The Canadian Returnee Podcast

Canadian Returnee
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Passionate writer and observer navigating life in Canada, exploring topics like culture, politics, and personal growth, after living abroad for years. Sharing honest insights and sparking thoughtful conversations. canadianreturnee.substack.com

  1. Tumbler Ridge Shooting: What Happened & What’s Next

    2H AGO

    Tumbler Ridge Shooting: What Happened & What’s Next

    On February 10, 2026, the tiny town of Tumbler Ridge was shaken by one of the worst mass shootings in Canadian history. An 18-year-old former student, Jesse Van Rootselaar, first killed her mother and stepbrother at home, then drove to Tumbler Ridge Secondary School. Police got the call around 1:30 p.m. and were on scene in two minutes, likely stopping even more lives from being lost. In total, nine people died, including the shooter, and more than two dozen were injured. The victims were kids, mostly 11 to 13 years old, plus a beloved teacher’s aide. Survivors are still recovering, including one 12-year-old girl fighting to heal in a Vancouver hospital. We’re also learning more about the suspect’s history: past mental health interventions, prior firearm seizures from the home, and disturbing online activity. However, there’s still no clear motive. The Government of British Columbia says students will never have to return to the original school building. Fourteen portable classrooms are being rushed in even as the town deals with brutal -40 degree wind chills. Prime Minister Mark Carney and Premier David Eby have both pledged support, but locals are worried long-term mental health resources could fade once the headlines do. In a town of just 2,400 people, everyone knows everyone. The grief and recovery are personal. If you found this helpful, please like, share, and subscribe. Consider a paid subscription or buying me a coffee to help keep this content free and independent. This Substack is reader-supported. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to Canadian Returnee at canadianreturnee.substack.com/subscribe

    16 min
  2. Black History Month 2026: Canada Marks It Together

    FEB 15

    Black History Month 2026: Canada Marks It Together

    February 2026 kicked off Black History Month across Canada with a mix of symbolism, community pride, and politics. Cities like Barrie and Saint John raised the Pan-African flag outside city halls, giving Black communities visible recognition right where local decisions get made. These were emotional, meaningful, and rooted in representation. On the ground, the focus wasn’t just on the ceremony. In Ottawa, Black-owned businesses were front and centre, with local cafes and community spaces highlighted as places for connection, dialogue, and belonging. It was a reminder that culture and community live in everyday spaces. At the national level, Prime Minister Mark Carney hosted a Black History Month reception early in the month, putting federal recognition behind the observance and reinforcing the contributions of Black Canadians to the country’s past and present. From city halls to coffee shops to Parliament, Black History Month 2026 showed up at every level. If you found this useful, give the podcast a like, share it with someone who should hear it, and subscribe. If you want to support independent work like this, consider a paid subscription or buying me a coffee so I can keep the free content coming. This Substack is reader-supported. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to Canadian Returnee at canadianreturnee.substack.com/subscribe

    17 min
  3. When Suicide Seduces: Navigating Mental Health, Repatriation, and the Search for Belonging with @CanadianReturnee

    FEB 10

    When Suicide Seduces: Navigating Mental Health, Repatriation, and the Search for Belonging with @CanadianReturnee

    February is the month in which suicide peaks. This morning, I joined with Canadian Returnee for an honest discussion of suicide, exploring the impact of immigration and repatriation on mental health, how lack of support increases suicide risk, and how to help loved ones at risk. If you’re hurting, reach out - and don’t give up. This Substack is reader-supported. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to Canadian Returnee at canadianreturnee.substack.com/subscribe

    24 min
  4. Bank of Canada Holds Rates as Trade Worries Loom

    FEB 8

    Bank of Canada Holds Rates as Trade Worries Loom

    The Bank of Canada hit pause again in January, keeping interest rates at 2.25%. No hike, no cut, just a cautious wait-and-see move. Inflation is basically where the Bank wants it, growth is slowing, and jobs aren’t exactly booming. With a major CUSMA review coming this summer and fresh tariff threats flying around, the Bank says uncertainty is off the charts. Governor Tiff Macklem was pretty blunt: the days of smooth, rules-based trade with the U.S. are likely over, and Canada’s economy is going to feel that. For households and businesses, rates staying put means borrowing costs aren’t getting worse, but they’re not getting easier either. If this kind of no-nonsense breakdown helps you make sense of what’s going on, give it a like, share it with a friend, and subscribe. You can also support the work with a paid subscription or buy me a coffee, which helps keep the free content coming. This Substack is reader-supported. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to Canadian Returnee at canadianreturnee.substack.com/subscribe

    14 min
  5. MMIWG2S: Canada’s Ongoing Crisis We Can’t Ignore

    FEB 1

    MMIWG2S: Canada’s Ongoing Crisis We Can’t Ignore

    Today, we’re talking about one of the hardest truths Canada keeps dodging: the crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people. For decades, families have been shouting into the void while police, courts, health systems, and governments looked away. This is the result of colonial policies, racism, broken institutions, and generations of trauma that Canada still hasn’t fully owned. The National Inquiry called what’s happening a genocide. From ignored missing persons cases to lost evidence to children taken from hospitals and families left without answers, this is a systemic failure that cuts deep, especially in provinces like Quebec. We’ll break down how we got here, why government promises keep falling short, and why Indigenous families and survivors are still leading the fight for justice, healing, and real change. If this mattered to you, please like, share, and subscribe. Consider supporting us with a paid subscription or buying me a coffee so I can keep this content free and accessible for everyone. This Substack is reader-supported. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to Canadian Returnee at canadianreturnee.substack.com/subscribe

    13 min
  6. Greenland Isn’t for Sale: Inuit Push Back on Trump

    JAN 25

    Greenland Isn’t for Sale: Inuit Push Back on Trump

    The Trump administration is openly talking about taking over Greenland, not buying it, just taking it, claiming it’s about “national security.” Inuit leaders across Greenland and Canada aren’t buying that for a second. Instead, they see this as old-school colonialism dressed up in geopolitics, with Greenland’s minerals and resources as the real prize. Inuit activist Aaju Peter and others are calling for calm, unity, and diplomacy, speaking with one voice and not reacting out of fear. Canada and the Nordic countries have stepped up, backing Greenland’s sovereignty and international law. The whole thing is also pulling Canada and Greenland closer together, politically and culturally, especially as Arctic tensions rise. Bottom line: Greenland belongs to the Inuit, not superpower ambition, and this moment is about Indigenous sovereignty, solidarity across borders, and who really gets to decide the future of the Arctic. If you found this useful, please like, share, and subscribe. Want to support independent work like this? Grab a paid subscription or buy me a coffee so I can keep this content free. This Substack is reader-supported. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to Canadian Returnee at canadianreturnee.substack.com/subscribe

    14 min
  7. Canada Reopens China Talks as U.S. Trade Gets Risky

    JAN 18

    Canada Reopens China Talks as U.S. Trade Gets Risky

    Prime Minister Mark Carney, the first Canadian PM to visit Beijing in almost a decade, is trying to calm a relationship that’s been on ice since arrests, tariffs, and years of bad blood. With Trump’s “America First” tariffs squeezing Canada, Ottawa wants fewer eggs in the American basket and more non-U.S. trade. China, despite everything, is still our second-largest trading partner. Canada slapped huge tariffs on Chinese EVs, steel, and aluminum. China fired back at Canadian canola, pork, seafood and farmers are hurting. Carney’s hoping to cool things down, but not everyone’s on board. Ontario’s worried about cheap EVs wiping out the auto sector, and critics warn Canada’s ignoring security risks and human rights issues just to chase trade. So far? Just a handful of non-binding deals on energy, forestry, and agriculture, more “let’s keep talking” than “problem solved.” The real question is whether Canada can trade with China without repeating the same mistakes as before. If you found this useful, give it a like, share it with a friend, and subscribe. If you want to support independent work like this, consider a paid subscription or buying me a coffee; it helps keep the free content going. This Substack is reader-supported. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to Canadian Returnee at canadianreturnee.substack.com/subscribe

    11 min
  8. Canada’s Big 2026 Reset: Immigration, Taxes, Work & More

    JAN 11

    Canada’s Big 2026 Reset: Immigration, Taxes, Work & More

    Canada is hitting the reset button in 2026. Immigration is getting tighter, more selective, and way more focused on people already here. Fewer international students and temporary workers, lower intake targets, and new powers for immigration officials are changing the rules. Ottawa’s also tweaking Express Entry to fast-track doctors, fixing long-standing citizenship gaps for “Lost Canadians,” and pushing provinces to run leaner, more targeted nominee programs. Ontario, Alberta, and Saskatchewan are all tightening the screws in different ways. On the home front, there’s some relief too: a middle-class tax cut, automatic tax filing for low-income Canadians, capped NSF bank fees, and new labour rules that ditch the “Canadian experience” nonsense. Add in housing, EI, and road safety changes, and 2026 is shaping up to be a more controlled, rules-driven Canada for better or worse. If this helped make sense of what’s coming, give us a like, share it with a friend, and subscribe. You can also support the work with a paid subscription or buy me a coffee to keep the free content going. This Substack is reader-supported. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to Canadian Returnee at canadianreturnee.substack.com/subscribe

    13 min
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Passionate writer and observer navigating life in Canada, exploring topics like culture, politics, and personal growth, after living abroad for years. Sharing honest insights and sparking thoughtful conversations. canadianreturnee.substack.com

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