In January of 1947, in the depths of a record-breaking winter, beloved Canadian writer Pierre Berton, then a fledgling reporter with the Vancouver Sun newspaper, boarded a plane and ventured into the frozen wilds of the Nahanni Valley, a chain of towering mountains and ancient vales carved into the southwestern reaches of the Northwest Territories.…

The violin might be one of the most Canadian of musical instruments. In fact, there are a dozen different styles specific to Canada—styles like West Coast, Prairie, Ottawa Valley, Down East and the star of this episode, Cape Breton. Yet if one zealous priest had gotten his way, the distinctive Cape Breton sound wouldn't exist. Join me as we explore…

They are the quintessential pirate couple: Captain Eric Cobham and his first mate and partner in crime, the ruthless Maria Lindsay. Legend has it that this dreadful duo once haunted the waters of eastern Canada, slaughtering every sailor and sinking every ship they encountered for 20 years. Stories of their exploits can still be found all along the…

For some, it’s little more than a local oddity. For others, it’s a mystery that demands to be solved. But once we uncover its solution, we may find that it comes with more questions and some unsettling implications. Join me as we solve a century old puzzle, and learn about the curious history, fascinating folklore, and dubious medical advice that a…

The final part of my four part series about “Ghost Town Ghosts,” another story from my own home province of British Columbia and arguably the most famous ghost town in western Canada. The story is about friendship—about a connection that can pierce the veil between this world and the next. It’s also a tale mystery, of true crime, and of how histori…

For decades, a mysterious pair of spirits—a horse and its rider—have been said to haunt a long-vanished stretch of train track that once cut through the northern expanse of the Great Plains. Some said they were little more than a trick of fog in the moonlight, but that was before human remains were found nearby. Figment or phantom, it’s an excellen…

Would you live in a haunted house if the rent was cheap enough? That was a question that one couple faced in the summer of 1957. Once a rough-and-tumble lumber town, now a drowned town at the bottom of a man-made lake, Waldo, BC is the unexpected location for this classic story about a haunted house that makes us wonder: when the houses are long go…

Saint Leonards, Newfoundland, is a community with more than its fair share of ghost stories. Headless dogs are said to wander the abandoned churchyard at night. A phantom ship was seen gliding through the eastern reach. And some believe long ago, an unearthed skull taught the town a powerful lesson about honouring the past, and respecting the dead.…

Found in every province and territory of the country, the Canada Jay has inspired countless stories in many different cultures from coast to coast. Hear how this one little bird is a camp companion, a hero, a hunter, a star in the sky, and even a vessel for the souls of the dead. Fireside Canada is a podcast about Canadian legends, lies and lore. F…

The story of Anson Minor is a classic campfire tale that has been terrifying Canadian campers for decades. The spooky tale is most commonly heard from the lakeshores and backwoods of Ontario, and while, on the surface, it might seem like any other summer camp legend, this story is special because it can help us understand how urban legends are made…

Bell Island, Newfoundland is said to be one of Canada's most haunted places, with more than its share of tragic deaths and mysterious phenomena. But one story stands out above the rest. "Taste what I tasted. Smell what I smelled." These are the haunting words of the Ghost of Dobbin's Garden, more commonly known today as the Swamp Hag of Bell Island…

"You can drink it fast, you can drink it slow, but the lips have got to touch the toe." So goes the prime directive of the Exalted Order of the Sourtoe, a cocktail club dreamed up in the 1970s to celebrate Discovery Day in Dawson City. Essentially a shot of liquor garnished with a preserved, severed human toe, the Sourtoe Cocktail is one of Canada'…

For period of 16-18 months between 1975 and 1976, a mysterious red light was routinely seen flying through the skies of Southern Manitoba. The unidentified flying object appeared so often and to so many people that it was given the name "Charlie Redstar." At the time, the event was one of the biggest UFO flaps to have ever occurred, yet few people …

On Monday, July 9, 1928, four cold-blooded murders were committed on the Booher family farm, just outside the small village of Mannville in central Alberta. The crime shocked the nation, and the police made headlines when they decided to employ a self-proclaimed "mind reader" to help them find the missing murder weapon. It has been called the first…

It's the plot of a 1996 Hallmark movie, the focus of a few paragraphs in history books, and the subject of countless social media posts: the tragic story of James Mink, one of early Toronto's wealthiest citizens, and his daughter Mary, sold into slavery by her own husband. It's a great story that's found in history books and Black History Month fea…

It's one of the most famous and best-documented lake monsters in the world, and predates Nessie by over 80 years. It's mentioned in centuries-old journals and modern-day reports, and appears in grainy film footage, razor-sharp photos, and cheesy tourist t-shirts. But long before there was Ogopogo, there was nx̌ax̌aitkʷ, the Syilx name for the sacre…

"The best man in Ottawa was Mufferaw Joe," according to the famous song by legendary Canadian singer/songwriter Stompin' Tom Connors. "Big Joe Mufferaw" is often regarding as Canada's answer to Paul Bunyan: a family-friendly lumberjack whose monumental feats of strength literally changed the Ontario landscape. But the lovable, larger-than-life char…

For centuries, people in the Maritime provinces of New Brunswick, PEI and Nova Scotia have reported seeing a full-rigged sailing ship, engulfed in red flame, sailing against the wind in the waters of Chaleur Bay and the Northumberland Strait. Some say that it's just an illusion, but the "fireship" has been seen by people of all ages, cultures, and …

Grab a hot chocolate and settle in by the fire for two tales of supernatural wonder from Canada's frozen north: one from the Yukon Territory, one from the coast of Labrador. The first is a long-forgotten, supposedly "true" tale about how a mining engineer from Alaska was saved by a stranger who appeared to him in a dream. The second is well-known s…

When most people think about "fairies," they picture beautiful, magical, human-like creatures with butterfly wings who live in mushrooms, collect children’s teeth, and sprinkle fairy dust on orphans and teach them how to fly. But that's the safe, romantic, child-friendly version of a creature that has been feared for thousands of years, to the poin…

The lighthouse at Toronto's Gibraltar Point is one of the city's oldest landmarks. It also has a dark secret, if you believe the legends. For over two centuries, people have shared the story of J. P. Radelmüller, the lighthouse's first keeper, said to have been murdered, chopped to pieces, and scattered across the island one cold winter's night in …

Tall tales are an important part of the Canadian cultural landscape, and this one's a whopper. In this episode, we'll hear the legend (or is it a lie?) about a massive 42 lb bullfrog and the man who loved it. Part 19th century advertisement, part local legend, this somewhat controversial tale asks us to think about the nature of storytelling, and t…

It's a centuries-old folktale—a story about one evening when the devil came to town to dance with an unwitting partner and steal her soul. Found in nearly every province across Canada, the story of "The Devil at the Dance" is perhaps best known as a quaint French Canadian legend meant to caution the young about the dangers of drinking and dancing. …

Winnipeg's Fort Garry Hotel is considered by many to be, not just one of the most haunted places in Canada, but one of the most haunted hotels in the world. Join me as we explore its stories—from local legends to national headlines—and consider the history, meaning and impact of the hotel's most notorious story: the ghost of a suicide bride said to…

In 1577, an English privateer and explorer found a "unicorn horn" on the shore of what we know today as Baffin Island, Nunavut. The find would become a cherished posession of Queen Elizabeth I. Hear the legend and explore the hidden history and complex cultural ties of this legendary and lost treasure from two different worlds. Read the complete sh…

In celebration of the 125th anniversary of Dracula, we'll look at Canada's own vampire legends set in the quaint village of Wilno, Ontario. Hear how an earnest investigation into local folklore mixed with pop culture to inspire brand new stories that combine legend, lies and lore. See the complete list of show notes at FiresideCanada.ca Fireside Ca…

Granite Creek was at one point the third largest settlement in British Columbia. Now there's nothing left but rotting wood, rusted metal, a few great stories and, perhaps, a long lost treasure buried somewhere close by. Join me for tales of lucky finds, incredible feats, wild west weirdness and buried treasure from one of BC's countless forgotten g…

According to a forgotten newspaper article, a Quebec farmer once did battle with a fearsome flying monster, and had the body to prove it. The story should have made headlines around the world. Instead, it was swiftly forgotten. In this episode we'll analyze this cryptozoological story that never got its moment in the spotlight, and consider what it…

In April of 1915, the body of a Canadian soldier was found crucified near the city of Ypres...or so the legend goes. Follow the tale of the Crucified Canadian as it transforms from a rumor of the trenches, to a tool for propaganda, to a national myth and symbol of heroism and sacrifice, and finally to the subject of an international scandal. In thi…

A strange and terrifying phenomenon has been plaguing humans for millennia, walking into bedrooms at night, looming at bedsides and, in the worst cases, attempting to suffocate or strangle its paralyzed victims. It has many names throughout the world, but in Newfoundland they call it "The Old Hag," where it has connections to centuries-old beliefs …

One chilly October morning, a church bell unexpectedly rang through the streets of Charlottetown, PEI, guided by the hands of four ghostly women. Hours later, a ship would sink halfway between Charlottetown and Pictou, Nova Scotia, killing four women. In this episode we'll explore this classic ghost story of PEI together with the historic account o…

One night in the early 1900’s, two men encountered a strange and terrifying creature. Their story is now a classic part of Nova Scotian folklore. This episode explores some of Nova Scotia’s most iconic stories about “forerunners” (supernatural omens of impending death), including one story that was later adapted for the best-selling spooky kids’ bo…

Every Christmas or New Year’s Eve, some say, several men in a birch bark canoe will soar through the skies over Montreal and beyond. It’s known as “la chasse-galerie,” and it’s essentially the Canadian version of the Wild Hunt. It’s a tale that has been told since at least the 17th century, and the story may have influenced, or have been influenced…

A doomed French lord, ill-fated lovers, and the Wild Hunt all play a part in this episode focused on unpacking and examining the origin and the legacy of La Chasse-Galerie. Listen to a long-forgotten legend of La Chasse-Galerie from old Detroit, and get a better understanding of this classic Canadian legend and its connections to other, older folkl…

It has been called one of Ontario’s most haunted locations, and it has hosted a right-of-passage for Niagara youth for decades—some say for over a hundred years. Go at night, they say, light a match, and face the ghost of a murdered girl, then hear her scream as she blows the match out. It’s a wonderfully creepy ghost story, and a fascinating study…

Edward Jordan was the first person to be tried and executed for piracy on Canadian soil. In Part 1, we heard about the mysterious vessel "Three Sisters", the odd behaviour of her crew, and their ultimate capture by the British navy for murder, piracy and robbery. In Part 2, we'll learn the rest of Edward Jordan's story, and the fate of those involv…

In 1908, two trains collided just outside of Medicine Hat, killing seven men. The event has since become part of a classic piece of Canadian folklore with elements of fortune telling, forerunners, and fate. Today, over a century later, the lines between history and legend are starting to blur. In this episode you’ll hear the original story told by …

The Dungarvon Whooper is perhaps the most popular ghost story and folk legend in New Brunswick. But while many know the tale about a murdered cook named Ryan, few realize that, long ago, it was just one of many. In this episode, we'll take a trip to the lumber camps of the late 1800s and hear four different legends, all shared in an attempt to expl…

In Part 2 of my look at the Dungarvon Whooper, I'll tell you my version of the classic legend of a murdered cook whose spirit is said to haunt the wilderness of northern New Brunswick. We'll also take a closer look at the stories you heard last episode, try to understand the historical context of these tales, consider the legacy of the legend, and …

Mowhawk author and performer E. Pauline Johnson made The Legend of the Qu'Appelle Valley one of Saskatchewan's most popular folktales, but it's not the only story about "The River That Calls." Learn about the history of the legend, the theories on what made Johnson's version so popular, and the legacy that has made it somewhat controversial today. …

The Baldoon Mystery is an odd bit of Canadian folklore. It's supported by recorded eye-witness accounts, has ties to real people and real history, and has the strange distinction of being one of the few ghost stories in the world that doesn't actually feature a ghost. At least, not in the way you might expect. It's a prime example of a Settler Goth…

Part 2 of 2 continues our examination of the Baldoon Mystery with a look at the history and culture of the people who lived there. We'll also review of all the various theories about what was behind the strange events, and what ultimately brought them to an end. You'll hear about rumours of Faustian deals, about "little people" of Indigenous oral t…

One summer's day in the 1880s, a number of railroad workers stumbled upon a mysterious creature sleeping on the track. After a brief chase, they captured the beast and carried it to town, where it was examined by the local doctor and declared to be a new species of ape. That's the legend, at least. The story of Yale's "wild man" or "Jacko," as he w…

Edward Jordan was the first person to be tried and executed for piracy on Canadian soil. That fact has made him something of a legend, with many imagining him cruising the Atlantic and plundering vessels before being captured. The truth is far less romantic, but still an intriguing story from Canadian history. Part 1 of 2. Fireside Canada is a podc…

Welcome to Fireside Canada, a new podcast focused on exploring and explaining Canadian folklore. Fireside Canada is a podcast about Canadian legends, lies and lore. Focused on both the storytelling and the historical aspects of folklore, each episode includes a creative retelling or story inspired by the folklore as well as an exploration and analy…