Kickass Canadians
Keeping Up with the Kickass Canadians
This podcast offers a window into the latest news on your Kickass Canadians. Browse through the episodes to hear their thoughts on current events and find out what they’ve been up to lately.
Music composed and recorded by Kickass Canadian Ben Wilson.
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David Leonard opens up about the new book of poetry by his late wife, Teva Harrison
January 7, 2020
Not One of These Poems Is About You is being released posthumously through House of Anansi Press. Teva’s beloved David shares his thoughts on the poetry collection, what Teva hoped we would get from reading her words, and how we can best honour her legacy.
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Teva Harrison -
Richard J. Lewis delves into “Westworld,” California wildfires and the future
November 15, 2018
The L.A.-based Westworld director and producer offers his take on what the show is ultimately about, and suggests ways to support victims of the ongoing California wildfires, which destroyed one of the Westworld sets. He also touches on his upcoming projects in film, TV and music.
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Richard J. Lewis -
Hannah Moscovitch weighs in on telling true stories and earning Drama Desk Award nominations
May 14, 2018
The playwright responds to the outstanding critical response she’s received for her musical, Old Stock: A Refugee Love Story, and ponders the cultural shift that’s finally making way for stories about women—and emboldening her to take even bigger risks in her work.
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Allan Hawco on his new CBC miniseries, “Caught”
March 20, 2018
The actor-writer-producer catches us up on his personal connection to Caught, his ongoing passion for Newfoundland-based stories, and what’s next for his company, Take the Shot Productions.
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Allan Hawco -
Matthew Edison explores his role on CTV’s “The Detail” and more
March 6, 2018
The creative powerhouse chats about how The Detail reflects the new landscape that’s finally emerging in film and TV, as well as his renewed commitment to directing, and the brilliance of playwright (and Kickass Canadian) Hannah Moscovitch.
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Matthew Edison -
Dr. Andrew Furey introduces his new mental health initiative, A Dollar A Day
February 19, 2018
Alongside Kickass Canadian Alan Doyle and businessman Brendan Paddick, Andrew co-founded A Dollar A Day to help support existing mental health programs across Canada. He explains how the foundation works and how we can all share the change for mental health.
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Dr. Andrew Furey -
Adria Vasil on the importance of good journalism and environmental reporting
February 7, 2018
The longtime Ecoholic writer discusses her new role as a critical- and opinion-writing instructor at Ryerson University, and weighs in on the need for “truth seekers” and critical thinkers among today’s journalists.
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Adria Vasil -
Irene Sankoff talks film adaptation and Grammy nomination for her hit musical "Come From Away"
January 18, 2018
In advance of the 60th Annual Grammy Awards, the nominee for Best Musical Theatre Album (along with co-writer and husband David Hein) shares what has been the best reward for creating Come From Away, and what’s next for the show.
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David Hein & Irene Sankoff -
Joel McConvey introduces SESQUI, a unique digital experience marking Canada 150 and celebrating our nation’s diversity
February 1, 2017
The writer-producer and SESQUI Director of Digital touches on how the project’s many features, including 360º film, VR and interactive games, ultimately show that the Canadian identity is something we all shape together through creative participation.
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Joel McConvey, Geoff Morrison & Ryan J. Noth -
Al Charron on the new rugby training centre named in his honour and how the sport is evolving in Canada
December 14, 2016
The iconic player talks about the upcoming Al Charron Rugby Canada National Training Centre, what he’s doing to help promote and develop the sport across our country, and why rugby players are some of the best people around.
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Al Charron -
Julie Drury reflects on the first year after losing her daughter, Kate, to mitochondrial disease
December 6, 2016
Kate’s mom opens up about the incredible ways Team MitoCanada, Team Awesome and others are continuing to honour her daughter’s memory, and shares the painful reality of living without her little girl.
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Julie Drury -
Dr. Andrew Furey shares the latest on how Team Broken Earth is helping mend our world
August 2, 2016
The orthopedic surgeon and Broken Earth founder chats about how the initiative is engaging volunteers from across Canada to expand within and beyond Haiti. He also touches on his work with Newfoundland-based Sequence Bio’s groundbreaking genome sequencing project.
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Dr. Andrew Furey -
Clarke Mackey gets political with his latest documentary
June 7, 2016
The Queen’s University Film and Media professor’s new doc, Revolution Begins at Home, reflects on the “profound political ferment” of the 60s, and draws lessons for today’s activists on reopening productive debate and embracing different points of view.
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Cynthia Bland introduces her latest initiative, The Hope Found Project
June 6, 2016
Voice Found’s CEO discusses how The Hope Found Project helps survivors of human trafficking recover and thrive, by offering peer support and bringing together existing service providers to strengthen the system as a whole.
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Cynthia Bland -
Blaine Penny celebrates Team MitoCanada’s seven new Guinness World Records
June 2, 2016
The ultrarunner, ultradad and MitoCanada cofounder recaps Team MitoCanada’s record setting events at the 2016 Calgary Marathon Race Weekend, which include “the most impressive endurance athletic feat” he’s ever witnessed.
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Blaine Penny -
Steve Jenkins on his new book, “Esther the Wonder Pig: Changing the World One Heart at a Time”
May 20, 2016
Esther’s dad talks about his first book with Esther and Derek Walter, life at Happily Ever Esther farm sanctuary and, of all things, Ricky Gervais.
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Steve Jenkins, Derek Walter and Esther the Wonder Pig -
Glenroy Gilbert looks ahead to the 2016 Rio Olympics
May 19, 2016
Athletics Canada’s sprint relay coach weighs in on our national team athletes as they prepare for the Summer Games, and reflects on how the sport has changed since his competition days.
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Glenroy Gilbert -
Kevin & Alex Newman discuss their book, “All Out,” and how it redefined their relationship as father and son
December 14, 2015
The renowned news anchor and his art director son open up about lessons learned in co-writing All Out, and reflect on sexuality, gender roles, modern-day parenting and the myths we tell ourselves.
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Kevin Newman -
Shannon Loutitt shares how she’s celebrating those around us, and creating a platform for today’s Indigenous champions
November 2, 2015
The honour runner reflects on the value of leaving “gifts of thanks” in our footsteps, and why she launched the International Indigenous Speakers Bureau.
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Shannon Loutitt -
Lindsay Coulter chats about being an eco-friendly parent and how we can all help protect the planet
October 15, 2015
David Suzuki’s Queen of Green explores the challenges and surprises of living sustainably with a young son. She also explains how you can become a Queen of Green Coach, and why it’s so important that every Canadian use their vote this federal election.
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Lindsay Coulter -
Colin Keith Gray & Megan Raney Aarons on their new documentary, 'Being Canadian'
April 17, 2015
The Sibs discuss the upcoming Hot Docs world premiere of Being Canadian, which they describe as “an epic quest of apologetic proportions.” They also share the one truth told by every Canuck they interviewed—from Mike Myers and Alanis Morissette, to Michael J. Fox and Rick Mercer.
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Colin Keith Gray & Megan Raney Aarons -
Stephanie Case explains why we should all be free to run
April 10, 2015
Checking in from Gaza, the human rights officer and Free to Run founder talks about why sports and fitness are a basic human right, with the power to drive social change. She also touches on some of the great work her non-profit is doing to bring freedom of movement to women and girls.
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Stephanie Case -
Stephen Beckta toasts the re-opening of his newly-located flagship restaurant
December 17, 2014
The renowned Ottawa sommelier dishes on the highlights and delicacies at his new oldest restaurant, Beckta 2.0, which now stands tall at 150 Elgin Street.
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Stephen Beckta -
Scott Moir & Tessa Virtue explore life outside of competitive skating
November 19, 2014
The Olympic champions share the inside edge on the ice dancing show circuit, their charity work and who they’d most like to partner with for Battle of the Blades.
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Scott Moir & Tessa Virtue -
Martin Parnell on his 10th and final quest for Right to Play
October 31, 2014
The Right to Play ambassador chats about setting Guinness World Records and attempting to fly during quidditch matches, all towards the goal of raising $1 million for the non-profit organization.
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Martin Parnell -
Kevin Newman reflects on covering the Ottawa shootings and ponders next steps
October 29, 2014
CTV News’ fill-in anchor revisits last week’s tragic shooting of Cpl. Nathan Cirillo and the attack on Parliament Hill. He also chats about Kevin Newman Live’s cancellation and the book he’s co-writing with his son, Alex.
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Kevin Newman -
Hannah Moscovitch on being a Siminovitch Prize finalist and writing for Canadian audiences
October 3, 2014
The prolific playwright offers a glimpse into some of her (many!) current projects, touches on what it means to be a Siminovitch Prize finalist, and explains why she’s keen to reflect Canadian voices—all from the Toronto distillery where she’s working on yet another new production.
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Hannah Moscovitch -
James Raffan explores the wisdom of the North in ‘Circling the Midnight Sun’
August 22, 2014
The renowned Arctic explorer talks about his upcoming book, Circling the Midnight Sun, and the lessons we can all learn by listening better to Northern voices—to connect with the North, and to protect both climate and culture.
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Amanda Putz dishes on leaving the CBC and why public broadcasting is so essential
July 16, 2014
The CBC Radio icon shares her thoughts on the broadcaster’s role—in Canada and abroad—plus what she’ll miss most about hosting Bandwidth and what she’s looking forward to when her family moves to The Hague later this summer.
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Emily Chen & Amanda Putz -
Dr. Niobe Thompson chats about "Human – The Miracle of a Species," his three-part documentary for CBC’s "The Nature of Things"
April 18, 2014
The Clearwater Documentary producer, director and host dives into the human “miracle of survival” and reflects on the revelations he discovered through filming traditional cultures.
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Dr. Niobe Thompson -
Henry Smith gives rousing pep talk to his crew in the face of almost certain death
April 3, 2014
Captain Spaceteam announces the launch of his Kickstarter campaign, Spaceteam Admiral’s Club, dishes on why all digital media should be free and ponders his upcoming keynote address at A MAZE. / Berlin.
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Henry Smith -
Roy Henry Vickers discusses ‘Cloudwalker’ and ‘Storyteller,’ his new books due out this spring from Harbour Publishing
March 4, 2014
In his 40th year as a professional artist, Roy reflects on the many forms his storytelling has taken, and points out that timeless legends about protecting the land and our waterways are now more timely than ever.
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Roy Henry Vickers -
Perianne Jones recaps her cross-country ski races at the Sochi Winter Games
February 27, 2014
The two-time Olympian dishes on the joys and disappointments of the 2014 Games, and looks forward to this weekend’s World Cup and her upcoming volunteer work in Nicaragua with Schoolbox.
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Perianne Jones -
Ryan Hreljac digs into post-student life after completing an International Development & Political Science degree from University of King’s College
January 16, 2014
A philanthropist from age six, the Ryan’s Well Foundation founder talks about his ongoing efforts to improve the lives of others, through his job at Youth Ottawa and through international speaking engagements on behalf of his organization.
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Ryan Hreljac -
Emily Wilson fills us in on Well Grounded and introduces the Bourses Tontine Awards
December 19, 2013
Learn about Emily’s work in Cameroon to support civil society organizations in Africa, and the new micro-grant initiative she helped launched for female artists in Ottawa-Gatineau.
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Emily Wilson -
Kristina Groves talks sustainable energy, eco-housing and CBC commentating for the Sochi 2014 Winter Games
December 16, 2013
The Olympic medallist opens up about her difficult transition from life as a competitive speed skater and how she shifted her focus from the rink to a future in sustainable energy development.
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Kristina Groves -
Rob Woodbridge shares the good, the bad and the awesome about the future of mobile technology
December 6, 2013
untether.tv’s host and founder forecasts the mobile industry’s inevitable security breach, as well as the ways mobile will enhance our lives, and unveils his plan for his popular web channel.
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Rob Woodbridge -
Julie Drury discusses running for Team MitoCanada at the 2013 NYC Marathon, and the latest on mitochondrial disease
November 5, 2013
The athlete, Health Canada senior policy advisor and supermom elaborates on her daughter’s diagnosis of SIFD and other recent MitoCanada successes.
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Julie Drury -
Matthew Edison sets the stage for "Venus in Fur" and his upcoming projects
October 29, 2013
The actor/writer chats about his current show at the Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre, next year’s London, England production of his award-winning play, The Domino Heart, and his starring role in the new Canadian film Dirty Singles.
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Matthew Edison -
Dr. Andrew Furey checks in before his latest trip to Haiti with Team Broken Earth
October 21, 2013
Broken Earth’s founder outlines the team’s growth, the progress they’ve made in Port-au-Prince, and the steps they’re taking to help improve sustainability in Haiti.
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Dr. Andrew Furey -
Steve Jordan looks back on the 2013 Polaris Music Prize
October 7, 2013
Polaris’ Executive Director chimes in on this year’s winner, Godspeed You! Black Emperor, freedom of expression and the importance of respecting divergent opinions—in music and beyond.
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Steve Jordan -
Ray Zahab chats about his new OLN show, "The Project – Guatemala"
September 27, 2013
The impossible2Possible founder and TV host explains what makes his reality series unique and how it proves we’re all capable of doing good, even if we start from very different places.
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Rob Baker lets loose about The Tragically Hip’s "Now For Plan A" Tour
September 11, 2013
The Hip and Stripper’s Union guitarist talks about his summer on the road, the future of the music industry and what still makes him nervous onstage.
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Rob Baker -
Norm Hann talks STAND Film and the 2013 Molokai2Oahu Paddleboard World Championships
September 5, 2013
The standup paddleboard medallist and environmental activist recounts some of his latest expeditions and fills us in on the response to his latest documentary, STAND Film.
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Norm Hann -
Blaine Penny reflects on Team MitoCanada’s Guinness World Record attempts
August 30, 2013
MitoCanada’s President offers insights on what it truly means to win, why he doesn’t like the word “failure,” and how his foundation is breaking new ground into research on mitochondrial disease.
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Blaine Penny -
Anita Stewart dishes on Food Day Canada
August 27, 2013
The culinary activist talks about her brainchild’s 10th anniversary, her role as the University of Guelph’s Food Laureate, and growing food on Mars.
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Anita Stewart -
Adria Vasil talks about the Ecoholic makeover
August 7, 2013
Canada’s Ecoholic fills us in on her new and improved column, how our cities need to adapt to climate change, and why the green movement is back with a vengeance.
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Adria Vasil -
Rob Cohen lets us in on what "Being Canadian" is all about
July 3, 2013
The writer-director chats about his recent cross-country shoot for the documentary Being Canadian and how we can get involved through Indiegogo.
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Rob Cohen -
Shelagh Rogers discusses "Speaking My Truth," the book of essays she co-edited for the Aboriginal Healing Foundation
March 11, 2013
The CBC Radio veteran shares her experiences in helping people heal through storytelling, and explains how the late Peter Gzowski taught her the value of listening.
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Shelagh Rogers -
Jonathon Power fills us in on his work with squash phenom Maria Toor Pakay
January 25, 2013
Hear about Maria’s progress and her ultimate goal as a female Pakistani-born athlete—and discover what Jonathon’s doing to bring top-level squash back to Canada.
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Jonathon Power -
Geoff Morrison’s take on "Northwords," his award-winning documentary from FilmCAN and Parks Canada
October 6, 2012
The film’s director/producer reflects on his incredible experience documenting a literary expedition (with Kickass Canadian Shelagh Rogers) through Torngat Mountains National Park.
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Joel McConvey, Geoff Morrison & Ryan J. Noth -
Norm Hann recounts his incredible 350km paddle along Haida Gwaii
August 22, 2012
Get a firsthand account of one of Canada’s most beautiful western coastlines, what’s at stake if the proposed pipeline goes through and why standup paddling is a truly Canadian sport.
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Norm Hann -
David Suzuki’s Queen of Green, Lindsay Coulter takes us outside for a breath of fresh air
June 11, 2012
Learn why getting outside is vital to our health, and how the David Suzuki Foundation is leading us to greener pastures with the 30x30 Challenge.
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Lindsay Coulter -
Glenroy Gilbert gets us ready for the 2012 London Olympics
April 30, 2012
Hear the gold medalist's thoughts on Canada's athletes and what makes the Olympic Games so special.
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Glenroy Gilbert
