What does it mean to love an animal? And who gets to decide the "right" way to do it?

In this episode of Canadian Salad, Andrea is joined by a very special guest co-host — her 8-year-old son Lincoln — for one our most thought-provoking conversations the show has had yet. Together they explore how cultures around the world relate to animals, and why our instinct to judge others' relationships with animals often says more about our own cultural ignorance than anyone else's values.

From the companionship of cats in Canadian homes, to the deep and hands-on bonds that farmers in Bangladesh, Nigeria, and Sudan form with their livestock, to the ancient Indian principle of Ahimsa (non-violence toward all living beings) — this episode takes a genuinely curious trip around the world through the lens of our animal relationships.

They'll travel across India, Europe and North America examining how our judgement has more to say about the hypocrisy our own cultures bear.

Lincoln brings the kind of refreshing, judgment-free wisdom that only an 8-year-old can deliver — and Sage the tabby/maincoone cat makes a live mid-episode appearance, because that's just how this household works.

Stay for the Canadian Salad Pop Quiz, where Andrea and Lincoln stump each other with animal facts — including one about Canada's most popular pet that might just surprise you.

📩 Got a wild pet story or a question about culture and animals? Email us at hello@canadiansalad.ca 📱 Find us on Instagram, TikTok, and Bluesky. And check out our website www.canadiansalad.ca

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We know the news cycle is a lot. So this week, we're doing something about it.

In this episode of Canadian Salad, Andrea and Hostion bring you six stories of real, hard-won progress — from Scotiabank fully divesting from Israeli arms manufacturer Elbit Systems after years of sustained public pressure, to the Musqueam First Nation signing landmark land rights agreements with the federal government after a decade of negotiations.

They also cover Brazil's indigenous communities successfully blocking the privatization of three Amazon rivers, the first Inuit university coming to Nunavut by 2030, the Washoe Tribe reclaiming 10,000 acres near Lake Tahoe, and Croatia's extraordinary 31-year journey to becoming landmine-free.

Plus: the science-backed 5:1 good news ratio your brain needs, a quiz about the Canada Lynx, and the story of how Andrea got played by a guitar player. Literally.

This is a dose of good news we all need.

Go to https://www.canadiansalad.ca/ for all sources cited in this episode. And please refer us to your friends, family and that racist uncle that just doesn't get it.

Follow us on Instagram.

Theme music by Nver Avetyan from Pixabay.z

A Janklin Production.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Does grief need permission?

In this episode, we explore racialized grief, disenfranchised loss, and the politics of mourning. Why are some lives publicly grieved while others are minimized? What happens when grief is denied or policed?

From racial trauma and white fragility to the emotional economy of Western culture, we unpack how grief extends beyond death — and why validation matters for healing.

Grief is universal. But whose grief is believed?

Go to https://www.canadiansalad.ca/ for all sources cited in this episode. And please refer us to your friends, family and that racist uncle that just doesn't get it.

Follow us on Instagram.

Theme music by Nver Avetyan from Pixabay.

A Janklin Production.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.