History

The Secret Life of Canada

by CBC

History

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Latest episodes

Falen is back! A brand new season of See You in Court

September 22, 2026 · 31 min

Nineteen-year-old Gwen Jacob is just trying to catch a breeze when she goes topless during a 1991 heat wave. But after being cat-called and arrested, her simple attempt to stay cool turns into a statement. And when she refuses to pay her…
Goodbye for now!

January 16, 2025 · 10 min

Falen and Leah say goodbye, in the last episode of The Secret Life of Canada. For more links and more about this episode visit us at cbc.ca/secretlife. Follow us on Instagram , Facebook and Tik Tok.
S6: Powwow

December 5, 2024 · 30 min

Ah, the smell of fry bread, bright regalia, and vendors selling everything from dreamcatchers to expensive jewellery — the modern day powwow is really a feast for the senses. But did you know we can trace the roots of these gatherings to…
S6: The Sex Scandal & The Spy

November 21, 2024 · 10 min

Our country’s first sex scandal! At the height of the cold war several ministers in John Defeinbaker's government decided to have an affair. Turns out, they all ended up with the same woman. Was she really a spy for East Germany? For more…
S6: The final voyage of the Princess Sophia

November 7, 2024 · 20 min

It’s been called Canada’s Titanic. 106 years ago the Princess Sophia crashed into a coral reef on route to Vancouver and Victoria. Over 300 passengers died and it was the worst maritime disaster in the Pacific Northwest, so why haven’t we…

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S6: Canada's historic Palestinian immigration program you probably haven't heard of

October 24, 2024 · 19 min

In 1955, Canada’s immigration officials began a special experimental program to bring in Palestinian refugees through Pier 21. Falen and Leah take a look back at this historic port of entry that saw almost a million immigrants and refugees…
S6: I see dead people (in Winnipeg)

October 10, 2024 · 21 min

In honor of spooky season, Falen and Leah are joined by producer Eunice Kim to learn why Winnipeg became known around the world for communicating with the dead. Together they’ll light some candles and find out why, in the mid-1900s…
S6: A Brief History of Nudism

September 26, 2024 · 28 min

Leah and Falen take a (fully clothed) deep dive into the history of nudism in Canada. They learn the origins behind the naturist movement which includes a love of the outdoors, embracing nudity in a non-sexual way and most importantly, the…
S6: An American Indian in London

September 12, 2024 · 44 min

In a lot of history books we hear the names of European explorers who “discovered” the Americas. Columbus, Cook, Champlain. All boo-worthy men. But what about the people who went the other way? Indigenous people have been crossing oceans…
S6: The Caribana* Episode (*and yes we're still calling it that)

August 29, 2024 · 26 min

How did this country end up with the biggest Caribbean Carnival in North America? Leah and Falen dive into history of how a small one time event during Expo ‘67 became one of the longest running street parties in Canada — all courtesy of…
S6: The Live Show!

August 15, 2024 · 22 min

The Secret Life of Canada went live at Hot Docs. Leah and Falen take a historical deep dive into the greatest thieves, crooks and liars that have made this country what it is today. Featuring guests, Sharjil Rasool and Brandon Hackett…
S6: Momma Beaver, a Canadian Burlesque Legend

August 1, 2024 · 21 min

People have been taking their clothes off for as long as they’ve been wearing them, but when did people start doing it for entertainment? In this episode Leah and Falen look into the history of burlesque in Canada and talk to a legend of…

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About the show

The country you know and the stories you don't. Join hosts Leah-Simone Bowen and Falen Johnson as they reveal the beautiful, terrible and weird histories of this land. New episodes every second Thursday. Visit us at https://www.cbc.ca/radio/secretlifeofcanada for show links, transcripts and more! Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok. Subscribe to Sounds Good: CBC's Podcast newsletter for the finest podcast recommendations and behind-the-scenes exclusives.