A Cultural History of Canada

Mar 31 2025 163 ep. 59 mins 48
A Cultural History of Canada Podcast artwork

A bi-weekly discussion that critically (and flippantly) engages with the literature, culture, and people of this weird place known as Canada. Hosted by two English graduates, Patrick & Mackenzy. Sometimes features interviews with writers and academics. Featured on Feedspot's "35 Best Canada History Podcasts" (#18), "15 Best Cultural History Podcasts" (#7), and "30 Best History Podcasts For Students" (#10). Named best podcast of all time by their mothers!

  Society & Culture  History
RSS feed Share
Copy RSS


Subscribe on Podcast Addict


On Vancouver's First Lifeguard, Serafim 'Joe' Fortes (w/ Ruby Smith Díaz)

Mar 31 2025 52 mins  
In which Patrick talks to Ruby Smith Díaz about her new book Searching for Seraphim: The Life and Legacy of Serafim 'Joe' Fortes. You can find the book here or at your local bookstore! --- Support: Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/historiacanadiana); Paypal (https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/historiacanadiana); recommended reading (https://historiacanadiana.wordpress.com/books/)

108 - Africville

Mar 24 2025 57 mins  
In which we overview the story of the Black Nova Scotia once known as Africville, as well as briefly discussing Jeffrey Colvin's novel Africaville, which was inspired by the events. --- Support: Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/historiacanadiana); Paypal (https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/historiacanadiana) --- Further Readings Colvin, Jeffrey. Africaville: A Novel, HarperCollins,

Invested in Crisis: A Conversation w/ Tom Fraser

Mar 10 2025 73 mins  
In which Patrick talks to Tom Fraser about his new book Invested in Crisis: Public Sector Pensions Against the Future. You can find the book here or at your local bookstore! --- Support: Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/historiacanadiana); Paypal (https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/historiacanadiana); recommended reading (https://historiacanadiana.wordpress.com/books/)

UNLOCKED Pop Canada #41 - On Tariffs & Booing Anthems

Feb 24 2025 65 mins  
In which we slowly unravel (you have been forewarned) as we talk about the absurdities of our contemporary relations to America... Check out our Patreon page for more episodes (that are slightly less stupid).

107 - Quebec's Catholic Nationalism: Maurice Duplessis & Félix-Antoine Savard

Feb 10 2025 67 mins  
In which we talk about Quebec's 'grande noirceur' period (1939-1959) through its figurehead, Maurice Duplessis, and classic author Félix-Antoine Savard. --- Support: Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/historiacanadiana); Paypal (https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/historiacanadiana) --- Sources/Further Reading Jones, Richard. Duplessis and the union nationale administration, 1983. Sava

The Sixties Scoop & Its Afterlives: Talking to Andrea Currie about 'Finding Otipemisiwak'

Jan 20 2025 57 mins  
In which Patrick talks to Andrea Currie (Métis) about her new book Finding Otipemisiwak: The People Who Own Themselves, a narrative that extends from Andrea's experience of being a Sixties Scoop survivor. Find the book here or at your local bookstore! --- Support: Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/historiacanadiana); Paypal (https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/historiacanadiana); recom

The Carbon Tax Question, with Thomas F. Pedersen

Jan 06 2025 76 mins  
In which Patrick talks to Thomas F. Pedersen (professor emeritus at the University of Victoria) about his new book The Carbon Tax Question: Clarifying Canada’s Most Consequential Policy Debate.--- Support: Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/historiacanadiana); Paypal (https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/historiacanadiana); recommended reading (https://historiacanadiana.wordpress.com/bo

Carolyn Roberts on 'Re-Storying Education'

Dec 23 2024 53 mins  
In which Patrick sits down with Carolyn Roberts to discuss her new book on decolonial education practices and what exactly it means to 're-story' education. Find more about the book here or at your local bookstore! --- Support: Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/historiacanadiana); Paypal (https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/historiacanadiana); recommended reading (https://historiacanad

106 - The Jade Peony: Post-Exclusion Act Chinese-Canadians

Dec 09 2024 32 mins  
In which Patrick talks about Wayson Choy's beautiful novel The Jade Peony and how it portrays the lives of Chinese Canadians of the 1930s. --- Support: Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/historiacanadiana); Paypal (https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/historiacanadiana); recommended reading (https://historiacanadiana.wordpress.com/books/) --- Sources/Further Reading Choy, Wayson. The Jad

105 - The Persons Case

Nov 25 2024 59 mins  
In which we discuss the time the Canadian government asked itself: 'wait... are [white] women people?' For real though... We compare that event to two P.K. Page poems. --- Support: Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/historiacanadiana); Paypal (https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/historiacanadiana); recommended reading (https://historiacanadiana.wordpress.com/books/) --- Sources/Further R