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The Discover Library and Archives Canada podcast is where Canadian history, literature and culture await you. Each month, we will showcase treasures from our vaults, guide you through our many services and introduce you to the people who acquire, safeguard and make known Canada’s documentary heritage.
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We explore ideas and practices once believed to be true but no longer. Each dead idea is explored in all its glorious eccentricity. For example, discover miasma, the theory that plague comes from stinky air; or the medical diagnosis of hysteria, which holds that women's wombs wander around their bodies causing trouble. Join us on a fun romp through the history of ideas that didn’t quite stand the test of time.
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The hammering of the last spike into the Canadian Pacific Railway expanded access to the nation immeasurably, physically and symbolically connecting it from coast to coast. While seen as a victory in the dominant narrative of Canada, it served as a catalyst for the mass displacement of Indigenous peoples and the exploitation and even death of labou…
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In this episode of Treasures Revealed we follow the journey of a rare document which is considered to be the first publication in English entirely about Canada, with the help of Senior Special Collections Librarian Meaghan Scanlon. Once carelessly discarded, this broadside is later discovered in an unrelated publication, miraculously preserved.…
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Did you know that 22% or roughly one in five Canadians under the age of 34 either hadn’t heard about the Holocaust, or were unsure if they had heard about the Holocaust? In this episode, Michael Kent delves into the significance of Raczyński’s Note, a Second World War publication regarded as the first official communication with the Western Hemisph…
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In this episode we speak with Steve Moore about the most successful silent film in Canadian history, Back to God’s Country – a lusty tale of jealousy, murder and betrayal starring trailblazer Nell Shipman, Canada’s first female director. Tune in to discover why the restoration of this film received international accolades and how it projected a lig…
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In this episode we speak with Krista Cooke about the curious absence of pregnant women in photos from the birth of photography in the 19th century up to the Second World War. Tune in to learn why the photo of Anna Jorosz Krista chose as her treasure is so remarkable!*re-edited version of previous release*…
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In celebration of National Parks Day we have partnered with our friends at Parks Canada and have featured an episode from their wonderful new history and archaeology podcast ReCollections, in our feed. Through the remarkable lives of Madam Ruby Scott and her employees, we'll hear about Dawson's Gold Rush heyday and the boom/bust cycle of both the m…
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Robert Hood was only 24 in 1821, when he participated in the 1st of the infamous Franklin Expeditions. Hood was to take navigational, geographical and meteorological observations, and to make drawings of the land and of various objects of natural history. Unfortunately, Hood would not live to see his paintings published in Franklin’s account. In th…
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In the 9th episode of Treasures Revealed, LAC Curator Forrest Pass unravels the mystery of a Masonic tracing board dating back to the early 1800s.By Library and Archives Canada
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In this episode of Treasures Revealed, Indigenous Research Archivist Elizabeth Montour relies on knowledge and instinct to decipher the story of a Kanienhkenha:ka woman she observes in a 19th century watercolour. As Elizabeth examines the painting, she imagines what life might have been like for her ancestors living in her home of Kahnawake, in a t…
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In the 7th episode of Treasures Revealed we speak with Senior Archivist Christine Barrass about an extraordinary scroll, or Sefer Torah, that is part of the Shearith Israel synagogue collection held at LAC. This scroll is a document hand-written in Hebrew by a scribe and measures approximately 35 metres in length when fully unrolled. The Sefer Tora…
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In this episode of Treasures Revealed, we speak with Marcelle Cinq-Mars, senior military archivist in the Government Archives Division at LAC. Marcelle tells us about the amazing discovery she made while rehousing documents LAC received from the Department of National Defence.By Library and Archives Canada
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Passionate about nature and art, Bill Mason spent his whole life combining his two passions and creating beautiful, nature-inspired artworks. On today’s episode, we will discuss Bill Mason’s life and legacy with the help of three members of the Mason family: his wife, Joyce, and his two children, Becky and Paul. LAC archivist Jill Delaney will also…
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Kahentinetha Horn: Nothing but the Truth - Part 2
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In early 2020, we invited Indigenous activist Kahentinetha Horn and her daughter Waneek Horn-Miller to come to LAC for a visit. As we hosted them, we were thrilled to witness and record their reactions to the material in the LAC collection related to Kahentinetha’s fascinating life. They were seeing many of these items for the very first time.…
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Kahentinetha Horn: Nothing but the Truth - Part 1
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In early 2020, we invited Indigenous activist Kahentinetha Horn and her daughter Waneek Horn-Miller to come to LAC for a visit. As we hosted them, we were thrilled to witness and record their reactions to the material in the LAC collection related to Kahentinetha’s fascinating life. They were seeing many of these items for the very first time.…
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LAC photo archivist Jill Delaney joins us for this fifth episode of Treasures Revealed. She will tell us about LAC’s recent acquisition of the Gabor Szilasi fonds, which covers his life and career as a photographer from 1954 to 2016.By Library and Archives Canada
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In the fourth episode of Treasures Revealed, we talk to Meaghan Scanlon, Senior Special Collections Librarian, about the Halifax Gazette, the first newspaper published in the territory that would become Canada. It is the only copy known to exist of the first issue.By Library and Archives Canada
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For our next Treasures Revealed episode, we speak with LAC Government Records Archivist, and past Discover Library and Archives Canada host, Geneviève Morin. She will tell us about the marriage of art and science in early 20th century Canadian botany.By Library and Archives Canada
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In this episode of Treasures Revealed, LAC Head Photo Conservator Tania Passafiume will tell us about her discovery in the collection of a very rare type of early photograph called a pannotype. She will explain what it is, how it was made and what makes it so special and rare.By Library and Archives Canada
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In this new podcast series, Treasures Revealed, we’ll speak to a Library and Archives Canada employee and highlight an item that they consider a real “treasure” in the collection. For this first episode, we hear about a letter that Dominion Archivist Arthur Doughty wrote seeking reimbursement for an odd expense in 1908.…
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Near the Alaskan border with Canada, nestled along the Klondike River in Yukon, sits the Klondike region. On August 16, 1896, local miners discovered gold there. When news reached the United States and southern Canada the following year, it triggered a stampede of prospectors, forever changing the landscape of the Northwest and of North America. Ev…
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The Sacred Band of Thebes, comprised entirely of gay male lovers, was Ancient Greece’s original response to the gays in the military question. What was that like? How did it function? And what was its lasting legacy? That’s what we’re going to find out today, just in time for Pride Month. Here to help us do it is classicist James Romm, author of Th…
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High in the mountains of southwest Yukon, as far west as one can go in Canada, lies Kluane National Park and Reserve. The park is home to the country’s highest peak, the 5,959-metre Mount Logan. From its earliest documented ascent, in 1925, Mount Logan has been a continuously productive site for the advancement of scientific knowledge. Our guests o…
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With the creation of the A.V. Roe Canada company following the Second World War, Canada became a leader in the aerospace industry. The company developed the C-102 jetliner and the CF-100 Canuck, the first Canadian-designed military fighter aircraft. In 1953, at the height of the Cold War, the Royal Canadian Air Force (the RCAF) commissioned A.V. Ro…
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Avro Arrow: Uncovering the Myth – Part 2
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With the creation of the A.V. Roe Canada company following the Second World War, Canada became a leader in the aerospace industry. The company developed the C-102 jetliner and the CF-100 Canuck, the first Canadian-designed military fighter aircraft. In 1953, at the height of the Cold War, the Royal Canadian Air Force (the RCAF) commissioned A.V. Ro…
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During the First World War, more than 3,000 women volunteered with the Canadian Expeditionary Force. This force was created by Canada for service overseas, with nurses working as fully enlisted officers in the specifically created all-female rank of Nursing Sister. Their dedication to their work, their country, and most importantly to their patient…
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2020 has been an interesting year, to say the least. Due to the current circumstances, we haven’t been able to release much new content, but we wanted to give you a quick rundown on some of the things we have planned for the upcoming months.By Library and Archives Canada
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My city is on fire today. This is day four of the riots in the wake of the killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis Police. And everyone around me is saying, “I’m angry too, but why destroy your own community? It doesn’t make sense.”But is there another way to look at it? In this episode, I share first-hand reports of the riots as well as experiences…
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Éva Gauthier’s musical career took her from Ottawa, Canada, to the four corners of the world. Often considered ahead of her time because of her unique style and approach, Gauthier never let the critics stop her from expressing her true artistic self. Influenced by her journeys abroad, she did not stick to traditions and her inimitable flair, expres…
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This episode goes out to all of you at home out there during this pandemic, but we want to dedicate it especially to listener Owyn in Toronto, Canada. He’s faced a string of tough challenges recently, and now there’s the covid challenge on top of it all, but on the bright side, Owyn: it’s your 19th birthday today! Happy Covid 19th, Owyn!Be sure to …
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Our guest today, Dan McCaffery, believes Tommy Burns is considered one of the best pound for pound boxers who ever lived. Measuring a mere 5’7”, Burns was the shortest man ever to hold the world heavyweight title, and the only Canadian born to do so as well. The first champion to travel the globe defending his title, he was also the first to defend…
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Tom Longboat is Cogwagee is Everything
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In the early 20th century, no spectator sport captivated the world like long distance running. And no runner captured the hearts of Canadians like a Six Nations Indigenous man by the name of Cogwagee in the Onondaga language, or Tom Longboat in English. From his victory at the 1907 Boston Marathon, where he shattered the previous world record by fi…
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As the custodian of our distant past and recent history, Library and Archives Canada is a key resource for all Canadians who wish to gain a better understanding of who they are, individually and collectively. Library and Archives Canada acquires, processes, preserves and provides access to our documentary heritage and serves as the continuing memor…
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Did you know America spawned its very own homegrown fascist movement in the 1930s? Yup. The Silver Legion's William Dudley Pelley was the original Man in the High Castle. Or... at least he dreamed himself to be.Be sure to support the show at www.patreon.com/deadideaspod to get your portrait drawn!Music by Rachel Westhoff. Maps, pics, references and…
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2019 has been an exciting year for us as we continue to work for you, showcasing the amazing items in our collection and the fascinating stories behind them. We wanted to give you a quick rundown on some of the things we have planned in the upcoming months.By Library and Archives Canada
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TRIGGER WARNING: Politics. Today we explore what characterized early 20th-century fascism, and then ask whether it's fair to call Trump fascist.Be sure to support the show at www.patreon.com/deadideaspod to get your portrait drawn!Music by Rachel Westhoff. Maps, pics, references and more at www.deadideas.net.…
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It's here! It's finally here! After a full year of development, our new show the History of Sex is here. Cruise on over to The History of Sex on iTunes, Stitcher, or wherever you get podcasts. Also, an announcement: next month, we will have more Dead Ideas!By B. T. Newberg
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Bill Miner: Last of the Old Time Bandits
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On May 8th of 1906, three armed and masked men held up the Canadian Pacific Railway’s Transcontinental Express, at a place called Duck’s Station, 17 miles east of Kamloops in British Columbia. It was a botched robbery to say the least. The bandits ordered the engine and mail car uncoupled, and moved the train a mile down the track. Realizing that t…
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It's another best of the best for you! This one has it all: romance, plunder, mimes - and it all ends in a bloodbath! This was our first mashup and it's still one of my favorite episodes. What are your faves? Let me know at deadideaspod@gmail.com or on Facebook at @deadideaspod.Also, an update on our upcoming show The History of Sex: we're looking …
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We’re trying something new here on Dead Ideas. We have a sizeable back-catalog of episodes, many of which new listeners may never have heard, and which long-time listeners may have forgotten. So, we’re reprising classic episodes that are among the best of the best.One of my personal favorites is the finale episode from our cuneiform series. It’s a …
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Library and Archives Canada is the main repository for documents relating to Canada’s Prime Ministers. LAC not only has all the political documents relating to each Prime Minister, but also intriguing, less official and often unexpected items. The exhibition entitled Prime Ministers and the Arts: Creators, Collectors and Muses curated by LAC employ…
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UFOs at LAC: The Falcon Lake Incident - Part 2
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Falcon Lake, Manitoba. Located in the Whiteshell Provincial Park, 150 kilometers east of Winnipeg. It’s May 20th, 1967, and mechanic, and amateur geologist Stephan Michalak wakes up early to begin his hobby of prospecting for quartz and silver. After a morning of working in the bush, and a light lunch, Stephan returns to the task at hand, chipping …
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When was the last time you put a city to the sword? It's not something we do much anymore today. But there was a day and age when it was quite normal to slaughter every last man, woman, and child in a captured city. Neil Eckart of the podcast War and Conquest returns to the show today to talk about Julius Caesar's slaughter of the Gaulish city of A…
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What will Game of Thrones be remembered for? I would argue it's not its supposed character realism, nor it's moral ambiguity. Rather, it will be its depiction of unusual gender identities in fantasy. No other major fantasy show that I can think of does that. In the spirit of our upcoming show the History of Sex, let's talk about gender in Game of T…
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UFOs at LAC: The Falcon Lake Incident - Part 1
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Falcon Lake, Manitoba. Located in the Whiteshell Provincial Park, 150 kilometers east of Winnipeg. It’s May 20th, 1967, and mechanic, and amateur geologist Stephan Michalak wakes up early to begin his hobby of prospecting for quartz and silver. After a morning of working in the bush, and a light lunch, Stephan returns to the task at hand, chipping …
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What's it like to make a podcast? Sam Hume of the new show Pax Britannica talks with me about all the ups and downs of podcasting. Check out Sam's show.Be sure to support the show at www.patreon.com/deadideaspod to get your portrait drawn!Music and graphic design by Rachel Westhoff. Maps, pics, references and more at www.deadideas.net.…
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Doomsday, 1000 AD: How Millenarianism Ushered in the Crusades, Feat. Neil Eckart – European History
The end is nigh! Or so they've been saying since the year 1000 A.D. Today, Neil Eckart of the podcast War and Conquest tells us about millenarianism, the medieval idea that the world was coming to crashing halt at the end of the millennium. So, how did medieval folks party like it was 999? They went crusading! Discover the connection with the crusa…
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The Battlefield Art of Mary Riter Hamilton
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What drove a successful artist from a comfortable life in Canada to one of hardship in the battlefields of France and Belgium after the First World War? From 1919 to 1922, Mary Riter Hamilton undertook a "special mission” for The War Amps to document the scarred landscape where Canadian soldiers had fought and died.Her canvases capture the devastat…
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Last time we delved into the History of History Podcasting, and now we are giving you the full interview with none other than the host of Hardcore History, Dan Carlin.For the rest of the full interviews, check out our Patreon feed at www.patreon.com/deadideaspod.Music and graphic design by Rachel Westhoff.…
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The History of History Podcasting, Feat. Dan Carlin, Bob Packett, Lars Brownworth, Cam Reilly, Lara Eakins, Robin Pierson, Roifield Brown, Jordan Harbour, Travis Dow, Glen Gibbs, and Liz Covart
This is it: the first ever attempt at a history of our genre, history podcasting. I've interviewed nearly a dozen podcasters and spoke to dozens more to bring you this story, which comes to you with our characteristic Dead Ideas quirk (would you expect anything less?). Today I present, not a dead idea but a live idea: history podcasting.Guest list:…
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Steampunk Rome VI: Rome Industrial – An Interview with Jordan Harbour of Twilight Histories – Roman History
Now that you know ancient Rome fell just shy of an industrial revolution, why not enjoy a world where Rome does industrialize? That's Jordan Harbour's Rome Industrial setting, which he is here to talk to us about today. Jordan is the host of Twilight Histories, an alternate history podcast you should listen to in the dark.Be sure to support the sho…
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