Sandy Hudson & Nora Loreto
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Based on 6 episodes we listened to · September 2026
Sandy and Nora connect Canadian political analysis to the practical choices, conflicts and infrastructure behind collective action.
Sandy and Nora turn Canadian politics into a sustained argument about power, organization and what effective action requires. Their political commentary moves between the NDP, organized labour, protest strategy, institutional secrecy and Canada's role in international conflicts.
Sandy says save the NDP; Nora says no, and you get the argument instead of a shrug.
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Short reviews from the PlayNext desk, based on the episodes we processed.
A blunt, context-rich look at the NDP race, labor politics, and the larger Canadian backdrop around it.
Sandy and Nora use the NDP leadership race as a way into a wider argument about labor, oil and gas politics, and whether the party still has a real worker backbone.
A candid leadership interview about dental care, compromise, and the NDP's public story.
Nora Loretto's interview with Avi Lewis uses the NDP leadership race to press on a basic political problem: how a party explains compromise when it backs the Liberal Party in a minority setting to win policy gains like dental care.
A February walk becomes a sharp case study in class, access, and winter sports.
The episode opens on a walk that feels like summer in late February, then uses that contrast to widen into a discussion of who gets into winter sports and who is brought up inside them.
A blunt, fast-moving episode that cuts through guarded language and treats a court update as a story about power and secrecy.
The episode starts with a rough news check-in, then turns to a court update about four men arrested west of Quebec City: three face terrorism offenses, and one is charged with stealing weapons from the armed forces.
A sharp, skeptical conversation on Venezuela and Canada's obligations, unwilling to let lazy consensus pass for analysis.
Nora and Sandy open with holiday banter and a dead furnace before moving into Venezuela, where the episode pushes back on the easy certainty that can come from Western coverage and from treating diasporic Venezuelan voices as if they settle the matter.
A full house live recording turns political strategy into a practical, energized conversation.
Recorded in Whitehorse on September 20, 2025 and hosted by the Yukon Film Society, this live set has a full room and enough charge to make the stakes feel immediate.
A year-end reckoning that turns 2025 into a warning about the state of public debate.
The episode uses a year-end frame to look back on 2025, moving from holiday banter into a blunt account of the highs, lows, and plain stupidity that shaped the year.
A live left conversation about organizing, power, and electoral strategy.
Sandy Hudson and Nora open their first guest episode with a live conversation from Theatre Aquarius in Hamilton, Ontario, joined by Matthew Green and Cyrus Marcus Ware.
Kansas politics with the gloves off.
D.C. business with civic stakes.
Sandy and Nora discuss the value of empowerment training and teaching people to take power back in difficult times.
Two friends discuss a partner's near-miss astronaut application and marvel at space exploration achievements.
Sandy complains to Nora about the proliferation of food delivery robots in Los Angeles and the problems they cause.
Sandy and Nora open this episode with Sandy's announcement that she has been diagnosed with breast cancer, described with characteristic equanimity — she keeps telling people casually and forgetting that it is a heavy thing to say.
Sandy and Nora analyze the NDP leadership race, discussing candidates like Heather McPherson, To Neil, Rob Ashton, and Avi Lewis, while also touching on surprising immigration statistics and Oscar controversies.
Nora Loretto interviews Avi Lewis, an NDP leadership candidate, discussing his campaign's focus on internal party democracy, labor union dynamics, and critiques of past leaders like Jagmeet Singh.
Nora Loretto interviews Rob Ashton, a candidate in the NDP leadership race, discussing his working-class background, critique of the party's disconnect from grassroots, and views on issues like union democracy, environmental collaboration, and the Gaza conflict.
Sandy and Nora discuss Canada's response to the US-Israel war on Iran, criticizing the government's quick support and lack of independent media coverage.
Nora Loretto interviews Tanille Johnston, a candidate in the NDP leadership race, discussing her background in student organizing, critiques of party centralization, challenges as a rural and Indigenous candidate, and visions for generational renewal and Indigenous engagement.
Nora Loretto interviews Heather McPherson, an NDP leadership candidate, discussing her vision for party renewal, winning seats, and addressing issues like climate change, housing, and fascism.
Sandy and Nora analyze Canada's contradictory response to the US-Israel bombing of Iran, criticizing its support while claiming non-involvement and highlighting civilian casualties, diaspora reactions, and broader geopolitical implications like AI in warfare and anti-war organizing.
The hosts discuss police corruption scandals in Toronto and beyond, highlighting systemic issues and misallocated funding.
Sandy and Nora discuss the Tumbler Ridge mass shooting, critiquing how media and politics shifted focus to the shooter's gender identity instead of systemic issues like mental health care and rural decay.
Sandy and Nora discuss how the internet is harming society, focusing on issues like online anonymity enabling bot-driven harassment, the lack of public regulation compared to tech company control, and the impact of constant connectivity on mental health and activism.
Sandy and Nora discuss the Epstein files, focusing on Canadian connections, including white supremacist funding, political ties, and media silence.
Sandy and Nora discuss the escalating U.S.
Sandy and Nora analyze recent geopolitical events, including leaked Trump text messages with European leaders, Mark Carney's Davos speech admitting the rules-based order was a lie, and Trump's controversial 'board of peace' plan for Gaza.
Sandy and Nora announce a change in their podcast release schedule from Monday to Wednesday due to chaotic Mondays and breaking news.
Sandy and Nora discuss Canada's $23.5 billion funding for Ukraine, critiquing the lack of public debate and backlash against dissent.
Sandy and Nora discuss the U.S.
Sandy and Nora host a live show in Whitehorse, discussing political activism and the feeling of needing to 'do something' in Canada's current climate.
Sandy and Nora reflect on 2025, discussing rising fascism in Canada, media failures, the Palestine-Israel conflict, and challenges in left-wing activism.
Sandy and Nora discuss the recent antisemitic mass shooting in Australia, linking it to rising hatred and government exploitation in Canada.
Sandy and Nora discuss Trump's recent racist remarks against Somali communities and the media's belated labeling of his rhetoric as xenophobic.
Sandy and Nora discuss the potential migrant crisis in Canada due to Trump's restrictive US immigration policies, critique Canadian media and government unpreparedness, and explore topics like armed resistance, political aesthetics, and World Cup visa issues.
Sandy Hudson hosts a conversation with activists Matthew Green and Cyrus Marcus Ware, discussing the state of the left in Canada, diagnosing failures in institutions like the NDP, and exploring strategies for building community and resistance against rising fascism and neoliberalism.
Sandy and Nora critique Canada's shift from peacekeeping to profiteering in global conflicts, discussing arms deals with the UAE, corruption in Ukraine, and U.S.
Sandy and Nora discuss the recent US government shutdown and its implications for political strategy, using it as a springboard to explore the lack of bold left-wing leadership in Canada.
Sandy and Nora analyze Canada's 2025 budget, criticizing its heavy focus on military spending, security, and industry subsidies at the expense of social services like dental care and healthcare.
The hosts delay their episode to react to the federal budget, focusing on military spending and political fallout.
Sandy Hudson interviews activists Travis Laver and Elizabeth Ha in Windsor, Ontario, discussing urgent border issues like Trump tariffs, racism, and the exploitation of international students.
Sandy and Nora discuss the effectiveness of protests, analyzing recent events like the No Kings rallies in the US and the Global March of Women in Quebec City.
Sandy and Nora analyze the U.S.
Sandy and Nora discuss the decline of free press, focusing on billionaire takeovers of media like CBS appointing Barry Weiss, and critique Canadian media's failures in providing critical journalism.
Sandy and Nora discuss two major issues: Canada Post's proposed service cuts and strikes, critiquing the framing of public services as for-profit businesses, and police brutality in Canada, highlighting cases like the killing of a 15-year-old in Quebec and the push for defunding police.
Sandy and Nora reflect on their cross-Canada tour, revealing widespread pessimism and depression among Canadians due to issues like CRA failures and political inertia.
Sandy and Nora analyze the assassination of Charlie Kirk, exploring its implications for culture wars, white supremacy, and media fragmentation.
Sandy and Nora analyze how culture wars are manufactured by politicians and media to distract from real issues, using examples like book bans in Alberta, bike lane debates, and attacks on philanthropists.
Sandy and Nora discuss the Haitian refugee crisis, including Nora's article on asylum rules and the 14-day hiding requirement.
Sandy and Nora host a live Q&A in St.
This live Q&A episode from Halifax features questions on taxing the wealthy, union organizing, and activism strategies, with hosts Sandy and Nora sharing personal stories and insights on building confidence and creating effective spectacles for social change.
Sandy and Nora host a live episode discussing extreme income inequality in Canada, critiquing tax cuts, corporate profits, and neoliberal policies.
Sandy and Nora host a live Q&A in Charlottetown, discussing strategies for political persuasion, movement building, and organizing.
Sandy and Nora analyze the aftermath of a federal election, critiquing how major issues like Palestine and corporate profits were ignored.
Sandy and Nora discuss the history of Palestine activism on Canadian campuses, highlighting how Zionist backlash and government interference suppressed free speech and student organizing.
Sandy and Nora discuss the disturbing effects of social media algorithms, including eating disorder content and AI misinformation, while critiquing Canadian federal cuts to public services amid healthcare crises and forest fires.
Sandy and Nora discuss the deadly Texas floods, linking them to climate change and political funding cuts.
Hosts Sandy and Nora discuss Mark Carney's early actions as Prime Minister of Canada, criticizing his policy reversals on digital taxes, military spending, and refugee policies as capitulations to US demands.
Sandy and Nora open with Sandy sharing that she has just received her breast cancer biopsy results, processing the diagnosis publicly for the first time in this conversation.
Sandy and Nora discuss the escalating Israel-Iran conflict and fears of World War III, critiquing Canada's foreign policy and media coverage.
Sandy and Nora discuss secret trade talks between Mark Carney and Donald Trump, Canada's restrictive immigration bill C2, and the rise of fascism as a system to erase class conflict.
Sandy and Nora discuss Mark Carney's rapid shift towards increased military spending, including plans to triple defense budgets, join Trump's Golden Dome missile defense, and support the Rearm Europe initiative.
Sandy and Nora discuss Mark Carney's push for increased military spending, including tripling Canada's defense budget by 2030 and joining Trump's Golden Dome missile defense system.
Two friends catch up, discussing their busy schedules, a first-time camping experience, and cultural observations.
The hosts joke about their new live broadcast on Sirius XM and engage in lighthearted banter about podcast listening habits.
Hosts Sandy and Nora catch up on their personal weeks before transitioning into a discussion of news and politics.
Two friends engage in a lighthearted debate about the proper way to make a peanut butter sandwich.
Sandy and Nora discuss the political propaganda shift on Twitter and Elon Musk's influence.