The Canadian War Museum’s podcast The Long War: Canada in Afghanistan explores the meaning and impact of Canada’s participation in the war in Afghanistan.

Twenty-five years ago, Canada went to war in Afghanistan. Following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks against the United States, Canada joined a coalition to pursue al-Qaeda and unseat the Taliban. Canadians served across Afghanistan, from the rural battlefields of Kandahar to the bustling city of Kabul, until 2014 when Canada ended its presence there.

The consequences of the war in Afghanistan continue to ripple through our politics, the military, and the lives of those who served. The Long War: Canada in Afghanistan tells their stories. We examine why Canada went to war in Afghanistan, what happened there, and the war’s complicated legacy.

Listen on the War Museum website or subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.

This is a Blackfoot language translation of an episode of Artifactuality from our first season. Western research has long offered theories about Indigenous lands, peoples and histories. Its colonial biases have often diminished and denied the traditions, stories, and even the continued existence of Indigenous Peoples. For the Blackfoot of southwestern Alberta, there is no doubt: their people, stories, songs and ceremonies have always been here.

Curator Gabriel Yanicki talks with Blackfoot Elders and Knowledge Keepers Kent Ayoungman, Velma Crowshoe, Stan Knowlton and Jerry Potts. They discuss tensions between Western and Indigenous worldviews and the changing relationship between archaeology and traditional Indigenous knowledge. Dr. Leroy Little Bear talks about the Blackfoot concept of time and compares it with Western, scientific perspectives.

In 1996, Donovan Bailey became both the world champion and the Olympic gold medallist in the 100-metre race. He became an enduring Canadian sports hero. In this final episode of season 2, Kim Thúy talks with Bailey in front of a live studio audience. They discuss his origins, the hard lessons of discipline, and competition. Hear his surprising thoughts on the connections between winning and losing.

Transcript: https://www.historymuseum.ca/dod/podcasts/transcripts/s02e10

Charlotte Nolin is a Two-Spirit Métis elder who overcame violence and prejudice to become a leader, uplifting and making space for Indigenous 2SLGBTQQIA+ people. Before North America was colonized, many Indigenous peoples recognized a range of genders and sexualities. But European settlers imposed rigid views of gender and forced many trans, queer and gender fluid people to hide their identities. Recently, Charlotte’s portrait by Métis artist JD Hawk was acquired by the Canadian Museum of History. Learn how this artwork helps us recognize the long history and diversity of Indigenous gender and sexual identity.

Transcript: https://www.historymuseum.ca/dod/podcasts/transcripts/s02e09

Canadian Museum of History Blog: “Charlotte Nolin’s Portrait: Representing Two-Spirit Stories”: https://www.historymuseum.ca/blog/artifactuality-charlotte-nolin

Chances are your favourite TV show as a kid was made in Canada. Nostalgic shows from the 1980s — Polka Dot Door, Fraggle Rock and Today’s Special — reflect a distinctly Canadian approach that was replicated around the world. Canadian shows offered kids education, respect and inclusion. The classic show Today’s Special embodied these values. And its star, Nerene Virgin, inspired a generation of young viewers.

Transcript: https://www.historymuseum.ca/dod/podcasts/transcripts/s02e08

Canadian Museum of History Blog: “How Canadian Children’s TV Punches Above its Weight”: https://www.historymuseum.ca/blog/artifactuality-todays-special/

When workers began digging beneath Ottawa’s streets to build a new transit line, they discovered a forgotten 19th century cemetery. History Museum curator Janet Young was called in to help identify the early settlers buried there. Find out how she investigates burials and solves the mysteries of who these people were and how they lived.

Transcript: https://www.historymuseum.ca/dod/podcasts/transcripts/s02e07

Canadian Museum of History Blog: “Bone Detective: Mysteries of Those Found Beneath Downtown Ottawa”: https://www.historymuseum.ca/blog/bone-detective-introduction/

In 2022, a popular uprising in Iran was inspired by the death of Kurdish young woman Mahsa Jina Amini at the hands of the so-called “morality police.” Tens of thousands of Canadians took to the streets in solidarity with Iranian women’s rights and their intersectional demands for justice. The Canadian Museum of History is documenting this story through the stories of local activists and the poster art they create for demonstrations. Hear about the Museum’s efforts to document unfolding events, the importance of transnational movements and communities to Canadian history, and how Iranian Canadians manage the challenge of watching a crisis unfold from afar.

Transcript: https://www.historymuseum.ca/dod/podcasts/transcripts/s02e06

Canadian Museum of History Blog: “Woman, Life, Freedom: Canadian Protests and the Uprising in Iran”: https://www.historymuseum.ca/blog/artifactuality-woman-life-freedom

Figure skater Elizabeth Manley was mercilessly criticized and fat-shamed in the lead-up to the 1988 Winter Olympic Games. She nonetheless persevered and triumphed, winning a silver medal and proving her critics wrong. Hear how she fought back and what she’s doing now to help other athletes rise above similar pressures. Her Olympic team jacket is part of the collection at the Canadian Museum of History. It illustrates the patriotism and fame that comes with elite athletic performance, but her story shows that some sports and athletes are singled out for unfair and harmful treatment.

Transcript: https://www.historymuseum.ca/dod/podcasts/transcripts/s02e05

Canadian Museum of History Blog: “Elizabeth Manley Is Not Apologizing: Body Image and Mental Health in Sports”: https://www.historymuseum.ca/blog/artifactuality-elizabeth-manley