Best Small Town Poets Podcasts (2025)

1
What it takes to become a ruthless tyrant 54:08

3d ago54:08

54:08

Looking back about 3,000 years, the playbook on authoritarianism remains pretty much the same as it is today. Back in the 5th century BCE, when Herodotus travelled the ancient world gathering stories, he became an expert in would-be tyrants. His groundbreaking tome, simply called The History, shared vivid descriptions of autocratic and tyrannical r…

1
The ultimate travel list: Lake Laberge and Stratford 9:12

3d ago9:12

9:12

Two more listeners make the case for their favourite vacation spots, hoping to win a place on The Current’s list of great Canadian travel destinations. Richard Smith shares what he loves about Lake Laberge in Yukon, and Sharon McKenzie celebrates the vibrant cultural life of Stratford, Ont. You can see the full shortlist and vote for your favourite…

1
She found beautiful art in a bargain bin. How’d it get there? 17:13

3d ago17:13

17:13

When Sonja Krawesky found a pair of bright and beautiful sculptures in a bargain bin at a Hamilton, Ont. store, she knew there had to be a story behind them. Her quest to find out where they came from led to a new friend — and a lesson about the kindness of strangers.

1
Migrants living in fear of Trump’s deportation push 22:51

3d ago22:51

22:51

U.S. President Donald Trump is making good on his pledge to conduct the "largest mass deportation in history,” sweeping up both undocumented migrants and people with work permits and legal protections. We discuss the master database that DOGE is building to track and surveil immigrants, and hear what it’s like to live under that shadow.…

1
The election is days away. Do voters have a surprise up their sleeve? 19:50

3d ago19:50

19:50

This federal election has had its fair share of surprises, from who’s pulled ahead to how engaged Canadians have been. Matt Galloway discusses what we’ve learned on the campaign trail — and whether tightening polls suggest more surprises in store — with the CBC’s Rosemary Barton, Toronto Star’s Ryan Tumilty and the Globe and Mail's Stephanie Levitz…

1
Susan Werner on Defining Hard Work, Paid Vacations, and Relaxing as Indie Musician, ep. 307 46:29

4d ago46:29

46:29

The dynamic songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Susan Werner talks to us onboard the Cayamo cruise, which she describes as a "paid vacation." Reflecting on her upbringing on a working farm, Susan discusses the hard work that shaped her, but also how she’s learning to embrace rest and relaxation. With humor and insight, she navigates the balance be…

1
Could Mark Zuckerberg be forced to sell Instagram and Whatsapp? 8:15

4d ago8:15

8:15

Meta and Google have been hit with landmark antitrust trials recently, centred on allegations of operating illegal monopolies. The CBC’s Nora Young breaks down what this might mean for the power of major tech companies, and the people who use their platforms every day.

1
In a small Alaskan town, the Canada-U.S. fight feels personal 23:12

4d ago23:12

23:12

The small Alaskan town of Skagway usually welcomes plenty of visitors from neighbouring Yukon, but this year Canadians aren’t coming because of tensions with the U.S. The CBC’s Julia Pagel went to Skagway, where people say that the financial hit to tourism is bad, but what really hurts is watching years of friendship break down before their eyes.…

1
Sexual assault trial of 5 ex-world junior hockey players begins 19:48

4d ago19:48

19:48

The trial of five former world junior hockey players accused of sexual assault has begun in London, Ont., with the Crown telling jurors that the case will centre on what constitutes consent — and what does not. Matt Galloway talks to The Globe and Mail’s Robyn Doolittle, who is at the trial; and Landon Kenney, an educator who teaches hockey players…

1
Do political parties get what matters to voters in the North? 18:44

4d ago18:44

18:44

Three leaders from Canada’s North share what’s on their minds in the closing days of the election campaign, from sovereignty to the cost of living to climate change.

1
The Current's ultimate travel list: Atlantic Canada edition 24:23

5d ago24:23

24:23

Four more listeners make the case for their favourite vacation spots, hoping to win a place on The Current’s list of great Canadian travel destinations. Sandra Trask says that Cape Breton Island, N.S., is a place for everyone and every season; Lana Gauthier explains why her family fell in love with Basin Head Provincial Park, P.E.I.; Lisa Proulx sh…

1
Fishing industry and housing costs fire up Halifax voters 36:01

5d ago36:01

36:01

Matt Galloway travels to Halifax to hear what’s on voters’ minds, in the final stop of The Current’s election road show Crossroads: Coast to Coast with Canadian Voters. First up, the sea is both a livelihood and a way of life in Nova Scotia, flowing into how many people will vote. Galloway talks to a fisherman fed up with how his industry is being …

1
What did Joel Plaskett get for his 50th? His own music 7:33

5d ago7:33

7:33

Nova Scotia musician Joel Plaskett got a special surprise for his 50th birthday, a cover album of his own songs — secretly recorded by his friends and some of the biggest names in Canadian music, including Sloan and Arkells. Plaskett talks to Matt Galloway in Halifax about the album, Songs from the Gang, and why it was so fascinating to hear what o…

1
What are voters thinking across Atlantic Canada? 20:09

6d ago20:09

20:09

The first wins and losses of next week’s federal election will be announced in Atlantic Canada, where the political landscape has shifted dramatically in recent months. Matt Galloway heads to Halifax to talk to CBC reporters Silas Brown, Peter Cowan and Taryn Grant about what voters want, as part of Crossroads: Coast to Coast with Canadian Voters.…

1
Why Pope Francis was ‘a shepherd who smells like the sheep’ 19:27

6d ago19:27

19:27

Pope Francis worked to be close to people right up to the final day of his life, says Jesuit priest and journalist Father Sam Sawyer. We look at how that focus on human dignity has shaped his papacy, from speaking out for refugees and the marginalized, to his apology for the conduct of some members of the Catholic Church in Canada's residential sch…

1
The dirty work of preserving a blue whale skeleton 24:38

6d ago24:38

24:38

The bones of a massive blue whale will soon hang at Dalhousie University. Veterinarian Chris Harvey-Clark tells us what it took to salvage the whale that washed up outside Halifax, and what we still don't understand about the largest mammal on earth.

1
Attacking our biggest fear — political polarization 54:07

7d ago54:07

54:07

Canadians’ biggest fear for the country’s future is “growing political and ideological polarization,” according to a 2023 EKOS poll. As part of our series, IDEAS for a Better Canada (produced in partnership with the Samara Centre for Democracy), host Nahlah Ayed headed to the fast-growing city of Edmonton to talk about the creative ways local resid…

1
Why PEI cares more than any other province about voting 54:08

7d ago54:08

54:08

PEI has the highest voter turnout of any other province in Canada. Voting is fundamental to this community. Residents see firsthand how their vote matters — several elections were decided by 25 votes or less. In this small province, people have a personal and intimate connection with politicians. MLAs know voters on an individual basis and they fee…

1
Has the housing crisis shaken your trust in democracy? 59:00

7d ago59:00

59:00

Like many cities in Canada, Nanaimo has a housing crisis. As rent prices have surged, so has homelessness. According to the city's last official count, there are 515 unhoused people in Nanaimo at any given time. By population, that is a higher homelessness rate than the city of Vancouver. Our series, IDEAS for a Better Canada (produced in partnersh…

1
Libraries are fighting for their freedom — and our democracy 54:08

7d ago54:08

54:08

Public libraries are the forum for intellectual freedom, a core value that librarians protect for the sake of democracy. Yet libraries have now become a target in the culture wars of the U.S. – and in Canada, too. It’s an urgent conversation to have, no matter where one sits on the political spectrum. Libraries exist to give everyone access to a wi…

1
Pope Francis remembered for bringing the church closer to the people it serves 19:38

7d ago19:38

19:38

Pope Francis, leader of the Catholic Church since 2013, has died at the age of 88. Widely regarded as a progressive reformer, he sought to modernize the church and steer it away from rigid doctrine — making it more inclusive to the needs of the marginalized. Guest host Dave Seglins spoke to CBC’s Megan Williams and Christopher White of the National…

1
In this election, what do middle-class Canadians want? 25:13

7d ago25:13

25:13

Ashley Casciato from Innisfil, Ont., says she’s struggling to make ends meet, yet still sees herself as middle class — and she’s not alone. With the federal election just a week away, many Canadians are feeling the pressure of a rising cost of living that’s putting homeownership and the traditional middle-class lifestyle increasingly out of reach. …

1
In the face of violence, do you radically 'turn the other cheek'? 54:08

10d ago54:08

54:08

The Sermon on the Mount is one of the greatest gifts of scripture to humanity; just ask Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr., and Leo Tolstoy. But who's making any use of it today? In a time when an eye for an eye still seems to hold sway, IDEAS producer Sean Foley explores the logic of Christian non-violence, beginning with Jesus' counsel to 'tu…

1
Parties square off in the final leaders’ debate. What are the key takeaways? 22:47

10d ago22:47

22:47

With election day fast approaching and advance polls opening today, the race for leadership has reached a critical moment. Matt Galloway talks to CBC’s Rosemary Barton, the Toronto Star’s Ryan Tumilty and the Globe and Mail’s Stephanie Levitz — and unpacks how Liberal Mark Carney, Conservative Pierre Poilievre, the NDP's Jagmeet Singh and the Bloc’…

1
What ‘attention capitalism’ is doing to our minds — and our politics 24:29

10d ago24:29

24:29

Journalist Chris Hayes says “attention capitalism” demands we pay heed to everything at once, from social media doomscrolling to the relentless pace of the 24-hour news cycle. In a conversation from March, the MSNBC host spoke with Matt Galloway about his new book, The Siren’s Call, which explores what living under constant information overload mea…

1
New to IDEAS? Start here 2:23

10d ago2:23

2:23

IDEAS is a place for people who like to think. We value curiosity and deep conversation. And we work hard to bring you the ideas that shape and re-shape our world. No topic is off-limits. New episodes drop Monday through Friday at 3 pm ET.

11d ago11:56

11:56

Radio-Canada parliamentary reporter Laurence Martin breaks down what was said at the French federal election debate Wednesday night, where Liberal Mark Carney, Conservative Pierre Poilievre, the NDP's Jagmeet Singh and Bloc Québécois’s Yves-François Blanchet fought it out for francophone votes.

Podcasts Worth a Listen

Small Town Poets Podcasts

Podcasts Worth a Listen