Best Streamers with a Purpose Podcasts (2025)

1
Streamers with a Purpose - Episode 22 (The Rant) 1:18:49

10d ago1:18:49

1:18:49

Is the world ready for Generation 6 consoles? Find out our thoughts in this episode as we dive into the latest in gaming tech and industry news. We explore the newly debuted Xbox handheld, the recently released Nintendo Switch 2, and also discuss Borderlands 4, the CEO's comments on why their game should be $80, and the controversy surrounding Mara…

1
How the Diddy case fell apart 28:34

1h ago28:34

28:34

After a long and very public trial, producer and music mogul Sean Diddy Combs has been found not guilty of the most severe charges against him. On Wednesday he was acquitted of racketeering and sex trafficking, but found guilty on lesser charges - two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution. This was widely considered as a huge victory f…

1
Politics! Carney so far, Poilievre’s second chance 27:38

1d ago27:38

27:38

Prime Minister Mark Carney made big promises to transform the Canadian economy, fast track national building projects and secure a trade deal with U.S. He also set Canada Day this year as a deadline for some key goals. How has he done so far and what are we learning about what he’s willing to do to make things happen? Plus, where do trade talks sta…

1
The end of birthright citizenship? 30:08

1d ago30:08

30:08

For at least the last decade U.S. President Doanld Trump has discussed his desire to end the practice of birthright citizenship. On his first day back in office Trump passed an executive order looking to exclude the children of undocumented people from birthright citizenship completely: an action that was immediately challenged in lower courts acro…

1
The repo man of the seas 50:19

4d ago50:19

50:19

The Outlaw Ocean is an anthology podcast that plunges you into the vast and often lawless world of the open seas. Today we're featuring an investigation from S2 called The repo man of the seas. In this episode, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Ian Urbina joins Max Hardberger. Depending on who you ask, Max is either a seagoing James Bond or a swash…

1
Encore: ex-Raptors President Masai Ujiri 29:41

5d ago29:41

29:41

After a transformative 13 years, it was announced that the Toronto Raptors and longtime President Masai Ujiri would be parting ways. Across his time with the Raptors Ujiri became a figure central to Canadian and international sport — capping his time with the Raptors’ lone NBA championship in 2019. The years since then have been slower and gave way…

1
Canada’s energy minister on pipelines, Bill C-5 controversy 29:11

8d ago29:11

29:11

Canada’s energy and natural resources minister Tim Hodgson is in charge of an extremely important file for the federal government. That’s because Prime Minister Carney campaigned on getting big energy and resources projects done, boosting Canada’s economy and extracting us from our close relationship with the U.S. The stakes are pretty high for Min…

1
The unanswered questions of the Iran strike 22:39

9d ago22:39

22:39

On Tuesday, Donald Trump angrily swore about his frustrations with Israel and Iran after both countries exchanged missile fire just before the ceasefire Trump helped negotiate. So far, the fragile ceasefire has held. However as more information comes out about the extent of the damage done to Iran’s nuclear facilities and their plans to continue th…

1
Bubble trouble: Do protest bylaws silence dissent? 37:46

10d ago37:46

37:46

The Canadian Civil Liberties Association has just launched a constitutional challenge against legislation in the city of Vaughan known as a “bubble zone” bylaw. It restricts protest within 100 metres of a place of worship, school, daycare, hospital or care facility. Advocates say that in a time of rising extremism and hate crimes, the bylaws are ne…

1
The MAGA civil war over Iran 22:40

11d ago22:40

22:40

Over the last week, as the exchange of missiles between Israel and Iran intensified, Donald Trump’s supporters have found themselves in two camps: the hawks, like Lindsay Graham and Ted Cruz who support America joining Israel in its fight against Iran. And the isolationists, like Steve Bannon and Tucker Carlson, who urge the president not to plunge…

1
Trump joins Israel's war in Iran 30:51

12d ago30:51

30:51

Days into the Iran-Israel war, the United States has carried out a series of limited strikes centered on three Iranian nuclear sites. U.S. President Donald Trump has referred to the strikes as a “spectacular military success” and the Israeli government has made clear there was “full co-ordination” on the operation. Iranian officials claim to have r…

1
In search of separatists in Alberta 50:37

15d ago50:37

50:37

Last week, Front Burner spent a few days in Three Hills, Alberta, a small town northeast of Calgary. We attended an event about Alberta independence, and spoke to a wide array of people about separation from Canada, and the possibility of an upcoming referendum on the issue. CBC Calgary’s Jason Markusoff came with us. Why Three Hills? Because while…

1
What exactly is ICE? 27:50

16d ago27:50

27:50

For months now, agents working for the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, have been carrying out raids, arresting people on the street, at work and at immigration courthouses. Often they are wearing plain clothes and masks. As U.S. President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown intensifies, so have the instances of arrests and detent…

1
Politics! Carney’s ’delete laws’ bill, G7 wraps 28:54

17d ago28:54

28:54

In this politics roundup, we first check in with the CBC’s Aaron Wherry in the Alberta Rockies about the main takeaways from the G7 summit, which wrapped without Donald Trump after he left to deal with the escalating Israel-Iran conflict. Then, we speak to Toronto Star national columnist Althia Raj about C-5, an omnibus bill which is moving through…

1
Palantir’s big data, AI long game 32:54

18d ago32:54

32:54

Palantir’s technology has been used by everyone from the CIA and Mossad to Airbus and Morgan Stanley. The multi-billion dollar big data software company is at the centre of many of the major issues of our time. Michael Steinberger is a reporter with The New York Times Magazine and the author of a forthcoming book on Palantir’s CEO entitled ‘The Phi…

1
Streamers with a Purpose - Episode 21 (mostly just game releases ) 1:30:24

18d ago1:30:24

1:30:24

Hey everyone, welcome back to the podcast! This week, we're diving into the highlights from the recent Summer Game Fest, including the hottest announcements and reveals from the Next Fest, PlayStation releases, and the Microsoft Showcase. We'll break down the biggest surprises, our favorite moments, and what these announcements mean for gamers. Sti…

1
Israel-Iran strikes: What comes next? 33:36

19d ago33:36

33:36

Longstanding tensions came to a head last week when Israel launched a missile attack on Iran, targeting the country’s nuclear facilities and killing several high-level military personnel and nuclear scientists. In the days following the two countries have exchanged missile strikes, killing at least 78 in Iran and 13 in Israel. As the conflict conti…

1
Can the G7 find order in the chaos? 25:51

22d ago25:51

25:51

Starting Sunday, political and economic representatives of a world order that Donald Trump is intent on shattering are gathering in Kananaskis, in Alberta's Rocky Mountains. That on its own would be high stakes. But add to it Mark Carney's aggressive national to-do list, and you've got two days that could show us how much Canada and the world have …

1
What’s behind Mark Carney’s military splurge? 25:57

23d ago25:57

25:57

For years now Canada's been badgered to pony up, and spend more money on the military. Those calls have come from our actual military itself, our NATO allies, and more recently the U.S. President. Well it looks like Mark Carney is going to pull out the credit card, and commit to spending an extra $9.3-billion on the armed forces by March, bumping o…

1
Wildfires rage across Canada 26:33

24d ago26:33

26:33

As many as 40,000 Canadians are out of their homes right now with evacuation alerts and states of emergency in effect across much of western Canada, from B.C. through northern Ontario. Many, especially those from Saskatchewan and Manitoba, have been away from home for weeks, with no indication of when they'll return. CBC Thunder Bay's Sarah Law bri…

1
Battleground L.A.: Fighting Trump’s ICE crackdown 25:55

25d ago25:55

25:55

The city of Los Angeles has been embroiled in protests for days after a series of ICE raids rounded up dozens of people. Now, after President Donald Trump sent in 2000 members of the National Guard, the city finds itself in the middle of a fight between the White House and state and local governments over the rights of undocumented immigrants. Jean…

1
Trump and Elon’s messy breakup 28:43

26d ago28:43

28:43

A feud between Elon Musk and U.S. President Trump escalated and exploded over the course of 72 hours last week. It started off with Musk’s criticism of Trump’s new spending bill, calling it a “disgusting abomination.” Trump later criticized Musk during a press conference in the Oval Office, saying that he would have won the 2024 election without th…

1
Weekend Listen: How will Canadian film and TV change if streamers don't pay into it? 40:12

28d ago40:12

40:12

What is Canadian content? And why does it matter? The Canadian Radio and Telecommunications Commission has been hearing very different answers to that question — as they try to come up with new CanCon rules. Commotion's Elamin Abdelmahmoud talks with storyteller Jesse Wente, policy expert Vass Bednar and showrunner Anthony Q Farrell about why getti…

1
Cheap and deadly: How drones are reshaping war 22:57

29d ago22:57

22:57

On Sunday, Ukraine launched Operation Spider’s Web, a surprise drone attack that went deep inside Russia, reaching as far as Siberia for the first time. Ukraine says 117 drones were smuggled into Russia, hidden in the roofs of wooden sheds and later loaded onto the backs of trucks then launched remotely. The result was an enormous blow to Russia’s …

1
Politics! Border bill blowback and 'Santa' Carney 29:47

30d ago29:47

29:47

The Liberals have tabled new legislation that would significantly expand law enforcement powers and tighten immigration of all kinds, including refugee claims, in a move to appease the Trump White House — but critics say it raises major concerns for Canadians' civil liberties. Meanwhile, Mark Carney met with Canada's provincial and territorial prem…

1
Real estate, crypto, Middle East deals: Who is Steve Witkoff? 28:09

1M ago28:09

28:09

A little over five months ago, few outside of the New York City real estate scene knew who Steve Witkoff was. Now, as the U.S. special envoy to the Middle East, he’s not only been tasked with trying to end the war in Gaza but he’s also at the centre of negotiations with Russia over the war in Ukraine and with Iran to secure a new nuclear deal. To u…

1
When hunger is a weapon 40:26

1M ago40:26

40:26

Since October 7, access to food in Gaza – and its systematic restriction by Israel – has been the subject of international condemnation. The most recent incident is the killing of dozens of Palestinians attempting to obtain food from an aid distribution centre. Israeli settlers have blocked roads, and aid delivery. Aid convoys and workers have also…

1
U.S. Politics! Elon’s out, tariffs in court, and Trump vs. Harvard 27:05

1M ago27:05

27:05

Alex Shephard, senior editor at The New Republic, is on Front Burner to break down a few of the big developing news stories coming out of the Trump administration in recent weeks. He talks to host Jayme Poisson about Elon Musk’s exit from the White House, U.S. President Trump’s war with Harvard, and where we are right now with the on again, off aga…

1
AI cheating runs wild on campus 24:53

1M ago24:53

24:53

The use of generative AI has become rampant on college and university campuses across North America. KPMG - who surveyed over 400 Canadian students about this in the fall — found that around 60 per cent use AI models like ChatGPT in their assignments. James Walsh recently wrote a piece in New York Magazine called Everyone is Cheating Their Way Thro…

1
Will laws apply in Ontario’s ‘special economic zones’? 23:06

1M ago23:06

23:06

The Protect Ontario by Unleashing our Economy Act – also known as Bill 5 – aims to fast track mining projects in Ontario and gives the government the power to create 'special economic zones' that would grant the government the power to exempt companies from still-unspecified laws. Ontario Premier Doug Ford has framed these measures as necessary to …

1
A royal visit and a high-stakes political moment 24:38

1M ago24:38

24:38

For the third time in Canadian history, the head of the British monarchy delivered the throne speech before ushering in a new session of parliament. It comes at a time when Canada could use some help protecting its sovereignty in the face of threats from U.S. President Donald Trump. But how does this moment fit in with King Charles’ reign so far, w…

1
The ‘cover-up’ of Joe Biden’s decline 30:03

1M ago30:03

30:03

Last June, during the first presidential debate of the 2024 U.S. election campaign, Joe Biden stumbled and struggled to find the right words. His performance was described as disastrous and incoherent. At that point, many Americans had already come to the conclusion that Biden was too old for the job. But for those who hadn't yet, the debate was th…

1
Is Trump’s ‘Golden Dome’ more fantasy than reality? 27:14

1M ago27:14

27:14

Donald Trump’s 'Golden Dome’ is a proposed defense program that will feature the use of space lasers, satellites and interceptors designed to provide 24/7 space based defence. It’s advertised as a bulwark against missiles and nuclear attacks from the likes of China, North Korea and Russia. Mike Stone is a Reuters reporter covering the U.S. arms tra…

1
George Floyd’s murder, what’s changed in five years? 28:17

1M ago28:17

28:17

On May 25th 2020, Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin murdered George Floyd, an unarmed Black man, by kneeling on his neck for over nine minutes. The whole thing was caught on video and once it got out, it set America on fire. Protests spread across the country and then the world. Promises of sweeping changes to policing and greater commitment…

1
Diddy on trial 34:20

1M ago34:20

34:20

It’s been a year and a half since the R&B singer Cassie Ventura first accused hip hop mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs of rape and repeated physical abuse over the course of their decade-long relationship. Those initial allegations unleashed a torrent of accusations from others, more than 70 sexual assault lawsuits, and federal raids of his homes. Now, Did…

1
Trump, Hitler and how democracies die 32:25

1M ago32:25

32:25

Today on the show is historian Timothy Ryback. Timothy is an author and writer with The Atlantic. He’s the director of the Institute for Historical Justice and Reconciliation in The Hague. Last year he published ‘Takeover’ which documents the ways Hitler and his enablers in the German establishment cleared the pathway to Nazism through constitution…

1
Is Alberta headed towards a separation vote? 29:14

2M ago29:14

29:14

Hundreds of people filled a banquet hall in Calgary last week to hear from the Alberta Prosperity Project, a group that wants Alberta to separate from Canada. They're trying to drum up support for a petition and earn enough signatures to trigger a referendum on separation in 2026. One of the reasons the petition is picking up steam is because Premi…

1
The internet sucks now, and it happened on purpose 38:21

2M ago38:21

38:21

It's not you — the internet really does suck. Novelist, blogger and noted internet commentator Cory Doctorow explains what happened to the internet and why you're tormented by ads, bots, algorithms, AI slop and so many pop-ups. Spoiler alert: it wasn't an accident. In Understood: Who Broke the Internet, Doctorow gets into the decisions made by powe…

1
Canada has a measles problem 28:48

2M ago28:48

28:48

Measles case numbers in Ontario are now higher than the total registered cases in the entire United States. This week’s report from Ontario Public Health puts the total at 1,646 cases of the disease since January. In Alberta, measles is spreading even quicker, outpacing Ontario in growth per-capita. Nearly three decades ago Canada had declared meas…

1
The latest in the hockey sex assault trial 25:33

2M ago25:33

25:33

Content warning: this conversation contains graphic details of an alleged sexual assault so please take care while listening. Proceedings began late last month in a trial that has been seven years in the making. It involves five former members of Canada's gold medal winning 2018 world juniors hockey team. They've been accused of sexually assaulting…

1
Politics! Carney’s new team, recount conspiracies 26:49

2M ago26:49

26:49

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Mark Carney’s new cabinet was sworn in at Rideau Hall. Among them are 24 new faces but also a solid handful of the same big names from the previous government. What does it tell us about the government’s priorities? Is it enough of a change from the Trudeau years? Plus, the Liberals gained a seat after winning a recount i…

1
Trump sidelines Israel, Gaza expansion looms 28:41

2M ago28:41

28:41

Israel is planning a major escalation of its military campaign in Gaza — one that the government says is necessary to eradicate Hamas, but which rights groups have said amounts to the annexation of the Palestinian territory. It comes amid apparent rifts between the U.S. and Israel. Trump is currently on a tour of the Middle East which won’t include…

1
Where does Trump’s trade war go next? 23:37

2M ago23:37

23:37

Top economic officials from the U.S. and China met in Geneva, Switzerland over the weekend. This was the first time that they’ve had face-to-face since the start of their enormous trade war. The U.S. has currently placed 145 per cent tariffs on China. China has responded with 125 per cent. These levies have essentially stopped business between the …

1
Dozens dead as India and Pakistan clash 23:02

2M ago23:02

23:02

Dozens have died this week as military tensions escalate between India and Pakistan over the disputed region of Kashmir. India fired missiles into Pakistan-controlled territory in what it says is retaliation for a militant attack on a tourist town in Indian territory in April. The Kashmir region has long been the source of violent conflict between …

1
Pope watch: who's next up? 27:24

2M ago27:24

27:24

What's going on behind the locked doors of the Sistine Chapel this week, as the Catholic Church's cardinals meet in Rome to choose the next pope? It's a centuries-old tradition, but this time, the college of cardinals is bigger than ever, with a growing contingent from Africa and Asia — many of them attending their first conclave ever. That means l…

1
Mark Carney goes to Washington 23:10

2M ago23:10

23:10

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Mark Carney and U.S. President Donald Trump had their first face-to-face meeting, amidst an ongoing trade war between Canada and the U.S. The relationship between the two countries is at a historic low. On top of existing tariffs, Trump said on Monday that he wants to impose 100 per cent tariffs on movies produced outside…

1
Amnesty International chief on the fight for human rights 42:07

2M ago42:07

42:07

Dr. Agnès Callamard has been a leader in the human rights sector for decades, and since 2021 has worked in the role of Secretary General for Amnesty International. She joins the show to discuss doing human rights work at this difficult historical moment, the future of international law, Canada’s role on the world stage, the question of genocide, an…

1
How 100 days of Trump is changing America 29:16

2M ago29:16

29:16

The first 100 days of Donald Trump’s second administration have been turbulent, controversial, and transformative. Today we’re joined by Alex Shephard, a senior editor at the New Republic, to take stock of the most consequential changes, their impact on the United States and its place in the world, and to what extent they are irreversible. For tran…

1
Are you worried about U.S. travel? 24:35

2M ago24:35

24:35

For many Canadians, travel to the United States is a yearly routine. But that’s started to change. People around the world have shared stories about travel to the U.S. gone wrong. Some have been pulled into the back rooms of airports for additional screening, others have been pressured to share their social media accounts for examination and in the…

1
Where does Pierre Poilievre go from here? 27:07

2M ago27:07

27:07

The Conservative Party of Canada is once again the Official Opposition. Now, the Tories are grappling with the disappointing results of Monday’s election. They lost to the Liberals after leading in the polls mere months ago and their party leader, Pierre Poilievre, failed to win in his own riding. But it wasn’t a total loss. The Conservatives won 4…

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