A bi-weekly discussion that critically (and flippantly) engages with the literature, culture, and people of this weird place known as Canada. Hosted by two English graduates, Patrick & Mackenzy. Sometimes features interviews with writers and academics. Featured on Feedspot's "35 Best Canada History Podcasts" (#18), "15 Best Cultural History Podcasts" (#7), and "30 Best History Podcasts For Students" (#10). Named best podcast of all time by their mothers!
On the post-War cultural crisis as seen by Canada's premier man of letters. Source: Davies, Robertson. Fortune, My Foe. 1949. --- Support: Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/historiacanadiana); Paypal (https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/historiacanadiana); recommended reading (https://historiacanadiana.wordpress.com/books/) --- You can follow Patrick's university course here (for free) or wherever you get podcasts.
9/28/26 • 60:46
In which we discuss the life and work of modernist Jewish-Canadian writer A.M. Klein. Here are the referenced (or notable) poems, many more of which can be found on Internet Archive: "Out of the pulver and the polished lens"; "Ave atque vale"; "Political meeting". --- Support: Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/historiacanadiana); Paypal (https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/historiacanadiana); recommended reading (https://historiacanadiana.wordpress.com/books/)
8/3/26 • 78:44
In which Patrick talks to Bryan D. Palmer about his final volume in his three-part Capitalism and Colonialism series, focusing on Canadian history from 1960 to today. Bryan is Professor Emeritus and former Canada Research Chair, Canadian Studies, Trent University. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, former editor of Labour/Le Travail, and has published extensively on the history of labour and the revolutionary left. Among his many books are Canada's 1960s and the co-authored Toronto's Poor: A Rebellious History. Find the book here or at your local bookstore. --- Support: Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/historiacanadiana); Paypal (https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/historiacanadiana); recommended reading (https://historiacanadiana.wordpress.com/books/)
7/13/26 • 102:07
Sorry for the delay. Is this anything? Who's to say...
5/25/26 • 54:27
In which we discuss the cultural impacts of Italians on Canada and - due to time constraints - make a brief detour on Nino Ricci's Lives of the Saints. --- Support: Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/historiacanadiana); Paypal (https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/historiacanadiana); recommended reading (https://historiacanadiana.wordpress.com/books/)
4/13/26 • 60:43
In which Patrick talks to former Olympian and LGBTQ sports activist about her new memoir Outspoken: A Journey from Olympic Athlete to Activist. Find the book here or at your local bookstore. --- Support: Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/historiacanadiana); Paypal (https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/historiacanadiana); recommended reading (https://historiacanadiana.wordpress.com/books/)
3/30/26 • 72:00
For International Women's Day? --- Support: Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/historiacanadiana); Paypal (https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/historiacanadiana); recommended reading (https://historiacanadiana.wordpress.com/books/)
3/16/26 • 60:04
In which Patrick talks to Shirley Horn and Joanne Robertson about their collaboration on the children's book, Shirley: An Indian Residential School Story - which is based on Horn's lived experiences at the school. Find the book here or at your local bookstore. --- Support: Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/historiacanadiana); Paypal (https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/historiacanadiana); recommended reading (https://historiacanadiana.wordpress.com/books/)
3/9/26 • 61:52
In which, after a hiatus, your heroes return to discuss how the Canadian government locked up its own citizens (again) under the War Measures Act.
2/2/26 • 77:12
Giving you one last episode before the new year! Wherein we look back on the last year, both as a podcast and a country.
12/15/25 • 61:50
In which we talk about antisemitism in Canada, with a brief segue into Gwethalyn Graham's novel Earth & High Heaven (1944). --- Sources/Further Reading Abella, Irving. None is Too Many, 1970. Graham, Gwethalyn. Earth and High Heaven, 1944. Moss, John. A Reader's Guide to the Canadian Novel, McClelland and Stewart, 1981 --- Support: Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/historiacanadiana); Paypal (https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/historiacanadiana); recommended reading (https://historiacanadiana.wordpress.com/books/)
11/17/25 • 47:26
Is this episode early for next week or late from last week? Who's to say... but it is about various theories that were offered in mid-twentieth century Canada about what was the most crucial aspect to its foundation was. Naturally, it devolves into discussing beavers. --- Support: Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/historiacanadiana); Paypal (https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/historiacanadiana); recommended reading (https://historiacanadiana.wordpress.com/books/)
10/27/25 • 53:36
In which Patrick rides solo for a brief overview of Norman Bethune's rock n' roll life. --- Further Readings Bock, Dennis. The Communist's Daughter, 2007. Tse-Tung, Mao. "In Memory of Norman Bethune." December 21, 1939.
10/6/25 • 32:54
In which I talk to writer Christine Estima about her debut novel, Letters to Kafka. The novel conjures the voice of Milena Jesenská, the absent interlocutor to Franz Kafka's posthumously published Letters to Milena, in a vivid portrayal of a stifled intellectual whose spirit and ambition outpace the role of women in her time. Find the book here or at your local bookstore. --- Support: Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/historiacanadiana); Paypal (https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/historiacanadiana); recommended reading (https://historiacanadiana.wordpress.com/books/)
9/22/25 • 53:45
After one year, we are hear to finish our exploration of the man who has widely been called the greatest PM of Canadian history. Of course we'll laugh at him! Cartoons referenced: Cartoon 1 Cartoon 2 Cartoon 3 Cartoon 4
9/8/25 • 84:12
In which Patrick talks to Max Brault about The Race to the Starting Line, which details his public and private work as an accessibility activist, as well as his being one of the drivers of Canada's recent "Accessible Canada Act." You can find out more about Max and his book here! --- Support: Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/historiacanadiana); Paypal (https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/historiacanadiana); recommended reading (https://historiacanadiana.wordpress.com/books/)
8/11/25 • 71:44
In which we talk about the creation of the Man of Steel and why he matters. --- Support: Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/historiacanadiana); Paypal (https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/historiacanadiana)
7/28/25 • 69:43
In which Patrick reads from and raves about George Elliott Clarke's Whylah Falls while Mack is away. --- Support: Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/historiacanadiana); Paypal (https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/historiacanadiana) --- Further Readings Clarke, George Elliott. Whylah Falls, Polestar Press, 1990.
7/14/25 • 39:41
In which we discuss a largely forgotten early example of the Canadian modern/postmodern in Howard O'Hagan's 1939 novel, Tay John. Sorry for the delayed episode release, we all got caught up in other things.... --- Support: Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/historiacanadiana); Paypal (https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/historiacanadiana) --- Further Readings O'Hagan, Howard. Tay Tohn, New Canadian Library, 1939.
6/30/25 • 55:09
A discussion with Eve Lazarus about her new book, Beneath Dark Waters! Find the book here or at your local bookstore. --- Support: Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/historiacanadiana); Paypal (https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/historiacanadiana); recommended reading (https://historiacanadiana.wordpress.com/books/)
6/2/25 • 47:27
In which we discuss how fascism has generally played out in Canada and why right wing movements today are different, all while Mack battles sleep live on the pod. --- Support: Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/historiacanadiana); Paypal (https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/historiacanadiana) --- Further Readings Allan, Ted. This Time A Better Earth, Les Presses de l'Université d'Ottawa/University of Ottawa Press, 2015 [1939]. Eco, Umberto. "Ur-Fascism," The New York Review of Books, 1995.
5/19/25 • 57:19
An interview with Tim Falconer about his new book, Windfall! Find the book here or at your local bookstore. --- Support: Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/historiacanadiana); Paypal (https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/historiacanadiana); recommended reading (https://historiacanadiana.wordpress.com/books/)
5/6/25 • 50:58
In which we talk about one of the most influential poets in modern Quebec - who only published one collection in his lifetime! --- Support: Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/historiacanadiana); Paypal (https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/historiacanadiana) --- Further Readings Garneau, Saint-Denys. Complete poems of Saint Denys Garneau, Oberon Press, 1975.
4/21/25 • 61:12
In which Patrick talks to Karin Wells about her new book Women Who Woke Up the Law. You can find the book here or at your local bookstore! --- Support: Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/historiacanadiana); Paypal (https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/historiacanadiana); recommended reading (https://historiacanadiana.wordpress.com/books/)
4/14/25 • 55:06
In which Patrick talks to Ruby Smith Díaz about her new book Searching for Seraphim: The Life and Legacy of Serafim 'Joe' Fortes. You can find the book here or at your local bookstore! --- Support: Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/historiacanadiana); Paypal (https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/historiacanadiana); recommended reading (https://historiacanadiana.wordpress.com/books/)
3/31/25 • 52:07
In which we overview the story of the Black Nova Scotia once known as Africville, as well as briefly discussing Jeffrey Colvin's novel Africaville, which was inspired by the events. --- Support: Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/historiacanadiana); Paypal (https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/historiacanadiana) --- Further Readings Colvin, Jeffrey. Africaville: A Novel, HarperCollins, 2019. McRae, Matthew. "The Story of Africville," Canadian Museum for Human Rights, Feb. 23, 2017. Remember Africville. Directed by Shelagh Mackenzie, National Film Board, 1991.
3/24/25 • 57:14
In which Patrick talks to Tom Fraser about his new book Invested in Crisis: Public Sector Pensions Against the Future. You can find the book here or at your local bookstore! --- Support: Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/historiacanadiana); Paypal (https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/historiacanadiana); recommended reading (https://historiacanadiana.wordpress.com/books/)
3/10/25 • 73:11
In which we slowly unravel (you have been forewarned) as we talk about the absurdities of our contemporary relations to America... Check out our Patreon page for more episodes (that are slightly less stupid).
2/24/25 • 65:12
In which we talk about Quebec's 'grande noirceur' period (1939-1959) through its figurehead, Maurice Duplessis, and classic author Félix-Antoine Savard. --- Support: Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/historiacanadiana); Paypal (https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/historiacanadiana) --- Sources/Further Reading Jones, Richard. Duplessis and the union nationale administration, 1983. Savard, Félix-Antoine. Menaud, maître draveur, 1937.
2/10/25 • 67:35
In which Patrick talks to Andrea Currie (Métis) about her new book Finding Otipemisiwak: The People Who Own Themselves, a narrative that extends from Andrea's experience of being a Sixties Scoop survivor. Find the book here or at your local bookstore! --- Support: Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/historiacanadiana); Paypal (https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/historiacanadiana); recommended reading (https://historiacanadiana.wordpress.com/books/)
1/20/25 • 57:09
