As we approach the one year anniversary of one of the worst mass shootings in Canadian history, the debate surrounding a proposed National Day of Remembrance and Action on Islamophobia in Québec has been instructive. 

In this conversation, National Observer reporter Clothilde Goujard joins host André Goulet to discuss the unbearable whiteness of being Québec’s media elite, the anti-Muslim provocations and posturing of the political class in a provincial election year and the hope and optimism that she experienced this week in Saint-Foy, the neighbourhood surrounding the Islamic Cultural Centre of Québec City. 

Plus details on the National Observer’s new anti-hate, anti-fascist investigative reporting unit.

This conversation was recorded on January 19th, 2018.

For more on this story, check out Goujard's recent piece in the National Observer:
https://www.nationalobserver.com/2018/01/25/news/les-residents-de-sainte-foy-se-relevent-un-apres-lattaque-de-la-mosquee

One Year After the Quebec City Mosque Attack

This week's guest suggests that the federal government’s new housing plan falls short of providing adequate policy proposals for Canada's ongoing housing crisis and, unless Justin Trudeau can get the provinces to go along with the initiative, the Liberal Party's much-anticipated National Housing Strategy is unlikely to be implemented.

In this conversation David DesBaillets of l’Université du Québec a Montréal joins host André Goulet to discuss the gendered facet of the housing crisis, why indigenous communities should be skeptical of the proposed initiative and- what would a radical National Housing Strategy look like in Canada? 

This episode was recorded on January 31st, 2018.

Why Trudeau's National Housing Strategy Falls Short

In a heart-warming and romantic Valentine’s Day conversation, writer/comedian Charlie Demers joins host Andre Goulet to aim Cupid’s arrows at the breathtaking cynicism and broken promises of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

Find Charlie’s Juno-nominated comedy album ‘Fatherland’ on iTunes, where you can also subscribe to his monthly podcast ‘Well Reds’, Canada’s premiere leftist literary review. January's episode features David Chariandy’s award-winning novel ‘Brother’.

Music on this episode: 
Billy Ocean's 'Suddenly'(1984) 
and Michael Bolton's 'How Am I Supposed to Live Without You' (1983)

This conversation was recorded on February 13th, 2018.

Mastered by Chris Hernandez at Studio Petit Palais.

Falling Out of Love With Justin Trudeau

This week's guest thinks that the Bell Media-led campaign demanding the creation of an official federal government anti-piracy committee is a radical proposal that will lead to the censorship of legitimate online content and speech. 

In this conversation, OpenMedia's Katy Anderson joins host Andre Goulet to explain why she thinks the FairPlay coalition's proposed law will threaten freedom of expression in Canada. Plus, what effect could a federal anti-internet piracy commission have on the principles of Net Neutrality? 

Find out more at dontcensor.ca, at michaelgeist.ca and at openmedia.org.

This conversation was recorded on February 27th, 2018.

Mastered by Chris Hernandez at Studio Petit Palais.

Bell Media Censorship Law Would Threaten Online Freedom

In the conclusion to our earnest and endearing year-end conversation, Ricochet co-founder Ethan Cox and Jacobin Podcast Coordinator and Associate Editor Micah Utrecht join host Andre Goulet to submit projections and predictions for the year to come:

* Will Kinder Morgan die?
* Will the Alberta and B.C. NDP find the correct balance between resource extraction with social democratic governance? 
* Will marijuana legalization in Canada make everything better? (short answer: an emphatic ‘no’)

Plus: how will the Bernie Sanders effect influence the further expansion of the American Left, and what does it mean for the surging popularity of the Democratic Socialists of America? 

Music on this episode is 'Auld Lang Syne' by Guy Lombardo and his Royal Canadians (Decca Records, 1939)

Ricochet and Jacobin: Predictions for 2018

In a conversation exploring the relationship between racism, disinformation and Canadian media consolidation, Jagdeesh Mann of Vancouver's The Georgia Straight joins host Andre Goulet to discuss how the recent narrative connecting federal NDP leader Jagmeet Singh to a non-existent Khalistan separatist movement is being driven by an Indian government smear campaign against diasporic Sikh human rights campaigners. 

Recorded on March 26th, 2018. 
Mastered by Chris Hernandez at Studio Petit Palais in Montreal.

Targeting of Jagmeet Singh Shows Canadian Media at its Worst

Ricochet Media's Unpacking the News is a bi-weekly series of conversation highlighting public-interest journalism and Canada’s cultural and political diversity from coast to coast.  

Soundcloud hosts only the most recent episodes of UtN, so look for our archives on iTunes, GooglePlay and at ricochet.media

Ricochet Media Presents: Unpacking the News