Best CHFI Podcasts (2024)

1
The Blue Rose 30:38

34m ago30:38

30:38

We take you to ancient China where an Emperor puts out an unusual request for the man who may marry his daughter. She turns the tables on him, however, in the loveliest of ways and proves once again that beauty – even the specific colour of a rose – is in the eye of the beholder. Listen free, thanks to our friends at enVypillow.com and SierraSil.co…

1
Adrift On a Lazy River 47:41

1h ago47:41

47:41

There can be no more perfect story on which to wrap up meteorological summer than this one! Join us on an idyllic summer day as six friends who've loved each other for decades float together down a gentle river. It's a tale set in modern day under blue skies with laughter, closeness and an undercurrent of love…and remember there’s an easy relaxatio…

1
Summer Throwback: Colin Mochrie 38:05

4h ago38:05

38:05

Our Summer Throwback series continues. Is an ambivert a pervert? No, it’s most of us! Maybe we are all just less funny versions of Colin Mochrie, who reveals he is, of course, an ambivert, someone who feels comfortable in social situations but also really enjoys time alone. You may know Colin as an extrovert, but he’s often really introverted. He s…

1
The Girl and the Photograph 38:33

2h ago38:33

38:33

In this delightful short story by one of Canada's favourite authors, a young man takes a chance on long-distance love with a young woman whose picture he's seen. Does the gamble pay off? Let's say we love happy endings at Drift! Listen free thanks to enVypillow.com and SierraSil.com. Drift is free, thanks to our wonderful sponsors: enVy Pillow and …

1
Summer Throwback: Sheila McCarthy 38:07

7d ago38:07

38:07

Our Summer Throwback series continues. Even when playing old ladies, she’s beautiful. Sheila McCarthy is one of those people you feel like you’ve known forever. And maybe we have. She’s been in everything, and now stars in Sarah Polley’s “Women Talking”, the Oscar-winning movie based on a true story by Miriam Toews about Mennonite women and girls d…

1
The Joys of Solitude – A New England Nun 36:56

1h ago36:56

36:56

Louisa has long been engaged to a man named Joe, who left to seek his fortune in Australia. But when he returns, they both find that things have changed – and will change – for the better. Listen free, thanks to enVypillow.com and SierraSil.com. Drift is free, thanks to our wonderful sponsors: enVy Pillow and SierraSil. Both of them have been gener…

1
Summer Throwback: Rick Mercer 44:42

10h ago44:42

44:42

This week we go back to Episode 20 and the First Man. Rick Mercer was the first male to appear on our show. We decided to open up the floodgates and talk to anyone fearless and/or funny enough to want to talk to US, and no one fits that bill better than Rick. He’s been called a national treasure, Canada’s beloved comic genius, the scourge of Parlia…

1
Princess Rosette 41:28

29d ago41:28

41:28

From the Red Fairy book comes this tale of a princess whose fate is foretold by fairies, and who grows up in a tower. But when she is freed by her brothers, she has a most unusual request: she wants to marry the King of the Peacocks. What follows involves trickery and true love as well as, of course, sweet dreams. Free, thanks to our friends at enV…

1
Summer Throwback: Measha Brueggergosman-Lee 38:00

30d ago38:00

38:00

It's August and we are into some Summer Throwbacks! We go back to earlier this year and Measha Brueggergosman-Lee, a diva in the true sense of the word: a famous female opera star, with all the fierce discipline and flair for drama that that entails. But Measha is also a mother, a wife, a memoirist, a 7th generation Canadian descended from Black lo…

1
Our Spirit in Nature: Walking with Henry David Thoreau 34:43

14d ago34:43

34:43

In this, a different kind of sleep story, we hear the words that philosopher, poet and lover of nature Henry David Thoreau shared many times in his life. Put on your comfiest slippers as we step outdoors and into a gentle rest. Free, thanks to enVypillow.com and SierraSil.com. Drift is free, thanks to our wonderful sponsors: enVy Pillow and SierraS…

1
The Locket 30:30

21d ago30:30

30:30

A confederate soldier wears to the battlefield a cherished necklace from his beloved. When it returns to her she mourns, never imagining the surprise outcome. It's another beautiful story from the pen of Kate Chopin, as we lull you to sweet dreams here on Drift. Free, thanks to our friends at enVypillow.com and SierraSil.com. Drift is free, thanks …

1
Three Little Pigs and the Big Bad Wolf 40:08

28d ago40:08

40:08

Welcome to this gentle take on an age-old story of the Three Little Pigs. Sometimes it feels right to turn old tales on their heads and imagine a happier outcome - one of coming together and finding peace. Have I given away too much? Listen free, thanks to enVypillow.com and SierraSil.com. Drift is free, thanks to our wonderful sponsors: enVy Pillo…

1
Sarah Burke: Women in Media 33:58

1M ago33:58

33:58

Sometimes singers sing about singing, writers write about writing, and podcasters podcast about … yes, podcasting. This episode is actually a live off the floor recording of an interview we did with Sarah Burke, the founder of the Women in Media podcast and network. It takes place in Toronto at the Soundwave Summit, a conference and showcase for in…

1
The Missing Will: An Agatha Christie Hercule Poirot Mystery 37:26

2M ago37:26

37:26

A young woman enlists the help of Dame Christie's most famous puzzler solver in this story of a rich uncle who believes that he's outsmarted his orphan niece. Don't worry if you miss the how-he-did-it ending – you can listen again and again to the same gentle story on Drift. Free, thanks to enVypillow.com and SierraSil.com. Drift is free, thanks to…

1
Thumbelina 34:03

1M ago34:03

34:03

Imagine a little maiden about 2-½ cm (or an inch) tall...who is snatched by a toad, courted by a mole and flown to a land as magical as she herself is. This is the tale of Thumbelina, by Hans Christian Andersen: a heartwarming story of care and karma to guide you to sleep on the tiniest of wings. Free, thanks to our friends at enVypillow.com and Si…

1
Cathal Kelly: French Formula 33:16

1M ago33:16

33:16

So Wendy never reads sports, but always reads Cathal Kelly, the sports writer at the Globe and Mail. He’s funny and fearless and clever, Cathal just happens to have chosen sports as the best vehicle. We pretended we were going to talk about the upcoming Paris Olympics, and we did! (Cathal loves the Olympics, aka 23-year-olds doing crazy, exceptiona…

1
Pair Of Silk Stockings 30:02

2M ago30:02

30:02

When a woman finds herself with a bit of a windfall, she has great plans for her money, but goes off script in a most delightful way. Enjoy this short story, preceded by a brief meditation and followed by gentle waves, as we lull you to sweet dreams, peacefully on Drift. Free, thanks to our friends at enVypillow.com and SierraSil.com. Drift is free…

1
Martha Chaves: Laughing Til You Cry 34:49

2M ago34:49

34:49

We both feel like we know her, Martha Chaves is after all the funniest Nicaraguan Canadian LGBTQ+ Stand Up Comedian in the World! We know her best from radio shows like “The Debaters”, and “Because News”. She also teaches comedy at Humber and Metropolitan Toronto University, showing the ropes to people just starting out. Martha tells us she’s heard…

1
Sleeping Beauty 19:40

2M ago19:40

19:40

As we drift off together in a quiet and very sleepy castle, enjoy a familiar and timeless tale of a princess, an angry fairy, and a 100 year spell broken only by one extremely brave and rather determined prince. Listen free, thanks to enVypillow.com and SierraSil.com. Drift is free, thanks to our wonderful sponsors: enVy Pillow and SierraSil. Both …

1
Chelsea Wakelyn: Heartbreak 38:03

2M ago38:03

38:03

We love books and authors, we consider a lot of them for our podcast, but Vancouver Island’s Chelsea Wakelyn sent us an intriguing email. So we read her first book and got truly blown away. “What Remains of Elsie Jane” is a quasi-fictional story about losing her beloved partner, father to her kids, to drugs and addiction just as the opioid crisis b…

1
East of the Sun and West of the Moon 32:41

2M ago32:41

32:41

A girl falls in love with a white bear who, as luck would have it, becomes a prince at night. But in a place east of the sun and west of the moon, he's in the clutches of an evil witch. Will the prince come up with a plan to marry his true love? Find out free, thanks to our friends at enVypillow.com and SierraSil.com. Drift is free, thanks to our w…

1
Melissa Dilkes-Pateras: The Laundry Lesbian 38:02

2M ago38:02

38:02

There are many pathways to fame and fortune, but being exceptionally good at doing laundry is an unusual one. Enter Melissa Dilkes Pateras, whose knowledge of housecleaning tips and tricks has turned her into an internet sensation. Well, that, and her sly sense of humour and unblinking acknowledgement of her sexuality. A resident of Uxbridge, Ontar…

1
A Life Changing Quandary: The Lady or the Tiger 32:29

2M ago32:29

32:29

Long before “Let's Make a Deal” made contestants choose among doors for their bounty or their booby prize comes this tale of a young man sentenced to pick his fate blindly: the fair maiden behind one door, or the savage tiger behind another. Who else loves a cliff-hanger? Free, thanks to enVypillow.com and SierraSil.com. Drift is free, thanks to ou…

1
Ann Pornel: Force Of Nature 39:37

3M ago39:37

39:37

There’s no getting away from Ann Pornel, not that you would want to. She’s loud, she’s proud, she’s utterly glamorous and funny as hell. Ann’s a sketch comedian and an actress who is best known as the host of The Great Canadian Baking Show. Born in the Philippines, Ann moved with her family to Canada, then came up through the comedy ranks at the Un…

1
Night and Moonlight 37:29

3M ago37:29

37:29

The great American naturalist and essayist Henry David Thoreau takes us on a walk whereupon he ponders the wonders of the moon above, the sights, the sounds and the feel of an evening stroll. Join me for a relaxation, then the gentle words of Thoreau as we Drift into another good night's rest. FREE as always thanks to envyPillow.com and SierraSil.c…

1
George Stroumboulopoulos: Canada's Boyfriend 44:05

3M ago44:05

44:05

George Stroumboulopoulos is a man for all seasons. He’s everything: a media personality, broadcaster, former VJ, radio, talk and reality show host, social advocate and one time host of Hockey Night in Canada. Everyone knows George, and George know everyone, but what do we really know about him? He’s 51 and lives in L.A. now, where he does a show fo…

1
Puss In Boots: A Wink and a Wave 34:40

3M ago34:40

34:40

Long before a certain cat put on a hat, a wily feline who also had the gift of the gab was able to turn around his dear master's fortunes in the best of ways. And, oh, did he do it in style! Enjoy our own take on Puss, as we give this cat story yet one more life. Free, thanks to enVypillow.com and SierraSil.com. Drift is free, thanks to our wonderf…

1
Loreena McKennitt: Celtic Queen 34:04

3M ago34:04

34:04

We had to ask about the red hair, does one get ridiculed or admired? Loreena McKennitt has a mass of beautiful red curls but is mostly admired for her music. When Mo thinks of her, she sees mists and magic and fairy tales. Loreena’s sold more than 14 million albums and toured the world with her harp and her beloved band of fellow musicians. She’s a…

1
The Happy Prince 39:19

4M ago39:19

39:19

Join me for a heartwarming story of a statue and his swallow companion. It's about selflessness, sacrifice and true friendship; a lovely tale by Oscar Wilde that begins with a gentle relaxation together, and ends with soothing waves as you Drift to sleep. Free thanks to enVypillow.com and SierraSil.com. Drift is free, thanks to our wonderful sponso…

1
Erika Casupanan “Sole Survivor” 34:59

4M ago34:59

34:59

“Going to the coconut tree”. You hear it all the time on “Survivor”. What does that mean? Erica Casupanan spills the beans. She is the first Canadian to win “Survivor”, and the first Filipino. Tiny and Asian, she was tired of always being underestimated, so she used it on “Survivor 41”. Erika voted out her rivals, won over everyone else, and surpri…

1
The Clever Young Dragon Tamers 38:27

4M ago38:27

38:27

In this purr-fectly charming Edith Nesbit tale, a poor blacksmith's family contends with a fiery dungeon guest. With the aid of village children, they bring peace, change and a new take on your family pet. Listen free thanks to our friends at enVypillow.com and SierraSil.com. Drift is free, thanks to our wonderful sponsors: enVy Pillow and SierraSi…

1
Chef Michael Smith: What's Cooking? 30:59

4M ago30:59

30:59

Michael Smith is a Celebrity Chef who decided he had a problem with the Celebrity part. He’s kind of a big deal, has published several cookbooks, hosted TV shows on the Canadian Food Network, and wore the chef’s hat at some big-name restaurants around the world. Now, tired of Michelin-priced restaurants, he moved to Prince Edward Island and runs th…

1
Why the Sea is Salt: A Fable 28:54

4M ago28:54

28:54

This tale is one that is in no way based in science or fact, but instead one that has been passed on through the generations as somewhat of a cautionary tale, and one where the little guy wins. We'll have a brief meditation and relaxation, then our salty story and waves from the sea to help you float off to sleep. Free, thanks to our friends at enV…

1
Ron James: Rocking The Boat 33:54

4M ago33:54

33:54

Ron James says comedy should never be mean, but he sure has a lot of opinions! You should hear what he says about Quebec comedians. Is there a geographic link to comedy, a humour gene unique to Eastern Canada? Ron says he learned the power of laughter at his father’s knee in Glace Bay and then Halifax. That’s why he loves to tour, he says laughs ar…

1
The Fairy Frog – A Jewish Fairy Tale 26:15

4M ago26:15

26:15

There once was a young man who listened to the dying wishes of his father. In return he was visited by a strange guest who repaid loyalty with some astonishing magic. Enjoy this Jewish Fairy Tale by Gertrude Landa, who also went by the name Aunt Naomi. Free, thanks to our friends at enVypillow.com and SierraSil.com. Drift is free, thanks to our won…

1
Jen Gerson: Mouthy Babe 40:35

5M ago40:35

40:35

Jen Gerson of “The Line” readily admits to being a mouthy babe, but only when she writes, she insists she is actually shy. Jen says she’s just opinionated, not trying to change anyone’s mind. She argues that’s not a journalist's job, that only activists try to “comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable”. Well, call us afflicted! Her writing…

1
The Leap Frog & A Little Match Girl 28:54

5M ago28:54

28:54

We depart from the norm with this duo from a favourite author, Hans Christian Andersen: The Leap Frog (about an amphibian who enters a competition to win a princess's hand) and A Little Match Girl, a sad but sweet tale that has stood the test of time. Enjoy a short session of breathing and relaxing, the two stories and then gentle waves as you drif…

1
Michaela Watkins: Late Bloomer 25:06

5M ago25:06

25:06

You know you know Michaela Watkins, but you may not know why. Then you remember (or are told) that she’s been in over a hundred sitcoms, dramas and comedies, including a 2 year stint on SNL. And then you remember that you love her, and when you see her latest movie, Suze, you’ll remember why. In Suze, Michaela plays a woman who once wanted more for…

1
The Island of Nine Whirlpools 37:11

5M ago37:11

37:11

A queen wishes for a baby but when it turns out to be a girl, the king (who's a mad magician) loses it, banishes the girl for being sassy and makes sure no one can get to her because of nasty whirlpools. But if you know fairy tales, you can bet one clever sailor/suitor in a suitable sailor suit – say that three times fast - will not give up! Free, …

1
Ron Sexsmith: Unsung Hero 32:37

5M ago32:37

32:37

Ron Sexsmith says “I’m not really shy, I’m just Canadian”. He’s a singer-songwriter who has never had a top 40 hit, is not rich, but is deeply admired by the people he admires most. Bob Dylan, Paul McCartney, Elvis Costello, and Gordon Lightfoot, are all, were all, huge fans. Sexmsith’s songs, like “Secret Heart”, have been performed by everyone fr…

1
The Sea Fairies 41:42

5M ago41:42

41:42

From Wizard of Oz author L. Frank Baum comes this charming tale of an old sailor and his young female friend who find themselves leaping past their fears and swimming with mermaids. Join me for a short relaxation followed by this gentle and beautiful story, as you're played off to sleep by (quite fittingly) soothing waves. Free, thanks to our frien…

1
Dianne Whelan: 500 Days in the Wild 35:26

5M ago35:26

35:26

Award-winning director and cinematographer Dianne Whelan does not choose easy topics. She’s made docs about Mount Everest, and the Arctic, but this one, about being the first to tackle the whole Trans Canada Trail, takes the cake. Or in this case, the reheated oatmeal. Dianne has called her new documentary “500 Days in the Wild”, because that was t…

1
Lake of Swans 40:27

5M ago40:27

40:27

Still waters run deep when sorcery and enchantment combine to create a tale of love on a lake, tiaras and tantrums. Birds of a feather, indeed.... Drift is free, thanks to enVypillow.com and SierraSil.com. Drift is free, thanks to our wonderful sponsors: enVy Pillow and SierraSil. Both of them have been generous enough to offer 10% off all online p…

1
Carol Doda: Topless at the Condor 32:32

5M ago32:32

32:32

What IS the deal with boobs? Our preoccupation with women’s breasts isn’t just sexual, it’s social, historical, political and economic. No one knew that better than Carol Doda, a dancer and cocktail waitress, who, 60 years ago, dared to bare her nipples atop a baby grand piano as it descended from the ceiling of the Condor, a San Francisco nightclu…

1
The White Cat 41:21

6M ago41:21

41:21

Three princes are tasked with finding the most obscure treasures for their father in order to inherit a kingdom. And there's a magical white cat who makes the youngest of the lads' dreams come true! Hear how, that is, if you last until the end and the lovely waves we play to help you Drift off to sleep. Listen free, thanks to our friends at enVypil…

1
Tassie Cameron: Law and Order Toronto 29:59

6M ago29:59

29:59

When Tassie Cameron first saw the opening credits for Law and Order Toronto: Criminal Intent, complete with the iconic DUN DUN sound effect, she felt a shiver up her spine. It was Cameron who was entrusted with the legendary series’ first foray beyond American borders, serving as show runner and head writer for the Canadian franchise. Tassie says T…

1
Rapunzel Reimagined 42:28

6M ago42:28

42:28

When a desperate woman rescues an abandoned baby, she is vilified and fears for her daughter's safety. But a sweet inquisitive bird leads young Rapunzel to freedom and a love story unfolds outside of the girl's towering hideaway. Listen free, thanks to enVypillow.com and SierraSil.com. Drift is free, thanks to our wonderful sponsors: enVy Pillow an…

1
Tracy Dawson: The Trouble with Tracy 39:05

6M ago39:05

39:05

It felt like Old Home Week. A few years ago Tracy Dawson was on the CTV comedy show The Dish Show, co-hosted by you know who. Yes, of course, it was Mo. And Tracy is still tempting trouble, mouthing off and cracking jokes, only now she’s in L.A. She’s a comedy writer who’s just written her first book, “ Let Me Be Frank: A Book About Women Who Dress…

1
Felicia and the Pot of Pink Carnations 38:35

6M ago38:35

38:35

Imagine a time of spells and fairies, of queens and peasant girls, talking animals and happily ever afters. This sums up a story of a poor girl who finds her fate decided for her again and again, but who wishes for all, even her enemy, only happiness. Enjoy this lovely fairy tale, won't you? Drift is free, thanks to our wonderful sponsors: enVy Pil…

1
Johanna Schneller: Star Whisperer 41:04

6M ago41:04

41:04

Why does the serious man movie always get the nod? On the eve of the Oscars, Johanna Schneller says some things don’t change. Hence Oppenheimer getting the glory and Greta Gerwig and Margot Robbie getting snubbed. Wendy and Mo have different thoughts on the movie, but really? Barbie was huge! We talk to Johanna about Girl Power, why we love celebri…

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