Canada, As I See It
Canada - This is how I see it.
AsISeeIt@whorpole.ca
Canada - This is how I see it.
AsISeeIt@whorpole.ca
Episodes
Apr 12, 2026
#112 - Calixa and Cohen
Apr 12, 2026
Apr 12, 2026
19 min
This is a musical week.
I talk about a gentleman who wrote the song that brings pride to every Canadian who sings it, and a gentleman who wrote music that we all know...whether we know it or not...and had the best.singing.voice.ever.
Calixa Lavallée and Leonard Cohen.I just realized that their initials are the same...but reversed.I didn't plan that...honestly.Calixa and Cohen – sounds like a comedy duo!They're not necessarily funny when played together, but they are definitely entertaining.Join me, as I take a brief look at what they have given to Canada.
*****
I'm still looking for your stories of your home province – please send them to me (audio file or a few paragraphs that I can read) to me at the SAME address you can use, if YOU want to be a part of MY podcast. For that, please send me a recording of you saying,“This podcast is produced by the Fireside Chat Club of Canada”.
Send either of those to: AsISeeIt@whorpole.ca
AND, you can also contribute, by Buying Me A Coffee.Please go to my website – https://whorpole.ca and click on the yellow “Buy Me A Coffee” icon. It'll help me in my endeavour to find and produce the best Canadian content for you, every week.
Apr 12, 2026
19 min
Apr 5, 2026
#111 - Dartboard of Names
Apr 5, 2026
Apr 5, 2026
17 min
This week, my stream-of-consciousness gene kicks in.
It all started with “one little spark of inspiration”, and a name, and I was off.
A little nod to a new podcast I'm listening to now – Dropping Names. One thing led to another, and boom, I have a podcast.
AND, a proposal for a Canadian version of “Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon”...The Garber Effect. Let me know what you think!
*****
I'm still looking for your stories of your home province – please send them to me (audio file or a few paragraphs that I can read) to me at the SAME address you can use, if YOU want to be a part of MY podcast. For that, please send me a recording of you saying,“This podcast is produced by the Fireside Chat Club of Canada”.
Send either of those to: AsISeeIt@whorpole.ca
AND, you can also contribute, by Buying Me A Coffee.Please go to my website – https://whorpole.ca and click on the yellow “Buy Me A Coffee” icon. It'll help me in my endeavour to find and produce the best Canadian content for you, every week.
Apr 5, 2026
17 min
Mar 29, 2026
#110 - Numbers and convergence
Mar 29, 2026
Mar 29, 2026
25 min
Every once in a while, I check on the numbers of the podcast.
So, we're looking at those.
AND, I submit to you a theory that I have that looks at a potential perfect storm that could happen, when it comes to all of Toronto's professional sports teams.
AND, an update on the Blue Jays game that I reference on the pod – oh boy, what a game. Reminiscent of a bit of the world series run – the Blue Jays took it in the 11th inning: 8-7!
*****
I'm still looking for your stories of your home province – please send them to me (audio file or a few paragraphs that I can read) to me at the SAME address you can use, if YOU want to be a part of MY podcast. For that, please send me a recording of you saying,“This podcast is produced by the Fireside Chat Club of Canada”.
Send either of those to: AsISeeIt@whorpole.ca
AND, you can also contribute, by Buying Me A Coffee.Please go to my website – https://whorpole.ca and click on the yellow “Buy Me A Coffee” icon. It'll help me in my endeavour to find and produce the best Canadian content for you, every week.
Mar 29, 2026
25 min
Mar 22, 2026
#109 - Montréal Canadiens
Mar 22, 2026
Mar 22, 2026
25 min
Today, I'm talking about the Montréal Canadiens, the NHL team.
It's been a bit of a crazy week for me – I'll tell you more in the podcast.
And to answer the question that I started in the podcast – Montréal did, in fact beat the New York Islanders, 7-3.
Check out “not me”, not watching the Canadiens playing “last night” on TV, on my Instagram feed - https://www.instagram.com/firesidechatcoc/ I have to admit, this one looks a lot more like me!
*****
I'm still looking for your stories of your home province – please send them to me (audio file or a few paragraphs that I can read) to me at the SAME address you can use, if YOU want to be a part of MY podcast. For that, please send me a recording of you saying,“This podcast is produced by the Fireside Chat Club of Canada”.
Send either of those to: AsISeeIt@whorpole.ca
AND, you can also contribute, by Buying Me A Coffee.Please go to my website – https://whorpole.ca and click on the yellow “Buy Me A Coffee” icon. It'll help me in my endeavour to find and produce the best Canadian content for you, every week.
Mar 22, 2026
25 min
Mar 15, 2026
#108 - Don't Call Me Shirley
Mar 15, 2026
Mar 15, 2026
16 min
Today's podcast is not about my mother.
Well, that's because her name was Shirley, and well, she would never have used that phrase.
No, today I am speaking about a Canadian who worked his way up through the entertainment trenches to arguably achieve his greatest success in his later years.
Today, I take a look at the life of Leslie William Nielsen.
*****
I'm still looking for your stories of your home province – please send them to me (audio file or a few paragraphs that I can read) to me at the SAME address you can use, if YOU want to be a part of MY podcast. For that, please send me a recording of you saying,“This podcast is produced by the Fireside Chat Club of Canada”.
Send either of those to: AsISeeIt@whorpole.ca
AND, you can also contribute, by Buying Me A Coffee.Please go to my website – https://whorpole.ca and click on the yellow “Buy Me A Coffee” icon. It'll help me in my endeavour to find and produce the best Canadian content for you, every week.
Mar 15, 2026
16 min
Mar 8, 2026
#107 - Hockey and Movies
Mar 8, 2026
Mar 8, 2026
16 min
My voice is almost back.I'd say it's at 75%
I'm calling on my buddy Ryan to help out again, but I'll be there too!
This week, it's all about comfortability.Just taking it easy with what I know.
Hockey and movies.
I'm still looking for your stories of your home province – please send them to me (audio file or a few paragraphs that I can read) to me at the SAME address you can use, if YOU want to be a part of MY podcast. For that, please send me a recording of you saying,“This podcast is produced by the Fireside Chat Club of Canada”.
Send either of those to: AsISeeIt@whorpole.ca
AND, you can also contribute, by Buying Me A Coffee.Please go to my website – https://whorpole.ca and click on the yellow “Buy Me A Coffee” icon. It'll help me in my endeavour to find and produce the best Canadian content for you, every week.
Mar 8, 2026
16 min
Mar 1, 2026
#106 - Testing, Testing, Testing
Mar 1, 2026
Mar 1, 2026
8 min
My colds are like leap years.I get one a year, and every four years, I get a doozy.This isn't a leap year though – I guess I'm on a Winter Olympic schedule...
This week, I enlisted the help of some AI, both on the writing-side and the recording-side.
I will not be changing to this method for the podcast, this is just to give my voice a rest.
Just for funsies, I also asked Google AI to create a picture of me in a studio, referencing a photo of me that exists online. Check out my Instagram to see the pic:https://www.instagram.com/firesidechatcoc/
I'm going through all of the home remedies, and hope to be back to my old self for next week's show.
I'm still looking for your stories of your home province – please send them to me (audio file or a few paragraphs that I can read) to me at the SAME address you can use, if YOU want to be a part of MY podcast. For that, please send me a recording of you saying,“This podcast is produced by the Fireside Chat Club of Canada”.
Send either of those to: AsISeeIt@whorpole.ca
AND, you can also contribute, by Buying Me A Coffee.Please go to my website – https://whorpole.ca and click on the yellow “Buy Me A Coffee” icon. It'll help me in my endeavour to find and produce the best Canadian content for you, every week.
Mar 1, 2026
8 min
Feb 22, 2026
#105 - Snow Days, Kurt and Elvis
Feb 22, 2026
Feb 22, 2026
14 min
It's the last day of the Winter Olympics.There's also snow on the ground.And sometimes, I get to stay at home.Wishful memories of when I was young.Today, I look at a few “cooler” Canadian things...
I'm still looking for your stories of your home province – please send them to me (audio file or a few paragraphs that I can read) to me at the SAME address you can use, if YOU want to be a part of MY podcast. For that, please send me a recording of you saying,“This podcast is produced by the Fireside Chat Club of Canada”.
Send either of those to: AsISeeIt@whorpole.ca
AND, you can also contribute, by Buying Me A Coffee.Please go to my website – https://whorpole.ca and click on the yellow “Buy Me A Coffee” icon. It'll help me in my endeavour to find and produce the best Canadian content for you, every week.
Feb 22, 2026
14 min

History, as seen from a t-shirt
I have written a lot, especially over the last few years. In 2020, working from home, I began telling everyone about my t-shirts. It was something to do - because I didn't have to commute 90 minutes a day!
The last shirt in that series had a stylized Canadian flag with over 200 people and facts on it.
THAT was my next project.
And that is how you find yourselves here.
Join me, and let's look at
Canada, as I see it.
AsISeeIt@whorpole.ca






