Podcast Summary: “Introducing: What Is Happening Here (Official Trailer)”

Podcast: What Is Happening Here | Canadaland Investigates
Host: Canadaland / Jesse Brown
Release Date: November 10, 2025

Overview

This episode is the official trailer for “What Is Happening Here,” an investigative podcast series from Canadaland and the Canadian Jewish News, hosted by journalist Jesse Brown. The show sets out to examine the dramatic rise in antisemitic incidents in Canada since October 7, 2023, in the context of the Israel-Hamas war, and to interrogate whether this surge is real, misrepresented, or a product of conflating anti-Zionism with antisemitism.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Canadian Values vs. Rising Antisemitism (00:02)

• The episode opens with an audio montage juxtaposing traditional Canadian values ("openness, compassion, respect") with a series of explicit, hate-filled threats and slurs directed at Jews.
• This contrast highlights the shock and dissonance many Canadians feel around the rise of antisemitism in a country known for tolerance and diversity.

2. Personal Disclosure and Global Context (01:21)

• Host Jesse Brown reveals his personal stake as a Jewish Canadian, stating, “Full disclosure, I am one and I know that it's not just here.”
• Brown frames the problem as global, noting that antisemitic incidents have spiked everywhere since the Hamas attack on Israel, but states something unique is happening within Canada.

3. Shocking Statistics & Notoriety (01:48)

• Citing Statistics Canada, Brown shares:
  “A Canadian Jew is nine times more likely to be a victim of a hate crime than a Jew in the United States.”
• He references international media attention:
  “The New York Post called Montreal North America's antisemitism capital.”
• He underscores a sense of disbelief around the data, raising the possibility that "something different is happening here."

4. Differing Perspectives Within the Jewish Community (02:16)

• The trailer includes voices challenging the narrative:

  “There are a lot of Jewish people who say they feel unsafe. That's absurd. There is a difference between feeling unsafe and feeling uncomfortable.”

• Debate is introduced around the role of Zionist organizations and whether criticism of Israel is being mislabeled as antisemitism.

5. Key Questions to Explore (02:49)

• Brown lays out the guiding questions for the series:
  • Has multicultural Canada become “a global capital of bigotry”?
  • Are data and news reports misrepresenting the phenomenon?
  • Are Jews being targeted for religious identity or political stances?
  • Who is responsible for the targeting: pro-Palestinian activists, Israel’s actions, or something about Canada itself?

6. Mission Statement for the Podcast (03:17)

• Brown introduces the series’ mission:
  “What is Happening Here is a new podcast that answers these questions from Canadaland and the Canadian Jewish News.”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Canadian Values and Hate
  “It’s about our shared values… A country where we say no to racism, to injustice, to hate.” (A, 00:02)

• Antisemitic Threats
  (Trigger warning: explicit hate speech, example only for context)
  “Fake fucking Jew. Fuck you and fuck your mother and your grandmother…” (montage, 00:20–01:10)

• On Feeling Unsafe
  "There are a lot of Jewish people who say they feel unsafe. That's absurd. There is a difference between feeling unsafe and feeling uncomfortable." (02:16)

• Questioning the Narrative
  “The Israel lobby as Zionist groups are trying to force the narrative that the government of B.C. has some kind of antisemitism problem which is very problematic. And it serves to conflate anti-Zionism with antisemitism or criticism of Israel with antisemitism.” (02:32)

• Host’s Challenge
  “What is happening here? Did a country that prides itself on multiculturalism suddenly become a global capital of bigotry? Or are the statistics and the news reports getting it all wrong? Are Jews being targeted for being Jewish? Or are they being targeted for what they support? And who is doing the targeting?” (02:49)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:02 – 01:10 | Opening montage: Canadian ideals vs. hostile antisemitic threats
• 01:21 | Host’s personal disclosure and summary of the issue’s scale
• 01:48 | Key statistics from Statistics Canada, Montreal highlighted
• 02:16 | Dissenting voices from within the Jewish community
• 02:32 | Debate over conflating anti-Zionism with antisemitism
• 02:49 | Presenting the core investigative questions of the series
• 03:17 | Series intro and listening information

Tone and Language

• The trailer makes deliberate use of stark, explicit examples of hate speech to jolt listeners into recognizing the severity of the situation.
• Jesse Brown speaks in a clear, direct, and somewhat urgent tone, signaling both personal investment and journalistic curiosity.
• The trailer balances empathy for Jewish Canadians’ fear with critical inquiry into the data, media portrayals, and policy responses.

Conclusion

This concise but impactful trailer sets the stage for an investigative journey into Canada’s alleged rise in antisemitism: its causes, its contours, and the debates around its documentation. The series promises to deliver perspectives from across the spectrum—Jewish individuals, anti-Zionist activists, and politicians—asking not only “what is happening here?” but “why?”

Listen for deeper dives starting November 17, 2025, on Canadaland Investigates.