Best Refuse Fascism Podcasts (2025)

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The Danger Grows — So Must the Movement to Drive Trump Out 1:02:10

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35m ago1:02:10

1:02:10

Sam speaks with Baltazar Enriquez from the Little Village Community Council in Chicago, which has been the center of Trump's threats in recent weeks. Then, we share excerpts from the organizers' webinar with Andy Zee, Sunsara Taylor and Coco Das held on Friday September 19, discussing how the murder of Charlie Kirk has nothing to do with any positi…

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Donald Trump’s war on drug cartels 26:56

40m ago26:56

26:56

Donald Trump has declared a war on drug cartels. He’s wielded the flow of narcotics, namely fentanyl, into the U.S. as one of the major reasons behind aspects of his global trade war. He’s added a number of cartels to the foreign terrorist organisations list. And last month, the Trump administration stepped things up by quietly signing a Pentagon d…

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89: Sick of this Show — Pro-Democracy Podcasts Unite, where I'm a guest on Nick Paro and Lawrence Winnerman's LIVE 56:27

1d ago56:27

56:27

Stephanie has a very wide ranging conversation with Nick Paro and Lawrence Winnerman about everything from the way we frame political discussion, to the trauma of the Challenger explosion, to being GenX (or Millennial, as the case may be), to what’s going to happen next. Take a look or listen to hear about what all of us think, and to hear my scien…

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Fear, fury and Charlie Kirk’s killing 28:05

3d ago28:05

28:05

American conservative media figure and activist Charlie Kirk was one of the most prominent young voices of the American right. The founder of Turning Point USA, a close ally of Donald Trump, and a figure who helped shape the culture and pipeline of the MAGA movement. On Wednesday, he was shot at one of his trademark campus debate events at Utah Val…

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Will Trump declare ‘war’ on Chicago? 30:50

1d ago30:50

30:50

As President Donald Trump threatens to send federal forces into Chicago — a city he’s referred to as the ‘murder capital’ of the world — we have a look at Trump’s long standing focus on Chicago, and how the city became a favourite metaphor in conservative politics. This month, Donald Trump has repeatedly threatened to send federal forces into Chica…

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Politics! Carney government ramps up 23:12

9m ago23:12

23:12

This coming Monday, MPs return to Ottawa for Parliament’s fall session, with the health of Canada’s economy front and centre. Last Friday, Prime Minister Carney unveiled a new set of measures designed, he says, to make Canada’s economy more resilient in the face of persistent U.S. tariffs. We also now have a leaked list of the major infrastructure …

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88. Emma Brown, ED of Giffords on Hope and Action in Gun Reform 42:23

1d ago42:23

42:23

Stephanie Wilson talks with Emma Brown, Executive Director of Giffords, about the organization's efforts to promote gun safety laws. Started by Gabby Giffords and Mark Kelly, Giffords focuses on creating a big tent around the issue without requiring political conformity. The conversation covers Giffords' successful passage of 700+ state gun safety …

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Does Canada have a violent crime problem? 29:57

12h ago29:57

29:57

Over the last few weeks, horrific crimes have dominated headlines across the country. There was a father of four who was killed after at least three suspects broke into his home in Vaughan, Ontario. There was a mass stabbing attack on Hollow Water First Nation, just north of Winnipeg. The suspect had been out on bail. Last weekend in Edmonton, a wo…

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Is it over for Quebec’s François Legault? 23:34

1d ago23:34

23:34

Quebec has introduced a new bill that would ban prayer in public spaces. It’s the latest in a series of recent moves by the province to reinforce Quebec’s secularist values. It comes as Premier François Legault is embroiled in a spending scandal and polls that show he’s the least popular provincial leader in the country. Will falling back on Quebec…

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Against the Mass Deportation Machine in the Sky 40:04

7d ago40:04

40:04

Trump and Hegseth have declared that with the renamed Dept. of War, the U.S. is "going on offense." Sam digests this, along with the news that unknown people have been murdered by this "most lethal" military through random strikes on boats recently near Venezuela and during Trump 1.0 just off the coast with North Korea. Then, she speaks with flight…

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‘Queen of Canada’ cult leader arrested 32:07

4d ago32:07

32:07

On Wednesday, 16 people — including Romana Didulo, the cult leader known as the “Queen of Canada” — were arrested in the tiny Saskatchewan village of Richmound. RCMP released them the following day, but then re-arrested two unidentified individuals. Didulo and her followers have been holed up in a decommissioned school there for two years. Their pr…

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The Alberta book ban saga 26:10

5d ago26:10

26:10

Late last week - a list of over 200 books, set to be removed from Edmonton school libraries by October made the rounds online. It was in response to an order set out by Alberta’s education ministry in July to take books with sexually explicit content from the shelves. This applied from kindergarten to Grade 12. On that list? Award-winning works lik…

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87. Olga Nesterova of Onest Network. Independent Journalism, the Epstein Survivors, and What We Can Do to Break Through 47:12

8d ago47:12

47:12

Stephanie Wilson talks to independent journalist Olga Nesterova of ONEST Network for her conversation about the Epstein survivor press conference, discussion of the regime’s attempt to control the narrative, what it was like being a Ukranian growing up in Germany, going to school in the Netherlands and the United States, becoming nationalized as a …

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What UNICEF saw in Gaza 38:55

6d ago38:55

38:55

Today on the show, James Elder is here. James is UNICEF’s global spokesperson, and he has made five trips to Gaza since the October attacks documenting what UNICEF has called a “war on children.” He joins us less than two weeks after a UN backed body officially designated the hunger crisis in Gaza a famine, one that the UN’s relief chief Tom Fletch…

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Brazil stares down Trump and Bolsonaro 26:47

7d ago26:47

26:47

In a trial entering its final phase, former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro stands accused of attempting to stage a coup, leading an armed criminal organisation, and plotting to have the country’s current president and a Supreme Court justice killed. In response Bolsonaro ally U.S. President Donald Trump slapped Brazil with steep 50% tariffs and…

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The threat next door: How NATO’s newest members are preparing to defend against Russia (via The House) 46:39

11d ago46:39

46:39

NATO’s secretary general has warned Russia could launch an attack on the alliance within the next five years. Talk to NATO’s two newest members, Finland and Sweden, and they’ll tell you preparation involves a lot more than just boosting military spending. As Canada seeks to strengthen ties with both countries, what can we learn from our newest NATO…

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Nov 5: Drive the Trump Regime from Power 1:14:52

12d ago1:14:52

1:14:52

This week we're sharing highlights from the organizing webinar last week that kicked off the push towards the Nov 5 mobilization. Watch the full August 28 Organizing Webinar: The time has come for the fall of the Trump Fascist Regime Call for the 5th & organizing resources Commit to be in DC New Neil Young song: Big Crime "got to get the fascists o…

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86. Ellie Leonard: Investigative Journalism, Jeffrey Epstein, and Deconstructing Past Truths 56:41

11d ago56:41

56:41

In this conversation, Stephanie Gerber Wilson speaks with Ellie Leonard, a writer and investigative journalist, about her deep dive into the Epstein case and the importance of independent journalism. They discuss the challenges of misinformation, the significance of human stories behind the headlines, and the role of faith and personal growth in na…

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Is the International Criminal Court’s future in peril? 28:15

11d ago28:15

28:15

Last week, the U.S. released another round of sanctions against officials at the International Criminal Court, including a Canadian judge. They’re the latest in a string of attacks from the Trump administration this year, after the ICC issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gall…

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Trump, the Smithsonian, and the battle over U.S. history 32:18

12d ago32:18

32:18

American history has always been contested, but recent decisions by U.S. President Donald Trump to reshape the way it’s taught and remembered have put museums, schools, and memorials squarely in the crosshairs. Earlier this year, Trump passed an executive order that called for the removal of what he referred to as “divisive, race-centered ideology”…

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Politics! Carney's report card, Poilievre's return 25:08

13d ago25:08

25:08

Prime Minister Mark Carney campaigned on big promises and bold action to save a country in crisis. It's now been more than 100 days since his cabinet was sworn in, but details and tangible results are still thin on the ground. How much of a runway does he have to start delivering on his promises on things like national infrastructure, housing, and …

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Young people can't find jobs. Is Canada's economy in trouble? 21:25

14d ago21:25

21:25

The unemployment rate for Canadians between 15 and 24 is at 15 percent, the highest it's been since 2010, not including the pandemic. Why can't young people find a job? And how do these numbers fit into the wider health of our economy at the moment? Economist and Atkinson Fellow on the Future of Workers Armine Yalnizyan is on the show to talk about…

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Israel defies global outcry over Gaza City, West Bank 25:40

15d ago25:40

25:40

Airstrikes and tanks continued pounding the outskirts of Gaza City over the weekend, as Israel’s plans to seize the strip’s largest urban centre continued. A much bigger operation, widely condemned by the international community, could begin within days or weeks. This is all happening as the world’s leading authority on food crises is saying that G…

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Trump’s DC Takeover - Straight Out of the Fascist Playbook 46:23

17d ago46:23

46:23

Sam recaps the latest ways that fascism is ratcheting forward including Trump’s latest threats to sic the military on other cities besides LA and DC. Then she speaks to Dr. Moustafa Bayoumi, author of ⁠Trump’s Washington DC takeover is straight out of a fascist playbook⁠ (The Guardian). Follow his work at ⁠moustafabayoumi.com⁠. What do we need to d…

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Escape, immortality, AI: Silicon Valley's blueprint for the future 33:35

18d ago33:35

33:35

Elon Musk wants a million people living on Mars within 20 years. Jeff Bezos imagines a trillion humans in space, living in a constellation of space stations the size of major cities within a few generations. Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, is preparing for a future where rogue AI could destroy civilization, and is stockpiling land, gas masks, and gold i…

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How Christian Zionism became a key force in U.S. politics 38:59

22d ago38:59

38:59

Christian Zionism — the belief that the modern state of Israel fulfills biblical prophecy — has existed as a theological concept for well over a century. But in the past couple decades its political power and influence in the United States has surged, with many of Donald Trump's closest political allies among its adherents. Today we're taking a loo…

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Are Canadian summers as we knew them over? 30:59

20d ago30:59

30:59

This summer is on track to being the second-worst wildfire season in Canadian history. It started earlier than usual with emergencies declared in the spring in Manitoba and Saskatchewan and is hitting locales that aren't typically fire-prone like Vancouver Island and Atlantic Canada. Meanwhile, fires from neighbouring provinces gave parts of southe…

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Is Trump any closer to ending the war in Ukraine? 24:51

21d ago24:51

24:51

Over the last few days, US President Donald Trump has hosted a series of high-stakes talks to further the effort to end the war in Ukraine. First, on Friday, there was the summit in Alaska — Russian president Vladimir Putin’s first time in the US in nearly 20 years. Then on Monday, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky arrived at the White House f…

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What the Air Canada strike is really about 27:02

25d ago27:02

27:02

It was a chaotic weekend for anyone flying with Air Canada. The airline canceled hundreds of flights after 10,000 flight attendants walked off the job. Less than 12 hours later, federal jobs minister Patty Hajdu had ordered them back to work — but the union took the unusual step of defying that order and continuing the strike. The main sticking poi…

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Time For the Fall of the Trump Regime 1:05:22

26d ago1:05:22

1:05:22

Yesterday Refuse Fascism led marchers to the White House demanding Trump Must Go NOW, as Trump took federal control of the DC police and deployed national guard and other federal agencies onto the streets of the city to terrorize residents. Visit refusefascism.org for videos and coverage. We share Sam's speech from the kickoff rally at Dupont Circl…

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Can Carney move fast enough on affordable housing? 27:42

25d ago27:42

27:42

This week, Canada's housing department released a document with more details on the Liberal government's plans to scale up affordable housing in the country. It's now seeking feedback from the public about it. Back in March, Prime Minister Carney vowed that his government would double the number of homes built annually in Canada to nearly half a mi…

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The killing of Gaza’s journalists 34:31

1M ago34:31

34:31

Israel’s military campaign in Gaza has become the deadliest conflict for journalists in recent history. Among those killed was Anas Al-Sharif — one of the last remaining reporters in Northern Gaza, and one of the most recognizable media voices in the strip. In July, the Committee to Protect Journalists said that the public smear campaign against hi…

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Why has Trump taken over D.C.? 26:13

27d ago26:13

26:13

National Guard troops descended on Washington D.C. after U.S. President Donald Trump vowed on Monday to take back the nation's capital and clear the streets of what he calls "crime, bloodshed, bedlam and squalor". It comes after the President spent the better part of the last week taking aim at D.C.'s leadership, homeless population and how crime t…

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Cannabis megastores stoke tensions in Oka Crisis First Nation 29:15

1M ago29:15

29:15

35 years ago, the Kanien'kehá:ka of Kanehsatà:ke squared off with the Canadian army to defend their territory, culminating an armed standoff now known as the Oka Crisis, or the Siege of Kanehsatà:ke. Now, some community members worry that same territory is being threatened by an out-of-control boom of unregulated cannabis megastores with alleged co…

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The Canadian army's long history of extremism 30:59

29d ago30:59

30:59

Last month, RCMP charged four people for their alleged involvement in a plot to forcibly take land north of Quebec city in what Mounties called an incident of "ideologically motivated violent extremism". Three of the men were denied bail last week. The accused, they charged, had planned to create an anti-government militia, but even more startling:…

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Can the Bad Bunny effect save Puerto Rico? 29:00

1M ago29:00

29:00

Bad Bunny, one of the most-streamed artists on the planet, is in the middle of his 30-concert residency in San Juan, Puerto Rico titled No me Querio Ir de Aqui, or "I don't want to leave here". Much like his latest album Debí Tirar Más Fotos, it is both a celebration of Puerto Rican culture and heritage but also a statement against the political an…

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Politics! Poilievre's crucial byelection, Carney's tariff tightrope 27:15

1M ago27:15

27:15

Alberta's Battle River-Crowfoot is about as safe a riding as Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre could hope for as a place to regain a seat in the House of Commons in a byelection later this month. But he's facing pushback from some locals who feel they're being used as a means to an end by someone who won't represent their interests in Ottawa. Th…

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Inside OpenAI’s zealous pursuit of AI dominance 32:42

1M ago32:42

32:42

Later this month, OpenAI is expected to release the latest version of ChatGPT – the groundbreaking AI chatbot that became the fastest growing app in history when it was launched in 2022. When Sam Altman first pitched an ambitious plan to develop artificial intelligence, he likened it to another world changing, potentially world destroying endeavor:…

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Why some young Israelis refuse to fight in Gaza 22:22

1M ago22:22

22:22

Since Oct. 7, according to Gaza’s health ministry, over 60,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s military campaign against Hamas. Recently, the ministry also began reporting a new kind of toll: deaths by starvation. 180 people, including 93 children, are now reported to have died from hunger. This comes after months of Israeli restrictions …

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Cold calls from one of the most horrific serial killers in Canadian history 32:43

1M ago32:43

32:43

What does a reporter do when they receive a cold call from one of the most horrific serial killers in Canadian history? The killer: Clifford Olson, who murdered at least eleven children in the 1980s. The reporter: Arlene Bynon, who recorded her jailhouse calls with Olson for years. Alongside legendary journalist Peter Worthington, Arlene spent hund…

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Will Canada recognize Palestinian statehood? 27:48

1M ago27:48

27:48

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has announced plans to officially recognize Palestinian statehood in September — if certain criteria are met — marking a radical departure on Canada’s position in the region. Evan Dyer is a reporter with the CBC’s parliamentary bureau. He joins the show for a discussion about this landmark moment in Canadian fore…

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Can the UK child-proof the internet? 24:49

1M ago24:49

24:49

Late last week, the UK government implemented a new set of rules from its Online Safety Act to keep children away from quote, “harmful and age-inappropriate content”. Companies ranging from pornography websites, social media platforms, and large search engines will need to comply by building guardrails that would prevent children from accessing por…

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From Texas to South Sudan: ICE’s deportation pipeline 27:50

1M ago27:50

27:50

The U.S. federal immigration law enforcement agency — ICE — is offshoring migrants incarcerated in the U.S. to detention camps in Africa. In at least one of these cases, migrants were told they would be transported to a domestic detention facility and instead were taken to a prison located nearly 10,000 KM away from the U.S. This decision to deport…

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Can RFK Jr. save B.C.'s death row ostriches? 32:03

1M ago32:03

32:03

A New York City billionaire and conservative talk radio host. Two of the most vocally antivax members of Donald Trump's administration. Protesters associated with the "Freedom Convoy" that occupied downtown Ottawa in 2022. What do they have in common? They all want to save a herd of more than 400 ostriches on a small farm in rural B.C. Earlier this…

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Why Trump can't shake the Epstein files 28:27

1M ago28:27

28:27

When the Trump administration announced earlier this month that it was dropping its investigation into Jeffrey Epstein and would not be releasing any further "Epstein files," it was already an unpopular decision among the MAGA faithful — many of whom Donald Trump won over by leaning into conspiracy theories about pedophilic political elites. In the…

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Shut Down ICE, Shut Down the Trump Regime 1:29:18

2M ago1:29:18

1:29:18

Sam explains why the time to refuse fascism isn’t someday—it’s now: from ICE terror and mass disappearances to Trump’s executive order targeting unhoused people, to blatant defiance of the courts and violent threats against political opponents. Refuse Fascism is calling on people in every sector—healthcare, tech, education, government, culture—to j…

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Breaking down the not guilty Hockey Canada decision 23:30

2M ago23:30

23:30

A trial that was seven years in the making came to its conclusion with all five former Hockey Canada players found not guilty of sexual assault. Michael McLeod, Carter Hart, Alex Formenton, Dillon Dubé and Cal Foote were acquitted in a London, Ontario courtroom by Justice Maria Carroccia. McLeod was also found not guilty of being a party to a sexua…

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Inside Indigenous backlash to fast-tracking mega projects 22:53

2M ago22:53

22:53

Many First Nations leaders across Canada are furious about two laws just passed by both the federal government and Ontario's provincial government. The Protecting Ontario by Unleashing our Economy Act and the federal Building Canada Act, better known as Bill 5 and Bill C5, are meant to fast-track large development projects and have faced similar cr…

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Fascist fight clubs are growing across Canada 28:17

2M ago28:17

28:17

Groups known as "active clubs" are growing across Canada. They often meet in public parks or martial arts clubs, and say they are building community and fitness while standing up for Canada's European history. But they're part of a decentralized network with deep ties to white nationalist, neo-Nazi, and other far-right groups — and they're spreadin…

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Plan for Gaza decried as ‘concentration camp’ 33:53

2M ago33:53

33:53

Israel’s defence minister, Israel Katz, told journalists earlier this month that he has instructed the military to draw up plans for a camp in southern Gaza, which would eventually house the entire population of the strip. According to Israel’s Haaretz newspaper, Katz said residents would not be allowed to leave once they entered — although he and …