These days, humans are interacting with chatbots powered by artificial intelligence more and more, including for companionship. Can these new tools help a society experiencing a loneliness epidemic, or do they risk deepening isolation? And do they give tech companies even more power? This episode we’re joined by Dr. (Jennifer) Jill Fellows, a facul…

Rates of anxiety, depression, and chronic illnesses like heart disease are on the rise, and more doctors are looking beyond the medicine cabinet for solutions. Could our healthcare system be missing a simple remedy that’s been right outside our door? In this episode we talk to Dr. Stacy Beller Stryer, a paediatrician and Associate Medical Director …

Universities have faced steep and sustained public funding cutbacks and have adapted by changing the way that they operate. What are the consequences of the de facto privatization of universities for students, researchers, and society? In this episode, we talk to Randy Robinson, Ontario Director for the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives and c…

With Loblaws facing criticism for soaring grocery prices and record-high profits during a cost-of-living crisis, can a boycott drive real change? We talk to Emily Johnson, the lead organizer for the Loblaws boycott, and Eric Wickham, a Toronto-based journalist and host of Big Shiny Takes. Emily is a mental health and addictions worker and single mo…

You’ve heard of speculative investors pushing up the price of housing, but did you know it’s happening on farms too? With fewer collective protections for farmers, and pressures to sell land and consolidate farms, is the family farm becoming a thing of the past? And is a new form of feudal tenant farming the future? On today’s episode we talk to th…

With home ownership out of reach for millions of Canadians and no relief in sight, could co-ops be the key to providing affordable, community-driven housing solutions? On today’s episode we talk to Diana Yoon, the Program Manager of Government Relations and Policy at the Co-op Housing Federation of Canada, which represents 2200 co-ops nationwide. I…

With climate action stalled by political gridlock, could citizens' assemblies be the bold democratic solution we need to break through barriers and finally make progress? When it comes to climate change, most of us want to see action but feel that we don’t have power and politicians aren’t listening. Deliberative democracy and citizen empowerment h…

You’ve heard about land back, but what about cash back? Resource and land wealth linked to dispossession has enriched Canada and corporations, so does reconciliation require financial restitution too? And what do Indigenous economies look like? This week’s guest is Shady Hafez, Policy and Research Manager to the National Association of Friendship C…

Canada relies on migrant workers to fill labour gaps, but the Temporary Foreign Worker Program is rife with problems, with a recent United Nations report calling the program a “breeding ground for contemporary forms of slavery”. Can this controversial program be fixed, or should it be scrapped altogether? Should all migrant workers be granted perma…

We often shrug off the brutality of prisons as regrettable, yet ultimately inevitable. But the recent rise of prison abolitionist movements prompts a question: are prisons obsolete? Can we imagine more humane solutions that address the root causes of crime and promote true rehabilitation? Dr. Jessica Evans is an Assistant Professor in Criminology a…

In this latest season, Kristen and Kyla interview experts on topics like prison abolition, ending the Temporary Foreign Worker program, the financialization of farmland, citizens assemblies, the privatization of universities, the Loblaws boycott, and more! Coming September 17thVon Pullback Podcast

Kristen and Kyla dive into 'An Immense World: How Animal Senses Reveal the Hidden Realms Around Us' by Ed Yong. Join us as we explore this delightful journey through the many fascinating ways animals perceive the world. Published in 2022, Yong masterfully weaves together interviews with scientists and in-depth research, offering a narrative that de…

Kristen and Kyla read Chain Gang All Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah. "Two top women gladiators fight for their freedom within a depraved private prison system not so far-removed from America's own." We recorded this for our Patron's, but loved the book so much we decided to share with everyone instead! Get a copy of the book! https://www.penguin…

Kristen and Kyla read Invisible Women: Data Bias in a World Designed for Men by Caroline Criado Perez. This book explores the gender data gap in research when the "male body" is treated as default and "female body" as atypical, revealing how this bias bakes discrimination into systems as far reaching as healthcare, education, public policy, and eco…

Pullback is pleased to share Green Majority Radio with our listeners! Hosts David and Stefan Hostetter and Lauren Latour bring together environmental justice news with voices and strategies from the grassroots. Broadcast from CIUT 89.5 FM in Toronto on Fridays at 11:00AM ET and at various community radio stations around the country, GMR is also ava…

Pullback has been collaborating with The Climate Justice Organizing HUB to develop "Climate Organizing Shorts," a collection of discussions with climate activists on how to build inclusive and effective movements. The inaugural episode is now available, offering a condensed rendition of our previous Deep Canvassing chat featuring the esteemed Monta…

Kristen and Kyla take a break from taking a break to discuss The Age of Insecurity by Astra Taylor. Published in October 2023, this book explores how crises of inequality, mental health, authoritarianism, and ecological collapse could all be addressed by re-evaluating our culture of insecurity. Institutions that promise to make us more secure are f…

Kristen and Kyla are joined by Dr. Jennifer Jill Fellows (Gender, Sex, and Tech), Kattie Laur (Curious Tourism | Pod The North), and Eric Wickham (Unrigged | Big Shiny Takes) on the annual year end quiz panel show, revisiting the big talking points of 2023. Jennifer's links https://gendersextech.opened.ca/2022/03/28/hello-and-welcome/ https://indsp…

Canadian journalism has been struggling for quite a while, with layoffs and local newspapers closing shop. Facebook’s reaction to the Online News Act and has added a layer of difficulty for independent news, who will lose a key platform for sharing their content. Can working together save independent journalism? On today’s episode we talked to Andr…

The country is pretty divided on climate change and what to do about it. Can deep canvassing help to get people on board with decarbonization? Is deep canvassing the pixie dust necessary to bridge political divisions? How does it work, anyway? On today’s episode Kristen spoke with Montana Burgess, the Executive Director of Neighbours United, an org…

With the shifting nature of work, downtowns in many cities are emptying out, leading to business closures and fears about a “transit death spiral”, all while it is becoming ever more difficult to find affordable housing. Is it time for bold thinking to transform our cities so they are greener and more inclusive than they were before? We talk to Pat…

Western governments say that they are working toward a net-zero future. But are those same governments propping up fossil fuel companies with billions of dollars in subsidies? And how can we change that? On today’s episode we talk to Katrina Miller, the Executive Director of Canadians for Tax Fairness about their new report, Taxes and the Path to a…

The five day work week was designed for an economy that relied mostly on physical labour. But does that framework need updating for the knowledge economy? In other words, should we be moving toward a four day work week? On today’s episode we talk to Dr. Dale Whelehan, the CEO of 4 Day Week Global, a company that helps businesses pilot a four-day wo…

As countries look to reach net-zero and to reduce their energy dependence on Russia, nuclear is having a moment. Nuclear energy is a non-emitting source of energy, but it also comes with some pretty big risks. Should countries be building new nuclear power plants? Or would this solution cause bigger problems? Environmentalists have been divided on …

It feels like everyone is struggling to get by. With poverty and inequality on the rise, is unconditional cash the ticket to a happier, healthier, more equal society? Universal basic income is gaining momentum around the world – including in Canada, where the Senate is currently considering Bill S-233, which would require the federal government to …

This year of cascading disasters is a good reminder that climate change has arrived, and some impacts are here to stay even after we reach net-zero. Is climate repair an opportunity to get back to a place of relative safety for humanity? Or is it just another delay tactic? On today’s episode we dig into the debate on climate repair with Andrew Dana…

We are living in a biodiversity crisis: 42,000 animal species are currently threatened with extinction, which is more than a quarter of all species that have been assessed for the International Union of Concerned Scientists’ Red List. But are zoos a solution? On today’s episode we talked to Dr. Albrecht Schulte-Hostedde, a Professor in the School o…

Sure, the rent is too damned high – but are we currently in a housing crisis? Or is the housing market working exactly as it was intended? On the first episode of our brand new season, we were joined by Ricardo Tranjan of the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives to talk housing. Ricardo just wrote a fantastic new book called the Tenant Class, wh…

Kristen sits down with author Seth Klein to discuss his book, “A Good War: Mobilizing Canada for the Climate Emergency”. This book explores what it would actually look like for Canada to mobilize on a wartime level to tackle climate change, using Canada’s efforts in the Second World War as proof that this isn’t the first time we’ve come together in…

Kristen and Kyla take a break from summer vacation to dive into the groundbreaking book "This Changes Everything" by Naomi Klein. Published in 2014, this critically acclaimed book discusses the interconnected nature of the economic, political, and environmental systems, and the ripples of it's influence can be felt everywhere in the climate movemen…

Kristen and Kyla sit down during their season break to discuss the book How to Be a Climate Optimist: Blueprints for a Better World by Chris Turner, a climate reporter sharing his personal research on technological climate solutions, from green islands to solar panel factories. This book outlines how much progress has been made in the last 25 years…

Kristen and Kyla sit down during their season break to discuss the book The Great Displacement by Jack Bittle. This book tells the story of climate migration in the United States through interviews with those who have experienced climate disasters including floods, fires, drought, and storms. This book paints a picture not only of how climate chang…

A lot of settlers in so-called Canada want to walk the path of reconciliation with the Indigenous peoples who have always been here. On our last episode of season 1, we’re joined by Riley Yesno to discuss the land back movement that seeks to reclaim Indigenous rights and rebalance our relationships with one another and the land. Riley is an Anishin…

Effective altruism is a moral theory that says we need to give as much money as possible to the most effective charities. Is that a harmless idea, or a hyper-capitalist ideology that helps billionaires like Elon Musk, Bill Gates, and Warren Buffet launder their reputations? On today’s episode we dig into a utilitarian-flavored philanthropic movemen…

Kristen and Kyla are coming for your burgers in their ongoing fight against their arch-nemesis; Big Agriculture. Plant based foods are having a moment; sales for “meat” substitutes alone are projected to grow to $85 billion by 2030, and demand for plant based ingredients is expected to grow to $13 trillion by 2025. As we continue to reckon with the…

Critical Race Theory is at the heart of some of today’s most fiery culture wars, but does it deserve the heat? We are joined by scholar, teacher, and advocate Joshua Sealy-Harrington to discuss the many nuances of CRT. Josh is an Assistant Professor at Toronto Metropolitan University’s Lincoln Alexander School of Law, and Counsel at Power Law. Josh…

Should we be taxing Scrooge McDuck wealth? Can we? We talk with friend of the pod Fariya Mohiuddin, a Senior Program Officer with the International Budget Partnership's Tax Equity Program, and our favourite tax justice researcher and activist. Topics include: what does a wealth tax really look like; why we need an asset registry; how we could imple…

Politics seem more divided than ever. Can we save democracy through persuasion? On today’s episode we were joined by activist Robert Miller to talk about Anand Giridharadas’ latest book, The Persuaders. Our discussion covered all kinds of topics, including whether political polarisation is really a new problem, how a person might get swept up in co…

We know the world is getting hotter. Is spraying sulphate into the atmosphere a solution? On today’s episode we talk all about geoengineering with Green Majority Radio’s Lauren Latour and Stefan Hostetter and David Camfield, academic and author of Future on Fire: Capitalism and the Politics of Climate Change. We learned that geoengineering doesn’t …

Can euthanasia ever be just in an unjust society? On today’s episode we talked to disabilities justice expert Megan Linton about Canada’s Medical Assistance in Dying program: how it works, its limitations, and where expansions may take it. Megan is the host of Invisible Institutions, a documentary podcast exploring the past and present of instituti…

When the internet started to take off, it was supposed to democratize information. Now everything’s owned by a handful of mega-corporations. Can Web 3 decentralize the internet? Do you have to learn what a Blockchain is? We talk to Paris Marx of the Tech Won’t Save Us podcast about Web 3.0, which some are saying will lead to a more secure, private,…

So, there’s no ethical consumption under capitalism. Does that mean there’s no value to movements like slow fashion, eating local, and Fairtrade? This is the first episode of our new spin on the power we have as individuals. We’ll explore big new ideas and ask: is this a real solution or a distraction? To introduce our new format, we look back on t…

Kristen and Kyla are joined by head of Harbinger Media Network Andre Goulet, Ethical Parenting guest Sarah Mistak, and Invisible Institutions' Megan Linton on their annual year end quiz panel show. We revisit events of the past year, and the winner of the quiz gets a special donation to their organization of choice. Leave us a voicemail! https://po…

Encore! Look for pod favourite episodes being re-released outside of the regularly scheduled show. This episode originally aired in December 2019. In this episode, Kristen and Kyla ruin Christmas — but, you know, in a fun and practical way. This episode covers online shopping, artificial versus real Christmas trees, and solutions to reduce waste at…

Kyla and Kristen discuss the ins and outs of water. Topics: what is water, history of water, water footprint, where is all the water going, municipal water treatment, how to make water (with explosions), wetlands, water shortages and advisories, privitization, the bottled water industry, what can be done. Book recommendation: 21 Things You May Not …

Encore! Look for pod favourite episodes being re-released outside of the regularly scheduled show. This episode originally aired in October of 2021. How do you choose an organization to donate to, and how do you recognize a good charity from a bad one? What's the difference between non-profits, foundations, and charities? How do you know your money…

Kyla and Kristen are joined by Marissa Marx, the senior director of partnerships and programs with the Dressember foundation to discuss human trafficking*. Marissa is responsible for spearheading the Dressember Network, developing Dressember’s programs, and collaborating with ethical brand partners. Prior to joining Dressember, Marissa received her…

Harbinger Society Presents presents a terrifying excerpt from our October 30th I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST TELETHON. This episode you'll hear Scott Schmidt in Medicine Hat and Jeremy Appel in Calgary welcome Kino Lefter's Evan MacDonald and Bridget Sterling in Edmonton to The Forgotten Corner to hate-watch Danielle Smith's unhinged victory speech. The…

Harbinger Society Presents presents a terrifying excerpt from our October 30th I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST TELETHON. This episode you'll hear Replay's Shama Rangwala and Desmond Cole talk pop culture, racial capitalism and the unmatched excellence of Toronto's water quality, then The Alberta Advantage advocate for gamers rights in a provocative and co…

Harbinger Society Presents presents a terrifying excerpt from our October 30th I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST TELETHON. this episode you'll hear Darts & Letters Gordon Katic and Jay Cockburn sit down with Press Progress' Mitchell Thompson to review spooky PSAs. Then Gabrielle Brassard-Lecours, Alexis Ross, Fanny Tan and Sam Harper celebrate the first bir…