The Hatchet

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit <a href="https://hatchetmedia.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_7">hatchetmedia.substack.com</a><br/><br/><p>There’s this idea out there that often gets bandied about; that the RCMP, from its very inception, has been a tool of political repression.</p><p>People claim that for most of the force’s 150-year history, the Mounties have been used to clamp down on perceived opponents of the state, whether they’re Indigenous activists, Francophone separatists or leftists of all stripes.</p><p>And that theory, well, it’s basically true. </p><p><a target="_blank" href="https://digitalcommons.osgoode.yorku.ca/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=3929&#38;context=scholarly_works">During World War One and into the 1920s</a>, one of the force’s primary missions was to infiltrate and surveil any group deemed potentially subversive. This typically meant leftists, trade unionists and immigrants from communities deemed untrustworthy, especially Jews, Ukrainians and Finns, even if they’d committed no crimes.</p><p>When the Cold War came around, the RCMP <a target="_blank" href="https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/mounties-always-get-their-man/article1338699/">surveilled over 800,000 Canadians</a>.</p><p>In the 1970s, Mounties were literally <a target="_blank" href="https://www.canadaland.com/podcast/the-police-3-dirty-tricks/">planting false flag bombs</a> that they could then pin on Québécois radicals.</p><p>And just this year, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/indigenous/rcmp-spies-1970s-indigenous-rights-9.7134112">a </a><a target="_blank" href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/indigenous/rcmp-spies-1970s-indigenous-rights-9.7134112"><em>CBC News</em></a><a target="_blank" href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/indigenous/rcmp-spies-1970s-indigenous-rights-9.7134112"> investigation has revealed</a> the ridiculous lengths that the RCMP was willing to go to in order to sabotage Indigenous rights groups in that same decade.</p><p>Of course, there are many more examples. But what unites these shameful episodes in the history of the RCMP is that they were led by units within the police force dedicated specifically to targeting political dissidents within Canada.</p><p>These units went by different names: the Intelligence Section, the Special Branch, the Directorate of Security and Intelligence, the Security Service.</p><p>But all of them were committed to rooting out politically unreliable Canadians — and then, silencing them.</p><p>After a royal commission <a target="_blank" href="https://epe.lac-bac.gc.ca/100/200/301/pco-bcp/commissions-ef/mcdonald1979-81-eng/mcdonald1979-81-eng.htm?nodisclaimer=1">issued a damning report about the RCMP’s dirty tricks</a> in 1981, the federal government decided that the Mounties should get out of the business of intelligence gathering and political policing.</p><p>Of course, they never really stopped, especially when it came to Indigenous groups. But over the past few decades, things have been a little bit better. Yes, the RCMP still infiltrated groups of leftist organizers, and continued to surveil Canadians expressing political opinions that the cops deemed to be too radical. But unlike the 1920s or the 1970s, there typically haven’t been entire branches or units within the RCMP explicitly dedicated to political policing.</p><p>That is, until now.</p><p>It’s called the Critical Response Unit. And it operates under the umbrella of the British Columbia RCMP.</p><p>The unit was created in 2017, in order to crack down on the resistance to the Coastal GasLink pipeline in Wetʼsuwetʼen territory in northern British Columbia. At the time it was called the Community-Industry Response Group. It was then deployed to repress protests to old growth logging in Fairy Creek on Vancouver Island.</p><p>Today, it has become a permanent fixture within the BC RCMP. And this unit is now being used to surveil political dissent of all stripes, especially pro-Palestinian protesters on university campuses.</p><p>And if you think about it for a second, it kind of sounds like a leftist fever dream. A police unit that was founded to protect a gas pipeline and is now spying on pro-Palestinian students? </p><p>But that’s exactly what it is.</p><p>Emma Bainbridge investigated this new political policing unit — alongside Tia Dafnos and Shiri Pasternak — for <em>The Breach</em>.</p><p>And she’s here to talk about what they found.</p><p>Featured in this episode: Emma Bainbridge (<em>The Breach)</em></p><p><strong>To Learn More:</strong></p><p><a target="_blank" href="https://breachmedia.ca/a-notorious-rcmp-unit-shaped-b-c-universities-reaction-to-palestine-encampments/">"A notorious RCMP unit shaped B.C. universities’ reaction to Palestine encampments"</a> by Emma Bainbridge, Tia Dafnos & Shiri Pasternak in <em>The Breach</em></p><p><a target="_blank" href="https://breachmedia.ca/rcmp-unit-controversial-police-opposition-fast-tracked-resource-projects/">"Controversial B.C. RCMP unit to police opposition to fast-tracked resource projects"</a> by Shiri Pasternak & Tia Dafnos in <em>The Breach</em></p><p><a target="_blank" href="https://thetyee.ca/News/2026/04/28/BC-Protest-Response-Team-Monitoring-Treaty-Negotiations/">"BC’s Protest-Response Team Is Monitoring Treaty Negotiations, Internal Docs Show"</a> by Amanda Follett Hosgood in <em>The Tyee</em></p><p><a target="_blank" href="https://www.aptnnews.ca/national-news/c-irg-methods-prompt-calls-for-better-rcmp-oversight/">"Worrying’ and ‘extremely concerning’ C-IRG methods prompt calls for better RCMP oversight, reform" </a>by Brett Forester in <em>APTN News</em></p>

<p><em>This is the first installment of "A Few Bad Apples," a new, ongoing series about police misconduct from </em>The Hatchet.</p><p>Across Canada, police continue to act with impunity.</p><p>Toronto is amidst t<a target="_blank" href="https://hatchetmedia.substack.com/p/the-toronto-police-has-been-a-rogue">he worst policing crisis in its history.</a> And while the details of that were still coming out, three off-duty Toronto police officers were charged with sexual assault in Spain.</p><p>In British Columbia, the Vancouver police has been interfering in the city’s politics, while the RCMP spies on protesters and dissidents.</p><p>Murder trials in Calgary and Fredericton have fallen apart because of police incompetence. And in Edmonton and St. John, the police chiefs have been accused of serious misconduct.</p><p>And then there’s Montreal.</p><p>Last year, two unarmed people were killed by Montreal-area police forces, including including one of a fifteen-year-old boy.</p><p><strong>This is why we’re launching a new, ongoing series from </strong><strong><em>The Hatchet</em></strong><strong> called “A Few Bad Apples.” It will be both a podcast and a newsletter. The purpose is to maintain a consistent eye on what’s happening in the world of Canadian policing, in every corner of the country, and not just follow the media trends.</strong></p><p>And for our first story, we’re going to the South Shore of Montreal, where one of the most horrific stories you can imagine is still unfolding</p><p>The killing of Nooran Rezayi, an unarmed child, by the Longueuil police. And the blatant attempt to cover it up.</p><p>Featured in this episode: Ted Rutland</p><p><strong>To Learn More:</strong></p><p><a target="_blank" href="https://therover.ca/the-killing-of-nooran-and-the-end-of-community-policing/">"The Killing of Nooran and the End of Community Policing"</a> by Ted Rutland in <em>The Rover</em></p><p><a target="_blank" href="https://www.laconverse.com/articles/justice-pour-nooran-ils-ont-tue-un-enfant-sans-arme-et-innocent">"Death of Nooran Rezayi: ten seconds, a report filed, a story still incomplete"</a> by Nouri Nesrouche in <em>La Converse</em></p><p><a target="_blank" href="https://www.laconverse.com/en/articles/two-months-after-noorans-death-his-friends-are-still-wondering-how-to-keep-standing">"Two months after Nooran's death, his friends are still wondering how to keep standing"</a> by Nouri Nesrouche in <em>La Converse</em></p><p><a target="_blank" href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/rezayi-shooting-bei-investigation-update-9.7124361">"Quebec watchdog finishes investigation into police shooting death of teen"</a> by Matthew Lapierre in <em>CBC News</em></p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://hatchetmedia.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">hatchetmedia.substack.com/subscribe</a>

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit <a href="https://hatchetmedia.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_7">hatchetmedia.substack.com</a><br/><br/><p>There’s something about the way we talk about crime that I’ve always found frustrating.</p><p>Whether it’s car theft rings or fentanyl trafficking or targeted killings, we end up having intense political debates about peripheral issues — should we be locking more people up or making it harder to get bail or changing the Youth Criminal Justice Act</p><p>But we rarely, if ever, talk about the central issue — money.</p><p>Organized crime groups have to set up sophisticated operations to launder their money and put it to use. But today, there exists a shadow financial system that has made it easier than ever for criminals to launder their money with ease. It's cryptocurrency.</p><p>And ironically, it’s often the same politicians who run on tough-on-crime agendas — people like Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim or Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre — who are simultaneously embracing crypto, the preferred currency of the modern criminal.</p><p>What is surprising is how easy it is to turn that crypto into cash. We’re talking about eye-popping sums; hundreds of thousands of dollars at once, without the Canadian government knowing about it.</p><p>Featured in this episode: Emma McIntosh (<em>The</em> <em>Toronto Star)</em></p><p><strong>To Learn More:</strong></p><p><a target="_blank" href="https://www.thestar.com/news/investigations/inside-canadas-shadowy-crypto-banking-system-that-makes-it-easy-to-facilitate-an-unlimited-amount/article_7d99c95f-57c0-4b50-909d-63da96848a4d.html">"Inside Canada’s shadowy crypto banking system that makes it easy to facilitate ‘an unlimited amount of crime'"</a> by Sheila Wang & Emma McIntosh in <em>The Toronto Star</em></p><p><a target="_blank" href="https://www.icij.org/investigations/coin-laundry/cryptocurrency-exchanges-binance-okx-money-laundering-crime/">"Crypto giants moved billions linked to money launderers, drug traffickers and North Korean hackers"</a> by Spencer Woodman, Agustin Armendariz, Miguel Fiandor Gutiérrez & Sam Ellefson in <em>The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists</em></p><p><a target="_blank" href="https://www.thestar.com/news/investigations/canada-has-become-weak-link-in-fight-against-crypto-scams/article_bc0ad357-cff2-4d89-9061-9abe38a44fc6.html">"Why Canada is seen ‘as a very weak link’ in the global fight against crypto fraud — and what can be done to fix it"</a> by Emma McIntosh & Sheila Wang in <em>The Toronto Star</em></p><p><a target="_blank" href="https://www.thestar.com/news/investigations/stolen-crypto-investigation/article_31ed9112-09e0-41b5-b9fe-f5a22c254caa.html">"The trail had gone cold for millions in stolen crypto. Then came the ‘aha!’ moment that unlocked the mystery"</a> by Sheila Wang & Emma McIntosh in <em>The Toronto Star</em></p><p></p>

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit <a href="https://hatchetmedia.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_7">hatchetmedia.substack.com</a><br/><br/><p>There is a spectre haunting British Columbia. </p><p>If you’ve been paying any attention to BC politics over the last eight months, the province has been whipped up into a panic over Indigenous rights. </p><p>And all of it can be traced back to one man — and no, it’s not Premier David Eby.</p><p>The man haunting the province is Joseph Trutch, BC's first Lieutenant-Governor and the individual most responsible for the fact that the province resisted signing treaties with First Nations for a century.</p><p>Instead, provincial government after provincial government closed their eyes, put their fingers in their ears and just pretended that Indigenous title didn’t exist.</p><p>And now, that past is coming back to haunt British Columbia. </p><p>That is the story that is largely missing from all of the panic about land rights in BC. Because if we do what the pundits and right-wing politicians want us to do — which is ignore First Nations and the legal claims they have to their territory — we will be opening the door to true chaos. </p><p>Featured in this episode: Adam Olsen</p><p><strong>To Learn More:</strong></p><p><a target="_blank" href="https://thetyee.ca/Opinion/2026/04/15/Joseph-Trutch-BC-Indigenous-Policies/">“How Joseph Trutch Set the Stage for BC’s Indigenous Policies”</a> by Adam Olsen in <em>The Tyee</em></p><p><a target="_blank" href="https://thetyee.ca/Analysis/2025/08/18/True-Threat-Private-Property-Ignoring-Indigenous-Title/">“The True Threat to Private Property? Ignoring Indigenous Title”</a> by Adam Olsen in <em>The Tyee</em></p><p><a target="_blank" href="https://thetyee.ca/Opinion/2025/11/21/Indigenous-Relations-Letting-Go-Zero-Sum-Thinking/">“Cowichan Decision and Beyond: Letting Go of Zero-Sum Thinking”</a> by Adam Olsen in <em>The Tyee</em></p><p><a target="_blank" href="https://thetyee.ca/Opinion/2026/04/02/Eby-Wrong-Signals-DRIPA-Amendments/">“Eby Sent the Wrong Signals on DRIPA Amendments”</a> by Adam Olsen in <em>The Tyee</em></p>

<p>As I’m sure you all know, the media is not doing well. Layoffs and closures have left the industry in a state of absolute disrepair. Even the so-called new media outlets that were supposed to save us — think <em>BuzzFeed</em> and <em>Vice</em> — have largely packed it in.</p><p>The podcasting bubble has popped and newsletters have flatlined. In short, there just isn’t some magical business model or format waiting in the wings to save journalism, especially here in Canada.</p><p>But some of us just, including us over here at The Hatchet, just can’t help ourselves. We’re going to keep plugging away, hell or high water, because we think that someone has to.</p><p>And there are others like us, including Peter Nowak at <a target="_blank" href="https://www.donotpassgo.ca/"><em>Do Not Pass Go</em></a>, an outlet dedicated to exposing the dirty dealings of Canada’s many many monopolies and oligopolies. And despite the difficulties of trying to build new outlets from scratch in this environment, one nice thing is that folks like Peter and ourselves have been helping each other out in trying to build up a new media ecosystem.</p><p>So I was so happy when Peter invited me and Vass Bednar on to his show to celebrate his 1000th subscriber, just to talk a little bit about the state of competition in the country.</p><p>Give it a listen. And know that behind the scenes, we’re collaborating on some pretty interesting stories together that we think you’re going to love.</p><p>Featured in this Episode: Peter Nowak, Vass Bednar</p><p><strong>To Learn More:</strong></p><p><a target="_blank" href="https://www.donotpassgo.ca/p/six-months-and-1000-subscribers-celebrating">"Six Months and 1,000 Subscribers: Celebrating Do Not Pass Go Milestones!"</a> by Peter Nowak in <em>Do Not Pass Go</em></p><p><a target="_blank" href="https://www.donotpassgo.ca/p/weekly-roundup-manitoba-takes-the">"Manitoba Takes the Power Back and Doug Ford Flip Flops on Scalpers"</a> by Peter Nowak in <em>Do Not Pass Go</em></p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://hatchetmedia.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">hatchetmedia.substack.com/subscribe</a>