Best Radio Helou Podcasts (2024)

1
Being Pragmatic: Inside the NS NDP 1:11:24

6h ago1:11:24

1:11:24

The Nova Scotia NDP recently removed a candidate over their support for Palestine. This isn't the first time, not for the NS NDP or its counterparts across Canada. This episode provides insight into why so many members choose to stay and what the detriments of that are. For an even deeper dive, check out our podcast playlist, INSIDE THE NDP. ______…

1
Masking as a Revolutionary Act 47:19

9h ago47:19

47:19

COVID AWARE ORGANIZING If we're going to build accessible, safe spaces to organize, that needs to include ways to reduce COVID transmissions amongst our comrades. Shira Lurie, a COVID aware activist with Protect our Province Nova Scotia (POPNS) and Mask for Mask Queers, joins host Jessa McLean to give easy, affordable precautions we can incorporate…

1
The IHRA, Fascism and Upholding Colonial Violence 50:48

9d ago50:48

50:48

Canada recently adopted the IHRA definition of antisemitism, which is nothing but unmasked anti-Palestinian racism that looks to criminalize criticisms of Israeli State. The Ontario Progressive Conservatives are going to pay organizations like CIJA $550 million to teach that definition in schools. Our hosts remind us all of this is coming at a time…

1
Democrats Lose. Our Plans Stay the Same. 15:42

13d ago15:42

15:42

We will remember this 5th of November. A bonus Rabble Rants for the Blueprints of Disruption audience in response to the 2024 U.S. Presidential election. While some blame voters and activists, our hosts examine how the DNC is to blame and what the results mean for the movements we feature on the show. To be sure you don't miss another Rabble Rants,…

1
Activate the Tenant Class with the Neighbourhood Organizing Centre 54:59

10d ago54:59

54:59

This installment of the TENANT POWER series features three members of the Ottawa Neighbourhood Organizing Centre (NOC) and their work supporting tenants in their fight against landlords, and of course, capitalism. The work of the NOC began in the most organic way. By going into their community and talking to as many people as possible. Listening to…

1
Defending Against Demovictions w/Bank Block Tenants 46:22

16d ago46:22

46:22

The wealthy bought up the neighbourhood like their own personal game of Monopoly. Now they want to tear down some of the only affordable units in Ottawa - places where some of called home for 40 years. Demovictions, like renovictions are eating away at the bottom of the housing market, targeting low cost rentals and turning them into places most pe…

1
Support Systems Amid State Suppression 1:12:12

23d ago1:12:12

1:12:12

Support Systems Amid State Suppression with Dalia Awwad and Rachelle Friesen, both members of the Toronto Legal Support Committee. Toronto Police have escalated their harassment and surveillance of Palestinian solidarity activists across the City, with arrests nearing 100. Our guests provide firsthand accounts of the oppressive tactics being used a…

1
The Right to Resist 1:02:35

1M ago1:02:35

1:02:35

Journalist and human rights lawyer, Dimitri Lascaris on Lebanon, the resistance and bringing down an apartheid state. After returning from his fourth trip to Beirut in the past year, Lascaris describes the changes he's seen in Lebanon, laments on the depravity of our politicians and the need to reassert the right to armed resistance for the Palesti…

1
Unverified: The Grind Exposes New Lows in Canadian Media 51:14

1M ago51:14

51:14

Unverified: The Grind Uncovers New Lows in Canadian Media Journalist Dave Gray-Donald from the GrindTO spent months analyzing Canadian media reports and attempting to hold his follow journalists accountable for repeatedly printing unverified claims about October 7th, 2023. His piece, Global News and Postmedia Refuse to Correct Oct. 7 Falsehoods exp…

1
Shifting Gears: Climate Justice Toronto 53:44

2M ago53:44

53:44

Decades of climate organizing hasn't really produced many victories to feed off of. Why? Climate Justice Toronto took a hard look at the environmentalist movement, studied Labour organizing models and decided to undertake a major shift in their work. One that focused on actually challenging points of power while building their own. Hear how they we…

1
Harm Reduction and Safe Consumption 51:17

2M ago51:17

51:17

Harm reduction advocates have their work cut out for them in this current political climate that has Provincial governments targeting their services using dehumanization language and legislation. Ola Skudlarska, of the Leslieville Harm Reduction Coalition helps myth bust some of the commonly used narratives to criminalize and displace people who us…

1
Reclaiming Social Housing with 230 Fightback 1:02:05

2M ago1:02:05

1:02:05

230 Fightback has been battling over a crucial piece of real estate in downtown Toronto for a very long time. A real estate investment company, Kingsett Capital is who owns the building, but their fight has been just as hampered by Toronto City Hall. Hear how the campaign persisted through organizational changes, set backs and discouragement from t…

1
On ADHD 1:00:30

2M ago1:00:30

1:00:30

Our hosts get personal with their lived experiences with ADHD. Its a very candid discussion on how ADHD impacts their lives, the accommodations that help them thrive and the politics behind preventing us from realizing more inclusive spaces for neurodivergent folks. The episode was largely left uncut to better demonstrate some of the very character…

1
Blueprints of a Rent Strike Victory 41:54

3M ago41:54

41:54

Hear a story of tenants forming a union to fight back against a slumlord, going on Rent Strike and winning! Bruno, an organizer with York-South Weston Tenants Union is back to share a victory from an unlikely place, the Ontario Landlord Tenant Board. We previously heard from Bruno on one of our favourite episodes, Blueprints of a Rent Strike. We do…

1
Haiti's Multinational Security Problem 1:17:09

3M ago1:17:09

1:17:09

Canada's has deep ties to Haiti's current political dilemma, and deep pockets when it comes to meddling in their democracy. Since 2022, that is $300 million and counting. Teacher and writer Travis Ross, of the Canada-Haiti Information Project gets us up to speed on what is happening on the ground in Haiti right now and how we got there. It includes…

1
Exposing Lies about Canada's Arms Trade with The Maple 52:43

3M ago52:43

52:43

Alex Cosh, Managing Editor at The Maple joins us to talk about their work holding the powerful accountable. Their most recent story, ignored by Canadian media, is explosive, as it proves Trudeau has been lying about an arms embargo with Israel. There is lots to learn about the Canadian arms trade if we're going to shut it down. We also talk about t…

1
Unicorn Riot: Decentralized Media 1:13:48

3M ago1:13:48

1:13:48

Not only does Unicorn Riot put out impressive, badly needed content that covers our movements - but they do it using a decentralized, non-hierarchal model that we could all learn from. A model that frees their members, pulls in as many people as possible and gets a lot done with little resources. We get to talk to three members of Unicorn Riot abou…

1
No Arms in the Arts: Beyond the Craft and Into the Streets 1:02:50

4M ago1:02:50

1:02:50

Despite what they'll tell you, Scotiabank is feeling the heat from No Arms in the Arts, a coalition of cultural sector workers who have deftly weaponized the banks own PR machine to get them to divest from Israeli weapons manufacturers. Aliya Pabani from Canlit Responds and Michael DeForge of Writers Against the War on Gaza (W.A.W.O.G) talk about h…

1
Zero Tolerance: Responding to Racist Violence 36:40

4M ago36:40

36:40

Groups of White Nationalists took to the streets around the U.K. in a wave of racist, xenophobic violence in early August 2024. Although they attempted to capitalize on a tragedy to target mostly the Muslim Community, their numbers were small and the show of force against them daunting. Our hosts discuss the possibilities of this occurring in Canad…

1
Resisting Toronto's Tactics Against the Unhoused 57:05

4M ago57:05

57:05

The City of Toronto evicted yet another encampment. When pressed for a reason, City Staff claimed it was at the behest of the organizers for Caribana. Marilyn Bell Park had been the home of several community members for the last year. Listen in as organizers with Voices for Unhoused Liberation tell that story and share what they're doing to fight b…

1
Political Coalitions to Stop the Far Right? 1:15:17

4M ago1:15:17

1:15:17

Would a coalition, similar to what we saw in France, stop Pierre Poilievre in the next election? This is a scenario independent journalist, political analyst and author Jeremy Appel lays out in his recent piece for the Tyee. Jeremy joins host Jessa McLean to talk about the feasibility of a one-time political coalition to keep the Conservatives out …

1
Recipes for Civil Resistance with Last Generation Canada 1:05:20

4M ago1:05:20

1:05:20

Their name represents the fact we are the Last Generation with the ability to do something meaningful on climate change. We interviewed their two full time organizers, Laura Sullivan and Gillian Graham, and asked them about what they call their "recipe for civil resistance" and their calls for an international uprising. These determined climate act…

1
Weaponizing Canadian Law for Israel 50:49

5M ago50:49

50:49

Investigative journalist Martin Lukacs from The Breach discusses his investigations into Toronto Police's Project Resolute and the secretive committee in the Ontario Attorney General's office tasked with cracking down on Palestinian solidarity activism. A beefed up hate crimes unit is backed by a committee staffed with former Prosecutors who have o…

1
Rabble Rants: Lessons from People's Circle for Palestine 1:04:54

5M ago1:04:54

1:04:54

The University of Toronto student encampment, named the People's Circle for Palestine, dismantled their tents after an Ontario Superior Court judge ordered an injunction against them. Our hosts break down the ruling, what it means for other encampments and bring up lessons learned from the end of just "one tactic in the toolbox" of students demandi…

1
Forget Stonehenge - the Planet is on Fire 36:34

5M ago36:34

36:34

Special Guest: Scott Martin With special guest Scott Martin, we unpack the criticism and backlash faced by activists who disrupt and protest against climate change. In this case its Just Stop Oil, orange cornstarch and Stonehenge, but this conversation applies to all that disrupt the status quo. The repetitive and disingenuous arguments used by pol…

1
Rabble Rants: Virtue Signaling? 34:53

5M ago34:53

34:53

Virtue Signaling? Subtitle: Red Keffiyehs and White Supremacists Our hosts rant after a seemingly innocuous (yet viral) tweet of Jessa wearing a red keffiyeh triggered both zionists and white supremacists, who felt quite safe to air their anti-Arab racism, misogyny and affinity for violence. As they unpack the response, they discuss individualism a…

1
Managing Narratives (or Not) - Livestreamed Event 1:43:15

5M ago1:43:15

1:43:15

An expert panel of activists and independent journalists talk media strategy when it comes to setting the narratives around our movements. We find out from organizers Fatima Saleh (Edmonton) and Anna Lippman (Toronto) what its been like responding to the ridiculous claims levelled at the Palestinian Solidarity movement, and what they've been doing …

1
Rabble Rants: Mask Bans 53:02

6M ago53:02

53:02

Two special guests, Kim Crawley and Bothered Boy, join host Jessa McLean to talk about the mask bans being introduced in the United States, the attitudes here in Canada and the recent uptick in activists being charged for wearing COVID protective masks during direct actions. We keep us safe - wear a mask comrades. All of our content is free - made …

1
Breach of Peace 53:39

6M ago53:39

53:39

As we discuss and draw lessons from recent police actions at student encampments, peaceful protests and marches for genocide, it becomes clear exactly who is breaching the peace. McGill students escalated their actions and occupied a building on campus, while York University students finished setting up their encampment. Both had the police set on …

1
Always Shoot Down Range - Canadian Socialist Rifle Association 43:40

6M ago43:40

43:40

The Canadian Socialist Rifle Association makes it clear - they are nothing like the notorious NRA, nor are they some sort of militia. In fact, a lot of their focus is on things like mutual aid and community defences that don't involve guns. But they do insist that all of us (gun owner or not) should, at the very least, be familiar with them. Listen…

1
Rabble Rants: Students and Labour United 50:57

6M ago50:57

50:57

CROSSPOSTED: From Rabble Rants Feeds Topic 1: All Eyes on Rafah We give an update for the week of May 24th, including the latest attacks on a 'safe zone', the lack of a US 'red line' and the creation of buffer zones that block the border with Egypt. Topic 2: Students and Labour Unite at UofT Encampment An Emergency Rally in the face of a possible i…

1
Disrupting Canada's Arms Trade - World Beyond War 1:01:33

6M ago1:01:33

1:01:33

Rachel Small, World Beyond War Canada's spokesperson, discusses the organization's work to disrupt the military industrial complex and challenge the culture of war using a variety of tactics. Lately, World Beyond War's focus has been on Gaza. They see their role as highlighting, Canada's complicity in the genocide via our role in the arms trade. Ra…

1
Neighborhoods for Palestine: PAL Solidarity Canada 1:20:57

6M ago1:20:57

1:20:57

Local Palestinian solidarity groups are popping up all over Canada. Organizing mostly by federal or provincial riding boundaries, they have been putting massive pressure on their elected representatives. But that isn't all they do...not even close. Listen in as four activists from Toronto, Edmonton, Montreal and Oakville talk about doing their part…

1
Student Encampments 48:06

7M ago48:06

48:06

As more student encampments spring up daily, our host talk about the divestment demands being made, and the responses from the Universities, the police and the public. We inevitably make comparisons to the Occupy movement, all while noting the very unique circumstances facing students organizing against genocide. *The opening sound is credited to M…

1
Blockades and Bail Conditions 34:54

7M ago34:54

34:54

Mskwaasin, a Dene activist, shares her experience of being arrested during a recent railway blockade in Toronto in solidarity with Palestine. She highlights many of the common struggles faced by Indigenous communities in so-called Canada and Palestinians, both under settler colonialism. Its clear Police were targeting Indigenous activists both with…

1
No Pride in Genocide 33:03

7M ago33:03

33:03

Longtime queer rights activist Gary Kinsman resigned from Toronto Pride in April 2024 over their refusal to adequately address the genocide in Gaza. While telling his story to host Jessa McLean, Gary also provides a history of Pride, and its transition from a grassroots march to a corporately structured and funded cultural event. Together with host…

1
Voices for Unhoused Liberation 1:38:42

7M ago1:38:42

1:38:42

Voices for Unhoused Liberation are folks experiencing homelessness or inadequate housing while organizing their community. Whether its against encampment evictions or the prison like conditions of the Toronto shelter system, these folks are getting things done under incredibly difficult circumstances. The interview with Dredz Green and Nahum Mann, …

1
Filmmaking Resistance 41:01

7M ago41:01

41:01

Pier-Philippe Chevigny, writer-director of 'Richelieu', discusses how he uses his skills in filmmaking to shed light on social issues, particularly the exploitation of temporary foreign workers in Canada in his first feature length film, 'Richelieu'. The film follows a translator who sees this exploitation first hand and fights back against the bos…

1
Pharmacare: We Almost There? 58:16

7M ago58:16

58:16

Are we there yet? In the wake of the Liberals 2024 Budget, we pulled Nik Barry-Shaw into the studio to unpack what it all means for the long fight for Pharmacare in Canada. Nik is a campaigner with the Council of Canadians. All of our content is free - made possible by the generous sponsorships of our Patrons. If you would like to support us: Patre…

1
Unlawful Assembly While Masked 39:58

7M ago39:58

39:58

All of our content is free - made possible by the generous sponsorships of our Patrons. If you would like to support us: Patreon ____________ Episode Summary: Anna, an activist with Labor for Palestine and Independent Jewish voices, discusses her recent arrest and the ongoing struggle for Palestinian solidarity. She was arrested for participating i…

1
Colonial Settler Urbanism 50:25

8M ago50:25

50:25

Summary Andrew Crosby, a postdoctoral researcher at Carleton University, discusses his book Resisting Eviction and focuses on the case study of Herring Gate in Ottawa, which is labeled as the largest urban eviction in Canadian history. The conversation explores the role of municipalities and the financialization of housing, the detachment of home a…

1
Rabble Rants: Destabilizing and Delegitimizing, Iran and Israel 42:04

8M ago42:04

42:04

The conversation explores the current situation in Israel and Palestine, focusing on the goals and actions of the Israeli government, the role of the US, and the potential consequences of the conflict. It discusses the unwinnable battle Israel is fighting in trying to eliminate Hamas and the need for a way out to avoid looking like their actions we…

1
Canada's Era of Rebellion 1:00:32

8M ago1:00:32

1:00:32

Canada’s Era of Rebellion: 1837 - 1885 Its always much easier to understand Canada’s behaviours’ now when we hear its real story of inception. As we go through the years before and after Confederation, clear patterns emerge that imitate a lot of what we are seeing today - here in Canada, and over in Palestine. The episode includes stories of brutal…

1
Rabble Rants: International Law? 20:44

8M ago20:44

20:44

Multiple UN Bodies Pass Motions Against Israel to No Avail After rulings by the ICJ, and motions passed at the UN Security Council and Human Rights Council, Israel has continued its onslaught of Gaza and its many violations of human rights and international law. Host Jessa McLean gives updates on the latest rulings and examines the history of the U…

1
Photographing the Front Lines 1:33:37

8M ago1:33:37

1:33:37

Street photograph Joshua Best has been front and centre for the escalation of police violence against protestors in the City of Toronto. He joins the hosts to talk about his his experience, his intriguing photography and what drives him to document disruption. It's also a discussion about police brutality, the resultant radicalization of participan…

1
Rabble Rants: Renters' Bill of Rights 28:07

8M ago28:07

28:07

***Please subscribe to the Rabble Rants feed to keep getting these episodes. Its available anywhere you get Blueprints of Disruption.*** Liberals Announce Plans for a Renters' Bill of Rights In an attempt to sway young voters, mostly renters, Trudeau and the Liberals have announced what they are calling a Renters' Bill of Rights. It includes some f…

1
Social Justice in St. John's 1:00:04

8M ago1:00:04

1:00:04

The Social Justice Co-operative in St. John's Newfoundland/Labrador has a long as resilient history. Our interview with co-chair Kerri Claire tells of a personal political journey and an organizational one. Both of which have led to an impressive collective making a meaningful impact. With limited resources, these folks are able to contribute to wi…

1
Rabble Rants: Liberals Target Migrants 36:25

8M ago36:25

36:25

RABBLE RANTS are now available on their own feed. Be sure to subscribe wherever you're listening from. TOPIC: Liberals introduce caps and other policy changes related to temporary foreign residents. In an attempt to further scapegoat immigrants for the 'affordability and housing crisis', federal Liberals in Canada have introduced caps on migrant wo…

1
An Anarchist Collective: CrimeThInc. 1:00:34

8M ago1:00:34

1:00:34

Our discussion with anarchist collective CrimethInc. participant 'B' was full of lessons for how we can better organize our movements. How to form true collectives that value each and every voice, not just symbolically, but in how they make decisions. B describes how there is a way to find harmony without requiring complete unity. This episode help…

1
Rabble Rants: U.S. Seaport in Gaza 28:00

9M ago28:00

28:00

United States Pledges to Build a Seaport in Gaza. In his State of the Union Address, President Biden called for a six-week ceasefire and promised to build a seaport to deliver aid to Gaza. The project will be lead by U.S. troops and a company no-one has heard of until now. Wait until you find out who runs that company and what their aims in the Mid…

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