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In this bonus episode, COMMONS producer Jordan Cornish sits down with host Arshy Mann to talk about the grocery CEOs testifying at Parliament, their thoughts about the Monopoly season coming to an end, and what listeners can do to make change. Sponsors: USW, Free Lunch, Gardisil  If you value this podcast, Support us! You’ll get premium access to all our shows ad free, including early releases and bonus content. You’ll also get our exclusive newsletter, discounts on merch, tickets to our live and virtual events, and more than anything, you’ll be a part of the solution to Canada’s journalism crisis, you’ll be keeping our work free and accessible to everybody. You can listen ad-free on Amazon Music—included with Prime. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A Loblaws, or any other, modern-day supermarket, is many things.  It’s a temple of abundance. A place where a consumer has more choice than the greatest kings, emperors and pharaohs had in their lifetimes.  It’s a tech platform, tracking our every taste, transaction and even ailment. And it’s an ideological arena. Where everyday Canadians and grocery CEOs are battling over what’s to blame for our declining standard of living.  Featured in this episode: Benjamin Lorr, Vass Bednar To learn more: The Secret Life of Groceries: The Dark Miracle of the American Supermarket by Benjamin Lorr “From bakery to ‘tech behemoth’: How Loblaw became a titan of the private health-care industry” in The Toronto Star by Jacob Lorinc “Canada hasn’t had a ‘tech lash’ yet, but consumers should still be wary” in The Globe and Mail by Vass Bednar Additional music from Audio Network Sponsors: Douglas, Rotman If you value this podcast, Support us! You’ll get premium access to all our shows ad free, including early releases and bonus content. You’ll also get our exclusive newsletter, discounts on merch, tickets to our live and virtual events, and more than anything, you’ll be a part of the solution to Canada’s journalism crisis, you’ll be keeping our work free and accessible to everybody. You can listen ad-free on Amazon Music—included with Prime. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Big Tech companies have ushered in a new era of global monopoly. And the most influential, the most powerful of all of them, is Amazon. In this episode, we focus in on two of the fundamental pillars of Amazon’s dominance: its online marketplace and its cloud computing arm. And a former Amazon VP speaks out. Featured in this episode: Matt Stoller, Brad Stone (Bloomberg), Dana Mattioli (Wall Street Journal), Tim Bray To learn more: Amazon Unbound: Jeff Bezos and the Invention of a Global Empire by Brad Stone “Amazon Prime Is an Economy-Distorting Lie” in BIG by Matt Stoller “Amazon Scooped Up Data From Its Own Sellers to Launch Competing Products” in The Wall Street Journal by Dana Mattioli Additional music from Audio Network Sponsors: Athletic Greens, Free Lunch  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“I love the smell of monopoly in the morning” “Forget it, Jake, it’s Cineplex” “The competition commissioner once tried to test me. I ate his liver with some fava beans and a nice Chianti” “Life is like a box of anti-competitive cinema chains that allegedly use their 75% market share to bully their competition, limit consumer choice and charge obscene junk fees. You never know what you’re going to get.” Featured in this episode: Barry Hertz (Globe and Mail), Corinne Lea, Andy Willick, Sonya William To learn more: “Cineplex’s distribution deal with Lionsgate sends ripples through Canadian film industry” by Barry Hertz in The Globe and Mail “Independent cinemas accuse Cineplex of shutting them out of market for top films” by Maryse Zeidler in CBC News “Indie theatres say they're last in line for movies because of Cineplex” by Joseph Pugh in CBC News “Cineplex's monopolization” by Vass Bednar in Regs to Riches Additional music from Audio Network Sponsors: Douglas, Free Lunch If you value this podcast, Support us! You’ll get premium access to all our shows ad free, including early releases and bonus content. You’ll also get our exclusive newsletter, discounts on merch, tickets to our live and virtual events, and more than anything, you’ll be a part of the solution to Canada’s journalism crisis, you’ll be keeping our work free and accessible to everybody. You can listen ad-free on Amazon Music—included with Prime. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Google, one of the world’s great tech monopolies, wanted to make a “smart city,” full of sensors and robots and self-driving cars. Toronto, one of the world’s most insecure cities, wanted a big tech firm to put it on the innovation map. What resulted was not exactly a match made in heaven. Featured in this episode: Josh O’Kane (Globe and Mail), Kurtis McBride To learn more: Sideways: The City Google Couldn’t Buy by Josh O’Kane “Sidewalk Labs document reveals company’s early vision for data collection, tax powers, criminal justice” by Tom Cardoso & Josh O’Kane in The Globe and Mail Additional music from Audio Network Sponsors: Athletic Greens Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For almost a century, the Irving family has run New Brunswick like a personal fiefdom. They own the newspapers, the industry, and, according to some, even the government. So how does a single family come to so thoroughly dominate an entire province? And what happens when that family starts to fracture and split apart at the seams? Featured in this episode: Bruce Livesey (Thieves of Bay Street). To learn more: “Are the Irvings Canada's biggest corporate welfare bums?” by Bruce Livesey in National Observer Irving vs. Irving: Canada's Feuding Billionaires and the Stories They Won't Tell by Jacques Poitras “Irving family's fortunate son explains how he fell into a dark depression, and rose again” by Erin Anderssen” in The Globe and Mail Additional music: I dunno by grapes (c) copyright 2008 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license. Ft: J Lang, Morusque “A List of Ways to Die” by Lee Rosevere, “Easy Life” by Lee Rosevere, and “Androids Always Escape” by Chris Zabriskie, adapted. Sponsors: Douglas, Athletic Greens Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Not only do the Big Five banks get away with charging exorbitant fees for basic services. Not only do they block any competitors by controlling Canada’s payment infrastructure. Not only are they totally entwined with the federal government.  But the Big Five banks are about to get even bigger. Featured in this episode: Colin Deacon, Keldon Bester, Alex Vronces To learn more “How blocked mergers foiled banks' ambitions — and forced the Big Six to innovate” by James Bradshaw in The Globe and Mail “How the push to modernize Canada’s payment systems went off the rails” by Jon Victor in The Logic “How the Big Five banks control how money moves in Canada” by Alex Vronces in Policy Options “RBC-HSBC banking merger is a slide to monopoly – Canada should just say no” by Keldon Bester in The Globe and Mail Credits: Arshy Mann (Host and Producer), Jordan Cornish (Producer), Noor Azrieh (Associate Producer), Annette Ejiofor (Managing Editor)  Sponsors: Rights Back At You, Athletic Greens If you value this podcast, Support us! You’ll get premium access to all our shows ad free, including early releases and bonus content. You’ll also get our exclusive newsletter, discounts on merch, tickets to our live and virtual events, and more than anything, you’ll be a part of the solution to Canada’s journalism crisis, you’ll be keeping our work free and accessible to everybody. You can listen ad-free on Amazon Music—included with Prime. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s been a hard few years for Canadian air passengers. And while no one blames the airline oligopoly for COVID or winter storms, air travellers have had to put up with a lot. But Canada has consumer protections to make sure that when something goes wrong, there’s a fair process in place to make sure everyday Canadians don’t get screwed over, right? Right??! Featured in this episode: Gábor Lukács, John Gradek To learn more “Canadian airline regulator’s stance on refunds aligned with execs’ requests from days earlier, emails show” by Christopher Reynolds in Canadian Press “This Nova Scotia man’s fight with an airline pulled back the curtain on a flawed passenger-protection act, an adjudicator says” by Steve McKinley in Toronto Star “Ottawa ‘not hiding’ from holiday travel chaos fallout, transport minister says” by Sean Boynton & Aaron D'Andrea in Global News Credits: Arshy Mann (Host and Producer), Jordan Cornish (Producer), Noor Azrieh (Associate Producer), André Proulx (Production Coordinator) Sponsors: Douglas, If you value this podcast, Support us! You’ll get premium access to all our shows ad free, including early releases and bonus content. You’ll also get our exclusive newsletter, discounts on merch, tickets to our live and virtual events, and more than anything, you’ll be a part of the solution to Canada’s journalism crisis, you’ll be keeping our work free and accessible to everybody. You can listen ad-free on Amazon Music—included with Prime. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

♩♪ A long, long time ago, I can still remember How the music used to pay my bills I knew that if I got my break That I could be as big as Drake And then I could stop shopping at No Frills ♩♪ ♩♪ But Spotify, it’s nearly killed us Ticketmaster’s ground us to dust The companies got too large Now monopolies are in charge ♩♪ ♩♪ And the record labels I fear the most Have all just merged and so now we’re toast Don’t you think it’s just so gross? The way, the music, died ♩♪ Featured in this episode: Simon Outhit, Cory Doctorow To learn more Chokepoint Capitalism: How Big Tech and Big Content Captured Creative Labor Markets and How We'll Win Them Back by Rebecca Giblin & Cory Doctorow “'A public relations nightmare': Ticketmaster recruits pros for secret scalper program” in CBC News by Dave Seglins, Rachel Houlihan & Laura Clementson  “We went undercover as ticket scalpers — and Ticketmaster offered to help us do business” in Toronto Star by Robert Cribb & Marco Chown Oved “Is Live Music Broken? It’s Not Just Ticketmaster, It’s Everything” in The Ringer by Nate Rogers A Statement From Live Nation Entertainment Credits: Arshy Mann (Host and Producer), Jordan Cornish (Producer), Noor Azrieh (Associate Producer), André Proulx (Production Coordinator) Sponsors: Douglas, Athletic Greens  If you value this podcast, Support us! You’ll get premium access to all our shows ad free, including early releases and bonus content. You’ll also get our exclusive newsletter, discounts on merch, tickets to our live and virtual events, and more than anything, you’ll be a part of the solution to Canada’s journalism crisis, you’ll be keeping our work free and accessible to everybody. You can listen ad-free on Amazon Music—included with Prime. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode was originally published on December 21, 2021.  Attawapiskat has become famous across Canada and around the world. Not for the natural beauty that surrounds it, or for the Cree culture of the people who live there. Instead, it’s become a byword for the toxic legacy of Canadian colonialism. But while Attawapiskat faced crisis after crisis, the community was sitting on a literal diamond mine run by the world’s most famous mining company. So why is it that a community rich in diamonds is so poor? And why did the government and De Beers do so little to help them through? Featured in this episode: Mike Koostachin, Vicki Lean, Anna Baggio To learn more: After the Last River by Victoria Lean The People of the Kattawapiskak River by Alanis Obamsawin “De Beers decision to dump sewage into Attawapiskat played role in current housing crisis” by Ossie Michelin in APTN News “Have You Ever Tried to Sell a Diamond?” By Edward Jay Epstein in The Atlantic Additional music from Audio Network Sponsors: Rotman, Athletic Greens  Credits: Arshy Mann (Host and Producer), Jordan Cornish (Producer), Kieran Oudshoorn (Managing Editor), André Proulx (Production Coordinator) If you value this podcast, Support us! You’ll get premium access to all our shows ad free, including early releases and bonus content. You’ll also get our exclusive newsletter, discounts on merch, tickets to our live and virtual events, and more than anything, you’ll be a part of the solution to Canada’s journalism crisis, you’ll be keeping our work free and accessible to everybody. You can listen ad-free on Amazon Music—included with Prime. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When you look at your pet, you probably see an adorable furball that you’d do anything for. A private equity firm sees dollar signs. Ever so quietly, faceless, big money firms have been consolidating Canada’s veterinary clinics. And vets are just the beginning. Featured in this episode: Michael Mossop, Denise Hearn To learn more “Inside the corporate dash to buy up dentists’ offices, veterinary clinics and pharmacies” in The Globe and Mail by Chris Hannay “Private equity groups spot profit in UK's nurseries” in Financial Times by Bethan Staton The Myth of Capitalism: Monopolies and the Death of Competition by Jonathan Tepper and Denise Hearn “An Inconvenient Fact: Private Equity Returns & The Billionaire Factory” by Ludovic Phalippou Credits: Arshy Mann (Host and Producer), Jordan Cornish (Producer), Noor Azrieh (Reporter and Associate Producer), André Proulx (Production Coordinator) Sponsors: Douglas, If you value this podcast, Support us! You’ll get premium access to all our shows ad free, including early releases and bonus content. You’ll also get our exclusive newsletter, discounts on merch, tickets to our live and virtual events, and more than anything, you’ll be a part of the solution to Canada’s journalism crisis, you’ll be keeping our work free and accessible to everybody. You can listen ad-free on Amazon Music—included with Prime. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode was originally published on November 1st, 2021.  Who are the Rogers family? How did they get so powerful? Why have they turned against one another? And what does it matter?  We've spent a week immersed in Rogers history to bring you this unofficial narrative of Canada's telecom overlords. Further reading: Kelly Pullen’s 2014 story in Toronto Life on the “ruthless” power struggle at Rogers: https://torontolife.com/from-the-archives/edward-rogers-the-man-who-would-be-king/ Ted Rogers’ last interview, with Alan Gregg: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9B-hlNXKYZ0 Ted Rogers’ Anniversary novelty song: https://vimeo.com/95189390 The Globe and Mail’s best (and perhaps only) headline about a significant butt-dial: https://www.theglobeandmail.com/business/article-rogers-ceo-joe-natale-learned-of-edward-rogerss-plan-to-oust-him/ Ted Rogers’ Autobiography, “Relentless” – https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B00E7S2P9A High Wire Act: Ted Rogers and the Empire that Debt Built, by Caroline Van Hasselt : https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B003E8AJRE Credits: Jesse Brown (Host & Publisher), Jonathan Goldsbie (News Editor), Cherise Seucharan (Reporter, CANADLAND), Damiola Onime (Producer),  Additional Music by Audio Network If you value this podcast, Support us! You’ll get premium access to all our shows ad free, including early releases and bonus content. You’ll also get our exclusive newsletter, discounts on merch, tickets to our live and virtual events, and more than anything, you’ll be a part of the solution to Canada’s journalism crisis, you’ll be keeping our work free and accessible to everybody. You can listen ad-free on Amazon Music—included with Prime. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Support us at www.commonspodcast.com Matthew Boswell is the Competition Commissioner. And he's the last man trying to stand in the way of the mega-merger between Rogers and Shaw.  But even he acknowledges that Canada's antitrust laws aren't just inadequate — they're weighted in favour of the monopolists. A frank discussion with Canada's top competition cop. Featured in this episode: Matthew Boswell Credits: Arshy Mann (Host and Producer), Jordan Cornish (Producer), Noor Azrieh (Producer), André Proulx (Production Coordinator) Sponsors: Douglas, If you value this podcast, Support us! You’ll get premium access to all our shows ad free, including early releases and bonus content. You’ll also get our exclusive newsletter, discounts on merch, tickets to our live and virtual events, and more than anything, you’ll be a part of the solution to Canada’s journalism crisis, you’ll be keeping our work free and accessible to everybody. You can listen ad-free on Amazon Music—included with Prime. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rogers and Shaw are getting ready to tie the knot. But before they can consummate their less-than-holy union, they have to get the approval of Canada’s competition tribunal and the federal government. And even though most Canadians would find this union highly objectionable, it’s likely to be approved. Because for 150 years, Canadian politicians have been talking out of both sides of their mouths. They claim they want to promote competition. And then they pass laws that do the opposite. Featured in this episode: Vass Bednar, Keldon Bester To learn more “Antitrust watchdog should just say no to Rogers and Shaw merger” in The Globe and Mail by Keldon Bester and Ben Klass “Is the Competition Bureau's efficiency defence still defensible?” in The Financial Post by Vass Bednar  “The Development of Competition Policy, 1890-1940: A Re-Evaluation of a Canadian and American Tradition” in Osgoode Law Journal by Brian Cheffins Credits: Arshy Mann (Host and Producer), Jordan Cornish (Producer), Noor Azrieh (Associate Producer), André Proulx (Production Coordinator) Additional music from Audio Network “Canon in D Major” by Kevin Macleod, adapted. Sponsors: Douglas, Oxio  If you value this podcast, Support us! You’ll get premium access to all our shows ad free, including early releases and bonus content. You’ll also get our exclusive newsletter, discounts on merch, tickets to our live and virtual events, and more than anything, you’ll be a part of the solution to Canada’s journalism crisis, you’ll be keeping our work free and accessible to everybody. You can listen ad-free on Amazon Music—included with Prime. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

WIND Mobile, now known as Freedom, was a small company that tried to break through Canada’s telecom oligopoly. It did not have an easy ride.  WIND faced numerous hurdles from regulators, it was subjected to dirty tricks from the telecom oligopoly, and was eventually sold to Shaw. But it also helped lower cell phone rates and brought in unlimited data and U.S. roaming, changing the wireless market permanently. This is the inside story of WIND Mobile, from the people who were there. Featured in this episode: Simon Lockie, Brice Scheschuk, Tony Clement To learn more “Why can’t TTC riders use their cellphones on the subway? Ask Bell, Rogers or Telus” in The Toronto Star by Lex Harvey “Wind Mobile backer regrets Canadian launch” in CBC News  “Globalive offers $3.75-billion to buy Freedom Mobile” in The Globe and Mail by Alexandra Posadzki Credits: Arshy Mann (Host and Producer), Jordan Cornish (Producer), Noor Azrieh (Associate Producer), André Proulx (Production Coordinator) Additional music from Audio Network Sponsors: Rotman, Oxio  If you value this podcast, Support us! You’ll get premium access to all our shows ad free, including early releases and bonus content. You’ll also get our exclusive newsletter, discounts on merch, tickets to our live and virtual events, and more than anything, you’ll be a part of the solution to Canada’s journalism crisis, you’ll be keeping our work free and accessible to everybody. You can listen ad-free on Amazon Music—included with Prime. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

They’re the most hated companies in the country. And yet, they’re unavoidable.  The telecom oligopoly seems to rule Canada’s economy with an iron fist. Canadians are paying more and more for our cell phones, cable and internet.  So how was it that we ended up in this situation? And was it inevitable that things would get so bad? Featured in this episode: Ben Klass, Dwayne Winseck, Keldon Bester, Dale Eisler To learn more “A Social History of Canadian Telecommunications” in Canadian Journal of Communication by Dwayne Winseck “Bell takeover of MTS gets federal approval” in CBC News From Left To Right: Saskatchewan's Political And Economic Transformation by Dale Eisler Credits: Arshy Mann (Host and Producer), Jordan Cornish (Producer), Noor Azrieh (Associate Producer), André Proulx (Production Coordinator) Additional music from Audio Network Sponsors: Oxio  If you value this podcast, Support us! You’ll get premium access to all our shows ad free, including early releases and bonus content. You’ll also get our exclusive newsletter, discounts on merch, tickets to our live and virtual events, and more than anything, you’ll be a part of the solution to Canada’s journalism crisis, you’ll be keeping our work free and accessible to everybody. You can listen ad-free on Amazon Music—included with Prime. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, it’s a department store where you might go to buy perfume or cookware. But the Hudson’s Bay Company was Canada’s first, and its most powerful, monopoly.  It grew from a largely insignificant enterprise into one of the most dominant forces in North America. The story of the HBC reveals just how deeply embedded monopoly is in Canada’s very fabric.  Featured in this episode: Stephen R. Bown, Jean Teillet To learn more The Company: The Rise and Fall of the Hudson’s Bay Empire by Stephen R. Bown The North-West Is Our Mother: The Story of Louis Riel’s People, The Metis Nation by Jean Teillet The Other Side of the Ledger: An Indian View of the Hudson's Bay Company by Martin Defalco & Willie Dunn Credits: Arshy Mann (Host and Producer), Jordan Cornish (Producer), Noor Azrieh (Associate Producer), André Proulx (Production Coordinator) Additional music from Audio Network Sponsors: Douglas, Oxio  If you value this podcast, Support us! You’ll get premium access to all our shows ad free, including early releases and bonus content. You’ll also get our exclusive newsletter, discounts on merch, tickets to our live and virtual events, and more than anything, you’ll be a part of the solution to Canada’s journalism crisis, you’ll be keeping our work free and accessible to everybody. You can listen ad-free on Amazon Music—included with Prime. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Some say that they’re a shadowy group that are the true power behind our elected officials, wielding enormous influence that they use to either benefit their friends or crush their enemies. Others claim that they’re a bulwark against oligopolies, ensuring that rural Canada doesn’t turn into an empty, corporatized hellscape. But what’s not up for debate is that Big Milk is a big deal. Featured in this episode: Marlene Haley, Justin Ling, Bruce Muirhead To learn more “Cheddargate” by Justin Ling in Maisonneuve “Milk mystery: As prices soar, dairy farmers plead poverty” by Ashleigh Stewart in Global News “Critics of supply management are milking the argument” by Bruce Muirhead in Maclean’s Credits: Arshy Mann (Host and Producer), Jordan Cornish (Producer), Noor Azrieh (Producer and Reporter), André Proulx (Production Coordinator) Additional music from Audio Network Sponsors: Douglas, Rotman, Canadian History Ehx  If you value this podcast, Support us! You’ll get premium access to all our shows ad free, including early releases and bonus content. You’ll also get our exclusive newsletter, discounts on merch, tickets to our live and virtual events, and more than anything, you’ll be a part of the solution to Canada’s journalism crisis, you’ll be keeping our work free and accessible to everybody. You can listen ad-free on Amazon Music—included with Prime. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Canadians are being squeezed at every end. When it comes to cell phone bills, grocery bills, housing, entertainment, we’re all paying more than ever before. But a small number of companies that dominate their industries are reaping in enormous profits. This season of COMMONS we’ll be digging into all of the monopolies, oligopolies and cartels that dominate our lives. And for our first stop, we head to the supermarket. Featured in this episode: Vass Bednar, Marco Chown Oved (Toronto Star) To learn more “Supermarkets are hiking prices faster than necessary — and profiting from inflation, Star investigation suggests” by Marco Chown Oved in the Toronto Star Regs to Riches by Vass Bednar  “Canada’s competition watchdog to investigate grocery industry in wake of soaring food prices” by Ghada Alsharif in the Toronto Star Credits: Arshy Mann (Host and Producer), Jordan Cornish (Producer), Noor Azrieh (Associate Producer), André Proulx (Production Coordinator) Additional music from Audio Network If you value this podcast, please support us. We rely on listeners like you paying for journalism. As a supporter, you’ll get premium access to all our shows ad free, including early releases and bonus content. You’ll also get our exclusive newsletter, discounts on Canadaland merch, invites and tickets to our live and virtual events, and more than anything, you’ll be a part of the solution to Canada’s journalism crisis and you’ll be keeping our work free and accessible to everybody. Come join us now, click the link in your show notes or go to https://canadaland.com/join You can listen ad-free on Amazon Music—included with Prime. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From broadband to banking to blueberries (yes, even blueberries), life in Canada is ruled by monopolies. In the latest season of COMMONS, host Arshy Mann and producers Jordan Cornish and Noor Azrieh will bring you the stories of how these monopolists bullied their way to the top, strangled their rivals, and cornered their markets with help from the government. Our new season launches on November 9th. If you’re a Canadaland supporter, you can listen to the first episode now! Become a supporter at canadaland.com/join  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.