Afternoon Pint

Matt Conrad and Mike Tobin

Afternoon Pint is a laid-back Canadian podcast hosted by Matt Conrad and Mike Tobin—recorded where the best conversations happen: craft breweries, local pubs, and great restaurants around Canada Each week, they sit down with a surprise guest—from entrepreneurs and athletes to authors, entertainers, politicians, and everything in between. You never quite know who’ll show up, and that’s exactly the point. Every episode feels like meeting someone new over a pint—sometimes for the first time, sometimes picking up right where you left off. The conversations are real, unfiltered, and always a little unpredictable. Because at its core, The Afternoon Pint is about bringing people together—sharing stories, perspectives, and a bit of good human spirit along the way. So grab a drink, pull up a chair, and join the conversation.

  1. 5d ago

    Immunologist Jeanette Boudreau Shares How Their Lab Fights Cancer Back

    Cancer research can feel like a distant world of microscopes and jargon, but the stakes are painfully everyday: can we help people live longer, feel better, and suffer less while they’re in treatment? We’re joined by Halifax-based immunology PhD Jeanette Boudreau from Dalhousie University to unpack what’s changing right now in cancer immunotherapy, especially in blood cancers, and why “hope” is starting to look a lot like hard evidence. We talk about the invisible costs of cancer care in Canada, from travel and missed work to the way treatment can take over family life. Jeanette explains why quality of life needs to sit beside overall survival when we judge success, and how patient partners are pushing labs to solve real problems instead of chasing shiny headlines. Then we get into the science: how cancer is a rogue version of our own cells, why that makes it hard for the immune system to spot, and how therapies like CAR T cell treatment can re-arm immune cells to hunt cancer for years. From there, we zoom out to the future: building advanced therapies closer to home with new cell-processing tech, using AI and data science for precision medicine, and creating tumour “avatars” to test options before exposing a patient to toxic side effects. We also tackle prevention and risk, including smoking, UV, alcohol, and radon exposure, plus why diverse blood donation matters for biobanks, transplant matching, and cancer research that works for everybody. Subscribe for more conversations that make complex science human, share this with someone who cares about better cancer treatment in Canada, and leave a review to help more listeners find the show. Send us Fan Mail Your Dream Home Does Not Have to Be Just A Dream. Today's show is brought to you by Kimia Nejat of Exit Reality Metro. Kimia is the realtor who knows how to get things done. Buying or Selling? Go to afternoonpint.ca/kimia and we will set up an introduction Does Your Business Need a Boost With Foot traffic? Hosts for An Event? Or Even Actors For A Production? Or the Production itself? Go to https://www.afternoonpint.ca/services and see some of the services that the Afternoon Pint team offers.  Support the show Find The Afternoon Pint on Youtube Facebook  Instagram & TikTok Buy merch, get out newsletter, or book some of Afternoon Pints Media Talent on our website: www.afternoonpint.ca #afternoonpint #entrepreneur #popculture #authors #actors #politics #money #music #popular #movies #canadalife #madeincanada Your follows likes and subscribes help support Canadian Made Media. Please drop us a line and let us know if you are enjoying the show.

    1h 4m
  2. May 19

    Former NDP Premier Darrell Dexter On Leadership, Energy Policy & Transformational Government

    Former NDP Nova Scotia premier Darrell Dexter walks us through what it’s like to govern when the economy melts down, revenues disappear, and voters still expect big change on a small budget. He’s candid about how fast a government can go from popular to punished, and why that doesn’t automatically mean the work failed.  We get into the real mechanics of “transformational” government versus “transactional” government, using Nova Scotia examples that still shape daily life: the Irving shipbuilding contract, the fight to keep Port Hawkesbury Paper running, and policy choices that aim for durable benefits instead of quick wins. Dexter also breaks down healthcare reforms like collaborative emergency centres, plus what COVID-19 taught him about crisis communication, public trust, and the hard tradeoffs leaders make when nobody has perfect information.  The conversation turns to what’s driving anger right now: cost of living, wage pressure, housing, and food prices. Dexter explains why targeted tax credits and a controversial HST move were designed as practical income support, then takes on the energy debates that never die in Nova Scotia politics: fracking, uranium, renewables, Muskrat Falls, tidal power, and the question of whether public ownership of the utility is realistic. He ends with a strong case for university research and the humanities as the foundation for better leadership.  If you care about Nova Scotia politics, Canadian public policy, energy policy, and what actually counts as a government legacy, you’ll want this one in your feed. Subscribe, share with a friend who loves politics, and leave a review, then tell us: what decision do you think Nova Scotia will judge differently 10 years from now? Send us Fan Mail Your Dream Home Does Not Have to Be Just A Dream. Today's show is brought to you by Kimia Nejat of Exit Reality Metro. Kimia is the realtor who knows how to get things done. Buying or Selling? Go to afternoonpint.ca/kimia and we will set up an introduction Does Your Business Need a Boost With Foot traffic? Hosts for An Event? Or Even Actors For A Production? Or the Production itself? Go to https://www.afternoonpint.ca/services and see some of the services that the Afternoon Pint team offers.  Support the show Find The Afternoon Pint on Youtube Facebook  Instagram & TikTok Buy merch, get out newsletter, or book some of Afternoon Pints Media Talent on our website: www.afternoonpint.ca #afternoonpint #entrepreneur #popculture #authors #actors #politics #money #music #popular #movies #canadalife #madeincanada Your follows likes and subscribes help support Canadian Made Media. Please drop us a line and let us know if you are enjoying the show.

    1h 21m
  3. May 12

    Christina Black On Building A Winning Canadian Curling Team

    You can learn a lot about high performance by listening to someone who lives in the details, and Christina Black lives there. Over pints at Jungle Jim’s, we talk with the Nova Scotia skip about how an eight-year-old in Sydney goes from watching the Scotties on TV to hearing an arena roar at the Olympic Trials in Halifax, and what that kind of pressure feels like when it’s finally real. We get into the parts of curling casual fans miss: why the game is closer to chess than most sports, how a skip balances analytics with instinct, and how one mistake can open the door to a three with the five rock rule in play. Christina breaks down film study, opponent scouting, and endgame decision-making, including how teams think about hammer, forcing, and when to protect against the “hero shot” that can swing an entire match. Team chemistry is a full storyline too. Christina explains how Team Black formed, what it took to recruit longtime rival Jill Brothers, and why the right mix of roles, communication, and energy can matter as much as pure shot-making. We also talk about the World Curling Tour, bonspiels, ranking points, and where to find streams and schedules if you want more curling in your life than just the Olympics. If you care about Canadian curling, the Scotties Tournament of Hearts, Olympic Trials, or simply how elite competitors keep their heads clear, this one delivers. Subscribe, share this with a curling fan, and leave a review with the biggest takeaway you’re stealing for your own game or your own life. Send us Fan Mail Your Dream Home Does Not Have to Be Just A Dream. Today's show is brought to you by Kimia Nejat of Exit Reality Metro. Kimia is the realtor who knows how to get things done. Buying or Selling? Go to afternoonpint.ca/kimia and we will set up an introduction Does Your Business Need a Boost With Foot traffic? Hosts for An Event? Or Even Actors For A Production? Or the Production itself? Go to https://www.afternoonpint.ca/services and see some of the services that the Afternoon Pint team offers.  Support the show Find The Afternoon Pint on Youtube Facebook  Instagram & TikTok Buy merch, get out newsletter, or book some of Afternoon Pints Media Talent on our website: www.afternoonpint.ca #afternoonpint #entrepreneur #popculture #authors #actors #politics #money #music #popular #movies #canadalife #madeincanada Your follows likes and subscribes help support Canadian Made Media. Please drop us a line and let us know if you are enjoying the show.

    1h 32m
  4. May 5

    Two Anonymous Young Immigrants Share The Hidden Costs Of Chasing Permanent Residency in Canada

    A must listen episode to gain perspective on Canada's Immigration Crisis. Two young men from India sit down with us and tell a story we can’t shake. They came to Nova Scotia with a plan, followed the rules, studied hard, built careers, paid taxes, and still may be forced to leave Canada because the rules changed while they were already here. We keep their identities private for their protection, but we don’t soften what they’re living through: sleepless nights, shrinking timelines, and the feeling of building a life with an expiry date. We talk about the real cost of the “international student to permanent residency” pathway in Nova Scotia, from $45,000 tuition bills to GIC deposits, rent, and the pressure to juggle multiple jobs under strict work-hour limits. They describe an education experience that didn’t match the marketing, including being moved into Cineplex classrooms because the university didn’t have enough space. We also dig into how immigration quotas, the provincial nominee program, and changing priorities toward construction and healthcare can leave established workers in other needed fields stranded, and how that uncertainty hurts employers who train people they may soon lose. Most of all, we focus on the humanity behind Canadian immigration policy: what fairness means when someone has already invested years in Halifax, built networks, and planned to start a business and create jobs. If you’ve ever wondered what “policy shifts” look like in real life, this conversation puts it in plain language.  Subscribe, share this with someone in Nova Scotia, and if your touched by the story of these two young gentleman. Write your MLA! Send us Fan Mail Your Dream Home Does Not Have to Be Just A Dream. Today's show is brought to you by Kimia Nejat of Exit Reality Metro. Kimia is the realtor who knows how to get things done. Buying or Selling? Go to afternoonpint.ca/kimia and we will set up an introduction Does Your Business Need a Boost With Foot traffic? Hosts for An Event? Or Even Actors For A Production? Or the Production itself? Go to https://www.afternoonpint.ca/services and see some of the services that the Afternoon Pint team offers.  Support the show Find The Afternoon Pint on Youtube Facebook  Instagram & TikTok Buy merch, get out newsletter, or book some of Afternoon Pints Media Talent on our website: www.afternoonpint.ca #afternoonpint #entrepreneur #popculture #authors #actors #politics #money #music #popular #movies #canadalife #madeincanada Your follows likes and subscribes help support Canadian Made Media. Please drop us a line and let us know if you are enjoying the show.

    48 min
  5. Apr 28

    Former Canadian Intelligence Operator Mike Fournier On The Practicality Of Spycraft

    A lot of people think “spy” means gadgets, fights, and glamour. We’ve got a different story for you, straight from a Canadian military intelligence operator who actually worked the Cold War and later returned to serve in Afghanistan. Mike Fournier, known as Intelligence Operator 230, joins us for a candid conversation about what intelligence work really is: supporting the commander, learning an insane amount of detail, living by strict rules, and staying calm when the situation turns sharp. We dig into how compromise and entrapment work in the real world, including the slow build adversaries use to find a weakness and apply pressure at exactly the wrong moment. Mike walks us through unforgettable stories from behind the Iron Curtain, including a honey trap attempt on a fellow soldier in Norway and a Warsaw scenario that shows why “no fraternization” isn’t just a policy, it’s protection. Along the way, we talk surveillance, counterintelligence, tradecraft, and why real spycraft is often quiet, methodical, and exhausting rather than cinematic. We also go where these conversations usually don’t: the mental toll, the isolation, the hyper-vigilance that sticks around for decades, and how PTSD shaped Mike’s life after service. Writing his memoir became a way to face those demons while still honouring the truth of Canadian Forces intelligence work. If you’re interested in Canadian military history, Cold War espionage, counterintelligence, and the human cost behind the badge, you’ll get a lot out of this one. Subscribe, share this with a friend who loves real-world spy stories, and leave a review. Link to Mike Fournier's New Book:  https://books.friesenpress.com/store/title/119734000249065885/Mike-Fournier-Intelligence-Operator-230 #servicecanada #military #intellegence #coldwar Send us Fan Mail Your Dream Home Does Not Have to Be Just A Dream. Today's show is brought to you by Kimia Nejat of Exit Reality Metro. Kimia is the realtor who knows how to get things done. Buying or Selling? Go to afternoonpint.ca/kimia and we will set up an introduction Does Your Business Need a Boost With Foot traffic? Hosts for An Event? Or Even Actors For A Production? Or the Production itself? Go to https://www.afternoonpint.ca/services and see some of the services that the Afternoon Pint team offers.  Support the show Find The Afternoon Pint on Youtube Facebook  Instagram & TikTok Buy merch, get out newsletter, or book some of Afternoon Pints Media Talent on our website: www.afternoonpint.ca #afternoonpint #entrepreneur #popculture #authors #actors #politics #money #music #popular #movies #canadalife #madeincanada Your follows likes and subscribes help support Canadian Made Media. Please drop us a line and let us know if you are enjoying the show.

    1h 30m
  6. Apr 21

    Canadian Film & TV: Our Next Great Export with Taylor Olson, Bob Mann, and Adam DeViller

    A pub table in Halifax is a strange place to map out a film and TV career, but that’s exactly where we end up with Taylor Olson, Bob Mann, and Adam DeViller. Between bites of a spice bag and a lot of laughter, we get into the real mechanics of building independent work in Nova Scotia: writing roles when the acting jobs don’t come, directing to control the full vision, and editing comedy with the kind of timing that makes awkward silence actually land. We also talk about Hey Halifax, how it grew with support from Bell TV1, and why landing on TPB Plus helps local shows reach viewers far beyond the city. From there, the conversation widens into the hard stuff that every Halifax artist feels right now: cost of living, arts cuts, and what happens when talented people have to leave because the margins get too thin. We make the case that the arts are not a hobby on the side of the economy, they’re entrepreneurship, jobs, and part of what makes a city worth staying in. We also hear about Taylor’s feature What We Dreamed It Then, its festival run, its impact screenings focused on houselessness, and what it takes to start pushing into the US market through festivals and distributors. If you care about Halifax comedy, Nova Scotia film, Canadian creators, and how culture gets made when resources are tight, this one goes deep. Subscribe, share this with a friend who’s building something, and leave a review with the one line you can’t stop thinking about. Send us Fan Mail Your Dream Home Does Not Have to Be Just A Dream. Today's show is brought to you by Kimia Nejat of Exit Reality Metro. Kimia is the realtor who knows how to get things done. Buying or Selling? Go to afternoonpint.ca/kimia and we will set up an introduction Does Your Business Need a Boost With Foot traffic? Hosts for An Event? Or Even Actors For A Production? Or the Production itself? Go to https://www.afternoonpint.ca/services and see some of the services that the Afternoon Pint team offers.  Support the show Find The Afternoon Pint on Youtube Facebook  Instagram & TikTok Buy merch, get out newsletter, or book some of Afternoon Pints Media Talent on our website: www.afternoonpint.ca #afternoonpint #entrepreneur #popculture #authors #actors #politics #money #music #popular #movies #canadalife #madeincanada Your follows likes and subscribes help support Canadian Made Media. Please drop us a line and let us know if you are enjoying the show.

    1h 18m
  7. Apr 14

    Canadian Home Ownership Matters With Habitat For Humanity CEO Donna Williamson

    You can feel the difference between a “housing” conversation and a “homeownership” conversation the minute Donna Williamson walks us through how Habitat for Humanity Nova Scotia actually works. We’re recording from the Burnside ReStore (with local beers from Burnside Brewing), and we start by clearing up the biggest misconception: Habitat doesn’t give houses away. Families buy at fair market value, but the model removes the barriers that keep working people stuck renting, including down payments and high interest. With interest-free mortgages and 500 volunteer hours, the goal is a real pathway to affordable homeownership that builds pride, stability, and equity. From there we get into the bigger problem Halifax and Nova Scotia are living through: the missing middle. When the bridge between rentals and market ownership collapses, the whole housing continuum jams up. Donna explains why building one or two volunteer-led homes a year isn’t enough anymore, and what scaling impact can look like through partnerships, more diverse builds like townhouses, and even condo-style approaches used by other Habitat affiliates across Canada. Then the conversation turns personal. Donna shares the brutal stretch that pushed her to create She Shed Unfiltered: a breakup, major life hits, and devastating loss, followed by the kind of friend support that literally picked her up. We talk therapy, trust, accountability, and why community matters when life breaks wide open. If you care about the housing crisis, affordable housing solutions, nonprofit leadership, and the human side of rebuilding, this one will stick with you. Subscribe, share this with a friend who’s feeling the housing squeeze, and leave a review with your biggest takeaway. Send us Fan Mail Your Dream Home Does Not Have to Be Just A Dream. Today's show is brought to you by Kimia Nejat of Exit Reality Metro. Kimia is the realtor who knows how to get things done. Buying or Selling? Go to afternoonpint.ca/kimia and we will set up an introduction Does Your Business Need a Boost With Foot traffic? Hosts for An Event? Or Even Actors For A Production? Or the Production itself? Go to https://www.afternoonpint.ca/services and see some of the services that the Afternoon Pint team offers.  Support the show Find The Afternoon Pint on Youtube Facebook  Instagram & TikTok Buy merch, get out newsletter, or book some of Afternoon Pints Media Talent on our website: www.afternoonpint.ca #afternoonpint #entrepreneur #popculture #authors #actors #politics #money #music #popular #movies #canadalife #madeincanada Your follows likes and subscribes help support Canadian Made Media. Please drop us a line and let us know if you are enjoying the show.

    1h 4m
  8. Apr 7

    Sonja O'Hara Left Atlantic Canada For New York To Become a Movie Star

    A kid from Williamswood leaves Nova Scotia at 17, lands in New York with no connections, survives the visa pressure cooker, and ends up directing heavyweight actors in Hollywood. That’s the real arc behind our conversation with Sonja O’Hara, an Emmy-nominated writer, director, and actress who’s built her career by treating filmmaking like both art and entrepreneurship. We talk about what the highlight reels never show: daily rejection, imposter syndrome, the cost of American education, and why a supportive home base can be the difference between resilience and burnout.  Sonja breaks down the practical side of making it, from neutralizing a Maritime accent for casting to understanding why LA is still the gravitational centre for film work. We get into the Canadian side too: Telefilm point systems, what qualifies as Canadian content, and how public arts funding can create real jobs and real culture when the rules line up. Then we go deep on career control, including the advice that pushed her into screenwriting and self-producing, how she uses cold emails strategically, and why feedback can either sharpen or weaken a writer’s point of view.  There’s plenty of craft and behind-the-scenes reality: directing for Lionsgate, earning trust on set, navigating union rules like turnaround and intimacy coordination, and the weird stuff nobody warns you about, like how hard it is to work with animals (yes, a cat gets fired). We finish with hot takes on horror, blockbuster culture, and a rapid-fire question game that shows what kind of storyteller Sonja really is.  If you like honest conversations about acting, directing, screenwriting, independent film financing, and building a creative career that lasts, hit subscribe, share this with a friend who’s chasing the same dream, and leave a review. What part of the industry do you want us to pull apart next? Send us Fan Mail Your Dream Home Does Not Have to Be Just A Dream. Today's show is brought to you by Kimia Nejat of Exit Reality Metro. Kimia is the realtor who knows how to get things done. Buying or Selling? Go to afternoonpint.ca/kimia and we will set up an introduction Does Your Business Need a Boost With Foot traffic? Hosts for An Event? Or Even Actors For A Production? Or the Production itself? Go to https://www.afternoonpint.ca/services and see some of the services that the Afternoon Pint team offers.  Support the show Find The Afternoon Pint on Youtube Facebook  Instagram & TikTok Buy merch, get out newsletter, or book some of Afternoon Pints Media Talent on our website: www.afternoonpint.ca #afternoonpint #entrepreneur #popculture #authors #actors #politics #money #music #popular #movies #canadalife #madeincanada Your follows likes and subscribes help support Canadian Made Media. Please drop us a line and let us know if you are enjoying the show.

    1h 14m

About

Afternoon Pint is a laid-back Canadian podcast hosted by Matt Conrad and Mike Tobin—recorded where the best conversations happen: craft breweries, local pubs, and great restaurants around Canada Each week, they sit down with a surprise guest—from entrepreneurs and athletes to authors, entertainers, politicians, and everything in between. You never quite know who’ll show up, and that’s exactly the point. Every episode feels like meeting someone new over a pint—sometimes for the first time, sometimes picking up right where you left off. The conversations are real, unfiltered, and always a little unpredictable. Because at its core, The Afternoon Pint is about bringing people together—sharing stories, perspectives, and a bit of good human spirit along the way. So grab a drink, pull up a chair, and join the conversation.

You Might Also Like