right to make everything worse.
In this episode, Sandy and Nora talk about the fight for abortion in the US and what Canadian activists need to be watching for. Plus, they talk about lies and the Conservative leadership race.
In this episode, Sandy and Nora talk about the rise in radical worker action across North America. Plus, they revisit the Disability Filibuster — this time, raising concerns about what we’ve already seen under expanded MAID.
Listen to Sandy and Nora on MAID last year: https://sandyandnora.com/episode-138-dignity-in-life-versus-dignity-in-death/
Image credit: CUPE
In this episode, Sandy and Nora talk about organizing and relationships: are we striving too much to curate the perfect organizing spaces? Do we have the collective skills to ensure the level of accountability we wish we could see in organizing? Plus, we talk about Rich Chiarelli, the asshole and France’s new/old president.
Please check out: Anti-war workshop recording:
https://www.facebook.com/watch/live/?ref=watch_permalink&v=1041515076791089
Document for anti-war coalition agendas:
Document for anti-war coalition committees:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Wbh6hoQRu1YnDw0awCKbAq7xXbWteD–PR0Hu-T8V6E/edit?fbclid=IwAR0BeJohWeuG9pi_Gv1mvO1VflKQSitF5ZtLLcUV5HnpDL-YpSo0tRe2i8g
In this episode, Sandy and Nora examine Pierre Poilievre’s Conservative Leadership campaign and ask: why? What did we do to deserve this? Also, they talk about COVID again, but not that much.
In this episode, Sandy and Nora talk about the federal budget and how much it sucks. Plus, they also talk about Palestine activism on campus, anti-Blackness within the Ontario NDP and Pierre Poilievre’s troll following.
In this episode, Sandy and Nora examine political choices being made right now, and ask — why are Canadians so complacent? Plus, Sandy gets into Slap Discourse and Nora did a commercial for what??
In this episode, Sandy and Nora talk about the NDP-Liberal deal that gives cover to justify pouring billions into Canada’s war aspirations. Plus, they talk about Jerry Dias and corruption at Unifor.
In this episode, Sandy and Nora look at propaganda, and how its playing itself out in Canadian media as we march towards war.
In this episode, Sandy and Nora talk about mutual aid and how it sometimes mirrors charity too closely. Plus: facial recognition software in Ukraine, Canada’s flexible refugee policy (all of a sudden…) and Patrick Brown’s exoneration (he creeps on 19 year olds, not 18 year olds, allegedly).
In this episode, Sandy and Nora talk about the impact of neoliberalism on leftwing organizing. Plus, they talk about the economic benefits of going to war.
In this episode, Sandy and Nora talk about how leftwing people need to orient themselves around war.
In this episode, Sandy and Nora deconstruct the decision to invoke the Emergencies Act, and why this game of political chicken being played by the Liberals is dangerous and will backfire.
In this episode, Sandy and Nora talk about the contradictions of this moment: from vaccine mandates to partisan politics, and how we should orient our struggles.
In this episode, Sandy and Nora talk about the Omicronvoy: the occupation in Ottawa, how we should orient towards it and what kinds of debates we need to sort through if we’re going to be able to effective confront the far right.
Sandy and Nora break down the pro-COVID Convoy and remind listeners to keep their eyes on the ball. You can watch the 5th anniversary commemoration of the shooting at the Ste-Foy mosque here, in English: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yu1JqGkSBSQ
Why is Canada so hot for war with Russia? In this episode, Sandy and Nora talk about Canada’s support for Ukraine, munitions factories and Canada’s Deputy Prime Minister’s Nazi family history.
In this episode, Sandy and Nora examine the current, flame some politicians and ask the question: how do we walk the line between COVID-19 pessimism and a little bit of optimism?
In this episode Sandy and Nora look back at 2021 and ask: did we learn anything? Also, omicron.
In this episode, Sandy and Nora talk about what happens when activism is replaced by critique alone, and urge listeners to not fall into a trap in understanding critique as activism. Plus, they revisit Quebec City’s racist police.
In this episode, Sandy and Nora talk about police violence in Quebec City, Hamilton and Wet’suwet’en and ask what it will take for people to demand and end to policing. Plus, they talk COVID variants and a peculiar CBC report.
In this episode, Sandy and Nora talk about British Columbia: from fires to floods, from RCMP to a lack of climate action. Plus, they talk about Iqaluit activists fighting for suicide prevention measures and the COVID-19 vaccine for kids.
In this episode, Sandy and Nora talk about the limits of vaccine mandates, and ask why politicians have not been forced to explain what happens when every Canadian who is willing to be vaccinated, is vaccinated. Plus — we remind listeners that Iqaluit still does not have drinking water.
In this episode, Sandy and Nora talk about how extremes are changing how we politically debate, and how deep political education and organizing are our only hope.
In this episode, Sandy and Nora talk about the way in which social media platforms force us into binaries, which is a disaster for leftwing organizing, which requires us to talk through nuance.
In this episode, Sandy and Nora talk about the alarming space in Canadian media that TERFascist ideas are receiving, and ask what the end game is in platforming transphobia.
In this episode, Sandy and Nora talk about why Canada needs to abolish the military and redirect resources into stronger public services. Plus they also talk about Iqaluit’s water crisis.
In this episode, Sandy and Nora discuss how systemic racism operates within democratic structures, and the need for renewal. They talk about the Green Party, the NDP and more broadly within the left.
You can check out Nora’s new podcast here: https://shows.acast.com/take-back-the-fight/episodes/take-back-the-fight-series-teaser
In this episode, Sandy and Nora talk about the latest onslaught of online harassment targeting racialized journalists, and explain why the police will not be able to save anyone from this abuse. Plus, we talk about Trudeau in Tofino, Fairy Creek and Elizasuck May.
In this episode, Sandy and Nora talk about how Canada’s democracy is in crisis and is it time for a new left political party? Plus we deconstruct the media establishment’s obsession with The Two Michaels.
In this episode, Sandy and Nora discuss the winners and losers in #elxn44 — and what everyone needs to learn about the success of the PP party.
In this episode, Sandy and Nora talk about the legacy of 9/11 in Canada, and how the English-language debates reveal more about the state of Canada’s democracy than pundits and politicians will admit.
In this episode, Sandy and Nora examine why provincial governments have laid so low during the election period, and why that spells disaster for COVID-19 and other crises Canadians currently face.
In this episode, Sandy and Nora talk about how the election is going — and how none of the major parties are acting as if we have just surviving a global pandemic. We also talk about the ongoing struggle at Fairy Creek.
In this episode, Sandy and Nora discuss Canada’s role in Afghanistan, and the responsibility we have for our actions.
Big apologies for the microphone problems that plague this episode.
In this episode, Sandy and Nora talk about the important issues that the current federal election should cover, but near certainly will not.
In this episode, Sandy and Nora talk about the need for left-wingers to identify, engage with and create rhetoric. Plus, Sandy has information about Ontario police destroying documents and we talk about the BCCLA.
In this episode, Sandy and Nora talk about the federal government’s recent decision to vet all scientific research funding as a matter of national intelligence agencies. Plus, they talk about tuition fees in Newfoundland and Labrador and the importance of physical space for activism and organizing.
Episode transcript.
In this episode, Sandy and Nora talk about how Canadian media ignore catastrophe.
In their annual Canada Day Sucks episode, Sandy and Nora talk colonialism, climate change and how Carolyn Bennett sucks.
In this episode Sandy and Nora talk about crime and punishment, and why society gets nowhere when it throws people into the criminal justice system. Plus, they talk about the Notwithstanding Clause and wtf is up with the Green Party?
CW: discussion of child suicide in the second half of the episode.
In this episode, Sandy and Nora explore the connection between colonialism and Islamophobia. Plus, they talk about COVID-19 ravaging Northeastern Ontario.
Photo from CBC News.
In this episode, Sandy and Nora examine how power in Canada can be chipped it, confronted and forced into action. All it takes is creativity and a refusal to accept things the way that they are.
In this episode, Sandy and Nora examine how Residential Schools should be understood as a fundamental part of forming modern Canada, and discuss ways in which settlers can demand justice from their politicians.
Residential school survivors who need support can call the National Indian Residential School Crisis Line at 1-866-925-4419.
In this episode, Sandy and Nora explore the myth of objectivity, and how it’s used to justify media coverage that erases and marginalizes people.
Episode transcript here.
In this episode, Sandy and Nora talk about what is happening in Colombia, Tigray and Palestine, and ask why don’t Canadians have more information about global affairs? Plus Nora talks about Quebec Solidaire censuring it’s anti-racism/decolonial collective and Sandy goes on a bit more about bots.
In this episode, Sandy and Nora talk about COVID-19 — again — and how the world that politicians want us to think we’re living in is not the world we are living in.
Episode transcript here.
In this episode, Sandy and Nora explain the crisis at Laurentian University, university funding under attack and also mention the CAUT’s censure of the University of Toronto.
In this episode, Sandy and Nora talk about the CERB, the vaccine and how Liberal Trolls are on the attack against online against Liberal critics.
In this episode, Sandy and Nora talk about the chaos of the Third Wave, about how police will not fix anything and why these politicians would rather see people in ICU than stop the spread of COVID-19.
In this episode, Sandy and Nora talk about the bad and the bad from the NDP Convention 2021 and try to find some encouraging words in the face of the rising Third Wave.
In this episode, Sandy and Nora explore how average people can fore politicians into action, even when it feels impossible and politicians, immovable.
In this episode, Sandy and Nora talk about femicide in Canada and how political inaction isn’t because there is a lack of understanding or of resources, but because politicians literally do not care that women are being killed. Plus, we talk about a boat that is no longer stuck in the Suez.
Update to the murder investigation in Hawkesbury: five suspicious deaths in the hospital’s COVID unit are now being investigated: https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/victim-in-hawkesbury-hospital-homicide-was-89-year-old-man-from-quebec
In this episode, Sandy and Nora talk about the rise of anti-Asian racism, the connection between the anti-mask movement and how Canada’s mainstream media has written about China since the start of the pandemic. We also take a short tour of the latest Liberal scheme: the NDP’s student debt promise.
In this episode, Sandy and Nora talk about medical racism, bill C-7 passed into law and … the Queen.
You can see the Disability Filibuster here.
In this episode, Sandy and Nora look back at the year that was. We take stock of the good news (there was some!) the bad news and the shitty news. We also talk the NDP: not defending Palestine.
In this episode, Sandy and Nora talk about the NDP private member bill on pharmacare, and what it would take to build a pharmacare system in Canada. They also talk about the revelations in Celina Caesar-Chevannes’ new book and the Fifth Estate episode Black on Campus.
Last week, the Liberals introduced Bill C-22 – the Liberals’ long-awaited amendments to Canada’s criminal code. Sandy and Nora discuss the changes, how they are a mixed bag of good and bad, and how the Liberals never take seriously the concerns of Black and Indigenous communities.
In this episode, Sandy and Nora talk about ableism in Canada’s medical and political establishment — illustrated both through Canada’s COVID-19 death toll and through Bill C7, Medical Assistance in Dying legislation.
In this episode, Sandy and Nora explain why many on the left have been critical of the recent decision to place several new groups on Canada’s terrorist list, including the Proud Boys. The episode starts with a round-up of news we are watching this week.
In this episode, Sandy and Nora talk about COVID news: from new viral strains to new travel restrictions, why does Canada seem to be perpetually aiming to do the absolute least?
In this episode, Sandy and Nora talk about the Governor General, COVID naming workplaces with outbreaks. And, Sandy and Nora offer a master class in how to take over your local student union.
In this episode, Sandy and Nora talk about CBC Winnipeg, rabble, Black writers being ignored for wanting to write about the far right, Passage’s media relations list and how white supremacy is maintained inside Canadian newsrooms.
In this episode, Sandy and Nora talk about everything we still don’t know about the racist insurrection in Washington DC. They ask why are the details so sketchy, and why are journalists pretending it’s over? Also: nationalize telecoms and the internet now.
Join our Discord: https://discord.gg/Mu8HQZUE
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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!
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.
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.
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: 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: 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
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.
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.
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.
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?
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.
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.
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.
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
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
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.
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.
In this episode, Sandy and Nora talk about how COVID-19 may land a death blow against Canada’s mainstream media.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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