Mullinger Meets Canadians

In the final episode of the third season of Mullinger Meets Canadians, Jon Tattrie interviews your host live on stage att Halifax Central Library about his newly published memoir Brit Happens – Living The Canadian Dream!   James is an award-winning British comedian and the co-founder of [EDIT] magazine. He spent fifteen years at GQ before moving to Canada. He has appeared on CBC's The Debaters, at theatres across the country, and in stand-up specials and movies. Brit Happens is his first book. Mullinger wrote a feature film about his life The Comedian's Guide to Survival, starring British actor James Buckley. He has been nominated for a Just for Laughs Best Comedy Show Award and Canadian Comedy Awards for Best Live Show and Best Filmed Live Performance. Jon Tattrie is an award-winning author and multi-media journalist who has written about Nova Scotia history for Lonely Planet, Canadian Geographic, Reader's Digest, The Globe and Mail, CBC and many other outlets. He is the author of eight books, including Peace By Chocolate, Daniel Paul: Mi'kmaq Elder and Cornwallis: The Violent Birth of Halifax. He's a CBC journalist and holds a master's degree in writing from the University of King's College. All are award-winning regional best-sellers. His next book Sword and Soul will be published in 2024   To make it special, we also invited 300 people to join James, Jon and Sarah from Podstarter in Paul O'Regan Hall at the architectural marvel that is the Halifax Central Library to discuss James' eight years in Canada, the writing and publication of his memoir Brit Happens, childhood trauma, becoming a Canadian, writing comedy and much, much more.   Special thanks to everyone at the Halifax Central Library and at Goose Lane Editions.   Order Jon's books from jontattrie.ca And follow him on Twitter @jontattrie   Follow James on Twitter and Instagram: @jamesmullinger Follow James on YouTube: www.youtube.com/jamesmullingercomedian James Mullinger's memoir Brit Happens is available from books stores across the country or online from the Chapters Indigo website or from www.gooselane.com/brithappens

Ron James was born in beautiful Glace Bay, Nova Scotia, grew up in Halifax and attended Acadia University studying history and political science with the intention of becoming a history teacher. During his time at Acadia he became interested in the stage and after graduating, moved to Toronto and joined The Second City troupe there, working with them throughout the 1980s.   Shortly after, he moved to Los Angeles and appeared in numerous TV shows. He returned to Canada in 1993 and turned his experiences in L.A. into a stage show in a called Up & Down in Shaky Town: One Man's Journey through the California Dream, which was also shown as a special on The Comedy Network. Afterwards, he discovered the work of Scottish comedian Billy Connolly, whose style helped shape his own and inspired him to start doing stand up.   He has won Geminis, Canadian Comedy Awards, written and performed numerous hit critically acclaimed prime time stand up specials. His memoir, titled All Over the Map: Rambles and Ruminations from the Canadian Road was published by Doubleday Canada last year and it was an immediate national bestseller, entering top ten on the week of its release. He recently starred in Nathan Macintosh's sitcom Trapped streaming now on Bell Fibe Tv1 and he is back on the road right now, doing what he does best, playing to packed houses and standing ovations every night from coast to coast to coast. And book to see him live by visiting ronjames.ca Facebook: Ron James Twitter: @TheRonJamesShow Instagram: @ramblinronjames Order his memoir titled All Over the Map: Rambles and Ruminations from the Canadian Road published by DoubleDay

Nancy Regan is a bona fide Atlantic Canadian icon and a legend. A journalist, news anchor, and television personality best known for her fifteen-year tenure as host of CTV's Live At 5, which at its peak was bringing in 350,000 viewers every night.  She also served as the national host of CTV's Good Morning Canada and That News Show, and has interviewed some of the most famous people on the planet—including Oprah, Madonna, Russell Crowe, Mel Gibson and Harrison Ford. Nancy is also an actor, having appeared on stage at Halifax's gorgeous Neptune Theatre, and in TV and film productions such as Haven, Trailer Park Boys, and Reversible Errors.  In her new book "From Showing Off to Showing Up: An Impostor's Journey from Perfect to Present", Nancy gives a behind-the-scenes account of her experience hosting a TV show  while studiously concealing fear, insecurity, and self-doubt.  She is also the host of two hit podcasts - Canadian Love Map and The Soul Booth.  Order From Showing Off to Showing Up: An Impostor's Journey from Perfect to Present from www.nimbus.ca www.nancyregan.ca Be sure to follow Nancy on Twitter @NancyRegan Instagram @NovaScotiaNancy And on Facebook: @NancyReganAuthor 

Mullinger heads to Enfield, Nova Scotia to meet iconic East Coast hip hop artist and record producer, Luke Boyd, better known by his stage name, Classified.      He shot to stardom over 20 years ago and has since collaborated with everyone from Snoop Dogg to Buck 65, Ria Mae to David Myles. He has also racked up an incredible number of Juno awards, Much Music Video Awards, and ECMA's for his incredible talent and earned dozens of platinum and gold records. Despite the colossal success of his music, he has always remained close to his lifelong friends and living in the East Coast. Born and raised in small town Nova Scotia, he is a perfect representation of just how much an Atlantic Canadian can achieve on an international scale.   Social media handles: Twitter: @jamesmullinger @themaritimeedit @Classified Instagram: @jamesmullinger @themaritimeedit @ClassifiedHipHop Facebook: @JamesMullingerComedian @Classified

James Mullinger heads to Antigonish, Nova Scotia to meet Tareq Hadhad, the founder and CEO of Peace by Chocolate. He has inspired people throughout the world, as a Syrian-Canadian entrepreneur and public speaker. His family came to Antigonish in 2012 after their home and chocolate factory in Syria were bombed. Tareq was studying medicine in Syria, but after finding out his qualifications didn't transfer over to Canada, he decided to rebuild his family business. Their story has become a beacon of light, notably shared by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in his 2016 United Nations Speech. Their company has grown to have their products on the shelves of Sobeys and retailers across Canada, and they now have a beautiful boutique in downtown Halifax as part of the Queens Marque development. Tareq continues to share his story at conferences and events across the globe and a big budget movie about his family is soon to be released. James meets Tareq in the place he now calls home, that has welcomed him in with open arms.    Mullinger Meets Canadians is brought to you by The Business Events Team at Discover Halifax.

We're back for the third season of Mullinger Meets Canadians! In this new season we have an incredible lineup of guests, including Peace By Chocolate's Tareq Hadhad, the godfather of Canadian hip hop himself Maestro Fresh Wes and world renowned opera singer Mesha Brueggergosman.   This is going to be the best season yet! Stay tuned for Season 3, coming soon!

That's a wrap on Season Two of Mullinger Meets Canadians! In this closing episode, Mullinger reflects on the amazing guests and special moments from Season two. He also looks ahead to Season Three, which will be coming soon! If you have enjoyed the season, let us know by leaving a review.

Mullinger meets Ian Hanomansing, the co-host of CBC's flagship news show The National. Hanomansing was born in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad, and grew up in Sackville, New Brunswick. He graduated with an honours B.A. in political science and sociology from Mount Allison University in Sackville, where he was valedictorian; he also has a law degree from Dalhousie University in Halifax. While in university, Hanomansing won six national university debating and public speaking championships. He began his broadcasting career at CKDH Radio in Amherst, Nova Scotia, working at radio stations in Moncton and Halifax before joining CBC in Halifax in 1986. His assignments took him to Toronto the following year and eventually to Vancouver, where he was a national reporter for fourteen years.   In his new book Pandemic Spotlight: Canadian Doctors at the Front of the COVID-19 Fight, Hanomansing profiles Canadian infectious disease doctors who stepped up to guide the nation through its worst medical crisis in a century. There are a few silver linings in the COVID storm but one of them is how these doctors put science front and centre and became public symbols of trust and hope. As they prepare to return to their private careers, they respond to Hanomansing's invitation to reflect on lessons learned and their concerns about the next pandemic. All author royalties from sales of the book are going to UBC's Centre for Health Education Scholarship.    Mullinger and Hanomansing compare notes on life in New Brunswick, a life spent in journalism and what they have learned over the past two years.   Mullinger Meets Canadians is brought to you by Opportunities New Brunswick. Great things are happening in New Brunswick - read more about them at onbcanada.ca/about-us/goodnews/.    

On his very first day as a Canadian citizen, Mullinger meets one of Canada's all time greats… Mr. Rick Mercer!    Rick Mercer has been the voice of Canada for decades, but now he finally shares the inside story of his rise to success in a brand new book, Talking To Canadians, and it is every bit as fascinating, nuanced, hilarious, eye opening, though provoking as his much lauded television work.   Unlike many in the entertainment industry, Mercer's success came early. At 21 he garnered national recognition when his first solo show, Rick Mercer: Show Me the Button: I'll Push It (Or Charles Lynch Must Die) was presented at Ottawa's National Arts Centre and in this very special season finale episode of Mullinger Meets Canadians, Rick shares the inside story of how he rose to fame thanks to the marketing genius of Mercer's long-time business partner and spouse, television producer Gerald Lunz.   Just two years later Rick began working alongside fellow Newfoundlanders Cathy Jones, Mary Walsh and Greg Thomey to create political satire program This Hour Has 22 Minutes. It was here that Mercer's knack to change direction quickly demonstrated itself when he devised the insanely successful segment Talking to Americans.   After eight years with 22 Minutes he decided to part ways with the show to focus on his situational comedy Made in Canada, which aired for its planned five-year, 65-episode run and Rick reveals to Mullinger the real reason why the show has all but disappeared.    He then went on tour before launching the Rick Mercer Report, a show designed around his passion for what he knows, loves and does best: political satire, shining a spotlight on Canada and its people, and ranting. Among countless other awards the Middle Cove, Newfoundland native has received 25 Gemini Awards and nine honorary degrees from Canadian universities. He was appointed Officer of the Order of Canada for his “ability to inspire and challenge Canadians through humour.”    Talking To Canadians by Rick Mercer published by Penguin Random House is available now. Click here to order.   Mullinger Meets Canadians will be back for a third season in 2022. If you have enjoyed the season, please do let us know by leaving a review.

Emily Higgins is a marine biologist and science communicator who has dedicated her academic career to evaluating the conservation success of artificial reefs.    She is the Director of Ocean Science and for more than half a decade she has been leading international research teams and consulting on best practices for the use of artificial reefs in marine restoration projects in tropical and temperate regions.    Recently, Emily found that IntelliReefs can increase the biodiversity of reef organisms on Caribbean coral reefs and provide refuges to important fish and invertebrate species on degraded reefs. In her science communication work, she uses visual storytelling to empower conservation initiatives for partners of IntelliReefs and Reef Life Foundation.   She is a marine biologist, conservationist, researcher, science communicator, diver, educator, coral reef ecologist, science communicator, & environmental storyteller. We can all learn a lot from Emily Higgins.   Follow Emily on Instagram: @emilythereefer.   www.intellireefs.com www.reeflifefoundation.org   Support Emily here:  https://www.globalgiving.org/projects/restoring-coastal-resilience-in-eastern-canada/   Mullinger Meets Canadians is brought to you by Nova Scotia Business Inc.

Keely Wallace is the director of Nova Scotia's Community Haul, one of the most inspiring and uplifting business success stories of the past 18 months. When COVID hit and community halls were not able to host events to promote local businesses, Keely launched Community Haul to create a safe and fun way to support the small business community.   Community Haul, partnered with Symplicity Designs to launch a subscription box devoted to celebrating Nova Scotia business owners and help reboot the regional economy. Supporters were asked to pledge their community support with a subscription, and in doing so they kept the lights on for dozens of small businesses during this economically stressful time. What's more, every box sold raised money for the IWK Foundation to provide care for the women and children in the Maritimes. Keely grew up in Bible Hill, Nova Scotia, studied at UNB Fredericton, worked for the IWK Foundation for five years before launching Community Haul. Under Keely's leadership, Nova Scotia's Community Haul has been a huge success – in just 12 months they have delivered over 6000 subscription boxes, raised over $30,000 for the IWK Foundation and supported more than 70 local businesses.    To learn more about Community Haul or to subscribe please visit:    www.communityhaul.ca

Clifton Cremo is a Mi'kmaw stand-up comedian from Eskasoni First Nation. In just two short years he became a fixture in the Nova Scotia comedy scene through his deft brand of storytelling and wry absurdism. Nothing is off limits, particularly when it concerns family and his First Nations heritage.  Clifton's unique outlook on his Mi'kmaw upbringing and First Nations issues caught the attention of Ha!ifax Comedy Festival, where he is scheduled to perform in October at Best of the Fest and the Winnipeg Comedy Festival, where he has been booked for virtual fundraising events, and of local comedy show-runners that have seen him open for the likes of JUNO Award Nominees Nick Nemeroff and Matt Wright.    Whether he's on stage at a comedy club, a local bar, or even a funeral (yes, seriously), Clifton always manages to bring the laughs. He is an incredible self-starter who has gone out and created lots of shows in the Maritimes as a producer in addition to excelling on stage every night. He recently hosted Tatafest - The Tatamagouche Festival that also featured everyone's favourite New Brunswick-based rapper Wolf Castle!    Mullinger Meets Canadians is brought to you by the Cape Breton Partnership

Mullinger meets Julia Rivard Dexter, an innovative tech entrepreneur and former Olympian who competed in the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia as a member of the Canadian Canoe Kayak team.   Julia has led several successful technology ventures, including as CEO of Google's first North American premier Apps, and Pursu.it a not-for-profit crowdfunding platform that has raised over 1M for athletes who need support to reach their Olympic goal. For her innovative web and software work Julia and her teams have been recognized by the International Webby Awards.   Julia's latest venture is as Co-Founder and CEO of Eyeread (soon to be Shoelace Learning) the developer of games like Dreamscape which aim to improve literacy rates for children world wide. Eyeread's learning platform is one of the fastest growing EdTech platforms serving millions of students and teachers in hundreds of countries around the world. Eyeread was chosen as a Google for Entrepreneurs company as a part of their first Canadian cohort in 2020.   She is currently a member of the Board of Directors of Nova Scotia Power and was recognized as one of Canada's Inspiring 50 Women in STEM presented by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Canada with the support of the Senate of Canada. Julia lives in Lake Loon, Nova Scotia with her husband Steve and four kids, Oscar, Max, Phoenix and Madeleine.   Mullinger Meets Canadians is brought to you by Nova Scotia Business Inc.

Joel Burton was born in Neil's Harbour, Nova Scotia, and grew up in St. Margaret Village (Victoria County, Cape Breton Island). A highly respected content specialist who uses empathetic storytelling and conversational interviewing to design content for online and offline audiences, he focuses on marketing efforts dedicated to upholding craft and finding meaning in commerce with everyone from Zita Cobb to Linden MacIntyre. He was working for Voices, the World's #1 Voice Over company in Ontario when COVID hit and he and his wife decided to come back to Nova Scotia for family support and a better quality of life for his young daughter and newborn son.    He is now producing content for the Victoria Co-operative Fisheries Ltd., a 66-year old seafood company from northern Cape Breton, with a focus on harvesting and processing wild sustainable seafood from the cold, pristine waters of the North Atlantic for sales in North America and global markets.    Mullinger meets Canadians is brought to you by the Cape Breton Partnership.

James Mullinger is in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador to meet the Queen of Canadian Comedy, Mary Walsh. Best known as a co-creator and star of one the most successful and longest-running comedy series in Canadian history, This Hour Has 22 Minutes, she's had a decades long career as a comedian, director and actress, a best-selling author, and a philanthropist and activist. She has won an incredible 18 Gemini Awards and a Governor General's Performing Arts Award.    James meets Mary at her home in downtown St. John's to discuss her love for Atlantic Canada, her personal career highlights, the creation of CODCO, the evolution of Marg Delahunty, Princess Warrior and how she overcame personal difficulties to become one of funniest and most important voices in the country.    Mullinger Meets Canadians is brought to you by Nova Scotia Business Inc.

Mullinger meets one of the greatest Canadian comic book artists of all time, Kate Beaton.   She is best known as the creator of Hark! A Vagrant, the book of which debuted at #1 on the New York Times bestseller list and was named one of the top ten fiction books of the year by Time magazine, and Rolling Stone magazine placed the same collection on its list of “The 50 Best Non-Superhero Graphic Novels Ever”.   More than half a million people each month visited her website harkavagrant.com to devour her hilariously smart absurdities of history and literature and has contributed to Marvel Comics' Strange Tales anthology.   She also wrote one of James' favourite children's books ever, The Princess and the Pony. The Guardian newspaper in England reviewed the book thus: “In a new children's book, Kate Beaton gently subverts the idea that ‘strong female heroes' have to kick ass – and provides a lesson for adults too. Most importantly for me, it features a farting horse.”   Of Scottish descent, Beaton grew up in Mabou on Cape Breton Island. She went to a small school and then graduated from Mount Allison University in 2005. She began drawing comics for the university newspaper, The Argosy and after college worked in Victoria, British Columbia. She has also lived in Toronto and New York but is now happily back in Mabou, a town with a population of just over a thousand people.   Mullinger Meets Canadians is brought to you by the Cape Breton Partnership.  

Mullinger meets Steve Lilley, the co-founder and president of a globally renowned company that has been serving the global science and engineering community for more than two decades while proudly based in Sydney, Nova Scotia on beautiful Cape Breton Island.   Steve's company, Protocase Incorporated, is an innovative manufacturer of low-volume custom electronic enclosures and metal components and as CEO, he has led the organization to remarkable growth as the company now employs over 275 individuals serving over 17,000 clients throughout North America and Europe while remaining headquartered in Atlantic Canada.   Steve has 35 years' experience in engineering, operations management, and software development. He has also shown himself to be a true proponent of East Coast community spirit through his involvement as Chair of the Board of New Dawn Enterprises Ltd (the oldest community development organization in Canada) as well as New Dawn Holdings Limited, and past Chair of the Electronic Engineering Technology's Program Advisory Committee for the Nova Scotia Community College.    Steve earned his Bachelor of Engineering from the Technical University of Nova Scotia in 1986.  He has been a resident of Sydney, Nova Scotia for over 30 years where he and his wife raised five children.   Mullinger is excited to hear how it is he started this company with five people, built it to almost 300 employees and attracted the very best people from around the world including many of James' fellow countrymen from the United Kingdom.   Mullinger Meets Canadians is brought to you by the Cape Breton Partnership

Brookes Diamond Productions is the most respected and beloved entertainment production company in Atlantic Canada and is run by Nova Scotia-based power couple, Brookes Diamond and Fiona Diamond.   Fiona and Brookes have worked with and managed the careers of everyone from Rita MacNeil, the Rankin Family and Bruce Guthro to Reeny Smith, Mark Critch, Bette MacDonald, and guitar hero Roland Grant. They have produced shows everywhere from Cape Breton Island, Halifax and Saint John to the Sydney Opera House and Broadway in New York City.     Fiona founded the company with Brookes, in 1977. In that capacity she has been show producer, concert promoter, project manager, and marketing director. She created and founded the nationally-televised Halifax Comedy Festival, which she sold in 2007, and promotes numerous large scale tours such as Lord of the Dance, Gordon Lightfoot, and Bruce Cockburn. She even brought in Jerry Seinfeld to Halifax for a QEII Foundation fundraiser.   Fiona and Brookes together created for Nova Scotia's globally renowned, spectacular musical extravaganza, DRUM! Since 1971, Brookes Diamond has been Atlantic Canada's leading entertainment producer and promoter of concerts, theatre shows, trade shows and special events. He's won every award going from Canadian Manager of the Year, to ECMA Industry Builder Award; Best Event Producer and Best Promoter; and ECMA Industry Person of the Year.   Mullinger Meets Canadians is brought to you by the Cape Breton Partnership

James is in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador to meet iconic east coast musician Alan Doyle. Alan's career took off as the front man of the renowned folk-rock band Great Big Sea, whose contemporary spin on traditional Newfoundland folk music, proved popular with audiences across Canada, racking up the awards and making them one of the top selling bands in the country.   In recent years he's also made his mark as a solo musician, actor alongside Russell Crowe, producer, author and philanthropist and as a recipient of the Order of Canada for his contributions to the musical traditions of his province and for his commitment to numerous local charities. They discuss his prolific musical career, his passion for performance, and how he became one of Newfoundland and Labrador's greatest exports.    Mullinger Meets Canadians is brought to you by Nova Scotia Business Inc.

Mullinger meets the founders of Dormie Workshop, Todd and Jeff Bishop. These golf fanatics and business partners launched this trailblazing business that creates luxury handmade golf club covers. Proudly based in Halifax, Nova Scotia, their covers can be found on club heads of golfers around the world with an impressive client roster that includes PGA golfers Paul Casey, Corey Connors, David Hearn, Brooke Henderson and megastars and public figures such as George Clooney, Cindy Crawford, Tom Brady, Wayne Gretzky and George W. Bush.  Dormie workshop has relationships with the NFL and the Toronto Raptors, and offer over 300 unique, often three-dimensional designs to choose from. They are a statement piece, and a work of art. To see one is to want one, and their clients are the company's dearest and strongest ambassadors of their growing brand. As of late, the duo has partnered with Gucci Ghost designer Trevor “Trouble” Andrew to produce the luxury brand's first range of edgy golf covers.  It was their Nova Scotia upbringing that gave them this passion and drive and Mullinger learns how they plan to stay at the top of their game. Mullinger Meets Canadians is brought to you by Halifax Partnership. 

In this very special episode, James Mullinger is reunited with the first person that he ever interviewed over 25 years ago: his all all-time hero, Lloyd Kaufman. As any movie fan will know, Lloyd Kaufman is the director of The Toxic Avenger films and co-founder of Troma Entertainment, the longest running independent movie studio in North America.   Lloyd is a proud New Yorker and is the first non-Canadian to ever appear on the show, because without Lloyd this show wouldn't exist.    Born in New York in 1945, Lloyd graduated from Yale University in 1968, where he majored in Chinese studies. His fellow Yale classmates included Oliver Stone and George W. Bush. In 1974, Lloyd and his business partner Michael Herz founded Troma Entertainment and began producing and distributing independent action and comedy films. At the same time, Kaufman also did freelance work for major Hollywood productions including Rocky and Saturday Night Fever. Lloyd is still making films now including such instant classics as Return To Nuke Em High Volume 2 and Shakespeare's Sh*tstorm.    Many high profile filmmakers began their careers at Troma. Kevin Costner's first movies were with Troma. James Gunn began his career with Troma. Trey Parker and Matt Stone made Cannibal: The Musical for Troma before creating South Park. Others whose careers were helped by Troma include Eli Roth, Dustin Hoffman, Samuel L. Jackson, and Robert De Niro. Troma continues to be a haven for independent directors and young talent during an era of corporate takeovers. Indeed, James Mullinger's first foray into magazine editing was a Troma fanzine aged 12 and his excitement at speaking with his hero once again, is palpable.  

Mullinger meets Doug Jones, the founder and CEO of Ignite Labs proudly based in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia. Doug is an innovator, inventor and entrepreneur with over 20-years' experience in product design and business development working with global sports companies such as Wilson, Louisville Slugger, Rawlings, Toronto Blue Jays, Phil Simms Quarterback Camps, Pro Performance Sports and many more.   But in 2018, Doug founded Ignite Labs and has been leading the organization to develop a start up and innovation ecosystem in rural Nova Scotia. A real game changer for the region, Ignite helps rural communities innovate by providing access to technology, resources, and mentorship for start ups and proves that you don't need to be in a big city to think big and deliver big.   Open to any industry or sector, Ignite helps make ideas become reality and Doug is currently helping the growth of over 30 companies in including a film production company, an independent game studio, a sports brand, catering firm and even a British boutique.   By providing structure, mentoring and partnerships for new companies to operate in a lean start up environment outside of the traditional corporate world, Ignite Labs are making a real difference and Doug shares the secrets of his success.   Mullinger Meets Canadians is brought to you by Nova Scotia Business Inc.

Mullinger meets Wolf Castle, a 24-year-old Indigenous Mi'kmaq rapper, producer and singer from Pabineau First Nation. Everything about Tristan defies the odds. He taught himself how to play piano at the age of 11. He writes and records all of his own work and he has been releasing music projects every year since the age of 17.    He found huge success playing festivals across Canada and quickly secured nominations at the East Coast Music Awards for Indigenous Artist of the Year and for Recording of the Year. This year he is nominated for two more East Coast Music Awards and is also part of the 2021 ECMA Festival & Conference, from 5th to 9th in Sydney, Nova Scotia. For more information on the 2021 EMCAs, please visit ecma.com.   The week before we spoke, he released Gunna, the first single from his upcoming EP via the Halifax, Nova Scotia-based label Forward Music Group. One of Canada's most respected record labels proudly based in Nova Scotia. In a few short years, Wolf Castle has grown from a bedroom producer into one of the most prolific and important Indigenous hip hop artists working in Canada today.   Mullinger Meets Canadians is brought to you by Nova Scotia Business Inc.

Mullinger meets the Mayor of Halifax, Nova Scotia to learn why the city was just declared the best place to live in all of Canada.   Mike Savage was first elected Mayor of Halifax on October 20, 2012, with a mandate to make Halifax the most livable, entrepreneurial and inclusive city in Canada. Despite obvious challenges in the past fourteen months, the city is booming right now and last year on October 17, 2020, he was elected for an impressive third term with a landslide victory.    Mayor Savage and his wife Darlene have two adult children and live in Dartmouth where Mike grew up and attended school before graduating from Dalhousie University.   In October 2015, Mayor Savage was selected by his counterparts from across the country to co-chair the Syrian refugee response task force, drawing cities together to share best practices in response to the Syrian refugee crisis and resettlement.   Mullinger Meets Canadians is brought to you by the Halifax Partnership.

Mullinger meets community legend Diani Blanco, who has triumphed over much adversity and become a hugely respected keynote speaker, activist, philanthropist, the CEO and founder of Infyno Group, host of an acclaimed podcast and single mother of two beautiful children.   Born in Dominican Republic, Diani Blanco moved to New Brunswick at the age of 10. She spent much of her early years feeling out of place. From being bullied in school and suffering physical abuse at home, Diani became suicidal in her early teens. At 15 years old, she was permanently placed in the foster care system and during this time, she was also in an abusive relationship. Diani was determined to change her life around after becoming a mother at 19 years old.    At 23 years old, Diani created Infyno Group, a non-profit organization dedicated to help teenagers who are going through dating abuse. She traveled to high schools across New Brunswick as an inspirational speaker and shared her story to educate teens and encourage them to speak up.    After losing everything in a fire in August in 2019 and having nowhere else to go with her two kids, she felt defeated and became depressed. But like a true leader, she rose up and a few months later co-founded the Queens of Heart organization in the early days of the global pandemic to offer food and support to single parents, to ensure that no family is left behind. 

Mullinger heads to Dreaming Out Loud Studio in Enfield, Nova Scotia to meet Frank Kadillac and Adrian Morris from alt-pop musical sensation Neon Dreams. James learns how the band has risen from humble Maritimes beginnings to international acclaim by successfully touring North America, releasing one of 2019's songs of the summer “Sweet Dreams till Sunbeams”, and winning 2020's Juno award for breakthrough artist of the year.   These childhood friends, along with their broader Neon Dreams family, have been making music together for well over a decade. Through evolutions of sound, and personal challenges, bullying, childhood trauma and growth, they have stayed true to themselves and are proud to continue to call Nova Scotia home.''   Featured song:  Brought to you by Podstarter and The Maritime Edit in collaboration with Halifax Partnership. To learn more about Halifax Partnership click here

James travels to Halifax, Nova Scotia to meet globally renowned architect and Ontario export, Omar Gandhi. Omar studied architecture at Dalhousie University, and in 2012 at the age of just 30, started Omar Gandhi Architect, his own design studio and architectural practice in Halifax. His unique vision and far-reaching insight and creativity have led to some of the most blisteringly stunning developments in North America. He is the recipient of many awards and distinctions including being named one of Monocle Magazine's 20 most influential Canadians, and one of the Top 20 Young Architects in the world by Wallpaper Magazine. Omar tells James about why he chose to call Nova Scotia home. Brought to you by Podstarter and The Maritime Edit in collaboration with Halifax Partnership. To learn more about Halifax Partnership click here

Mullinger meets entrepreneur Jolene Laskey. Jolene is the founder and president of Wabanaki Maple, a 100% Indigenous female-owned maple syrup manufacturer at the edge of Neqotkuk, also known as Tobique First Nation.    She was inspired to create this business based on what we are lucky enough to have access to here on the East Coast of Canada. She explains how her locally sourced syrup is aged in repurposed oak barrels acquired from Kentucky whisky distilleries and how she has attracted people to the region, the ways that the Atlantic Canadian business community has supported her and how she continues to grow.

Mullinger meets filmmaker, fashion designer, keynote speaker and mental health advocate Tyler Simmonds. Tyler's award-winning films, keynote speeches and TED Talks on mental health and mindfulness, led to the Huffington Post naming him one of the “10 Inspirational People Under 30 You Should Be Following.” Born on January 26, 1990 Tyler grew up in North Preston and struggled with his mental health throughout his childhood. His first critically acclaimed short film, In My Mind, looked at mental health in the black community. And his second film, There's Soul in Our Soil, examined intergenerational trauma caused by racism. Tyler and James discuss what people in Atlantic Canada can do more to support black owned businesses, how to deal with ignorance, racism in Canada, why cancelling people doesn't work and that rather than calling them out we should call them in. Settle in, and listen up.

Mullinger meets Candy Palmater, one of his favourite people in the whole world. Candy once described herself as “a gay native recovered lawyer turned feminist comic, who was raised by bikers in the wilds of northern New Brunswick.” But even that unique title doesn't do justice to the intelligence and brilliance of this incredibly versatile performer, artist, thinker, comedian, broadcaster and creator of the hit TV series The Candy Show and host of the daily CBC interview series The Candy Palmater Show. She is one of this country's greatest talents and this is one of the most in-depth and moving interviews yet.

Mullinger meets actor, director, producer, writer, podcast host, musician and television personality Jonathan Torrens. Best known for his impressive turn as J-Roc in the Trailer Park Boys, Torrens began his career at the tender age of 15, hosting the teen-themed, consumer affairs–oriented program Street Cents. Seven years later, he created, wrote, co-produced and hosted Jonovision, a wildly successful teen talk-show program that aired for five years and received seven prestigious Gemini Awards. More recently he was a leading cast member on the globally adored sitcom Mr. D and has also played roles in Jason Priestley's hit show Call Me Fitz, Degrassi: The Next Generation, Game On written seven episodes for Letterkenny. His podcast Taggart and Torrens (created with Jeremy Taggart) has been downloaded more than four million times and received a Canadian Comedy Award for best audio program in 2018. In this episode of Mullinger Meets Canadians, Torrens and Mullinger discuss their new life as virtual performers, being an entertainer in the Maritimes, the creation of Trailer Park Boys and much more!

In this episode, Mullinger meets Joel Plaskett, one of the most-renowned singer-songwriters in Canadian musical history. From rocking Halifax's Marquee Club to performing for the masses across the country, and sharing the bill with other Canadian power bands, including Sloan and the Tragically Hip, over three decades Joel Plaskett has forged a reputation as one of Canada's most engaging performers and respected singer-songwriters. He has won multiple awards over his career including Juno Awards, Canadian Folk Music Awards and East Coast Music Awards. Mullinger and Plaskett discuss fame, success, their shared love for the East Coast of Canada, family, entrepreneurship and much more.

Montreal-based stand up Derek Seguin is undeniably one of Canada's hottest comedians. He has performed at the prestigious Just For Laughs festival an impressive seven times and he filmed a gala set for HBO at the festival where he received a standing-ovation from a sold out audience of 3,500 people. He is also the winner of Sirius XM's Top Comic contest making him officially the funniest person in Canada. Perhaps most impressively, he has appeared on (and won) CBC's The Debaters more than any other comedian in history. His new concert album Panderek (1st Wave!) is available now on CD and iTunes and was recorded at Montreal's The Comedy Nest the weekend before lockdown in March this year. He was one of the first comedians to successfully transition to virtual shows and James chats with him about the intricacies of this new form of live entertainment.

Ali Hassan is a comedian, actor and radio and television personality. Perhaps best known as the host of CBC's Canada Reads and CBC's Laugh Out Loud stand up showcase, he has appeared in movies such as Goon with Seann William Scott, My Spy with Dave Bautista and in television shows such as Designated Survivor with Kiefer Sutherland and CTV's Cardinal. Born in New Brunswick, Ali grew up in Montreal and now resides in Toronto. His hilarious, uplifting show Muslim Interrupted is one of the most critically acclaimed stand up tours in recent years. Mullinger caught up with Ali to discuss friendship, success, cooking, doing the right thing, Canadian comedy, family, lockdown and much, much more.

Mullinger meets fellow Brit turned Canadian, Mr. Pete Luckett. The owner of Luckett Vineyards and founder of Pete's Frootique and Pete's Fine Foods, he was born in Nottingham 1953 and in 1979 he moved, aged 26, to Canada and eventually settled in Saint John, New Brunswick. Having worked a fruit and veg stall in his native Nottingham, Pete launched Pete's Frootique in 1981 at the Saint John City Market. His unique banter, knowledge and attention to detail ensured this small business grew into something Peter never anticipated, nor dreamed of.

On this week's episode James is in Halifax with Rhys Waters and Jonathan Burns, the co-founders of Podstarter, a start-up which uses podcasting content to break through the marketing clutter to connect with people. Rhys Waters was a highly respected and BAFTA-award winning producer, director and editor for the BBC in the United Kingdom. He moved to the Maritimes three years ago with his wife and three children on a whim with a thirst for adventure.  Born and raised in Nova Scotia, Jonathan Burns has travelled across the globe working with clients like Marvel, Warner Brothers and NBA launching marketing campaigns to reach audiences in unique ways.  They met in Halifax, in Podstarter's recording studio above James' favourite comic book store Strange Adventures, to discuss their lives, careers and what makes a great podcast.  

In this week's episode James speaks to comedian Steve Patterson the legendary host of the hit show The Debaters on CBC Radio One. A headlining comedian since 1997, he has taped numerous national television specials, including four for Just For Laughs. Steve isn't just a comedian. He's a husband. A father to two delightful daughters. A keynote speaker. And the unofficial leader of Canadian comedy making it his life's mission to support up and coming comedians across the country.

James Mullinger chats with world-renowned chef Michael Smith and his wife Chastity Smith, an accomplished interior decorator and musician. They discuss their new property The Inn at Fortune Bridge on their beloved Prince Edward Island, how they survived lockdown, what will save the Atlantic Canadian tourism industry, their favourite dishes and fame in the Maritimes. Produced by Podstarter in conjunction with The Maritime Edit. 

James chats with Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia-born but Hollywood-based comedian Jason John Whitehead about his new hit album, writing for Jim Jefferies, the differences between British and Canadian audiences and meeting Maritimers in Hollywood.

James is joined by award-winning comedian Travis Lindsay. They discuss why being a comedian in the Maritimes prepares you for a global pandemic, Travis' hit #1 album, touring, racism, family, kindness and much more.  Produced by Podstarter in conjunction with The Maritime Edit. 

James is joined by Sean McCann and Andrea Aragon. They open up about their life, careers, marriage, addiction, childhood trauma, love for Newfoundland & Labrador and more.   Produced by Podstarter in conjunction with The Maritime Edit

James is joined by chef Matty Matheson and they discuss Matty's love for the Maritimes, his new cookbook and TV show and everything else from global fame and success to depression and addiction. Produced by Podstarter in conjunction with The Maritime Edit

Introducing the new podcast by comedian James Mullinger, in partnership with Edit Magazine and Podstarter.