Summary5 min read

Cool Mules | Canadaland Investigates

Episode: We’re in the Fight of Our Lives
Host: Canadaland
Date: October 20, 2025

Episode Overview

This impassioned episode focuses on the existential threat facing Canada’s cultural and political autonomy, spurred by increasing American influence and the perceived fragility of Canadian media and institutions. The host reflects on the necessity of sustained, independent national conversation in the face of eroding boundaries, and issues a rallying cry for listeners to support Canadian independent journalism. The episode weaves together personal anecdotes, observations of Canadian society and media, and the host’s vision for Canadaland’s role in this critical historical moment.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Canada’s Threatened Sovereignty

Anecdote: The episode opens with the host recounting a conversation with a politically connected friend who predicts Canada’s eventual absorption, culturally and economically, into the United States.
- Canadian businesses and elites are increasingly shifting attention and resources to the US, aided by American tax incentives.
- The weakening of public services (education, transit, healthcare) and institutions is tied directly to this economic migration and lack of reinvestment.
- Media consumption patterns reinforce U.S. dominance, with even national outlets like the CBC focusing heavily on American content.
“We’ll just sort of ease into it. We'll become Americans without a war. No shots will be fired. It'll happen without a debate, without so much as a national discussion.” (05:50)

2. Media’s Role—and Failures

The host criticizes major Canadian outlets for sidelining Canadian stories in favor of U.S. news cycles.
- Example: CBC’s daily news podcast only featured one Canada-focused story among the last twelve episodes.
This media drift, the host argues, contributes to the erosion of national identity and conversation.

“They may have lost interest in speaking to Canadians about Canada, but Canada's aging institutions are not Canada's people.” (07:35)

3. Canada's Shared Identity

Despite weakened institutions, the host highlights a rare, recent moment of unity—across political, cultural, and regional lines—around the conviction: “We are not fucking Americans.”
- Points to grassroots activism and cross-ideological consensus as proof that core Canadian identity persists.
“Albertan conservatives and Quebec separatists and indigenous land backers and downtown Toronto latte sippers... We all got together around one shared certainty.” (08:10)
“We are not fucking Americans. We don't want to be and we never will be.” (08:22)

4. The Call for a National Conversation

The host stresses the need to ramp up internal dialogue, to talk about Canada on Canada’s own terms, and to resist constant American distraction.
The episode positions Canadaland as uniquely dedicated to fostering this environment—a “common space where debate and facts still matter.”

“If that insistence is going to stand strong as our actual reality, we are going to need to talk to each other across party lines, across ideological divisions, across this country... We're going to need to stay dialed in with our elbows up.” (09:18)

5. The Purpose and Urgency of Independent Media

Canadaland’s core rationale is presented: to prioritize Canadian stories, critically and seriously.
The host unveils details of an upcoming investigative series—a significant, personal project—announcing it will launch after the current crowdfunding campaign.

“This is the most difficult work I've ever done. It's the first limited series that I've ever hosted on my own... I'll tell you more about this series as our campaign goes on. Don't skip these messages if you're curious to know more.” (13:48)

6. Solidarity Among Independent Outlets

The host identifies a new wave of independent Canadian media growing up alongside Canadaland.
- For the first time, the crowdfunding campaign will include partnerships and collaborations with other respected outlets.
“We are part of a new generation of independent news and media companies... This year we are including some of these other organizations that we so respect in this crowdfunding campaign.” (16:31)

7. The Fight for Independence

The existential “fight of our lives” is defined as one for independence: not just political sovereignty, but independence from government funding, political ideology, and American cultural hegemony.
- Emphasis is on honest, critical journalism and a willingness to host open debate from across the spectrum.
“Independent media, independent of political persuasion, independent of government funding, independent of ideology. We try to have ideas here, not ideology.” (17:44)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On media abdication:

"I counted their last 12 episodes, and one of them was about Canada." (06:41)
On unity in diversity:

“Albertan conservatives, Quebec separatists, Indigenous land backers, and downtown Toronto latte sippers... We all got together around one shared certainty. We are not fucking Americans. We don't want to be and we never will be.” (08:10)
On the need for ongoing conversation:

“We're going to need to shake off the distractions. And there are going to be endless distractions, dramatic, grotesque carnival of distractions coming from America.” (09:30)
On Canadaland’s founding purpose:

“Twelve years ago, I just started a podcast so that I could say things that I could not say elsewhere, so that I could talk about the Canadian media... as if it matters.” (11:10)
On the role of independent media:

"We have built a common space where debate and facts still matter. And now we're all going to need it." (18:46)
On practical action:

“If you want to know something that you can do about the situation that we are all in right now, this is something you can do…” (21:12)

Important Segments & Timestamps

Opening story and U.S. influence analysis: 00:00 – 07:35
Critique of Canadian media and ignored stories: 06:10 – 08:00
Description of recent cross-Canada unity: 08:00 – 09:30
Call for Canadian-focused conversation: 09:30 – 12:00
Canadaland’s role, achievements, and campaign: 12:00 – 17:44
Announcement of upcoming investigative series: 13:48 – 16:20
Solidarity with other independent media: 16:20 – 17:44
Financial realities and support appeal: 18:46 – end

Tone & Language

The host employs a direct, candid, sometimes profane, but always passionate tone. There’s a sense of urgency throughout, with moments of self-deprecating humor and sincere appeals for support. The episode moves fluidly from personal narrative to incisive critique, concluding with a rousing call both to action and to collective identity.

Summary Takeaway

This episode is a heartfelt, forthright meditation on the precariousness of Canadian identity in a time of American incursion—economically, politically, and culturally. It’s also a testament to the power and necessity of independent, Canadian-focused journalism, inviting all listeners to become active participants in the fight for sovereignty by supporting institutions like Canadaland.

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[00:00]
A
I was having a drink with a friend of mine, smart guy, very successful guy, and a connected guy, not to the mob, politically connected. Invariably, our conversation turned to politics, and I asked him, what does he make of where we're at right now? Things seem to have calmed down. Maybe we've got the right guy in charge. What's his take? And he leaned in a bit closer to me and he said, look, you and me, we've got, if we're lucky, 30 more years, 40 more years. I said, yeah. He said, there is no doubt in my mind we will die Americans. Our kids will be Americans. And I looked at him funny, and sensing my skepticism, he began to explain, point for point, exactly how it's going to happen. Some Canadian companies already moving their factories to the States. Much more of a problem, he said, is that Canadian money is moving to the States. Rich people, they can do math. And as Trump cuts taxes and cuts capital gains, they are making a very simple business decision to put their money, their investments and themselves, where they'll get to keep more of what they have and what they're going to have. And he explained to me that this isn't going to stop. You know, America's just going to keep chipping away at us even after Trump. They're going to keep isolating us. They're going to lean on other countries to punish us, they're going to weaken us until there's just less money for the government to tax. And it doesn't take a genius to see what that's going to do to our public services. They're going to suffer, or they're going to continue to suffer. They're going to degrade the things that make us Canadian decent public schools, our infrastructure, our transit, affordable yet really good universities, public health care. They're going to crater or get privatized or both. And eventually, all of this stuff just gets worse until we look around at this place and we ask ourselves, like, what are we even hanging onto here? It's already happening, he explained. The Canadian elite, our business class, our ruling class, our political leaders, they already spend half their time in America, for God's sakes. The last president of the CBC was running the place from her home in Brooklyn. And as for the rest of us, I mean, how would we even know? Where would we even talk about it? I mean, we barely even pay attention to our own media. And even when we do watch Canadian news, half of it is about Trump and whatever distraction or sensational, grotesque thing he's trying to distract the world with. We take the bait every time. I mean, look at CBC's Daily News podcast. It's not terribly concerned with Canada. I mean, check it out. These are just episode titles from the last few weeks alone. Jimmy Kimmel, Free Speech and Big Money Media. What exactly is Antifa? Can Trump's Peace Plan Help End the War in Gaza? Trump and the Alarm Bells of Fascism, US Politics, Government Shutdown, Autism and Tylenol. Will Trump Declare War on Chicago? I counted their last 12 episodes, and one of them was about Canada. All of that is consistent with what my friend was telling me. We'll just sort of ease into it. We'll become Americans without a war. No shots will be fired. It'll happen without a debate, without so much as a national discussion. And that's where he lost me, that last one. That much I knew he was just wrong about. Look, our traditional institutions might be weak. They might be weaker than ever right now. The cbc, yes, but CTV News, the Globe and Mail? They may have lost interest in speaking to Canadians about Canada, but Canada's aging institutions are not Canada's people. And what we saw last spring from Canadian people was nothing short of extraordinary. Albertan conservatives and Quebec separatists and indigenous land backers and downtown Toronto latte sippers were. We all got together around one shared certainty. We are not fucking Americans. We don't want to be and we never will be. And listen, if that certainty, that rare shared moment, if that is going to hold, if that insistence is going to stand strong as our actual reality, we are going to need to talk to each other across party lines, across ideological divisions, across this country. Not one day out of 12. No, we are going to need to stay dialed in with our elbows up. Okay? We're going to need to shake off the distractions. And there are going to be endless distractions, dramatic, grotesque carnival of distractions coming from America. We are going to need to ignore them and to talk about Canada like we actually give a damn about it, as if it means something, as if it matters. This moment that we're in, this historical moment that we're in, this do or die challenge that we find ourselves in. This is what we built Canadaland for without even knowing it. Twelve years ago, I just started a podcast so that I could say things that I could not say elsewhere, so that I could talk about the Canadian media, the industry that I work in, as if it matters. And that grew. It grew with incredible colleagues who talk about all sorts of different things here, as if they matter. But those colleagues were only possible because listeners of this show decided that it should grow. We cover Canada and nothing but Canada. If you find us doing an episode about Botswana, that's because there's some way that Botswana is relevant to Canada. And yes, we opine, we mock, we criticize, we question, we cast doubt. But always we take what happens in this country seriously. We try not to take ourselves too seriously, but we cover what happens in this country as if it matters. Because it does. As you may have guessed, this is our crowdfunding campaign. This is the one month of the year where we do tend to take ourselves a little more seriously, where we must be earnest and sincere in telling you why we are worth it. We are worth your support. We spend 11 months trying to be worthy of your support, and then we spend one month asking you for it. We go for the hard sell. We tell you what we did, what we accomplished. We remind you of the podcast that you listen to and maybe enjoyed and were enriched by and educated by. We make the case. We make promises. We tell you what we're going to be doing next. We launch things. And at the end of this campaign, one month from now, we're going to launch our next investigative series. I don't mean that we're going to reveal the name of it or the topic or play you a trailer. I mean that we have been working on this series for months and we will release it. We'll begin releasing the first episodes at the end of this campaign. And what I'll tell you about it for now is just it is the most difficult work I've ever done. It's the first limited series that I've ever hosted on my own. I've been a co writer on shows of ours like Thunder Bay. I've been a co producer. I've been a co host. This one is just me. I'll tell you more about this series as our campaign goes on. Don't skip these messages if you're curious to know more about it and our other projects. And there will be other announcements and reveals throughout this campaign. Because what I'm describing to you, this necessity for a national conversation, Canadaland, is not the be all and end all of it. There is something bigger happening, something special happening across this country. We were early to it, but it's not just us. We are part of a new generation of independent news and media companies. Each of these different organizations could and should make the same case that I'm making right now that we need independent media in Canada now more than ever. We need institutions that are not on their last breath that are just coming into life. And we desperately need places, more than one place, more than just Canadaland, where facts matter, where reporting matters, where reason and debate stands, and that are not just built for one kind of person or one kind of idea. There's a bunch of us out there. And so this year we are including some of these other organizations that we so respect in this crowdfunding campaign. We are working with some great colleagues in ways that we will be revealing throughout this campaign. Look, the last thing that I asked this friend of mine, after he explained to me the process by which we inevitably all become American, I asked him if he had a plan and he said, yeah, he's already figured out a plan B, and he has bought property in another country entirely because he doesn't want to be a fucking American either. Look, I don't have a plan B. I don't necessarily have a Plan A either. I'm not here telling you that Canadaland is going to be the superhero that saves Canadian sovereignty. I don't think that that's something that journalists should be promising you. Our job is to tell you the story of what happens, whatever happens. But as you know, I don't believe in phony objectivity. I do have a point of view. I do have a take. And my take is I do not want to be a fucking American either. So what is that? What is this fight ahead, this much we can say? It's a fight for independence. And that is something that we have always stood for. That's what we built Canadaland to be. Independent media, independent of political persuasion, independent of government funding, independent of ideology. We try to have ideas here, not ideology. Those are the principles that have been important to us from the start, before there was even a glimmer of a concept of this national battle for independence that we now find ourselves in. But as a result of those principles, we have created and held a very special place. A place where the leader of the federal NDP comes in to be questioned and where Conservative MP Michelle Rempel comes in to be questioned. Because we are fair and because we have an audience that is worth reaching, that has not chosen a tribe to belong to, no matter what. We have built a common space where debate and facts still matter. And now we're all going to need it. I've talked for a long time already. I am not going to go on at much length anyhow about the dire financial situation that the media is in. Podcast advertising is going down. It is harder than ever to keep the lights on in a business like ours. You can see that in the number of places that are going under and the number of layoffs that are happening elsewhere. Your support matters. We spend it on journalism. We are a unionized shop. Our employees have health benefits. They get raises every year that exceed inflation. Not only can we have independent media in Canada, but nobody has to starve to get it to you. And all that we need for that to keep happening is for you to go to canadaland.com join or click on the link in your show notes. If you want to know something that you can do about the situation that we are all in right now, this is something you can do. Yes, you can buy Canadian. You can choose rye over bourbon. You can. You should do that. But this is something you can do to support civil society, to make it possible for other people who don't have the money to support us or who just won't support us, to make it possible for those people too, to stay informed. We have a 100 out of 100 news guard credibility rating. We are a member of the National News Media Council, a press council that takes complaints against us and has never upheld a complaint against us, not one. We admit our mistakes. We publish corrections and clarifications. We try to get it right. We care about the truth. We wake up every day and we try to make podcasts that are really interesting for you to listen to. All of it is worth your support. And one last thing, this is your last chance to support Canadaland and get all of the benefits we offer. Ad free listening bonus episodes all the time. Take tickets to our events. All of it. This is your last chance to get it at the current prices. Because after this crowdfunding campaign, we do need to raise our prices. Listen, if anything that I've said today makes sense to you, if you have decided, yeah, I'll probably do that. Don't wait. Most of the people who wait don't end up doing it. Just go to canadaland.com join right now and become a supporter because we want to work for you. We want you to make the decision to send us a few bucks a month and then just kind of forget about it and enjoy the perks, enjoy the content, and then we don't forget about it. We work every day to be worthy of that support so that we never lose it. Go to canadaland.com join, click the link in the show notes and thank you.