22nd June, 2021  

OH  Canada!  Podcasts, Authors and Films for Canada Day 

Check out these books, films and podcasts that immerse you in Canada, help you understand its history and diverse cultures, and take you off-the-beaten path into overlooked corners of culture and geography.

Podcasts

Alberta

Alberta-based podcasts are all about culture – whether historical or contemporary, local podcast hosts celebrate their province's food and drink, art, and notable personalities. La Place is a French-language podcast about local Alberta communities, with stories told through the lens of drink, culture and history. Listeners travel through neighborhoods like Garneau, Strathcona and Oliver, learning about community mainstays like the Flying Canoe Volant festival. Let's Find Out is a monthly podcast focused on Edmonton; each episode, the hosts take questions from listeners about local history, and investigate the answers together. Don't Call me a Guru centres on social media, and is hosted by social media strategist Linda Hoang. A self-proclaimed foodie and supporter of everything Edmonton has to offer, Linda welcomes guests who are all in the social media space.

British Columbia

BC's homegrown podcasts celebrate the communities that make up the heart and soul of the province. On Vancouver Island, Grant Lawrence's series of wilderness adventure storytelling set in Desolation Sound includes “Wild Pick,” the true tale of Linda Syms, a local oyster farmer whose 40-year love story ended with a bang. In the interior, Kootenay Time is hosted by retired CBC reporter Bob Keating, who tells the stories of the natural ecosystems, wilderness and residents who live in the Kootenay Rockies. The Okanagan Podcast explores the happenings of BC's wine region, providing an inside look of what's popular in the valley. And the new Our Native Land explores all things Indigenous through fun interviews and compelling discussions about First Nations cuisine, culture, heritage and more from Vancouver Island and around the world.

Ontario

From wine and craft beer to art and birdsong, Ontario's podcasts offer ear candy for everyone. Two Guys Talking Wine is hosted by two wine writers living in Ontario who have produced more than 237 episodes centred on Ontario wines, while the Ontario Craft Beer Guide: The Podcast features beer experts and authors discussing Ontario's craft beer scene with some timely news thrown in. Art aficionados can tune into the Art Gallery of Ontario podcast, which includes curators discussing the art featured in the gallery, as well as recordings from past talks and audio tours. On a natural note, the podcast Songbirding is a soothing symphony of birdsong captured in mid-western and southern Ontario, with a modified version for the hearing impaired; and Songscapes uses field recordings from the Hamilton Naturalists' Club to bring the chattering of birds, amphibians and insects direct to listeners everywhere.

Also of note: Ottawa's Interview Dudes podcast is helmed by three 13-year-old buddies who have chatted with the likes of actors Ryan Reynolds and Steve Martin, paleobotanist Kirk Johnson, and astronaut Marc Garneau. Currently entering its eighth season, the podcast averages over 1,200 downloads per month. Warrior Life, based in Toronto, is hosted by Mi'kmaq lawyer Dr. Pam Palmater, who pours her warrior heart into conversations with grassroots activities, Indigenous leaders and knowledge keepers who are collectively working towards decolonization by educating and connecting a larger community.

Quebec

Montréal, Quebec is a city of stories – and there are several local podcasts where locals and visitors can hear them. Several English-language podcasts bring the spirit of Montréal to the internet airwaves, with both Montrealers and guests discussing life, arts and culture, global politics and more, all with a Montréal twist. Hallmark podcasts include Seat at the Table, where media figures Martine St-Victor and Isabelle Racicot talk candidly about topics ranging from being Black in media to food and politics. Or, check out Portrait Sonore, a series of podcast documentaries that use interviews, archived photos and original museum to immerse visitors in pockets of Montreal.

Cross-Canada

Canada's Calling was founded by Ashley and Mike, a pair of 30-somethings hitting the pause button on their lives to explore Canada. In each destination, the couple interview local business owners and fascinating characters, uncovering the history, culture and lifestyle of every province and territory.

Mullinger Meets Canadians Meet British born James Mullinger,an award-winning writer, comedian and filmmaker. Now living in Atlantic Canada, he is also the co-founder and editor-in-chief of Atlantic based EDIT Magazine. While EDIT showcases all that Atlantic Canada has to offer, this podcast features Canadians from across the country who are doing the unexpected, producing world class, globally renowned work from the country's small towns and cities.

Books

Kiss the Joy as it Flies by Sheree Fitch. Setting: New Brunswick. About: Set in the fictional Maritime town of Odell, the book follows the story of Mercy Beth Fanjoy, who becomes panic-stricken when she learns she needs surgery. After drafting a monumental “to-do” list, she sets about putting her life in order, including uncovering the identity of her secret admirer, reconnecting with a lost friend and rival, and getting her hands on her father's suicide note.

The Response of Weeds by Bertrand Bickersteth. Setting: Alberta. About: This debut poetry collection explores what it means to be Black and Albertan through personal perspectives on the prairies. Named one of the best poetry books of 2020 by CBC Books, the collection poignantly captures the experience of early Black settlers in Western Canada.

La Sagouine by Antonine Maillet. Setting: Acadia (a former French colony that included parts of eastern Quebec and the Maritime provinces). About: A classic French-Canadian tale about a local washerwoman, La Sagouine gives voice to Acadia's working class.

The Curve of Time by Muriel Wylie Blanchet. Setting: British Columbia. About: A true story about a woman left widowed on a remote island with her five young children. For 15 summers, she and her children explored the coves, fjords and abandoned villages of the Inside Passage – all while encountering wild animals, stormy seas and captivating characters.

Black Water by David A. Robertson. Setting: Manitoba. About: The author embarks on an emotional journey as he learns about his father's – and his own – Cree identity. The book immerses readers in Manitoba's diverse settings, including the wild boreal forest, a small farming community called Melita and the city of Winnipeg.

Still Life by Louise Penny. Setting: Quebec. About: The best-selling detective novels set a scene of intrigue and mystery in a fictional Quebec hamlet called Three Pines, centred around Chief Inspector Armand Gamache of the Sûreté du Québec police force.

Split Tooth by Tanya Tagaq. Setting: Nunavut. About: A young girl growing up in the 1970s must circumnavigate the grittiest features of her small Arctic town – including the ravages of alcohol and violence – when she becomes pregnant. Shifting effortlessly between fiction and memoir, myth and reality, poetry and prose, the book carries an underlying message about the fierce power of love.

Frying Plantain by Zalika Reid-Benta. Setting: Ontario. About: United by 12 interconnected stories, the book follows a girl caught between her Canadian and Jamaican identities. Set in Toronto's “Little Jamaica” (or the Eglinton West neighbourhood), Frying Plantain addresses the tensions between second-generation Canadians and first-generation expectations, as well as Black identity in a predominantly white society.

Films and TV shows

The Shipping News  Set in Newfoundland and Labrador, the movie follows a reporter who moves to his family home with his two daughters to start over again.

Scott Pilgrim vs. The World This romantic comedy starring Canadian actor Michael Cera centres on a slacker musician in Toronto seeking a record deal while battling the seven evil exes of his new girlfriend. Keep your eyes peeled for recognizable landmarks, including the CN Tower, Casa Loma and the Toronto Public Library.

Anne of Green Gables The 1985 TV film is the first in a series of four based on the books by Lucy Maud Montgomery. Set on Prince Edward Island, the movies were filmed in the province (as well as Ontario), particularly Westfield Heritage Village near Rockton, PEI.

Les Boys Set in Quebec, this comedy about an amateur hockey team will leave you yearning to visit Montreal and Longueuil, while underscoring the significance of hockey to Canadian culture.

One Week After being diagnosed with cancer, Ben Tyler – played by Canadian Joshua Jackson – embarks on a motorcycle trip from Toronto, Ontario to Tofino, British Columbia.

Atanarjuat: The Fast Runner Directed by Inuit filmmaker Zacharius Kunuk, this epic takes place in Nunavut and is based on a century-old folk story.

Photo credit : Tourism Ottawa  - Canada Day Fireworks in Ottawa 

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For more media information please contact Ms. Nim Singh, singh.nim@destinationcanada.com (NOT FOR PUBLICATION) @canadanim