Podcast

Discover Library and Archives Canada

The Discover Library and Archives Canada podcast showcases fascinating and little-known content from the collections at Library and Archives Canada (LAC) and tells stories about how people are engaging with Canada’s rich documentary heritage.

“Treasures Revealed” brings the work of LAC experts into focus, giving them the opportunity to choose captivating items from the collections that inspire conversations around the complicated history of Canada.

“Voices Revealed” draws on LAC’s vast and little-known oral history collections, amplifying the voices of underrepresented and marginalized communities. “Porter Talk,” the first miniseries in this production, centres audio interviews within the Stanley G. Grizzle fonds. The porters’ voices, as well as those of their wives and children, speak truth to power. They reveal the institutional, systemic and everyday racism these citizens endured while also highlighting the strategies that were central to navigating these obstacles and building community.

To receive new episodes as they are released, click on the link below to subscribe.

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L-R Railway porters Smitty from Montréal and Albert Budd standing beside a train.

Porter Talk: Episode 3
2024-12-12

Porter Talk: Episode 3 (length: 43:52)

Join us as we explore the extraordinary demands placed on sleeping car porters by rail companies and passengers while working aboard the hotel on wheels. We will also hear about the various ways these men resisted and rose above anti-Black racism. (Episode 3)

Download MP3 (63.2 MB)

Green stylized railway porter whistle with Library and Archives Canada maple leaf motif leading to a badge, and rays rising up to the top.

Porter Talk: Episode 3 trailer
2024-12-05

Porter Talk: Episode 3 trailer (length: 0:53)

Stanley G. Grizzle, a Canadian Pacific Railway porter for twenty years as well as a celebrated activist, civil servant, and citizenship judge, was also an avid historian who went to great lengths to document and preserve Black History in Canada and beyond. His collection is now held at Library and Archives Canada. Join us as we delve into the dire working conditions porters experienced as they traversed the country aboard the hotel on wheels. (Episode 3 trailer)

Download MP3 (1.22 MB)

A porter’s whistle from the Stanley G. Grizzle fonds.

Porter Talk: Episode 2
2024-10-10

Porter Talk: Episode 2 (length: 46:54)

Stanley G. Grizzle, a Canadian Pacific Railway porter for twenty years as well as a celebrated activist, civil servant, and citizenship judge, was also an avid historian who went to great lengths to document and preserve Black History in Canada and beyond. His collection is now held at Library and Archives Canada. Join us as we explore who the porters were, where they came from, and how they found themselves on the rails. (Episode 2)

Download MP3 (64.4 MB)

Green stylized railway porter whistle with Library and Archives Canada maple leaf motif leading to a badge, and rays rising up to the top.

Porter Talk: Episode 2 trailer
2024-09-26

Porter Talk: Episode 2 trailer (length: 0:53)

Stanley G. Grizzle, a Canadian Pacific Railway porter for twenty years as well as a celebrated activist, civil servant, and citizenship judge, was also an avid historian who went to great lengths to document and preserve Black History in Canada and beyond. His collection is now held at Library and Archives Canada. Join us as we explore who the porters were, where they came from, and how they found themselves on the rails. (Episode 2 trailer)

Download MP3 (1.22 MB)

A painted portrait of Citizenship Judge Stanley Grizzle by William J. Stapleton.

Porter Talk: Episode 1
2024-08-29

Porter Talk: Episode 1 (length: 46:39)

Stanley G. Grizzle, a Canadian Pacific Railway porter for twenty years as well as a celebrated activist, civil servant, and citizenship judge, was also an avid historian who went to great lengths to document and preserve Black History in Canada and beyond. His collection is now held at Library and Archives Canada. Join us as we delve into the life of the man who recorded the stories of the porters working on the rails. (Episode 1)

Download MP3 (64 MB)

Green stylized railway porter whistle with Library and Archives Canada maple leaf motif leading to a badge, and rays rising up to the top.

Porter Talk: Episode 1 trailer
2024-08-22

Porter Talk: Episode 1 trailer (length: 2:01)

Stanley G. Grizzle, a Canadian Pacific Railway porter for twenty years as well as a celebrated activist, civil servant, and citizenship judge, was also an avid historian who went to great lengths to document and preserve Black History in Canada and beyond. His collection is now held at Library and Archives Canada. Join us as we delve into the man who turned the microphone over to the porters to record their experiences working on the rails. (Episode 1 trailer)

Download MP3 (2.2 MB)

Green stylized railway porter whistle with Library and Archives Canada maple leaf motif leading to a badge, and rays rising up to the top.

Porter Talk trailer
2024-08-15

Porter Talk trailer (length: 1:31)

Discover Library and Archives Canada presents “Porter Talk.” This mini-series explores the lived experiences of Black men who laboured as porters for both the Canadian National and Canadian Pacific Railways during the twentieth century. (Podcast series trailer)

Download MP3 (2.2 MB)

Greenish stylized treasure chest with Library and Archives Canada maple leaves at the bottom and rays rising from the chest at the top. Numbered 16.

Treasures Revealed
Episode 16 / 2024-04-18

Last Spike (length: 15:42)

The hammering of the last spike into the Canadian Pacific Railway expanded access to the nation immeasurably, physically and symbolically connecting it from coast to coast. While seen as a victory in the dominant narrative of Canada, it served as a catalyst for the mass displacement of Indigenous peoples and the exploitation and even death of labourers involved in the construction of the railway. Join us as Marcelle Cinq-Mars delves into the historic image depicting this moment, and we reflect on the real human cost that was paid in the name of progress.

Download MP3 of episode 16 (21.5 MB)

Greenish stylized treasure chest with Library and Archives Canada maple leaves at the bottom and rays rising from the chest at the top. Numbered 15.

Treasures Revealed
Episode 15 / 2023-12-14

The Prince of Canaday (length: 11:34)

In this episode of Treasures Revealed we follow the journey of a rare document which is considered to be the first publication in English entirely about Canada, with the help of Senior Special Collections Librarian Meaghan Scanlon. Once carelessly discarded, this broadside is later discovered in an unrelated publication, miraculously preserved.

Download MP3 of episode 15 (16.0 MB)

Greenish stylized treasure chest with Library and Archives Canada maple leaves at the bottom and rays rising from the chest at the top. Numbered 14.

Treasures Revealed
Episode 14 / 2023-11-07

Raczyński's Note (length: 14:12)

Did you know that 22% or roughly one in five Canadians under the age of 34 either hadn’t heard about the Holocaust, or were unsure if they had heard about the Holocaust? In this episode, Michael Kent delves into the significance of Raczynski’s Note, a Second World War publication regarded as the first official communication with the Western Hemisphere about the atrocities of the Holocaust.

Download MP3 of episode 14 (19.7 MB)

Greenish stylized treasure chest with Library and Archives Canada maple leaves at the bottom and rays rising from the chest at the top. Numbered 13.

Treasures Revealed
Episode 13 / 2023-10-12

Nell Shipman Silent Film (length: 18:00)

In this episode of Treasures Revealed, we speak with Steve Moore about the most successful silent film in Canadian history, Back to God’s Country – a lusty tale of jealousy, murder and betrayal starring trailblazer Nell Shipman, Canada’s first female director.

Download MP3 of episode 13 (24.9 MB)

Greenish stylized treasure chest with Library and Archives Canada maple leaves at the bottom and rays rising from the chest at the top. Numbered 12.

Treasures Revealed
Episode 12 / 2023-08-17

Pregnancy Photos (length: 23:48)

In this episode of Treasures Revealed, we speak with Krista Cooke about the curious absence of pregnant women in photos from the birth of photography in the 19th century up to the Second World War.

Download MP3 of episode 12 (32.8 MB)

Wavy horizontal bands in various colours representing a stylized landscape with a blue sky. ReCollections: A Parks Canada Podcast appears in the bottom section with the Parks Canada and Government of Canada logos at the top.

ReCollections
2023-07-13

Dawson City - A Ruby in the Rough (length: 35:46)

In celebration of National Parks Day we have partnered with our friends at Parks Canada and have featured an episode from their wonderful new history and archaeology podcast ReCollections in our feed.

Download MP3 of episode (49.2 MB)

Greenish stylized treasure chest with Library and Archives Canada maple leaves at the bottom and rays rising from the chest at the top. Numbered 11.

Treasures Revealed
Episode 11 / 2023-05-11

Robert Hood Watercolours (length: 15:12)

In this episode LAC Archivist Shane McCord tells us about the tragic story of Robert Hood and the treasures he left behind, watercolours painted during the 1st of the ill-fated Franklin Expeditions.

Download MP3 of episode 10 (21.0 MB)

Greenish stylized treasure chest with Library and Archives Canada maple leaves at the bottom and rays rising from the chest at the top. Numbered 9.

Treasures Revealed
Episode 9 / 2023-01-19

Masonic Mystery (length: 20:50)

In the 9th episode of Treasures Revealed, LAC Curator Forrest Pass unravels the mystery of a Masonic Tracing Board dating back to the early 1800s.

Download MP3 of episode 9 (28.8 MB)

Greenish stylized treasure chest with Library and Archives Canada maple leaves at the bottom and rays rising from the chest at the top. Numbered 8.

Treasures Revealed
Episode 8 / 2022-12-01

Woman on Snowshoes (length: 12:42)

In this episode of Treasures Revealed, Indigenous Research Archivist Elizabeth Montour relies on knowledge and instinct to decipher the story of a Kanienhkenha:ka woman she observes in a 19th century watercolour.

Download MP3 of episode 8 (17.6 MB)

Greenish stylized treasure chest with Library and Archives Canada maple leaves at the bottom and rays rising from the chest at the top. Numbered 7.

Treasures Revealed
Episode 7 / 2022-11-15

Sefer Torah (length: 13:58)

In the 7th episode of Treasures Revealed we speak with Senior Archivist Christine Barrass about an extraordinary scroll, or Sefer Torah, that is part of the Shearith Israel synagogue collection held at LAC.

Download MP3 of episode 7 (19.4 MB)

Greenish stylized treasure chest with Library and Archives Canada maple leaves at the bottom and rays rising from the chest at the top. Numbered #06.

Treasures Revealed
Episode 6 / 2022-10-20

Pimm Panorama (length: 16:19)

In this episode of Treasures Revealed, we speak with Marcelle Cinq-Mars, senior military archivist in the Government Archives Division at LAC. Marcelle tells us about the amazing discovery she made while rehousing documents LAC received from the Department of National Defence.

Download MP3 of episode 6 (22.6 MB)

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Episode 70 / 2022-05-19

Bill Mason: Wilderness Artist (length: 50:27)

Passionate about nature and art, Bill Mason spent his whole life combining his two passions and creating beautiful, nature-inspired artworks. On today’s episode, we will discuss Bill Mason’s life and legacy with the help of three members of the Mason family: his wife, Joyce, and his two children, Becky and Paul. LAC archivist Jill Delaney will also join us to highlight Bill Mason’s amazing body of work and discuss the vast collection of items that the family donated to Library and Archives Canada in 2016.

Download MP3 (72.8 MB)

 
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Episode 69 / 2022-04-28

Kahentinetha Horn: Nothing but the Truth – Part 2 (length: 41:53)

In early 2020, we invited Indigenous activist Kahentinetha Horn and her daughter Waneek Horn-Miller to come to LAC for a visit. As we hosted them, we were thrilled to witness and record their reactions to the material in the LAC collection related to Kahentinetha’s fascinating life. They were seeing many of these items for the very first time.

Download MP3 (57.6 MB)

 
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Episode 68 / 2022-04-21

Kahentinetha Horn: Nothing but the Truth – Part 1 (length: 48:34)

In early 2020, we invited Indigenous activist Kahentinetha Horn and her daughter Waneek Horn-Miller to come to LAC for a visit. As we hosted them, we were thrilled to witness and record their reactions to the material in the LAC collection related to Kahentinetha’s fascinating life. They were seeing many of these items for the very first time.

Download MP3 (66.8 MB)

 
Greenish stylized treasure chest with Library and Archives Canada maple leaves at the bottom and rays rising from the chest at the top. Numbered #05.

Treasures Revealed
Episode 5 / 2021-10-28

Gabor Szilazi (length: 23:12)

LAC photo archivist Jill Delaney joins us for this fifth episode of Treasures Revealed. She will tell us about LAC’s recent acquisition of the Gabor Szilasi fonds, which covers his life and career as a photographer from 1954 to 2016.

Download MP3 of episode 5 (22 MB)

Greenish stylized treasure chest with Library and Archives Canada maple leaves at the bottom and rays rising from the chest at the top. Numbered #04.

Treasures Revealed
Episode 4 / 2021-10-07

The Halifax Gazette (length: 10:14)

In the fourth episode of Treasures Revealed, we talk to Meaghan Scanlon, Senior Special Collections Librarian, about the Halifax Gazette, the first newspaper published in the territory that would become Canada. It is the only copy known to exist of the first issue.

Download MP3 of episode 4 (10 MB)

 
Greenish stylized treasure chest with Library and Archives Canada maple leaves at the bottom and rays rising from the chest at the top. Numbered #03.

Treasures Revealed
Episode 3 / 2021-09-23

Keeping the Faith (length: 14:13)

For our next Treasures Revealed episode, we speak with LAC Government Records Archivist, and past Discover Library and Archives Canada host, Geneviève Morin. She will tell us about the marriage of art and science in early 20th century Canadian botany.

Download MP3 of episode 3 (14 MB)

 
Greenish stylized treasure chest with Library and Archives Canada maple leaves at the bottom and rays rising from the chest at the top. Numbered #02.

Treasures Revealed
Episode 2 / 2021-09-02

Pannotype Puzzle (length: 17:59)

In this episode of Treasures Revealed, LAC Head Photo Conservator Tania Passafiume will tell us about her discovery in the collection of a very rare type of early photograph called a pannotype. She will explain what it is, how it was made and what makes it so special and rare.

Download MP3 of episode 2 (18 MB)

 
Greenish stylized treasure chest with Library and Archives Canada maple leaves at the bottom and rays rising from the chest at the top. Numbered #01.

Treasures Revealed
Episode 1 / 2021-08-12

Cat Letter (length: 14:17)

In this new podcast series, Treasures Revealed, we’ll speak to a Library and Archives Canada employee and highlight an item that they consider a real “treasure” in the collection. For this first episode, we hear about a letter that Dominion Archivist Arthur Doughty wrote seeking reimbursement for an odd expense in 1908.

Download MP3 of episode 1 (14 MB)

 
A black-and-white photo of a man panning for gold.

Episode 67 / 2021-07-22

LAC is a gold mine! (length: 54:57)

Yukon Geological Survey geologists Sydney Van Loon and Jeff Bond have been travelling from Whitehorse to Ottawa to digitize hundreds of geological maps of the Klondike region found in the Library and Archives Canada (LAC) collection.

Download MP3 of episode 67 (53 MB)

 
Black and white photograph of a snow-covered mountain.

Episode 66 / 2021-01-13

Mount Logan: Moments in Time (length: 1:01:45)

We discuss with Dr. Zac Robinson and Dr. Alison Criscitiello about their upcoming Mount Logan expedition and with LAC archivist Jill Delaney about the repeat photography process used during this expedition.

Download MP3 of episode 66 (56 MB)

 
Black and white photograph of two men standing next to an airplane looking towards the horizon

Episode 65 / 2020-11-04

Avro Arrow: Uncovering the Myth – Part 2 (length: 1:02:17)

In part two of this two-part episode, Palmiro Campagna talks about the cancellation of the Avro Arrow project and some rumors surrounding the aircraft.

Download MP3 of episode 65 (60 MB)

 
Black and white photograph of two men standing next to an airplane looking towards the horizon

Episode 64 / 2020-11-04

Avro Arrow: Uncovering the Myth – Part 1 (length: 41:39)

In part one of this two-part episode, we talk with Palmiro Campagna and two LAC employees about the Avro Arrow and the documents held at LAC.

Download MP3 of episode 64 (40 MB)

 
Black and white photograph of a Nursing Sister beside two soldiers.

Episode 63 / 2020-09-21

Call to Duty: Canadian Nursing Sisters (length: 56:13)​

We speak with LAC archivist Laura Brown about the exceptional role of Canadian Nursing Sisters in the First World War.

Download MP3 of episode 63 (54 MB)

 
Black and white photograph of a young boy playing the trumpet.

Episode 62 / 2020-08-06

Upcoming Episodes, 2020 (length: 4:09)

Here's a sneak peek at the exciting episodes we are currently preparing for you!

Download MP3 of episode 62 (4 MB)

 
Profile photography of a young woman wearing a Javanese headdress.

Episode 61 / 2020-05-14

I leave you Éva Gauthier (length: 51:10)

Influenced by her journeys abroad, Canadian singer Éva Gauthier helped shape modern music in North America.

Download MP3 of episode 61 (48 MB)

 
Black-and-white photograph a man wearing boxing gloves.

Episode 60 / 2020-01-29

Tommy Burns: The Hanover Heavyweight (length: 49:08)

Explore the exciting journey of Canadian boxer Tommy Burns, the shortest man ever to hold the world heavyweight title.

Download MP3 of episode 60 (46 MB)

 
Black-and-white photograph of a man smiling 

Episode 59 / 2019-12-23

Tom Longboat is Cogwagee is Everything (length: 1:03:37)

Explore the extraordinary life of Six Nations Indigenous runner Cogwagee, also known as Tom Longboat.

Download MP3 of episode 59 (61.1 MB)

 
Black-and-white photograph a man at war writing a letter 

Episode 58 / 2019-11-19

Canada's Continuing Memory (length: 0:55:30)

Discover how LAC acquires documentary heritage, by looking at some recently acquired Second World War items.

Download MP3 of episode 58 (52 MB)

 
Black-and-white photograph of two men in front of a microphone 

Episode 57 / 2019-11-07

Upcoming Episodes, 2019-2020 (length: 0:05:20)

Here's a quick rundown on some of the things we've planned for the coming months.

Download MP3 of episode 57 (5 MB)

 
Bill Miner's mugshot 

Episode 56 / 2019-08-28

Bill Miner: Last of the Old Time Bandits (length: 1:04:40)

A train holdup on May 8, 1906, set off one of the largest manhunts in Canadian history.

Download MP3 of episode 56 (59 MB)

 
Colour image of a puppet that resembles Prime Minister John Diefenbaker 

Episode 55 / 2019-06-27

Prime Ministers and the Arts (length: 47:33)

A new exhibition reveals a fascinating side to our former prime ministers and their relationship with the arts.

Download MP3 of episode 55 (44 MB)

 
Black-and-white drawing of a vehicle resembling a flying saucer. There are various annotations, measurements and dimensions written on the paper. 

Episode 54 / 2019-05-29

UFOs at LAC: The Falcon Lake Incident - Part 2 (length: 59:22)

Experts discuss the UFO sighting on May 20, 1967, at Falcon Lake, Manitoba.

Download MP3 of episode 54 (54 MB)

 
Black-and-white drawing of a vehicle resembling a flying saucer. There are various annotations, measurements and dimensions written on the paper. 

Episode 53 / 2019-05-15

UFOs at LAC: The Falcon Lake Incident - Part 1 (length: 1:02:17)

Experts discuss the UFO sighting on May 20, 1967, at Falcon Lake, Manitoba.

Download MP3 of episode 53 (58 MB)