Fireside Canada

Bell Island, Newfoundland is said to be one of Canada's most haunted places, with more than its share of tragic deaths and mysterious phenomena. But one story stands out above the rest. "Taste what I tasted. Smell what I smelled." These are the haunting words of the Ghost of Dobbin's Garden, more commonly known today as the Swamp Hag of Bell Island. Said to be the restless spirit of a woman who died tragically, she is doomed to roam the island forever, looking for victims to share in her torment. Join me as we learn the legend and review...

"You can drink it fast, you can drink it slow, but the lips have got to touch the toe." So goes the prime directive of the Exalted Order of the Sourtoe, a cocktail club dreamed up in the 1970s to celebrate Discovery Day in Dawson City. Essentially a shot of liquor garnished with a preserved, severed human toe, the Sourtoe Cocktail is one of Canada's most legendary (and disturbing) traditions that has been served to over 100,000 curious drinkers in a Dawson City bar. This is its story.

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For period of 16-18 months between 1975 and 1976, a mysterious red light was routinely seen flying through the skies of Southern Manitoba. The unidentified flying object appeared so often and to so many people that it was given the name "Charlie Redstar." At the time, the event was one of the biggest UFO flaps to have ever occurred, yet few people have ever learned about the sightings or ever heard the name of "Charlie Redstar." In this episode, we'll piece together some of the stories from various interviews, newspaper articles, and police reports, and consider what the this strange phenomenon...

On Monday, July 9, 1928, four cold-blooded murders were committed on the Booher family farm, just outside the small village of Mannville in central Alberta. The crime shocked the nation, and the police made headlines when they decided to employ a self-proclaimed "mind reader" to help them find the missing murder weapon. It has been called the first criminal case to have ever been solved by a psychic or clairvoyant, but that's not entirely true. In this episode, blending true crime and folklore, we'll look at the legend, the history, and the facts of the case that show how the truth...

It's the plot of a 1996 Hallmark movie, the focus of a few paragraphs in history books, and the subject of countless social media posts: the tragic story of James Mink, one of early Toronto's wealthiest citizens, and his daughter Mary, sold into slavery by her own husband. It's a great story that's found in history books and Black History Month features across the country. There's just one problem: it's all based on one malicious lie.

It's one of the most famous and best-documented lake monsters in the world, and predates Nessie by over 80 years. It's mentioned in centuries-old journals and modern-day reports, and appears in grainy film footage, razor-sharp photos, and cheesy tourist t-shirts. But long before there was Ogopogo, there was nx̌ax̌aitkʷ, the Syilx name for the sacred being in the lake. In this episode, we'll hear the legends, explore the evidence, and discuss the cultural impact of one of Canada's most famous mysteries.

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"The best man in Ottawa was Mufferaw Joe," according to the famous song by legendary Canadian singer/songwriter Stompin' Tom Connors. "Big Joe Mufferaw" is often regarding as Canada's answer to Paul Bunyan: a family-friendly lumberjack whose monumental feats of strength literally changed the Ontario landscape. But the lovable, larger-than-life character is based on a real person: Joseph Montferrand, a French-Canadian folk hero whose exploits made him a living legend in 1800s Montreal and Ottawa. In this episode we'll look at the man, the myth, and the legend, and explore how one man went on to inspire a series...

For centuries, people in the Maritime provinces of New Brunswick, PEI and Nova Scotia have reported seeing a full-rigged sailing ship, engulfed in red flame, sailing against the wind in the waters of Chaleur Bay and the Northumberland Strait. Some say that it's just an illusion, but the "fireship" has been seen by people of all ages, cultures, and employment, in all kinds of weather, in all seasons, and at all times of day and night, for generations. What are the stories behind these strange spectres, and what can we learn from them about our history, our cultures, and...

Grab a hot chocolate and settle in by the fire for two tales of supernatural wonder from Canada's frozen north: one from the Yukon Territory, one from the coast of Labrador. The first is a long-forgotten, supposedly "true" tale about how a mining engineer from Alaska was saved by a stranger who appeared to him in a dream. The second is well-known story of a phantom trapper said to roam the wilds of Labrador. Both are deeply set in the snowy wilds of the north, and deal with themes of the supernatural and salvation—perfect for sharing on a co...

When most people think about "fairies," they picture beautiful, magical, human-like creatures with butterfly wings who live in mushrooms, collect children’s teeth, and sprinkle fairy dust on orphans and teach them how to fly. But that's the safe, romantic, child-friendly version of a creature that has been feared for thousands of years, to the point where simply saying the word "fairy" can be taboo. This episode is about the dangers of going alone into the wilderness—the realm of the fairies—and what you can do, according to folklore, to protect yourself if you're taken by "the good folk."...