Curious Canadian History

Curious Canadian History


Latest Episodes

S9E14 Hockey: The Game as We Know it Today
March 19, 2024

Hockey has had both an enduring but also a complicated relationship with ideas about what it means to be Canadian. While not every Canadian skates, or plays the game, or even cares about the game, the sport itself occupies a serous place in the Canadian

S8E20 Thayendenagay aka Joseph Brant – the warrior-diplomat
June 13, 2023

Thayendenagay was a Mohawk war chief, British soldier, tireless advocate and an accomplished diplomat who straddled two very different worlds that were colliding in the latter half of the 18th century. He witnessed the rapid expansion of imperial Bri

S8E19 - D-Day, 6 June, 1944
May 30, 2023

Many Canadians know of the incredible bravery and courage that Canadian soldiers showed on 6 June 1944 when the men of 3rd Canadian Infantry Division seized Juno Beach as part of the largest combined-arms operation in the history of warfare: Operatio

S8E18 - Gordon Lightfoot - A National Treasure
May 16, 2023

The recent passing of Gordon Lightfoot is the loss of one of the most important Canadian singer-songwriters in the history of North American popular music. Not only has he released dozens of albums, including over 200 songs, but his music has been recorde

S8E17 HMCS Uganda - The Ship that Voted to Leave the War
May 02, 2023

The words mutiny and cowardice are some of the most vile recriminations one could make against a ship and its crew. For years, these words were veiled behind the story of HMCS Uganda, Canadas only naval vessel to fight against the Japanese. Yet, the stor

S8E16 Seize Wismar, Stop the Soviets!
April 18, 2023

While the official start of the Cold War is still debated by historians, many agree that it began at some point in the late 1940s. Yet, it was clear by 1945 that the final battle lines drawn when the war in Europe ended would play a significant role in de

S8E15 Columbus Who? The Norse in Newfoundland
April 04, 2023

The legendary sagas of the Vikings have always spoken of perilous, seaborne adventures to lands so far to the west as to literally drop off the edge of the known European universe. While some of these lands eventually became known as Iceland and Greenland

S8E14 Strange Tales from Toronto
March 21, 2023

Every city, town and village in this country has its own unique history. For this episode, CCH takes a deep dive into some strange tales from the great city of Toronto. From a brawl between clowns and firefighters, to a bizarre post-mortem request from on

S8E13 The Little Island That Could: PEI and Confederation
March 07, 2023

Prince Edward Island is one of the most beautiful provinces in Canada. Its wind-swept beaches are stunning, its people are some of the friendliest in the country. It has beautiful golf courses, scenic terrain, a provincial proclivity for incredible musi

S8E12 Montreal's Black Renaissance
February 21, 2023

The history of Montreals Black community goes as far back as the very first French explorers to settle along the St. Larry River valley. The community has dealt with slavery, oppression, injustice, and both informal and formal racism. Yet, it is a commun