Ecamp Podcast

This ECAMP Podcast bonus episode, hosted by Murray Billett and produced by the Alberta Labour History Institute, takes us on a journey through a history-making decision that impacts Alberta’s Human Rights law to this day.  Featured voices include Vriend, former City Councillor Michael Phair, and four people who participated as lawyers in the case: Sheila Greckol (now a Justice of the Court of Appeal of Alberta); Douglas Stollery, CM, QC; Julie Lloyd, QC (now a Provincial Court Judge); and Lyle Kanee, QC. 

In this final episode of Season 2, revisit perspectives on Edmonton’s immigration history through the lens of food. Then, we consider annexation as a relationship between people, communities and the land with Peter Ohm, Edmonton’s Historian Laureate Amber Paquette & Mackenzie Ground.

In this episode, Elder Richard Jenkins & Cheyenne Mihko Kihêw discuss the formation of the Edmonton 2Spirit Society, its history & hiccups experienced along the way. Then, Omar Mollaleum takes to the streets to explore the history of Lebanese peddlers in Alberta & their connection to a beloved Alberta fast food restaurant.

In this episode, discover the Edmonton Women's Music Collective, Women Unlimited, Not Enough Fest, and Brown, Black & Fierce- four different projects across four decades that created Queer arts spaces in Edmonton.

Donna Coombs-Montrose shares her experience of immigrating to Canada and speaks about her involvement in the Cariwest Festival. Then, Erik Backstrom & Doug Kelly consider The Grange and the historical role of corporations in neighbourhood development.

In this episode, Alex Felicitas (AKA Bushwackin’ Al) speaks about their experience in the Queer Royale Drag Troupe. Then, former City Councillor and Member of Parliament Amarjeet Sohi shares his story of immigrating to Edmonton from India in the 1980s.

In this episode, explore two formalized ethnic enclaves in the Boyle Street and McCauley neighbourhoods. Lan Chan-Marples shares the history of Edmonton’s Chinatown & Adriana A Davies speaks about Little Italy. Then, Poushali Mitra considers the growing South Asian community in Mill Woods and recounts an effort to have a Little India arch erected in the early 2000s.

Luciana Erregue shares her story of immigrating to Edmonton from Argentina and considers the notions of race & a shared Latinx identity. Then, Dr. Kisha Supernant discusses her work with the Papaschase Nation in the Kaskitayo neighbourhood.

In this episode, hear from Melisa Brittain & Deb Farstad of the Alberta Beef drag troupe about the character of Drag Kinging in our province. Then, Miguel Priolo Marin speaks about a cerebral exodus from Venezuela in the 1990s and why many immigrants came to Alberta.

In this Episode, discover two very different histories that have been erased. Matt Hiltermann explores how the frontier myth erases history & Karin Kratz shares her story of lobbying to have an anti-homophobia clause added to the Canada Post collective agreement.

In this episode, discover a lost Métis settlement in a north-west industrial area with Dylan Reade, and learn about some sites essential to early 20th century immigration with Adriana A. Davies.

Rob Gurney (Ladonna Cree) shares the experience working Bellamy Hill in the 1990s, the art of drag, & the Indi-Queenz of Beaver Hills Haus. Then, Lan Chan-Marples & Debbie Beaver share perspectives on early Chinese & African-American histories.

In this episode, discover what trees can tell us about Edmonton’s history with Dustin Bajer, take a walk through Spruce Avenue with Wesley Andreas, and learn about a site significant to our city’s 2SLBGTQIA+ community in the 1980s with Darrin Hagen.

The story behind City Hall's remarkable bell tower, a gift from broadcast pioneer Dick Rice that regularly sends gleeful tunes out into Churchill Square.

Toyomatsu Kimura was no farmer! But after discrimination made it hard to run his business in 1920’s Edmonton, that’s what he did—along with other Japanese families. Hear how, from a farming community resident, Chizuko Kimura and researcher Aya Fujiwara.

Historian Kathryn Chase Merritt tells of the colourful history and pungent aroma of the City Market. Imagine open stalls of produce, fresh meat, and everything farmer’s could bring to the centre of town. First located on the south end of today’s Winston Churchill Square, the Edmonton Public library eventually took over the spot in 1967, but the memories remain...  

A mural in the Grandin LRT Station was meant to tell the story of a man but it inadvertently acted as a reminder of the oppression of an entire group of people. We find out the history of the mural, the pain it caused and the healing that came from it.

Professional theatre in Edmonton? Many thought it impossible. And a Fringe Festival in the early 1980s? Brian Paisley tells the story how he lucked out with government money and chutzpah. He's joined by playwright Ken Brown and writer Colin MacLean.