Best Michael Goldfarb Podcasts (2025)

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Washington DC, August 2025, Fear and Loathing and Worse 58:39

Play Pause

15d ago58:39

58:39

A summary of the mood of fear in Washington DC as August 2025 comes to an end. It is even worse than it was more than a decade ago when political scientist Norman Ornstein published (with co-author Thomas Mann) It’s Even Worse Than It Looks: How the American Constitutional System Collided With the New Politics of Extremism. In this wide ranging con…

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Fashion's Future is Fur-Free featuring PJ Smith 40:52

44m ago40:52

40:52

September is fashion month, with massive week-long events in major cities worldwide, including New York, London, Milan and Paris. And the question on many peoples’ minds is: will we be seeing fur, or will more designers choose to go fur-free? PJ Smith, Director of Fashion Policy for Humane World for Animals thinks the future of the industry is fur-…

1
Canmore Cougar Tragedy Update feat. John Marriott and Maggie Spizziri 27:46

22h ago27:46

27:46

The tragic story of a locally beloved cougar being killed near Canmore, Alberta, earlier this year was heartbreaking. John Marriott, an award-winning wildlife photographer and co-founder of Exposed Wildlife Conservancy shared his harrowing experience with Defender Radio – along with his discovery of two cougar kits, orphaned by the incident. Severa…

1
Bring Back the Night: Light Pollution featuring Tijana Selak 8:15

8d ago8:15

8:15

From streetlights to skyscrapers and everything in between, lighting up the night can help keep people safe. But, this often excessive lighting has a consequence: light pollution. Native wildlife across Canada gets impacted by light pollution in many ways–and they're not alone. Humans, too, are impacted in surprising ways by our bright night skies.…

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Navigating Climate Grief featuring Dr. Shawna Weaver 57:11

15d ago57:11

57:11

Wildfires and drought, floods and ice storms, and a seemingly never-ending news cycle of chaos around us is a lot. I’ll be honest – there are days I want to hide from it all myself. But carrying the weight of what’s happening to the natural world around us isn’t new, and it has a name – climate grief. This intense grief and anxiety can come from an…

1
Ray Suarez on Snatch Squads, Men In Masks & Trump's War on America's Latinos 43:41

2M ago43:41

43:41

Veteran journalist and author Ray Suarez has some thoughts on the intense campaign being waged by Donald Trump and his officials on America's Latino population. Nearly 60,000 allegedly illegal "criminal" immigrants were detained in less than five months since Trump took office, the overwhelming majority have no criminal record. Suarez explains to F…

1
SCOTUS & Snatch-Squads: Is This the End of the 14th Amendment? 34:38

2M ago34:38

34:38

The 14th Amendment of the US Constitution enshrines citizenship by birthright, but a combination of a SCOTUS decision endorsing Trump's executive order that has led to snatch-squads dragging mostly Hispanic immigrants to prison without due process calls the Amendment's survival into question. This conversation with Damon Silvers, law professor and …

1
US/Israel vs Iran: Unknown Unknowns and Blowback 1:03:06

3M ago1:03:06

1:03:06

The US attack on Iran's nuclear sites June 21st brings to mind the last of Donald Rumsfeld’s infamous unknowns at the start of the Iraq War the "unknown unknowns" aka blowback. What is it possible to know about what will happen next, or is everything an unknown? In this hour-long FRDH podcast special, recorded the day after the US joined Israel in …

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Authoritarian Democracy: Erdogan and the Turkish Paradigm 39:30

3M ago39:30

39:30

We are in an age of authoritarian democracy, and Turkey and its leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan is its paradigm. Erdogan has been in power more than 2 decades and created the template men like Victor Orban and Bibi Netanyahu have been followingin using democracy's tools to become authoritarian leaders. And now there's Donald Trump. Veteran journalist A…

1
21st Century Trade Wars: Is There a Rhyme or a Reason? 45:21

4M ago45:21

45:21

Does Donald Trump have a rhyme or reason for starting the 21st century's first major trade war? The Financial Times' Martin Sandbu isn't sure but he has some ideas and also helpful hints about how to interpret Trump's "deals" that aren't anything of the sort. He gives FRDH podcast host a 44 minute long tutorial in the rhyme and reason behind Trump'…

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The World Is On The Move: Migration By Land and Sea 46:49

5M ago46:49

46:49

All over the world people are on the move, fleeing from war and environmental catastrophe caused by climate change. Many take insane risks to reach Britain in hope of safety and a chance at a better life. Author Horatio Clare has written about this migration in We Came By Sea: Stories of a Greater Britain. In the book, Clare goes to the human stori…

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The Mink VIRUS Act featuring Devan Schowe 21:40

5M ago21:40

21:40

Mink fur farms are a virus’s favourite place. There’s lots of opportunity to transmit, mutate, and lead to more virulent strains that threaten public health. With the devastating economic impact of H5N1 or avian flu in the news, the reintroduction of the Mink Virus Act to the United States Congress is well timed. To share what this legislation is a…

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America's Constitutional Crisis: A Lesson From Medieval English History 44:43

5M ago44:43

44:43

America is in the midst of a constitutional crisis with a President who clearly wants to be king no matter what the Constitution says and ironically the constitution says nothing about what to do in this kind of crisis. Dr. Helen Castor, medieval historian, sees in America's current situation echoes of a constitutional crisis six hundred years ago …

1
The Canmore cougar tragedy featuring John E. Marriott 1:01:24

5M ago1:01:24

1:01:24

Anyone who follows John E. Marriott or Exposed Wildlife Conservancy on social media knows that a cougar John had tracked for many years was killed near Canmore, Alberta, earlier this year. It led to two orphaned kits, a harrowing experience for John, and a clear mission: to share this story with the public and lead to change for wildlife in Alberta…

1
FRDH on the BBC, NATO: THEN, NOW, NOW WHAT? 57:50

5M ago57:50

57:50

In this FRDH podcast first broadcast on BBC Radio 4, host Michael Goldfarb looks at the history of NATO since its founding in 1949 and asks Now What? Can NATO survive the second coming of the Trump regime. Using archive sound and interviews with former NATO ambassadors and national security and defense experts he tells the Alliance's story, goes on…

1
A Dam Good Conversation: Ben Goldfarb on Beavers, Wetlands, and Rewilding the World 38:20

6M ago38:20

38:20

Fifty years ago this week, Canada officially made beavers one of our national symbols. In celebrating this anniversary – and the many ecological services and benefits provided by beavers – The Fur-Bearers have a bit of beaver fever. And who better to talk to about beavers than Ben Goldfarb, the journalist behind Eager: The Surprising Secret Life of…

1
Canada's Most Distinct Species featuring Emma Kominek 31:12

6M ago31:12

31:12

Canada’s iconic wildlife include moose, beavers, and wolves. But of the many species of vertebrate, which are the most evolutionarily distinct? And why does that matter? A team of researchers from Simon Fraser University (emma Kominek, Olivia Cornies, Arne Ø. Mooers, and Wildlife Preservation Canada's Hannah McCurdy-Adams) explored these questions …

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The Switch: Going Green for March Break Travel 2:59

6M ago2:59

2:59

Whether you’re heading south to escape the cold, across the provinces for an adventure, or just a town over for a quick getaway, there are a lot of choices we can make while travelling for March Break that reduce our impact on the environment – and can even improve it. SHOW NOTES Episode art photo by Petmal / Getty Images Want to suggest topics for…

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China: What Now? 50:10

6M ago50:10

50:10

China: now what? Donald Trump has imposed tariffs on China but even before that news the country was watching and waiting for the US to make mistakes in the international arena. What happens now that Trump has made so many in such a short time? What is the China of today compared to ten, twenty or even thirty years ago? In this FRDH podcast, Mary K…

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Takaya's Ongoing Legacy featuring Cheryl Alexander 26:41

7M ago26:41

26:41

The journey of Takaya the Lone wolf on Vancouver Island was one of hope, inspiration, and ultimately tragedy. Cheryl Alexander, acclaimed conservation photographer and Founding Executive Director of Takaya’s Legacy has shared her story countless times – but this past year the story took a new twist. An iconic photo of Takaya, taken by Cheryl, was u…

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The Switch: Road Salt Solutions 3:32

7M ago3:32

3:32

Winter salt keeps sidewalks safe but harms Ottawa’s waterways. A five-year study shows toxic chloride levels in local streams year-round. Learn how to reduce salt use, protect aquatic life, and keep winter walkways safe. SHOW NOTES: Episode art photo by EyeEm Mobile GmbH / Getty Images Check out Ottawa Riverkeeper's work on salt monitoring and redu…

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Saving North Atlantic Right Whales featuring Sheryl Fink 18:32

7M ago18:32

18:32

North Atlantic Right Whales are at extreme risk of extinction, with only around 370 individuals and around 70 reproductive females. According to RightWhales.org, over 142 individuals have been injured or died since 2017 – a shocking 35% of the current population. Fortunately, individuals like Sheryl Fink of the International Fund for Animal Welfare…

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A Historical Era Without Precedent: The US - Russia Alliance 53:39

7M ago53:39

53:39

The last week has seen the dramatic beginning of a new historical era based on a US and Russia alliance. Donald Trump has thrown in with Vladimir Putin and thrown Ukraine and 80 years of the Transatlantic Alliance under a bus. In this FRDH podcast Michael Goldfarb speaks with Charles Hecker, who has lived an worked in Moscow for the last thirty yea…

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The Switch: Meal Planning to Reduce Food Waste 3:52

7M ago3:52

3:52

Canadians waste a ton of food - literally! Learn how meal planning can reduce food waste, save you money, and reduce your impact on emissions and climate change by listening now. SHOW NOTES: LoveFoodHateWaste.ca: https://lovefoodhatewaste.ca/ Want to suggest topics for Defender Radio and The Switch? Reach out to us at [email protected], by vi…

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The American Crisis: Founders' Words 250 14:24

7M ago14:24

14:24

As the 250th anniversary of the start of the American revolution approaches and with America in crisis it's time to return to the Founders' Words. In the first of an occasional feature, FRDH podcast host reads through Tom Paine's pamphlet Common Sense for words of wisdom to help guide people through Trump and Musk's destructive takeover of the Amer…

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Biodiversity and Urban Connectivity feat. Dr. Thami Croeser and Dr. Holly Kirk 53:46

7M ago53:46

53:46

Enhancing biodiversity in urban areas is a critical step in improving our ecosystems, resilience against the climate crisis, and ensuring nature exposure for residents. But how do you increase biodiversity on pavement? According to two researchers, it can start with stepping stones. Drs. Thami Croeser and Holly Kirk tackled this issue and showed th…

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Dealing With Winter Drafts 3:16

8M ago3:16

3:16

Cold drafts in winter aren’t only unpleasant, they could be costing you money and wasting energy. Listen now to The Switch to hear how to quickly identify and deal with a draft. SHOW NOTES: Photo of a door equipped with two types of draft stoppers by AndreyPopov / Getty Images Want to suggest topics for Defender Radio? Reach out to us at DefenderRa…

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FRDH ON THE BBC: KADDISH, WHY WE PRAY FOR THE DEAD 27:26

8M ago27:26

27:26

The mourner's Kaddish is the Jewish prayer for the dead. In this program, originally broadcast on the BBC World Service, he looks at the origins of Kaddish, its changing use over the years and into the present and discusses saying Kaddish for Jewish dead at Auschwitz on the 80th anniversary of the camp's liberation.…

1
Tizzy and Me: Fifteen Ways To Love A Mink feat. Dr. Nadja Lubiw-Hazard 32:17

8M ago32:17

32:17

One day at school, 7-year-old animal loving Georgia discovers her best friend is wearing a coat made with mink fur; with the companionship of her dog Tizzy, Georgia and her friend begin to learn about animals that live in fur farms – and that they must stand up for them. Tizzy and Me: Fifteen Ways to Love A Mink is the lovely chapter book by NML Ha…

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Season 11 Coming Soon! 1:14

8M ago1:14

1:14

I’m excited to announce season 11 of Defender Radio and The Switch is going live this month! You’ll be hearing long-form interviews from expert scientists around the world talking about wildlife behaviour, population dynamics, and the environment. We’ll be exploring ways you can reduce your impact on the climate crisis and become more resilient thr…

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Reborn From the Flames: Notre Dame Reopens 30:34

10M ago30:34

30:34

The cathedral of Notre Dame de Paris nearly burned to the ground five years ago, now, fully restored it is about to re-open. It is a remarkable rebirth. Agnes Poirier, native Parisienne, journalis and author of Notre Dame: the Soul of France, talks to FRDH host Michael Goldfarb about the fire, the restoration and the deep meaning of the cathedral b…

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So Now What? Edward Luce on Trump MKII, the Revenge Tour 38:56

10M ago38:56

38:56

Since November 5th, 2024 the question on many lips is, So now what?, and the Financial Times' Edward Luce has some thoughts on Trump's second term, aka the Revenge Tour. Trump has promised retribution, will he follow through? In this wide-ranging conversation Luce and FRDH host Michael Goldfarb look at his cabinet appointments, his courtiers, and t…

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Pricing Political Risk: Trump and American Imperial Decline 45:00

10M ago45:00

45:00

How do you price the political risk of the second Trump term and America's imperial decline from democracy to autocracy? In this podcast, Michael Moran, veteran foreign correspondent turned political risk consultant, takes a realistic look at what the second Trump term will mean for America's relations with the world. He also discusses the greatest…

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ELECTION 2024: GEORGIA'S LONG HISTORY OF RIGGING ELECTIONS 24:26

11M ago24:26

24:26

Georgia will be as important to Election 2024 as it was in 2020 when Donald Trump accused official of rigging the vote. This laid the foundation for his mendacious and deadly claim that the vote was stolen. IN this FRDH podcast Michael Goldfarb speaks with University of Georgia professor of History James Cobb about the state's inglorious tradition …

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Why Nasrallah’s Death Is Not the Beginning of the End of Hezbollah 36:43

12M ago36:43

36:43

The death of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah is not the beginning of the end for the terror group. That's the view of journalist Mitchell Prothero, who has spent much of the last two decades covering the Middle East based in Beirut. In this FRDH podcast he provides a turorial on the beginnings of Hezbollah, the end of its leader, and why this wil…

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Rescuing Rabbits with Amy's Bunny Barn 33:53

12M ago33:53

33:53

We’re releasing this episode in time for International Rabbit Day – a celebration of our favourite floppy-eared lagomorphs. While rabbits do make wonderful companions, they are frequently released or dumped in the wild – and with an exceptionally quick gestation period, that can lead to a lot of domestic rabbits in the wild, really fast. Fortunatel…

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Speak at Humane Canada’s Summit for Animals with Natalia Hanson 10:34

12M ago10:34

10:34

Finding community is an important part of being an advocate – and in a post pandemic world, that can be a struggle. Fortunately, opportunities like Humane Canada’s Summit for Animals bring together hundreds of likeminded people, sharing resources, ideas, and finding hope together. The 2025 Summit for Animals is taking place in Montreal, Quebec on A…

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Paris: Love, Loss, Language 41:43

1y ago41:43

41:43

"We’ll Always have Paris," Rick tells Elsa in Casablanca but what happens when the place where you knew love is lost and with it the language you have to express that feeling? Author Scott Carpenter learned the answer when his wife, Anne, was diagnosed with dementia. In this FRDH podcast he talks about his new book which with great good humor and i…

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October 7th, the Gaza War and the Absence of Truth 53:35

1y ago53:35

53:35

The fact that the Gaza War caused by the pogrom of October 7th is still going on underlines the absence of truth in the search for peace. Telling the truth about what peace will really mean and the compromises on both sides needed to end war, is something very few people are willing to do. Brown University professor Omer Bartov is one of the truth …

1
The Ursa Project with Katie Graves 37:19

1y ago37:19

37:19

Hundreds of black bears are killed in British Columbia every year; often, the issue leading to government agents killing bears is attractants such as unsecure garbage that bears may want to explore or eat. While there is much to be said and debated about this situation, one thing is clear: communities need solutions. And that’s where the Ursa Proje…

1
Iran and Israel: War or Retaliation? 43:54

1y ago43:54

43:54

The world is waiting for the next round in the Iran, Israel conflict: will it be all out war or ritual -- and ineffectual -- retaliation for the assassination of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran July 31st? In this FRDH podcast two veteran Middle East reporters, Liz Sly, former Middle East Bureau Chief of the Washington Post and Cathe…

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Anti-Semitism Without Jews 47:30

1y ago47:30

47:30

Anti-Semitism in places without Jews is a strange historical phenomenon in Poland where most of the deaths in the Holocaust took place. It is a tale of History vs Nationalism the story of how Poles deal with the Holocaust. In this FRDH podcast Professor Jan Grabowski, author of, Hunt for the Jews: Betrayal and Murder in German-Occupied Poland, and …

1
Signs of Life with Sarah Cox 31:08

1y ago31:08

31:08

More than 5,000 wild species are at risk of extinction in Canada right now – it’s an overwhelming, staggering number, and it begs the question: what are we doing about it? Environmental journalist Sarah Cox explores this question with hope and curiosity in her new book, Signs of Life: Field Notes from the Frontlines of Extinction. Featuring intervi…

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Tales of the Urban Wild with Dr. Tiffany Yap and Meital Smith 36:40

1y ago36:40

36:40

What’s the world like for a Puma in California? What would they encounter, and what would they make of the humans acting strangely in the landscape? Scientist Dr. Tiffany Yap and artist Meital Smith put together what they think that may look like in the incredible Tales of the Urban Wild: A Puma’s Journey, now available from Reverberation Books. Dr…

1
The SCOTUS Presidential Immunity Decision and International Law 35:45

1y ago35:45

35:45

The SCOTUS decision on Donald Trump's claim of presidential immunity in the various indictments against him for the January 6th events has ramifications not just in American but also international law. In this podcast, noted human rights lawyer Philippe Sands, author of the award-winning best seller East West Street looks at how the concept of "abs…

1
Bears in our Backyards with Paul Johnson 1:03:33

1y ago1:03:33

1:03:33

Black bears in British Columbia face an impossible reality: find new places to live, without being near people, while we continue to remove habitat and ecological connectivity from the landscape. It’s a struggle that journalist and documentarian Paul Johnson wanted to profile – in hopes of making a change. Bears in our Backyards: The Struggle to Su…

1
Nakoda's Story with John E. Marriott 26:20

1y ago26:20

26:20

Nakoda was a grizzly bear who lived in Yoho National Park. She was a well-known bear, having been tracked by Parks Canada as Bear 178, and popular with photographers and tourists who caught a glimpse of her famous blonde-white fur. Tragically, on the evening of June 6, 2024, Nakoda was struck by a vehicle on the Trans-Canada highway near the park, …

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Elections 2024: France & Macron’s Big Gamble 50:55

1+ y ago50:55

50:55

2024 was always going to be a year of elections globally but not in France, now President Emanuel Macron has taken a huge gamble and called a snap general election for the French parliament. Why did Macron risk the final three years of his presidency? What are the chances of his big gamble paying off? Author Agnes Poirier and former BBC present Gav…

1
Beyond Animal Control with Jennifer Toussaint 47:42

1+ y ago47:42

47:42

Mustachioed dog-nappers chasing animated pooches around the city may be what’s in some of our heads when it comes to animal control, but the important front-line officers in our communities go well beyond that trope. In Arlington, Virginia, the community knows they can rely on the Animal Welfare League of Arlington to help, whether it’s support for…

1
California's Room to Roam Act with Dr. Tiffany Yap 44:10

1+ y ago44:10

44:10

Room to roam for wildlife is essential to their health, particularly as they face increasing pressures related to development and the climate crisis. But many communities aren’t planned with wildlife in mind – or ecological connectivity between neighbourhoods and boundaries. The California state assembly has passed the Room to Roam Act, which compe…