Blueprints of Disruption

Defying Orders: Air Canada Workers on Strike

Over 10,000 CUPE unionized Air Canada workers defied the orders of the nation's labour board, stayed off the job and secured a tentative agreement.Kim Siever, Labour Journalist for the Alberta Worker joins host Jessa McLean to talk about what led up to the strike, the Liberals' liberal use of back-to-work legislation and what this means for Canadian Labour. They draw comparisons to other back-to-work orders and try to predict what might happen next...Related Episodes: CUPW, Right to Strike (Jan 2025) Strike Captain, Stop Steward and Mail Carrier Sera talks about the dealings with Canada Post bosses, the attempts to build militancy inside the union and more...Making Mass Actions Count (Nov 2022), with organizer John Clarke. It compares Ontario's almost general strike to the Mike Harris Days of Action in the 1990s. Carney's First 100(ish) Days: A Paradigm Shift, (July 2025) co-hosted with Ashwin from the International Solidarity Pod, a look at the neoliberal agenda being fast tracked under the new PM.More Resources: Alberta Worker: Air Canada flight attendants hold strike voteGlobal News UPDATE: Air Canada Tentative DealAlberta Worker: Coaldale workers reject forced voteStatement from Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress, following an emergency meeting of Canada’s Unions on the Air Canada Flight Attendants Strike CBC: 4 Things to Know about the Air Canada StrikeAll of our content is free - made possible by the generous sponsorships of our Patrons. If you would like to support our work through monthly contributions: PatreonFollow us on Instagram or on Bluesky

The West Bank: "We Don't Break"

A discussion on recent events in the West Bank with activist, Anna Lippman of Labour 4 Palestine. Anna helps tell Awdah Hathaleen's story, one that is sadly, a case study of how ethnic cleansing has intensified in the West Bank at the same time Gaza has been under siege. Instead of F35s and armed drones, the Israeli authorities aid and abet settler violence to remove Palestinians from their land using tactics reminiscent of the Nakba.How are the people of Umm Al Khair, Awda's village resisting? What can you do to help? What does this mean amongst new promises to recognize a Palestinian State?We attempt to answer these questions, as well as provide related geopolitical updates and news from the movement.Hosted by: Jessa McLeanCover Photo Credit: Emily Glick (used with permission)Calls to Action:In Memory of Awdah, Support Umm Al KhairHot Cargo Kills Campaign, Labour 4 PalestineRelated Episodes: Arming Israel, Canada's Continued Role - with Haneen from the Palestinian Youth Movement and Rachel from World Beyond War Canada on their recent report. Ceasefire! Now What? - with Anna Lippman and activist Fatima Saleh on what people need to be focused on in the wake of the January ceasefire. More Episodes with Anna Lippman...More Resources: ABC News: Trump Lifted Sanctions Against Israeli Settler Yinon LeviIsrael security cabinet approves 22 settlements in occupied West Bank - UPI.comReport - Arms Embargo NowWritings of Awdah Hathaleen via +972 MagazineAwdah Hathaleen laid to rest after Israel withheld body for 10 daysAl Jazeera: Who Was Awdah Hathaleen?All of our content is free - made possible by the generous sponsorships of our Patrons. If you would like to support our work through monthly contributions: PatreonFollow us on Instagram or on Bluesky

Feeding the Beast with the Movement Media Hub

Imagine a PR Firm for the movements...Gur Tsabar from the Movement Media Hub joins Host Jessa McLean to talk about the work he does to help organizations get their message out there in an environment often hostile to their stories.Whether it be through traditional mainstream media, or by using resources within the movement, Gur shares tactics that help amplify the work being done on the ground. He also talks about the forces he's often up against; the commodification of media, the Zionist lobby and complacent newsroom bosses'Episodes done with the help of the Movement Media Hub: Onboard the Handala: Freedom Flotilla Coalition, a discussion with Dr. Yipeng Ge from the deck of the most recent humanitarian vessel to try to break the siege on Gaza. United Against Genocide, an interview with Alex Neve, Dr. Ben Thompson and Dorotea Gucciardo , Ph.D., on their work to get Canadian politicians to Name it. Stop it. Sanction it.Suppressing Voices in the School Board, Labour 4 Palestine Ontario Education Workers' on their report on anti-Palestinian racism within school boards.All of our content is free - made possible by the generous sponsorships of our Patrons. If you would like to support our work through monthly contributions: Patreon. We are also on SUBSTACKWhen you share our episode, be sure to tag us on Instagram or on Bluesky

Arming Israel: Canada's Continued Role

Representatives for the Arms Embargo Now campaign have released a scathing report that shows Canada has been actively arming Israel as recently as July 2025.Haneen from the Palestinian Youth Movement and Rachel from World Beyond War, share details included in the report, including what kind of weapons we're sending, where they're going exactly and the routes these shipments are taking.They also provide an inside look into their methodology, their motivations and what they'd like to see happen as a result - namely a "political crisis" for the Canadian government.With this information, the activists behind the report will be helping to mobilize folks, including (hopefully) elements in Labour that have close connections to these weapons.Hosted by: Jessa McLeanCall to Action: REGISTER FOR URGENT MOVEMENT MEETINGRelated Episodes: Disrupting Canada's Arms Trade, with Rachel from World Beyond WarReturn and Liberation, a discussion with the Palestinian Youth Movement from October 2022. Vote Palestine! Organizers behind this campaign explain their approach to the 2024 Canadian Federal Election.More Resources: The Maple: What Mélanie Joly Said And Didn’t Say About Israel Arms ExportsLearn more about Arms Embargo NowTimes of Israel: Canada to Halt Arms Exports (March 2024)CBC: Joly Stand on Non Binding MotionREAD the Report - Arms Embargo NowAll of our content is free - made possible by the generous sponsorships of our Patrons. If you would like to support our work through monthly contributions: PatreonFollow us on Instagram or on Bluesky

Carney's First 100(ish) Days: A Paradigm Shift, with the International Solidarity Pod

In a joint episode with the International Solidarity Pod, hosts Ashwin and Jessa breakdown Canadian PM Mark Carney's first 100(ish) days in office.Together they go over the details, context and implications of controversial legislation already passed, promised made and foreign policy positions taken by the banker turned politician.Topics covered:Bill C5 (@8 mins)Bill C2, The Stronger Borders Act (@27 min)NATO / Military Spending (@46 min)Foreign Policy (@1h3min)On top of highlighting what the Liberals have been up to, we go over the resistance mounting to these changes and what the Left's role could (or should) be. More Resources: The Maple: Canada Sold $18.9 Million Of Military Goods To Israel, Despite ‘Pause’Joint Statement by the Hague Group on the Conclusion of the Emergency Conference on Palestine at the Bogotá Conference, in Bogotá, Republic of Colombia, from 15 to 16 July 2025 - DIRCOCMPAC: On PM Carney's Remarks on Zionist Palestinian StateOttawa Citizen: Carney Spending and Public Service CutsAPTN News: New NATO Spending GlobalNews: Carney and the Golden DomeNational Virtual Forum on Bill C-5, the Building Canada Act - Assembly of First NationsCBC: BC NDP Bill 15As mentioned (and rebutted): Fraser Institute on Bill C5Bill C-5 (45-1) - First Reading - One Canadian Economy Act - Parliament of CanadaOpenMedia: Over 300 Organizations Unite to Demand Complete Withdrawal of Bill C-2Bill C2Migrant Rights Network Condemns Bill C-2's Anti-Refugee & Mass Deportation Provisions - Migrant Rights NetworkThe Orchard: Carney Bends the Knee to Trump (Bill 2)Journal of International SolidarityAll of our content is free - made possible by the generous sponsorships of our Patrons. If you would like to support our work through monthly contributions: PatreonFollow us on Instagram or on Bluesky