Latest Episodes

Episode 399: As the clock strikes midnight, not everyone welcomes the New Year with champagne and resolutions. In this episode of Dark Poutine, we explore the darker, stranger, and sometimes…

Episode 390: When most Canadians think of occult-related witch trials, their minds drift south to Salem, Massachusetts, or across the ocean to medieval Europe. The popular narrative suggests that Canada, with…

This is our special Remembrance Day episode. Each year on November 11, Canadians pause to remember the sacrifices made by those who served in the armed forces, defending our country and our allies with incredible courage and resolve. Last year, we shared the story of one remarkable Canadian soldier, Leo Major. Leo was a scout and sniper who, against all odds, single-handedly liberated the Dutch town of Zwolle in 1945. Moving under cover of darkness, he confused and intimidated German forces through a series of daring attacks, leading them to believe an entire Allied battalion was upon them. His incredible bravery and tactical genius not only saved the town but established him as a true legend. This year, we’ll explore the stories of several more incredible Canadians who, like Leo, faced impossible odds with courage, ingenuity, and the unbreakable Canadian spirit. These people faced unimaginable odds, fought for our freedom and justice, and showed the world the strength of the Canadian spirit. Join us as we honour and remember these heroes—names that deserve a place in history and our hearts.

Welcome to a very special Halloween edition of Dark Poutine. This year, we’re also celebrating our seventh anniversary! Over the years, we’ve explored the darkest corners of Canadian crime and history, but tonight, we’re widening the lens to take you on a ghostly journey around the world. In the spirit of the spookiest time of year, we’ll dive into the eerie world of hauntings, ghosts and, of course, poltergeists—those noisy, mischievous spirits that have haunted homes, thrown objects, and terrified families across different cultures for centuries. Buckle up for a global tour of unsettling encounters and unexplained phenomena that have left their mark in folklore, history, and, for some, reality. Get ready to be both intrigued and chilled to the bone!

In the annals of military history, few figures stand as singularly remarkable as Léo Major, a French-Canadian soldier whose audacious feats in World War II and the Korean War etched his name in the pantheon of military legends. During World War II, he served with the Régiment de la Chaudière, participating in the D-Day landings and embarking on a series of extraordinary exploits that culminated in the single-handed liberation of the Dutch town of Zwolle from Nazi occupation. Unfazed by injuries and fueled by a relentless drive, he refused to be sidelined, resolutely continuing his service. Major's saga did not conclude with the end of World War II; he reenlisted to serve in the Korean War, where he would once again defy the odds and solidify his legacy. His story is a captivating tale of bravery, resilience, and a steadfast commitment to justice, offering an inspiring testament to the power of individual courage in the face of overwhelming adversity. Some have called him Quebec’s Rambo. He is the only Canadian to have received the Distinguished Conduct Medal (DCM) twice for his actions in two different wars.

Episode 192:  If you’re willing to look you’ll see that human culture and all other endeavors are shot through with one predominant and frightening idea, that one day everything, including us, must come to an end. One day we will die. Human beings are, as far as we know, the only animal capable of understanding that inevitably every one of us, good eggs and bad apples alike, will expire. Hopefully, a long time from now, we will pass away, be sleeping with the fishes, or, if you like, have met our maker.PromoSupernatural Circumstances PodcastSources:BOOK — The Denial of DeathBOOK — The Worm at the Core: On the Role of Death in LifeBOOK — Egyptian Book of the DeadBOOK — On Death and Dyingentityseeker.ca29 Best Death Metaphors & Idioms (2021)Don’t Pay The Ferryman - song by Chris de Burgh | SpotifyThe Supernatural | Canada Stamp SeriesElisabeth Kübler-Ross Quotes (Author of On Death and Dying)Ring Around the Rosie: Metafolklore, Rhyme and Reason | Folklife TodayDoes a Dying Person Know They Are Dying?The book of death: weighing your heartWhat Physically Happens to Your Body Right After DeathSupport the show: https://www.patreon.com/darkpoutine

Episode 155: The holidays can be a notoriously hard time for people who either miss loved ones or have a hard time being around them so much. For those reasons, we take a break from all the murder and mayhem and try to bring you a little holiday cheer with a bit of a dark edge. This year, for our fourth Christmas, themed episode, we learn about the global depictions of Santa Claus, some dark Christmas traditions from around the world, and Krampus, the Christmas Demon. See you in the new year! Co-host: Carol Browne Sources: https://www.stnicholascenter.org/who-is-st-nicholas https://www.whychristmas.com/customs/fatherchristmas.shtml https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Krampus http://www.krampus.com/krampus-on-the-web.php https://www.thethings.com/15-terrifying-christmas-stories-that-will-put-you-in-true-holiday-spirit-this-year/ https://carterhaughschool.com/10-spooky-ghost-stories-for-christmastime/ https://www.scaryforkids.com/christmas-stories/ https://litreactor.com/columns/20-ghost-and-horror-stories-for-christmas https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/why-do-ghost-stories-go-christmas-180961547/ https://carterhaughschool.com/10-spooky-ghost-stories-for-christmastime/ https://www.icelandairhotels.com/magazine/blog/icelands-13-yule-lads-mag https://www.ranker.com/list/story-of-icelandic-yule-brothers/erin-wisti https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/71999/9-facts-about-krampus-st-nicks-demonic-companion https://www.britannica.com/topic/Enkidu https://thecompanion.in/christmas-eclipse-festival-saturnalia/ Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/darkpoutine

Episode 149:William Avery (Billy) Bishop was born in Owen Sound, Ontario, on February 8, 1894. When the First World War broke out, as with many young men of his day, Billy was off to Europe to do his part. By the end of the war, Bishop claimed he had survived more than 170 air battles and said he had shot down seventy-two German aircraft. This number left Bishop only three behind René Fonck of France and eight behind The Red Baron, Manfred von Richthofen, who had 80 kills. These numbers made Bishop the top Canadian and British Empire flying ace of the war and Canada’s most storied veterans. But Billy’s story does come with some controversy. Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billy_Bishop https://www.scribd.com/book/230095060/The-Courage-of-the-Early-Morning-A-Biography-of-the-Great-Ace-of-World-War-I https://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/people-and-stories/billy-bishop https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/military-heritage/first-world-war/100-stories/Pages/bishop.aspx https://www.constable.ca/caah/bbishop.htm https://www.owensound.ca/en/billy-bishop-museum.aspx https://valourcanada.ca/military-history-library/billy-bishop-vc/ https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/william-avery-bishop https://www.theworldwar.org/explore/exhibitions/past-exhibitions/billy-bishop https://www.nfb.ca/film/the-kid-who-couldnt-miss/ https://www.encyclopedia.com/history/educational-magazines/william-billy-avery-bishop https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vc2LjoXbX-c Classic WW1 Fighters Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/darkpoutine

Episode 147: Canada has a long history of folks who have attempted to communicate with the dead - a practice is known as Spiritualism. Some of these have claimed that they can connect directly with those on the other side. Here we will give a bit of history, tell some of their stories and give a how-to primer for entertainment purposes only. We do not recommend, dear listeners, that you make attempts to commune with the beyond using the methods we will speak about later. If you do so and incur negative consequences, we bear no responsibility for your decision to proceed. Co-host: Carol Browne Interview with: Morgan Knudsen Sources: The Fox Sisters The Canadian Spiritualist Movement and Sources for its Study Wikipedia - The Fox Sisters Talking Nonsense (thesis) GlobalNews - MacKenzie King Spiritualist Alliance Buckland’s Book of Spirit Communications Mary Melville, The Psychic by Flora MacDonald LearnReligions - How To Hold a Séance activehistory.ca Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/darkpoutine

This is the second anniversary of Dark Poutine and our annual Hallowe'en episode