Podcast appearances and mentions of Rick Mercer Report

Join Laura Cassiday and Joanna Wachowiak-Finlaison as they chat and chuckle about performing cats and how to get them ready to do their thing! Melissa Millett is the founder and head trainer of In Dogs We Trust and The Ultimutts, and Ultimutt Animal Actors. She has trained thousands of family pets and is recognized globally as an animal expert. Melissa has been featured on major Canadian TV networks, including Breakfast Television (Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary), CP24, Global News, CTV (Toronto, Vancouver), Animal Planet, The Pet Network, and more. She is the host of the popular television shows Doggy House Calls and the spin-off series Doggy Diaries across Canada. Internationally acclaimed as an advanced trick trainer and performer with Ultimutts, Melissa's dogs have appeared on Good Morning America, The Rick Mercer Report, The Family Channel, and Canada's Got Talent. Bella the Boston terrier has traveled across the country with Ripley's Believe it or Not! to promote her feature in the 2016 publication. Jellybean, the deaf Australian cattle dog, made it to the semifinals of the Facebook Watch show World's Most Amazing Dog, garnering 36 million views and narrowly missing the $100,000 USD prize! Melissa offers an elite service for animals in film and TV, with credits including Pet Sematary, Priscilla, Titans, a 2019 U.S. Super Bowl commercial, as well as commercials for Duracell, Yoplait, and Gund. Past clients have included Paramount, Netflix, Warner Brothers, and others.

Rick Mercer is back to discuss their 'Will They or Won't They' tour and the joy of spreading "mirth" to audiences across Canada. They reflect on their favourite tour experiences and share some behind the scenes moments, including the misconception that Peter Mansbridge is traveling with them and doing the voiceover for their show from backstage. Jann and Rick discuss their on-stage dynamic and chemistry and the enjoyment they get from making people laugh, along with the importance of respect and kindness to eachother. They also discuss the changing landscape of television and the possibility of future projects together. This week's episode is brought to you by the home and auto insurance brand Canadians trust most, Intact Insurance. In case you're not familiar with THE Rick Mercer; he is a Canadian comedian, television personality, political satirist and author. He is best known for his work on the CBC Television comedy shows This Hour Has 22 Minutes, Made In Canada and Rick Mercer Report. He is the author of four books all of which have been national best sellers. Mercer has received nearly 30 Gemini Awards and Canadian Screen awards for his work on television. His CBC Television special Talking To Americans remains the highest rated Canadian comedy special ever with 2.7 million viewers. Rick holds Honorary Doctorates from Memorial University, Laurentian University, University of British Columbia, McMaster University, Bishop's University, Brock University and the University of Guelph. In 2014, he received Honorary Doctorates from the Royal Military Academy and from University of Western Ontario and York University. He is on the board of directors of Historica Canada, an organization dedicated to promoting Canadian history, identity and citizenship. They are the "Heritage Minute" people. He is also a recipient of the Governor Generals Performing Arts Award for lifetime achievement and in 2014 was appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada. He is a native of St. John's, Newfoundland. Find out more about Rick Mercer: https://www.rickmercer.com/ Jann, Caitlin & Sarah also discuss their fabulous 'company dinner' this week at Gia (don't forget to check out Stefanos Sandwiches), and Caitlin tries to pull Jann further into reality television. Keep sending your voicenotes in at www.jannardenpod.com (click the little red microphone at the bottom of the page) and have a great long weekend! We are thrilled to be working with our friends at Intact Insurance again and they've got so many great tips for any Canadian long weekend HERE. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Canadian comedian and television personality Rick Mercer is back with the highly anticipated follow-up to his first memoir, “Talking to Canadians.” Rick's new memoir is called “The Road Years” and it features stories and behind-the-scenes moments from some of the most iconic episodes of the hit CBC show “Rick Mercer Report.” Rick speaks with Tom Power about some of the highlights from “Rick Mercer Report,” imposter syndrome, and why writing a second memoir is easier than the first.

"The Road Years - A Memoir Continued..." is full of fun things that happened behind the scenes during the filming of The Rick Mercer Report. (Anthony Germain with Rick Mercer)

Meet a longtime favorite from North of the Border -- Rick Mercer! Over a career now over 30 years, Rick has had a hand in creating some of Canada's best loved satirical shows, including This Hour Has 22 Minutes, Made in Canada, and The Rick Mercer Report. Rick's gifts at blending news, parody, sketch comedy, and "person in the street" interviews have earned him multiple Gemini Awards (the Canadian Emmy), membership in the Order of Canada, and a Lifetime Artistic Achievement Award from The Governor General's Performing Arts Awards. Not bad, eh? As always, find extra clips below and thanks for sharing our shows! Want more Rick Mercer? Canadians love to poke fun at Americans and few have done it better than Rick, whose "Talking to Americans" bit from This Hour Has 22 Minutes finds him showing Americans to be a bit clueless -- using our own words for evidence. https://youtu.be/7ZE0TuKTpo4?si=YBr4h3PSjXFVfkrt A big part of Rick's enduring popularity are his rants -- short and pointed bits of satire (in the style of the Dennis Leary MTV commercials). https://youtu.be/225Mx6ya7SQ?si=CWLSM4MwMN6ny-pZ Rick Mercer is a master at interview work and when he is paired with a wildman such as long-time Hockey Night in Canada commentator Don Cherry it's comedy gold. The topic? Why men's suits, of course! https://youtu.be/EFPuMzza9hk?si=LCqBq0Kjc0XCDVs0  

Over 20 years ago Tanya and her husband, Hank, quit their jobs and left their home to move to Ontario's wilderness with their beloved huskies to start a business, family and lifestyle. They now welcome over 3000 guests from around the world every winter to experience dogsledding on their 2000 acres of wilderness bordering Algonquin Park. Hank & their huskies have competed in 6 – 1000 mile races in Alaska & the Yukon and they have written 2 books from these races - the latest an international best seller. Tanya shares stories and lessons around leadership, teamwork, overcoming adversity and building a business to international audiences. They and their huskies have been featured in countless commercials, movies, TV shows and major media from CNN, New York Times, Rick Mercer Report, Canada AM, Toronto Star to name a few. They share their lives with their 4 children, 3 cats and large husky family.To find out more about Tanya and Winterdance please use the following links:Website: http://www.tanyamccready.comWinterdance: https://www.winterdance.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/winterdancedogsledtours/FB: https://www.facebook.com/page/137784467394/search/?q=angeloTanya has also given Free access to her book Iditarod Dreamer Here is the link to download your copywww.leaddogsecrets.com/iditarod-dreamer-freeHello, I'm Vanessa, the host of Women In Confidence. Welcome and thanks for listening. I designed this podcast to appeal to working women who want to understand what confidence is, what you can do to build (or rebuild) your confidence and then maintain it. I interview amazing women who have genuine stories to tell about their journey through life and how they manage the ups and downs of life. My vision is for my listeners to try something that has worked for my guests and if it changes their lives then I feel that the podcast has been a positive contribution to the world.If you enjoyed this episode or any of the Women In Confidence episodes, please like, rate, review and share widely so that more fabulous women can find us. Also check out my Instagram and TikTok pages for more content and confidence boosting inspiration. You can also tip the Women In Confidence podcast using the following link https://womeninconfidence.captivate.fm/support. Anyone who tips, gets a shout out on the show.I hope 2023 has going well for you - wow time is flying so quickly. My ambition for Women In Confidence, this year, is to reach some record download numbers per episode and to find a sponsor. Let me know what you are hoping to achieve in 2023.Vanessa xxp.s. If you really want to appear on podcasts because you have a product or service to sell, you have a message you want to the world to hear, you might have a book being published or a course going live. Whatever you want to achieve my business Boom Podcast Agency can help you get on the right podcasts for your audience. Get in touch today.

23 years ago Hank & Tanya quit their jobs and left their home in Guelph to move to Ontario's wilderness with their beloved huskies to start a business, family and lifestyle.  They now welcome over 3000 guests from around the world every winter to experience dog sledding on their 2000 acres of wilderness bordering Algonquin Park.   Hank & their huskies have competed in 6 – 1000 mile races in Alaska & the Yukon and they have wrote 2 books  from these races - the latest an international best seller.  Tanya shares stories and lessons around leadership, teamwork, overcoming adversity and building a business to international audiences.  They and their huskies have been featured in countless commercials, movies, TV shows and major media from CNN, New York Times, Rick Mercer Report, Canada AM, Toronto Star to name a few.    They share their lives with their 4 children, 3 cats and large husky family.www.winterdance.com Become the Happiest Person You KnowGet Your Athletic Greens Offer Here Get your Onnit Alpha Brain Offer HereWebsite IG Support the showWake up with ENERGY, CLARITY, and TAP into the most authentic version of yourself to create a life you love with this daily practice.Head over to KARAPAYTON.COM/DAILY to get your gift!In your corner, XXKara

Well, no big deal. My next guest is Jann Arden; a multi-platinum award-winning singer, songwriter, actor, author, broadcaster, podcast host, and author with three decades of incredible work in music and comedy. As a good friend of mine noted, she is considered a 'Canadian treasure' by many.  She is set to release her 15th studio album, Descendant this week on January 28, 2022, via Universal Music Canada. In this episode she speaks about her ups and downs in the spotlight, great colleagues like Allan Reid and Jeffrey Remedios, body image and so much more.Born and raised in Alberta, Arden catapulted onto the Canadian music scene in 1993 with her debut album, Time For Mercy, featuring the hit single, "I Would Die For You". A year later, with the follow-up album Living Under June, she would have her career breakout hit "Insensitive," which solidified her position in the music scene across Canada and beyond. To date, Arden has released 17 albums and achieved 19 top 10 singles. Her music is available to stream HERE. With accolades that include 19 top 10 singles, eight JUNO Awards and 10 SOCAN Awards, Arden is a beloved Canadian musical artist and personality. In 2020, she was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame joining the ranks of Canadian music icons like Alanis Morissette, Bryan Adams, Barenaked Ladies, Bachman Turner Overdrive, Joni Mitchell, k.d. lang, Leonard Cohen, Neil Young, RUSH, The Guess Who, The Tragically Hip, Sarah McLachlan, Shania Twain, and many more.A versatile artist, Arden co-created and stars as a fictionalized version of herself in the CTV Original Comedy Series JANN, available on CTV in Canada. The first two seasons are available via HULU in the U.S. Premiering in 2019, and the series was the most-watched new Canadian comedy series of the 2018-19 broadcast season. Season three wraps up with the last episode on November 15. The show features Sarah McLachlan, k.d. lang, Elisha Cuthbert, Keshia Chanté and more. Arden has been involved in Workin' Moms, Wynonna Earp, Private Eyes and The Detour, she has previously appeared in sitcoms Ellen and Corner Gas. Arden has made guest appearances on CBC's Rick Mercer Report, as well as regularly appearing as a guest host on The Social. Arden also hosts an iHeartRadio original podcast called The Jann Arden Podcast, discussing everyday life challenges, triumphs, and tribulations. The Jann Arden Podcast is a fun-filled, relatable experience exploring what makes all humans authentically themselves with various special guests, including musicians, actors, politicians, writers, and athletes. Listen HERE. In addition to being a singer/songwriter, Arden is, of course, an author of note, peppering her words of wisdom with her signature humour. Arden has written five books, the most recent being her new memoir "IF I KNEW THEN: Finding Wisdom in Failure and Power in Aging," released in October 2020 via Random House Canada. IF I KNEW THEN follows Arden's 2017 Canadian bestseller, "FEEDING MY MOTHER: Comfort and Laughter in the Kitchen as My Mom Lives with Memory Loss," which spent a combined 44 weeks on The Globe and Mail bestseller lists.The new album Descendant is produced by Bob Rock, Russell Broom and Jann Arden.  The 15-song collection represents the last 18 months of Arden's life and headspace. A bold, beautiful, and empowering sound of Jann Arden, Descendant signifies a return to form for the multifaceted artist, reflecting on where she came from and where she is headed. Women nominated to come on the Women in Media Podcast in this episode: Jody Vance, Wendy Williams Watt, and PRE-SAVE DESCENDANT AND LISTEN TO "STEADY ON" HEREA Note From Jann Arden:"This was one of the most organic, whimsical records I've ever written; all things considered, it could have been a wrestling match to make music at all. As the entire world has discovered, good things come out of bad things. We were all forced to strip down, reevaluate our lives and our jobs and our relationships. We were forced to think about what we really wanted and where we wanted to go. We thought about time and how precious it was and is. We baked, walked, thought, read, and watched our way into a big, altered state. We remade our lives and cast aside trivial unimportant things.All the songs on Descendant came out of a place of gratitude. Working again with Russell Broom after a lengthy separation was magical for both of us. Russell was working on amazing soundscapes in his studio, intimate grooves and textures that inspired me just to put it all out there. I also wrote two incredible songs with Darcy Phillips. Darcy arranged all the strings on this album, giving it such a dignified, distinct vibe. An ocean separated Bob Rock and me, but we managed to use technology to write together over thousands of miles. It was fast and furious, and I didn't have time to edit myself or second guess anything. So, this is a different record for me. Two producers, a pandemic, a lesson in my own personal history and looking at all of it through a kinder lens.We all come from a long line of incredibly strong people. Women, in particular, my ancestors, I am in debt to. I don't know how they survived being pioneers, constantly forging onward through impossible situations. It's all very heartbreaking. These songs are about who I am and what I'm made of. A new beginning to an old story."Descendant Tracklisting:UnbreakableI Belong To NobodyDescendantWas I Ever 13Steady OnMoonbowLoving You Is like A JobLove Will Be WaitingGood For NothingComing Back To YouHorse Country GirlHindsightPinkIn A MomentGlass Jar

This week on the Richard Crouse Show Podcast. If you are like my wife and I, for the better part of fifteen years, most Tuesday nights you would tune into "The Rick Mercer Report," hosted by my guest, Rick Mercer. Part travelogue of our beautiful country, part news satire, part sketch comedy. He golfed with Anne Murray, climbed to the top of a roller-coaster at Canada's Wonderland and even skinny dipped with Bob Rae. Find out how that happened later in the show. And don't forget the Rants, his minute long diatribes about whatever was on his mind that week. Then, after fifteen years he quit "The Rick Mercer Report," a job he called, the best job in the world, at the peak of its popularity. Why? We'll find out. After that he did stand up and then Covid-19 struck. In lockdown, after four books based on content from the shows, he began writing his most personal story yet. His story. The result is a revealing and hilarious memoir called "Talking to Canadians: A Memoir" and it is available now wherever you buy fine books. Stick around… we talk about everything from why the critics called one of his first shows it We Have No Pity for the Audience to turning down a big money offer to head to the United States to host a game show to why his drama teacher told him quitting the school drama club would be, “one of the biggest mistakes of his life.'”

Join me as I discuss love and relationship issues and concerns with 5 black professionals who have all gone through it. This conversation takes you through a gambit of ideas, situations, and scenarios looking at things surrounding black love. Imani Murrell Imani Murrell is a marketing consultant who helps business owners who feel overwhelmed by their marketing save time and energy by developing and implementing personalized digital marketing strategies on their behalf. Personally, she's just out here tryna stay alive and sane in the time of Covid without travel, novelty and touching, her literal favourite things. Find her at imanidigital.co or connect with her on Instagram: @imanidigital KONIMA PARKINSON-JONES KONIMA PARKINSON-JONES is a member of SAG/AFTRA, ACTRA and Counterbalance Collective. She was raised in various African countries (Sierra Leone, Nigeria, Cameroun, Togo, Gambia) and attended high school in Salzburg, Austria, she speaks 5 languages. After graduating Dalhousie University Acting Program in Halifax, NS, she landed her first lead role in the Scottish play Bondagers and toured with Canadian theater company, Two Planks and A Passion. In Los Angeles, California she has worked on a few feature films including Freeway Killer and A Necessary Death, which premiered at the South by Southwest Film Festival and won the AFI audience Film Festival award in 2009. In 2016 she completed the Second City Conservatory in Toronto. She performed at the Spoken Soul Fest 2019 and Black Women in Theatre in the piece Why Black Women Whisper by Canadian playwright Amani Woods. Her recent film projects include a leading role in the Sci-fi thriller Project Ithaca. She also had television appearances in The Rick Mercer Report, 12 Monkeys, Saving Hope, The Expanse, Impulse, Air Emergency and Falling Water. Social Media Instagram: @expandingbeauty Twitter: @ExpandingBeauty Patricia McPherson This week Patricia and I talked about her work and the inner ability to gain 4 hours of sleep. Patricia is a Yoga Teacher, Meditation Guide, Sleep Influencer, TV Actress and Model patriciamcpherson.ca https://www.instagram.com/patriciapattypat/ Caden Forbes Caden is an award-winning progressive sales and IT professional with over 15 years of extensive & proven track record of significantly contributing to the success of organizations such as IBM, Apple and Microsoft Canada. Caden is all so an extensive traveler and has been to over 25 countries and would have made it 27 if not for COVID. He loves a beautiful watch, a good cigar and 10-year-old whiskey. Caden is a big advocate for personal growth and development and believes in the benefits of therapy. If you would like to follow Caden on Instagram, you can follow him at @caden.forbes30 Bryan George Bryan George has worked in the engineering field for over a decade and is now an entrepreneur. Bryan founded Fiati 5 years ago. Fiati is a custom clothing brand. He's also the founder of RYP Apparel which is an athleisure brand. Bryan mentors other entrepreneurs and thrives on seeing others develop and build their own brands. Bryan also loves sharing his experiences in life and hopes that it will help impact others in a positive way. His mantra is " we must learn to adopt, adapt and adjust". Motto is "live your passion, change lives". #blacklove #dating #love #wife #married --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/toastedsoul/message

David Willsie is a Paralympic Wheelchair Rugby player and coach! He became a quadriplegic after he was injured during a hockey game in 1995. Shortly after his injury, he was introduced to wheelchair rugby (aka MURDERBALL), and made the national team in 1998. David participated in five Paralympic games throughout his 19-year career on the national team. In that time, he was featured in the 2005 documentary Murderball, and he appeared on the Rick Mercer Report. He has since participated in an episode of AMI's documentary series Mind Set Go (season 2), and he is currently the assistant coach of the Canadian Wheelchair Rugby National Team. David lives in Dorchester, Ontario and works for Lind Lumber which he runs with his brothers. It was fascinating learning the history of wheelchair rugby, David's experience with the national team, and the value of sport throughout his life. We hope you enjoy our conversation!

I finally learn how to spell his name and then he retires! Slawko Klymkiw has spent over 40 years towering over the media landscape in Canada. His list of acheivements are many, starting in news at CBC and working his way up to head of programming and entertainment. Shows such as The Rick Mercer Report and Da Vinci's Inquest flourished under his watch. Not everything he tried worked, but every time I would point out a misstep from my perch as TV critic at The Toronto Sun, Klymkiw would call me over to CBC headquarters in Toronto and point out all the things I didn't get right.What emerged was an understanding of the multi-level chess game that was all part of the job of running the public broadcaster -- and what a good sport I found in Klymkiw.After 25 years at CBC he moved on  to have an even greater impact as head of The Canadian Film Centre. The past 16 years, Klymkiw took a visionary approach to managing the CFC, broadening the scope of the institution Norman Jewison built to include mentorship programs in television as well as in film. He was also responsible for helping to raise an estimated $150 million in funds for the Centre, a legacy that will continue to inspire and help educate the next generation of Canadian media storytellers.

Darryl Dinn is an award-winning actor and comedian based in Toronto. A graduate of Second City, Darryl credits include turns on Schitt’s Creek, Rick Mercer Report and Out With Dad. And he’s shared the screen with heavyweights like Jake Gylenhall, Kids In The Hall’s Scott Thompson and Sesame Street’s Oscar The Grouch. For more visit www.darryldinn.com. Making A Living Show is produced by Next Exit Media and hosted by Robi Levy. Listen to the show on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher and more. Follow the show on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and Youtube. Support the show with a monthly contribution here. Hot Swing by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License.

Jody Allair is an avid birder and naturalist who enjoys sharing his enthusiasm for the natural world. Jody has been birding and banding since his teens, when he began volunteering at Long Point Bird Observatory (LPBO).After university, Jody spent two years as LPBO's Landbird Program Coordinator, and a season as the Migration Program Manager at Thunder Cape Bird Observatory. From 2004-06, he worked as a Science Educator for the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology, and in his spare time ran birdwatching courses and field trips through Calgary's Inglewood Bird Sanctuary.Jody returned to Birds Canada in 2006 and is now the Director of Citizen Science and Community Engagement and delivers various education and outreach programs to audiences across Canada. He has banded owls on CBC's Rick Mercer Report, spoken about Canada Jays at Ideacity, is a regular contributor on the American Birding Association podcast and has written numerous articles on birds, birding and connecting with nature. You can find Jody on twitter @jodyallair Learn more about Project Feederwatch https://feederwatch.org/ More great programs at https://www.birdscanada.org/

This week Actor/Director/Theatre Educator is joining the conversation on Cue To Cue! Bruce reminds us that there are things we can't control and we need to focus on the things that we can. He will share the importance of Pleasure, Prestige and Pay in how he controls his life as an artist.   How do you deal with change?   Learn to let go and accept change! Life gets messy, and it's ok. Maybe this is just your path of becoming what you're supposed to be.    This is a must-listen episode!   Born in Seattle, raised in Vancouver, Bruce is best known as an actor who has appeared on stages from coast-to-coast across North America.  His stage career has spanned over 30 years and includes 5 featured roles on Broadway; 12 seasons in leading roles at the Stratford Festival; 2 Dora Mavor Moore Awards (Best Actor & Best Actor Musical) for his work with Buddies in Bad Times Theatre - the world’s oldest and largest LGBTQ+ theatre; a Toronto Theatre Critic’s Award; a Helen Hayes Award nomination (Washington, D.C.) and 2 Helen Hayes Award ensemble/production wins.     His career on the small screen includes voicing roles on hit animated series such as Total Drama Island, The Busy World of Richard Scary, Hotel Transylvania, and the up-coming Powerbirds for the new NBC/Universal Kids Network.  He has appeared (as a live person) on multiple episodes of The Rick Mercer Report”, The Strain, Anne with an E, and Murdoch Mysteries.   A graduate of the University of British Columbia with both a BFA in Acting, and an MFA in Directing, minor in Theatre History, Bruce has made a point of teaching at colleges and universities near every theatre at which he has performed, including UCSD, The Academy for Classical Acting at George Washington University, the University of Calgary, the University of Alaska at Anchorage, among others.  He has taught at The National Theatre School, The University of Western Ontario, Centennial College, and The Randolph College for the Performing Arts. He is the Director of the Academy for Young Actor Training with The Festival Players of Prince Edward County (Artistic Director, Graham Abbey.)   Bruce is a produced composer/lyricist/librettist of musicals:  B!TCH ISLAND, the musical! just swept the Hamilton Fringe Festival Awards, winning Best of Fringe, Critics Choice, Audience Choice, and Best of Venue.  Hard Hats, The Musical! was produced at Lunchboxtheatre, Calgary, and The Lighthouse Theatre Festival, while  Wilde Tales was workshopped the Shaw and Stratford Festivals and then given a full production in Pittsburgh at the Pittsburgh Irish and Classical Theatre Company.  Bruce, at present, has 3 new works in development with major theatres across North America.    A member of The Manhattan Association of Cabarets and Clubs,  he is a major proponent of cabaret performance in Canada. His work as a solo artist can be heard on his two recordings of cabaret music:  Keepin’ Out of Mischief,  Lucky to Be Me, and a newly released compilation album The Best of Bruce Dow - available on iTunes.    Follow Bruce!   www.brucedow.com T: @DowBruce  I: @dowBruce

Dale Boyer is a multi-hyphenate and Second City Mainstage Alumni. Video projects include "Hype Night Live!" and "Live from the Centre", which now has a popular companion podcast.Michal Grajewski is one of Winnipeg's favourite sons, a Toronto comedy mainstay, and spent many years as a producer travelling across the country with Rick and The Rick Mercer Report television series.

Join hosts Jean Yoon and David Gale as they chat with the legendary Rick Mercer on ACTRA Spotlight. One of Canada's most recognizable personalities as host of the Rick Mercer Report, Rick discusses what he is up to nowadays, along with reminiscing about memorable stories and moments from his extensive career.

When Canada gets cold, Canadians tend to prefer places where the sun shines and the air doesn't hurt your face. Unfortunately, that desire for a winter escape usually means crossing the border. But what if everything you wanted out of a vacation was right here in your own country? What if we made an effort to visit the parts of our country we know nothing about? Our guest is something of an expert in that department. In 15 years Rick Mercer travelled to over 500 places in Canada for his show, The Rick Mercer Report, and he says we could all benefit from seeing more of our land.

Rick Mercer spoke with Mike about his book, the state of political satire today and the one person he wishes he could have hung out with on his show. Mercer is definitely not retired. Sure, he stepped away from his top-rated Canadian comedy show, The Rick Mercer Report, this past April after 15 seasons. If you think, however, that that means the 49-year-old is sitting at home twiddling his thumbs, think again. In fact, Mercer

Rick Mercer spoke with Mike about his book, the state of political satire today and the one person he wishes he could have hung out with on his show. Mercer is definitely not retired. Sure, he stepped away from his top-rated Canadian comedy show, The Rick Mercer Report, this past April after 15 seasons. If you think, however, that that means the 49-year-old is sitting at home twiddling his thumbs, think again. In fact, Mercer

Time to take down your bird feeders Now that spring is, well, technically upon us. It's time to take down your bird feeders. Communities like Banff and Jasper, located within the national parks, already ban bird feeders. While Canmore is outside of the mountain parks, it has a bylaw that forbids bird feeders between April 1st and October 31st. While maintaining bird feeders can provide hours of amusement in the winter months when chickadees and nuthatches gather for sunflower seeds, there is no need to have bird feeders during the summer months. While I don't have stats for Canadian bird feeders, some 40% of Americans regularly put out food for their feathered friends. It's important to distinguish back-yard feeders from visiting wild places to feed ducks and geese. Even in Canmore, it's important never to feed bread to ducks. In one study in Massachusetts, in a one month period, some 38,500 people fed ducks the equivalent of 7,800 loaves of bread. This didn't take into account the soda crackers, cheezies, popcorn, pretzels, cookies, peanuts, and other calorie-rich but nutrient poor foods. Feeding ducks encourages large flocks to congregate in areas that may not be able to naturally support such high numbers. It can cause increased stress, and provide a vector for disease to enter a population. Any time there are unsustainable numbers of any species, nature will find a way to take advantage of that, whether through the introduction of insects, parasites, or disease. That doesn't mean that all feeding has to be bad. This past week, I've begun to wake up to the song of our resident robin outside our window. We have the loudest, most persistent robin in Canmore…every time I have the opportunity to sleep in that danged…oh wait, that's another story. Proper feeding of birds during the winter months can provide some great entertainment Choosing the right seed mixture can do two things. It can help to improve your chances of attracting local birds and reduce the cleanup in the spring. Many cheap bird seeds include fillers that are not popular with some birds. Take the time to find out the best seed mixtures in your area so that the seeds you put out pack the best combination of calories and nutrition for the birds that may rely on them. Whatever strategy you choose, if you feed them, you need to clean up after them. Now is the time, at least if the snow ever melts, to clean up the remnants of your winter feeding. The ground beneath your feeder may be littered with empty sunflower hulls, faeces, and a great deal of seed kicked out of the feeder. Many years ago, I had a feeder on a second story balcony. I had a vast number of finches that invaded my feeders. What kind of finches? It was a very long time ago, but I think they were grey-crowned rosy finches. They simply took all the seeds from the feeder and kicked them to the ground where they preferred to feed. Time and again they emptied the feeder of sunflower seeds. When spring arrived, so many seeds had been ejected that the entire eavestrough around the balcony was clogged and rainwater couldn't flow through. That was the first time I realized that feeding in the winter means cleaning up in the spring. Living in a landscape with bears offers an additional reason to make sure that any feeders you fill in the winter are emptied in the spring and the area around it well cleaned. Even in areas where attracting unwanted wildlife isn't an issue, there are plentiful reasons to take spring cleaning seriously. Seed on the ground can rot, begin to smell, cause damage to grass and garden plants, allow mildew to grow, and even spread disease. Like feeding ducks, bird feeders allow birds to congregate at a single location which can help in the spread of disease. Birds can also suffer when bird seed mildews and rots. Always make sure your feeder is clean and dry. If you notice any adverse behaviour of birds, or signs of ill-health in your yard, dump, disinfect, and clean your feeder. It may not have anything to do with your feeder, but it only takes a few minutes to ensure that any seeds you offer are free of disease or toxins like salmonella. It's also helpful to remove your feeder if you notice any kind of outbreak of disease so that the birds disperse and reduce the level of contact found at most feeders. As the ground dries, check out the area beneath your feeder. There may be significant collections of seeds and seed husks, along with faeces. This is where a good, old-fashioned shop vac can be helpful. Take a rake to the ground and then suck the detritus up. If you can place your winter feeders above hard surfaces like sidewalks or wooden decks, you also have a much easier cleanup in the spring. Be especially cautious of having feeders above flower beds where rotting seeds can have negative impacts on the garden. If you plan your winter feeding around the spring cleanup, you can really reduce both the work and the risk that your feeding will negatively impact the birds your helping. The bears are up and exploring. Bird feeders need to be taken down so that inadvertent seed acts as an attractant. Bears in the Rockies don't have a lot of early season food choices.  After meat, the next most nutritious food category for bears are seeds and nuts. A bird feeder full of sunflower seeds is an irresistible attraction. If you don't believe this, then check out the images on this page. Bears are very persistent when there is an easily available, high calorie food available. As communities, it's our job to keep the wild in wildlife and to keep our yards clear of attractants that may bring unwanted visitors. Next up…that ain't no lynx! Bobcats moving north It's no secret that climates are warming, winters are shorter, and snowpacks are thinner….bahahaha just kidding. This year has been epic for snow, cold, and persistence. In terms of climate change though, this winter is just simply a single data point on an ascending line on a graph of long-term average temperatures. Like most of us, other than the hardcore skiers and boarders with their cherry red spring skiing complexions, I'm absolutely tickled to see spring. By the way, if you're Canadian, and the chances are good based on my demographic, you may have seen the final Rick Mercer Report tonight. For 15-years Mercer has been poking fun at politics while bringing Canadians closer together. Over the years he had many highlights. As the story commented: "The self-proclaimed political junkie said some of the highlights from the show have been bungee jumping with his childhood hero Rick Hansen, interviewing every living prime minister, flying with the Snowbirds and dangling off the CN Tower." On the show, he recapped a session that poked fun at Environment Canada's weather forecasting that seems particularly apropos this year. Have you noticed that on every 7-day forecast there was a glimmer of hope on day-7? He joked that on every 7-day forecast, day 7 would show nicer weather. Of course, 7-day forecasts are mostly bogus, but he poked fun at the forecasters always giving us a glimmer of hope when the nights were cold and the cars were frosty. We'll miss you Rick. Oops. Sorry, back to bobcats moving north. Way back in Episode 16, I talked about a wide variety of species moving north with warming climes. You can check out that episode at www.mountainnaturepodcast.com/ep016. I love cats and dogs. When I started my career as a naturalist way back in 1982, I hoped to encounter cougars and lynx in my explorations. I've been lucky to view lynx on numerous occasions, and followed their tracks on even more occasions. Cougars continue to evade me. I've seen tails disappearing into the trees, found fresh tracks, and even stumbled upon a kill site, but I've yet to be able to definitively say that I've seen a wild cougar. Bobcats? Back in the 80's, they were a thing of myth. I was trained with the understanding that lynx and bobcats were the only two animals that respected the 49th parallel. Lynx are truly Canadian. They evolved in our deep snowpacks and long winters. As snowshoe hares evolved bigger and bigger feet to allow them to escape predation, the lynx simply followed suit. Their feet also grew significantly bigger over time. Biologists call this coevolution. As one species adapts, so must its predators. Along with the massive feet, the lynx has distinctive tufts of hair on its ears. If you see a cat with sasquatch-like feet and ear tufts in snow country, you've found yourself a lynx. Bobcats on the other hand are much more diminutive. They lack the ear tufts of lynx and, because they evolved in shallower snowpacks and warmer winters, they lack the snowshoe-like feet of the lynx as well. Their bodies are also heavier. Small feet and heavy bodies makes for a sinky cat in deep snows, like the conditions historically found in the mountain west. So then what the heck are they doing in Canada? Apparently following the sun! While this winter is an anomaly, on a long-term trend, winters are getting steadily warmer. The snows arrive later and the spring arrives sooner…so what's a cat to do? Bobcats headed the same direction so many other animals have - north! A tracking study of the eastern Bow Valley conducted in 2010 found plenty of evidence that bobcats had followed the warming trends and moved right in. Over the past decade or so, reports of bobcats in southern Alberta and British Columbia began to pop up more and more regularly. Signs of bobcat were still rare, but they first began to show up in tracking studies in 2004. If this is news to you, it was to me as well. I had no idea that bobcats had made the move this far north as early as 2004. Like all the wild cats, they spent most of their time in the valley bottoms, preferring to stick to the more sun-exposed south side of the valley. Without the snowy adaptations of the lynx, bobcats took advantage of the landscape and the warmth of the sun to help guide them in their explorations. In a series of track studies conducted between 2004 and 2009 in the eastern Bow Valley, bobcat tracks were discovered 15 times, as compared to 81 times for cougar, and 153 for lynx. The eastern Bow Valley at that time was rarely used by wolves due to the fragmented habitat. In fact, there was no evidence of wolves in the eastern part of the valley between 2004 and 2009. Move a little further west, towards the north side of Canmore, and signs of wolves became more prevalent. For carnivores moving through the Valley of the Bow, the area from Heart Creek to Mount McGillivray is a critical pinch point for wildlife movement. The valley narrows, and high cliffs limit the movement options for animals through this area. Add to the mix the busy Trans-Canada Highway, Bow River, Canadian Pacific Railway, and industrial development on the north side of the valley, and the pinch is especially tight. One curious result in this study was that, in the most fragmented habitat around the town of Exshaw and the hamlet of Lac des Arcs. This narrow corridor, despite its cement plant, railway, and river forming barriers, the bobcat was the only wild feline to take advantage of the landscape. This may have shown that the bobcats are much more adaptable than lynx and cougar to urban environments. Like coyotes, these medium sized felines are showing a great ability to live in close quarters with people. Curiously, the first direct evidence in the Kananaskis Valley was in a photo captured by a wildlife camera in 2009. All it showed was a slightly blurry foot. As biologists studied the spot pattern, the apparent gait, and the size of the foot, they concluded that it had to be a bobcat. A recent article on the CTV news site, reports that Calgary is receiving hundreds of calls to its 311 city services hotline reporting bobcats wandering around urban and rural neighbourhoods alike. This article states that Calgary has: "two big areas where bobcats thrive; one in the southwest near Deer Run, the Weaselhead and Fish Creek Park and another in the northwest community of Varsity." Bobcats get along quite well in urban environments. Cities like Calgary are alive with red and gray squirrels, white-tailed jackrabbits, and other small mammals and birds. Bobcats are, in many ways, a large house cat. They are incredibly flexible in the prey they select, but they are bigger and so instead of mice and small songbirds, they can tackle jackrabbits and some of the very large urban gray squirrels. Although called gray squirrels, the urban squirrels of western Canada are almost as big as a house cat and usually jet black in colour. Warming climates are letting more and more plants, animals, birds, parasites, insects, and even diseases, to move north. There are many advantages to a cold climate, and we are losing some of those natural barriers to movement that helped to create the ecology that we have taken for granted for so long. In a study published in May of 2017 in the journal Phys.org, bobcat populations in the U.S. have begun to explode, becoming visible around some of the largest cities in the country, including Las Angeles. More and more, they are gaining coyote like boldness in communities. They have also benefitted from protections that have been afforded predators in the last few decades when biologists began to realize the importance of top level carnivores in keeping rodents, deer, and other potential pest animals in check. They found that the numbers of bobcats had tripled since the 1980s. As the study states: "The bobcat's success also reflects its ability to eat almost anything and thrive almost anywhere, from cornfields to swamps to suburban parks. With cottontail rabbits declining in New Hampshire, they shifted to preying on plentiful wild turkeys and squirrels." In British Columbia, biologists are seeing similar trends. T.J. Gooliaff, a Masters student at the University of British Columbia Okanagan, has been tracking the northern expansion of bobcats in B.C. He asked people to submit photos of lynx and bobcat across the province. He looked at more than 3,000 photos. They now have evidence of bobcats as far north as Prince George, much farther north than they have been found in Alberta. It's even slightly farther north than Edmonton, Alberta. Bobcats are here to stay. They are adaptable and in some areas, have been seen to simply wander from bird feeder to bird feeder looking for easy meals. Our communities are evolving, and coyotes are not the only carnivore roaming the trails at night. They are adaptable and can get just about anywhere. Unlike coyotes, a fence is little barrier to a bobcat. In the first story of this episode, I talk about cleaning up your bird feeders at this time of year. Bobcats might give us a reason to be vigilant even in the middle of winter. Also like coyotes, unattended pets are vulnerable and leaving pet food or other attractants can help to bring carnivores into your neighbourhood. Have you ever seen a bobcat in the Rockies? If so, I'd love to hear your story. Leave a comment in the show notes at www.MountainNaturePodcast.com/ep058. Next up…return of the bruins The Bears are Back Well, after a long, hard, cold winter, I'm welcoming every sign of spring that I can. Since the weather has proven to be unreliable as an indicator of spring this year, why not use some of the more reliable signals that the season is here if not the weather. Just last week, robins began singing outside my home in Canmore. Canada geese are beginning to return to the north, much to the chagrin of many urban parks and golf courses, and while Balzac Billy might predict the length of winter, in the Bow Valley, we rely on our own indicator - the Boss! Bear 122, better known as the Boss, was first seen on March 24 of this year. Last year, he was spotted on March 5, but who wouldn't sleep in a bit given this winter's persistence? Just in case you've been living under a rock, Bear 122 is the top bruin in the Bow Valley. He's usually the first to be seen in the spring and the last to enter his den in the fall. He has a fearsome reputation but he's a bear that is a master of living in and around people. In all of his many encounters with hikers, he's not acted aggressively. Last summer I was guiding a group of hikers at Stanley Glacier. We stopped just before the first creek crossing to do a bear safety talk. As my colleague, Dave Honeyman of Canadian Rockies Alpine was going through the importance of bear safety, the Boss suddenly showed up on the other side of the creek. Since Dave was facing the group, he didn't see the Boss until one of the clients mentioned it. At this point, I just arrived to the location and, sure enough, Bear 122 was about 20 feet away following the creek. Safety being the priority, we got the guests to put away their cameras and head back towards the trailhead. The Boss, well he just meandered up the trail following the footsteps of countless groups that had headed out ahead of us. Our group, we decided to explore one of the many other fabulous trails in the Kootenay valley. Some bears can thrive close to people by combining a disinterest in them with an understanding of how to avoid the danger spots. Bear 122 essentially owns the CPR mainline and that's usually where he's first sighted in the spring. Most commonly, I've encountered him between Castle Junction and Lake Louise. When he first emerges from the den he's very lethargic. There is not much food available at this time of year and his main goal is to conserve energy and take advantage of any easy foods that might be available. Train tracks are often a good place to find food. There may be train or winter killed elk, deer, moose, or sheep that he can munch on, along with grain spills that might not have been cleaned up. Usually, the emergence of 122 marks the start of bear season. His disappearance in the fall marks its end. Every day, more and more bears are going to be lazily emerging from their dens to begin another summer of feeding, fattening, raising cubs, and mating. The boys usually emerge well ahead of females with cubs. Generally, we start to see the mom and kids out in early May. By that time, although the cubs look tiny, they are around 5 months old and keen to explore their world. On years like this one, when the landscape is still covered in a blanket of white, the bears will be looking for easy food sources. Again, it's a reason to clean up not just feeders, but any potential attractants in your yards. At this time of year, they become fairly visible along roadways as the heavy snows force them into the valleys where the roads dominate the landscape. While they are more visible at this time of year, they're also in a vulnerable condition. They've lost an incredible amount of weight over the winter and any added stresses can cause added challenges to them. If you're lucky enough to see one, please stay in your car. Enjoy the sighting from a good distance and try not to force the bear to move on. Every phone comes with an amazing camera these days and you can zoom in to incredible detail even from a distance. Our wildlife is our legacy. Please help us to ease the bears into their new summer season. Soon thoughts will turn to romance as females that do not have cubs emerge and the start of the mating season begins. Spring is a time of rebirth, renewal, and love. Birds are singing to attract mates, bears are going to be looking to hook up, and many of the creatures of the mountains, from insects to amphibians to birds will soon brighten up our landscape for yet another summer season. And with that, it's time to wrap this episode up. If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe so that you never miss another great story.  Don't forget that Ward Cameron Enterprises is your source for step-on, hiking, photography, and snowshoe guides. We specialize in the mountain west and our guides are experts on the natural and human history of the Rockies. If you'd like to reach out personally, you can hit me up on Twitter @wardcameron. You can also follow us on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/WardCameronEnterprises…and with that said, the sun's out and it's time to go hike-a-shoeing…or is that show-a-hiking…whatever, I'll talk to you next week.

PHoto: (MercerReport) The last episode of the Rick Mercer Report will air tonight.  Guest: Rick Mercer, The Rick Mercer Report.

Harry Doupe makes his annual year-end visit, this time on Christmas Eve! After opening presents, we talk about the year in comedy, from the deaths to the return of comedy to the Juno Awards to Netflix specials to the end of the Rick Mercer Report. And more!

   In this week's episode of Tobin Tonight, Tobin chats with a 25 Gemini Award winner, A man who was appointed an Officer in the Order of Canada and inducted into the Canadian Disability Hall of Fame. Oh and it's all one person, who is also a fellow Newfoundlander born in the same month as this host, THAT's THE TAKE AWAY here.   Rick Mercer joins the show to talk about his career from 22 Minutes to Talking to Americans to the Rick Mercer Report.  Rick opens up about his relationship with the late Gord Downey, what he plans on doing after the Rick Mercer Report ends in April and what he enjoyed about the show.  He also gives a funny story on how an American President would not due to press with CBC due to his show,  or SO HE WAS TOLD, it's a great story.  So Tune In.  Watch Here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sqvHRVqcvDs   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What does it take to create change as a young Canadian? Rick Mercer began influencing Canadian politics and journalism as a CBC commentator at age seventeen. Rick went on to become one of the creators of This Hour Has 22 Minutes and the host of The Rick Mercer Report, which launched it’s fourteenth season this fall. In the season finale of Question Everything, Rick shares the story of how he got his first job at CBC while he was working as a dishwasher, and reflects on how the media landscape has changed over the years. He shares the most valuable lesson he’s learned from interviewing leaders from across the country, and discusses why he's more optimistic than ever before. http://www.citr.ca/radio/question-everything/episodes/

An LRT referendum idea had been floated by a Hamilton Councillor. Now, the city manager says that a reversal on the stance on LRT would need two thirds of council support.  Terry Whitehead. City Councillor, Ward 8, City of Hamilton. Trump spent most of last week arguing over Alicia Machado and spouting that according to online polls, he won the debate last Monday. This provided enough fodder for Saturday Night Live to open with a sketch about the debate with Kate McKinnon as Hillary and Alec Baldwin as Trump. ALSO; New York Times posts Trump's tax return from 1995 which says that he recorded a loss of more than $900 million and that due to this, he could've been exempt from paying income tax for the next two decades. Laura Babcock. President, PowerGroup. The newest season of the Rick Mercer report begins tomorrow. What's on the docket for the first show? Rick Mercer, host of The Rick Mercer Report.

The newest season of the Rick Mercer report begins tomorrow. What's on the docket for the first show? Rick Mercer, host of The Rick Mercer Repor

Rick Mercer has become beloved by Canadians across the country for his quick wit, adventurous outings, and refreshingly honest and biting take on our political system. From 22 Minutes to the Rick Mercer Report, we talk to Canada's best known funny man about his life growing up in Newfoundland, the importance of satire, and his career poking fun at life in the great white north.