Have you heard? We joined CBC Podcasts! All new episodes will be published in our new feed. Subscribe here: http://hyperurl.co/secretlifeofcanada.

Season 1 is done, and we're taking a month off to work on season 2!

Meet Chief Running Deer, Fred Sasakmoose of Ahtahkakoop Cree Nation in Saskatchewan, first Indigenous player in the NHL. Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/secretlifeofcanada 

What do you have to do to get a statue in Canada? We put some of our most lauded historical figures on trial and deliberate their pros and cons. Who should be torn down and who should stay up? From the Famous Five to Terry Fox, we look at some of the best and worst. Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/secretlifeofcanada

Meet Irene Uchida. A Japanese Canadian scientist, she was one of thousands of Japanese Canadians who were imprisoned as part of the Japanese Internment during WW11. Dr. Uchida went on to become a groundbreaking geneticist, transforming maternal and fetal heath around the world. Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/secretlifeofcanada 

Canada is full of its own weird and wonderful snacks. From Pizza Pops to ketchup chips, we dive into the history of Canadian food. Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/secretlifeofcanada 

Meet Tom Longboat, an Onondaga long distance runner born in 1887 on Six Nations. Tom became one of the most celebrated athletes of all time, despite struggles and encountering racism throughout his career. Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/secretlifeofcanada 

Nunavut has the largest landmass out of all the provinces and territories in Canada—and yet, it is the area that many of us know the least about. In this episode, we look at the forced relocation of the Inuit, the Eskimo Identification System, and the dog slaughter perpetrated by the Canadian government. Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/secretlifeofcanada 

Meet Jackie Shane, the singer and trailblazer that came to prominence during Toronto's bustling Yonge Street music scene during the 60's. Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/secretlifeofcanada 

Bonus! Meet Kenojuak Ashevak, the world-renowned and multi-award winning artist and first lady of Inuit Art. Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/secretlifeofcanada 

How would we get anything done if not for New Brunswickers? Visit the country’s only bilingual province and meet the Acadians, the Maliseet, and generations of migrant workers. Hear local French dialects, and learn for yourself why NB’s “drive-through” reputation is a lie. Note: This is the translated version of the episode. For the bilingual version, check our feed.

How would we get anything done if not for New Brunswickers? Visit the country’s only bilingual province and meet the Acadians, the Maliseet, and generations of migrant workers. Hear local French dialects, and learn for yourself why NB’s “drive-through” reputation is a lie. *Note: This episode features interviews conducted in French. 

Bonus! Meet Beryl Potter, an early activist and advocate for rights of persons with disabilities who didn't take no for an answer.

We dive into one of Canada’s most-visited tourist destinations—and self-professed honeymoon capital of the world—Niagara Falls, Ontario. First, we explore the falls’ geological formation and how they were divided between Canada and the United States. Next, the ways people have tried to make a buck off this natural wonder: from industrial polluters to daredevils in barrels to the wax museums of Clifton Hill. We also find out why the Maid of the Mist “legend” is so problematic.

Meet Elsa Gidlow and Roswell George Mills, creators of North America’s first LGBTQ publication, Les Mouches Fantastiques. Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/secretlifeofcanada

This episode might be the strangest piece of Canadiana we’ve found yet: and warning, it’s not suitable for children. First, we go deep down a rabbit hole to investigate Bear by Marian Engel, a novella that won the Governor-General’s Literary Award decades before it became an internet meme—because it’s all about lady/bear sex. Next, we explore first- and second-wave feminism and the lives of women in Canada during Bear’s time.

Bonus! Meet Abby Hoffman former Olympian and trailblazer.

What we do really know about the history of black people in Canada? Sure, there’s the Underground Railroad and the jazz prowess of Oscar Peterson—but what else? How about 200 years of slavery in Canada; the first race riot in North America; the false promise of “freedom and a farm”; or Birchtown, Nova Scotia, home to one of this country’s first settlements of black people.

Bonus! Meet Susan Olivia Poole, the first Indigenous woman to receive a patent with an invention that has been sold all over the world. 

Ah, dock life—a crackling fire and the sound of loons on the water. But where does cottage country come from? In one part of Ontario, we look at how the Chippewas of Kettle and Stony Point First Nation were pushed off their land to make way for cottages, a park and even an army base.

A new episode is coming soon! But before that happens, we need to shout out someone wonderful named Rosemary Brown. 

How did Banff come to be? A look back at how Indigenous people were kicked off their land—and then how the national park was built by the forced labour of interned Ukrainian-Canadians. Skiing at Lake Louise will never feel the same again.

A podcast that looks at all the people, places and events regularly left out of Canadian history. Hosted and written by Leah-Simone Bowen & Falen Johnson, produced by Katie Jensen.