Canada is Boring

Kelly the Bear (PREMIUM) 29.06.2026 5min

In this premium “special friends” episode of Canada Is Boring, Rhys shares a surprisingly heartwarming Disney-level story from his own Nova Scotia neighborhood: a mother black bear and her two cubs, one of which, soon christened Kelly the Bear, ends up roaming alone through suburbia and ultimately being “relocated” to a wildlife park.Rhys also announces their upcoming summer mini-series, “Tin Foil Touque” a run of conspiracy- and paranormal-themed episodes featuring UFOs, frogmen in lakes, radiation burns from glowing aircraft, and even a real-life legal battle involving Bigfoot.For premium content, socials, merch, to leave a voicemail or message us go to canadaisboring.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Introducing the Tin Foil Touque! 26.06.2026

Picture this: it’s too hot to think, the news is depressing, and your brain wants something fun and strange that still feels entertianing. That’s Tin Foil Touque.This summer series is Rhys and Jesse taking a detour from “respectable” Canadian history into all the stuff your high school textbook pretended didn’t exist.It’s not the usual “9/11 was an inside job” sludge or hour-long Illuminati diagrams. It’s the fun side of paranoia, a weird Canadian summer of conspiracies, cryptids, and campfire stories you probably shouldn’t believe… but definitely should hear.For premium content, socials, merch, to leave a voicemail or message us go to canadaisboring.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The One-Eyed Welshman Who Mapped Canada 22.06.2026 50min

In this episode of Canada Is Boring, Rhys and Jesse dive into the life of David Thompson, the Welsh-born orphan who became one of the most important mapmakers in North American history. Along the way, they detour through tales of the Lake Louise Tea House, roast the bizarre social-media energy of Justin Trudeau and Katy Perry, and debate whether Thompson was more cat or rat on the Katy-cat/Katy-rat spectrum.You’ll hear how Thompson:Went from a charity school in Westminster to an apprentice with the Hudson’s Bay CompanyBroke his leg, wrecked his eyesight, and still became a master surveyorQuit HBC when they tried to pull him off mapping and walked 130 km through a snowstorm to join the North West CompanyHelped define key sections of the Canada–US border and mapped huge swaths of the West, including the Saskatchewan River system, the Rockies, and the Columbia RiverBuilt a long, complicated life with his Cree-Métis wife Charlotte, traveling and mapping as a teamPlus: a small-talk detour featuring awkward chats with other people’s kids, Kenny vs. Spenny live, and aging sketch comics still acting like teenagers.For premium content, socials, merch, to leave a voicemail or message us go to canadaisboring.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A Gentle Crime: The Man Who Fed the Cats 15.06.2026 29min

When 33-year-old Christopher Hiscox ran out of money halfway across Canada, he didn’t rob a bank—he stole a truck, found a ranch, fed the cats and horses, did some laundry, made coffee, and settled in like he lived there. Rhys and Jesse dive into the viral “gentle crime” that captured headlines, what it says about desperation, comfort, and mental health, and why the weirdest part might just be the toothbrush.For premium content, socials, merch, to leave a voicemail or message us go to canadaisboring.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Shrinking PP 08.06.2026 46min

In this episode of Canada Is Boring, Rhys and Jesse wade back into Canadian politics to unpack Pierre Poilievre’s slow slide from “inevitable” prime minister-in-waiting to a guy desperately trying to stay relevant against Prime Minister Mark Carney. Through a series of clips, they look at PP’s shifting persona, from attack dog to awkwardly “human” and back again, his bromance moment with Joe Rogan, and his current strategy of going after Carney’s biggest strength: his economic reputation. Along the way, they talk centrist politics, privatization, why Carney is hard for Conservatives to hate, and how much of this is really about policy versus pure political identity. Plus: bike-safety video confessions, dad bods, and a detour into capoeira, cold McCafé, and pressure-washing as a personality type.For premium content, socials, merch, to leave a voicemail or message us go to canadaisboring.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Psychic Scam King 01.06.2026 40min

In this episode of Canada Is Boring, Rhys and Jesse dive into the bizarre, lucrative world of psychic mail-order scams led by one of Canada’s most successful fraudsters, Patrice Runner.Starting with his obsession with old-school magazine ads and get-rich-quick schemes, we follow Runner’s journey to partnering with celebrity psychic Maria Duval, licensing her name for North American “psychic predictions,” lucky talismans, and vibratory crystals. Over two decades, his company Infogest Direct Marketing raked in more than $175 million USD from mostly older, vulnerable believers across Canada and the US—selling false hope, fake artifacts, and rigged “personal” letters.For premium content, socials, merch, to leave a voicemail or message us go to canadaisboring.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

CSIS, Oil, and the Pipeline Protestors (Premium) 25.05.2026 4min

In this special friends–only episode of Canada Is Boring, Rhys and Jesse dig into the story of how CSIS, Canada’s spy agency, allegedly spied on Indigenous and environmental activists protesting the Enbridge Northern Gateway pipeline, and then shared that information with oil companies and the National Energy Board.They walk through the BCCLA’s decade‑long legal battle, heavily redacted court documents, and the cozy hospitality events between petroleum companies and Canada’s intelligence service. Along the way, they wrestle with the line between “national security” and corporate protection, and, of course, veer off into compost toilets, subway etiquette, and renting excavators.Made possible by our wonderful special friends who support the show.For premium content, socials, merch, to leave a voicemail or message us go to canadaisboring.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Bear-Proof Dreams: The Legend of Troy Hurtubise 18.05.2026 46min

Rhys and Jesse dive into the legendary Canadian documentary Project Grizzly and the life of its unforgettable star, Troy Hurtubise—the man who spent years and thousands of dollars building bear-proof armor so he could safely get face-to-face with grizzlies. They cover: Troy’s near-fatal first encounter with a grizzly and how it sparked a lifelong obsession The evolution of his absurdly overbuilt Ursus bear suits, tested with trucks, swinging logs, and baseball bats His later inventions, from fire-resistant paste to the dubious Angel Light x-ray beam The Trojan ballistic armor suit that looked like Halo meets RoboCop—and still failed to sell His tragic, cinematic death and why Quentin Tarantino calls Project Grizzly one of his favorite films Plus: cinema verité rants, powdered wigs and blues dancing in Montreal.For premium content, socials, merch, to leave a voicemail or message us go to canadaisboring.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Red Ryan: Canada’s Fake Reformed Gangster 11.05.2026 37min

Rhys and Jesse dive into the wild life of Red Ryan, a Toronto-born hooligan who grew into one of Canada’s most notorious early 20th‑century criminals. From leading street gangs at 10, to hard labor in Kingston Penitentiary, to a wartime desertion and a “most daring” prison break that even inspired Ernest Hemingway, Ryan’s story is packed with chaos.They unpack how Ryan pulled off a decade‑long scam as a “reformed” model prisoner—writing a book, sculpting Virgin Mary statues, charming a prison chaplain, and emerging as a media darling with his own radio show—while secretly robbing banks on the side. It all ends in a bloody liquor store shootout in Sarnia that shocks a country that thought it had found its redemption poster boy.Plus, in the STD (Small Talk Dimension) zone, Jesse recounts a ridiculously elaborate 1745 powdered‑wig dinner party, complete with questionable Scottish accents, Jacobite plotting, and a near “diplomatic incident” over a misunderstood signature.For premium content, socials, merch, to leave a voicemail or message us go to canadaisboring.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our 2026 Show Trailer 06.05.2026

Hosted by Rhys, a new Canadian with an outsider’s obsession for the country’s strangest stories, and Jesse, a proudly disengaged average Canadian, the show digs into the weirdest moments in Canadian history, politics, crime, culture, and folklore. From mystery tunnels and dead raccoon vigils to government “gaydar” machines, border brawls, Olympic snowboarders turned cartel figures, and the time the U.S. Army gassed Winnipeg, Canada Is Boring turns the overlooked, absurd, and unbelievable corners of Canadian life into addictive, hilarious storytelling. Part history show, part comedy podcast, part national identity crisis, Canada Is Boring is for anyone who likes their learning with jokes, their politics with chaos, and their Canadian facts deeply, deeply strange. The show has built a loyal audience by making Canadian stories feel surprising, accessible, and genuinely entertaining, earning recognition as Canada’s No. 1 Politics Podcast on Goodpods, breaking into the Top 5 Podcasts in Canada on Apple Podcasts, hitting No. 1 Trending on Spotify Canada, and reaching No. 3 in Canada for Comedy.Whether you’re Canadian, new to Canada, Canadian-curious, or just looking for weird stories to annoy your loved ones with, Canada Is Boring offers a hilarious weekly reminder that this country is not dull. It is bizarre, dramatic, petty, dark, ridiculous, and occasionally on fire.Canada is boring? Nope. Canada is unhinged.For premium content, socials, merch, to leave a voicemail or message us go to canadaisboring.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From Olympic Snowboarder to Cartel Kingpin 04.05.2026 38min

A Canadian Olympic hopeful walks away from the slopes and into the heart of a violent international drug cartel. Rhys and Jesse trace Ryan James Wedlake’s path from Thunder Bay ski kid to Sinaloa lieutenant, weaving together family privilege, failed glory at Salt Lake City, cannabis grow ops, Hawala money transfers, and FBI most‑wanted status—plus an eventual takedown that netted tonnes of cocaine and millions in assets.For premium content, socials, merch, to leave a voicemail or message us go to canadaisboring.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Toronto's Mystery Tunneller 27.04.2026 38min

Rhys and Jesse dig into the bizarre true story of Toronto’s 2015 “mystery tunnel” near York University. What started as a three‑metre‑deep, hand‑dug hideout with plywood supports, a generator, rosary beads, and a poppy quickly spiraled into global speculation: terrorist bunker for the Pan Am Games? Gang weapons cache? Something far worse?For premium content, socials, merch, to leave a voicemail or message us go to canadaisboring.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Toronto's Dead Raccoon Vigil 20.04.2026 37min

Rhys and Jesse return to with one of the most delightfully absurd Canadian stories ever told: the 2015 Yonge Street dead raccoon memorial. What begins as a sad little scene on a Toronto sidewalk turns into a full-blown public vigil—complete with Post-it notes, roses, sympathy cards, candles, a Jesus candle, a collection box, and even a parody Twitter account. It’s internet weirdness, and heartfelt stupidity all rolled into one episode.For premium content, socials, merch, to leave a voicemail or message us go to canadaisboring.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From Brexit to Alberta: How The Fringe Goes Mainstream 13.04.2026 25min

When Jesse falls ill, Rhys steps in for a rare solo episode to issue a warning from lived experience. Drawing on his time in Wales during the 2016 Brexit referendum, Rhys explains how a seemingly fringe, “loonies and fruitcakes” movement blindsided the UK establishment, and what that means for rising Alberta separatism today.He connects the dots between economic inequality, media-fueled resentment, online misinformation, and the search for a charismatic leader, arguing that dismissing separatists as a joke is exactly how they can win. Rhys makes the case that the only real antidote is better governance: tackling affordability, opportunity, healthcare, and education so that Canada stays an awesome place to live and separatism remains on the fringe.For premium content, socials, merch, to leave a voicemail or message us go to canadaisboring.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Great Locust Apocalypse of 1874 06.04.2026 9min

In this Patreon-only episode of Canada Is Boring, Rhys and Jesse dive into the truly biblical 1874–75 Rocky Mountain locust plague that turned the Prairies and parts of the US Midwest into a “living eclipse of the sun.” They tell the story of swarms estimated in the hundreds of billions to trillions of insects eating everything from crops and trees to wool, leather harnesses, and even the paint off wagons. We hear how desperate farmers tried burning locusts in straw, how carcasses polluted water and ruined livestock and eggs, and how aggressive plowing and an early frost helped drive the Rocky Mountain locust to extinction by the early 1900s.For premium content, socials, merch, to leave a voicemail or message us go to canadaisboring.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Sexiest Man in Winnipeg 30.03.2026 42min

In this episode of Canada Is Boring, Rhys and Jesse dive into the bizarre true story behind Amazon Prime’s The Sexiest Man in Winnipeg, following former Winnipeg TV news anchor Steve Vogelsang from 1990s local celebrity and “sexiest man” titleholder to financially ruined, depressed journalism instructor living in his truck and ultimately turning to a hilariously low‑yield bank robbery spree across Regina, Saskatoon, and Medicine Hat. They unpack his “plan” to rob 25 banks for a few thousand dollars at a time using fake bombs and a glue gun, the legal quirks of what counts as armed robbery in Canada, how he was eventually caught after his truck broke down near the scene, his 6.5‑year prison term, and his attempt to rebrand himself as a men’s mental health advocateFor premium content, socials, merch, to leave a voicemail or message us go to canadaisboring.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Hollowing of Tim Hortons (Part 2) 23.03.2026 55min

In this part two of the Tim Hortons saga, Jesse Harley and Rhys Waters dig into how predatory private equity and corporate ownership have hollowed out one of Canada’s most beloved brands. Building on examples like Friendly’s and Toys “R” Us, they explain how firms use debt-loading, bankruptcy, and aggressive cost-cutting to squeeze short-term profit from companies, and how that model hit Tim Hortons after the Burger King/Restaurant Brands International takeover. They unpack franchisee lawsuits and alleged intimidation, the brand’s fall from a cozy community hub to a transactional, depressing pit stop, and how centralized supply chains, shrinkflation, staff cuts, and PR spin eroded both quality and reputation. The conversation widens to the Temporary Foreign Worker Program, corporate lobbying, and how bad policy and labor exploitation help fuel public anger about immigration and housing pressure, before circling back to a simple call to action: skip the hollowed-out chains when you can, and support local independent coffee shops instead.For premium content, socials, merch, to leave a voicemail or message us go to canadaisboring.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Hollowing of Tim Hortons (Part 1) 16.03.2026 51min

Rhys and Jesse kick off a two‑part deep dive into how Tim Hortons went from a beloved Canadian community hub to something that feels strangely empty. They start with personal nostalgia: Jesse’s memories of the late‑90s Tim Hortons as a true “third place” where you’d just show up and see who was there, playing cards, smoking in the glassed‑off section, and chatting for hours. Rhys compares that to the role pubs used to play in the UK, and together they explore how those informal social spaces have eroded over time, feeding into a wider loneliness problem. From there, Rhys walks through the early history of Tim Hortons: NHL defenceman Tim Horton’s partnership with Jim Charade, the rise of franchising, the pivotal role of ex‑cop and Dairy Queen franchisee Ron Joyce, Horton’s death and struggles with alcoholism, and the complicated saga of his widow Lori’s buyout, lawsuits, and the question of what would have been the “right” thing to do for the family and the brand.The episode then traces Tim Hortons’ expansion through its merger with Wendy’s, its growth into Canada’s largest fast‑food chain, and the political optics of Prime Minister Stephen Harper celebrating its return to Canadian ownership. Finally, Rhys introduces 3G Capital, the Brazilian‑rooted investment firm that has built a global empire by acquiring brands like Burger King and Kraft Heinz, then aggressively cutting costs, closing plants, and boosting profit margins while hollowing out quality, staff security, and community connection. With Tim Hortons’ 2014 sale to 3G’s Restaurant Brands International, the stage is set for the “hollowing” of a nostalgic brand Canadians once saw as their national living room.For premium content, socials, merch, to leave a voicemail or message us go to canadaisboring.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Failed Theme Parks and Hostage Negotiations 09.03.2026 40min

In this episode of Canada Is Boring, Rhys shares the unbelievable true story of Eddie Haymour, a Lebanese-Canadian businessman who tried to build a Middle Eastern–themed mini theme park—complete with pyramids, mini golf, restaurants, and a giant camel—on tiny Rattlesnake Island in British Columbia. After years of obstruction, permit battles, and discriminatory treatment from provincial authorities, Eddie’s life collapses: his finances are ruined, his marriage ends, his house burns down, he’s confined to a psychiatric hospital, and the government seizes his island—later ruled illegal by the courts. Pushed to the brink, Eddie's next move was impossible to see coming.For premium content, socials, merch, to leave a voicemail or message us go to canadaisboring.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

He Fought a Polar Bear in His Pajamas 02.03.2026 23min

When a 69-year-old Churchill, Manitoba resident hears screams outside his home, he steps out in pajamas, slippers, and armed with nothing but a snow shovel—only to find a woman in the jaws of a polar bear. In this episode of Canada Is Boring, Rhys and Jesse dive into the incredible true story of William Ayotte, his split-second decision to attack one of the world’s most dangerous predators, the brutal mauling that followed, and the community effort that saved his life.For premium content, socials, merch, to leave a voicemail or message us go to canadaisboring.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.