Afternoon Pint

Although our show is supposed to be on hiatus until September 15th, we spontaneously brought out the podcast gear to record this episode with Laura Flemming. 

In this episode we catch up with Laura on her new venture since she was last on the show. Matt shares details about his recent trip to Portugal and Mike gives you his take on two very different styles of music events; Weezer & Stanfest 2026.

Mike also ruins Spider-Man for Matt,  and also tries to uncover the true origin of Matts deep love for politics. 

We hop...

A person can disappear in plain sight, and Kenley Matheson’s case proves it. On September 21, 1992, the 20-year-old Acadia University student is seen walking along Main Street in Wolfville, Nova Scotia, wearing blue jeans, a purple T-shirt, his ball cap, and carrying a red-and-black backpack. A friend waves as they pass, and then Kenley is gone, leaving behind one of Nova Scotia’s most enduring missing person mysteries. (This conversation includes discussion of homicide, violence, and disturbing details.) 

We take you through what’s known, what’s disputed, and what feels quietly unsettling: Kenley’s first weeks on campus...

Afternoon Pint Presents: Brand new true crime series, DARK HARBOUR. 

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A teenage girl answers a short phone call, says “I’ll be right back,” and steps out of her Spryfield apartment in Halifax. She leaves behind her cigarettes and a fresh glass of pop. Shelley Denise Connors never returns, and for 33 years her family and friends have lived with an empty space where answers should be.

We walk through what happened on May 29, 1993, what police found in the woods behind J.L. Ilsley High School and the Spryfield Lions Rink, and why torrenti...

A sci fi looking “helmet” that helps veterans sleep, feel calmer, and reconnect with their families sounds too good to be true, so we went to Brainstim Clinic in Halifax, which just celebrated its One year Anniversary to get a better understanding of the technology and ask many questions. 

Richard Pucci, a Canadian veteran and former senior leader in the Canadian Armed Forces Health Services, unpacks what veterans are dealing with after release: stalled access to care, long waits, medication overload, and the grind of PTSD, anxiety, depression, and chronic pain. 

Richard walks us through transc...

The Disability Tax Credit is one of those Canadian programs that sounds simple until you’re staring at the forms, your medical records, and a list of criteria written in a language nobody uses in real life. We talk with Christine Brunson, CEO of Benefits2.ca, about why so many people who qualify never apply, and why the system often feels like it demands the most effort from people who have the least energy to spare.

Christine breaks down what the CRA actually wants to understand: functional limitations, day to day impacts, and patterns over time, not ju...

40 years of Halifax Jazz Festival and nearly three decades of Garrison Brewing as a partner isn’t just a fun local success story, it’s a blueprint for how a city builds culture people actually want to stick around for. We’re at the Oxford Taproom with Tenille Goodspeed (Executive Director, Halifax Jazz Festival) and Meg Brennan (VP Sales, Marketing and Retail Operations, Garrison Brewing) to talk about how a waterfront festival becomes a true community gathering, not just a ticketed event.

We get into the festival’s move to the boardwalk and how the site is intentio...

Traffic, housing, and taxes are not separate problems. They are one big system, and once you see the wiring, you cannot unsee it. Over beers, we sit down at Quinns Arm Pubwith journalist Matt Stickland, a former Navy tech who has spent years watching Halifax city hall up close, to unpack why municipal politics quietly shapes your daily life more than any other level of government. 

We talk about how council decisions steer the physical city through zoning, right of way, and service planning, then dig into what that means for housing affordability in Halifax. Matt explains t...

Something is off when a government can win a “supermajority” while millions of Canadians stay home. We’re joined by Joanne Roberts, author of *Storm The Ballot Box: An Insider’s Guide to a Voting Revolution*, to dig into what low voter turnout really means for Canadian democracy and why people stop believing their vote counts. We talk candidly about what she learned on the inside as a candidate, how parties use data to chase reliable voters, and why that strategy can quietly shrink democracy to a handful of swing ridings. 

We also break down the mechanics that shap...

Fresh salmon can have around 14 days of shelf life if the cold chain stays perfect. The problem is real life is never perfect, and one small temperature slip can turn premium seafood into waste. We’re joined by Mina Mekhail from Dartmouth-based Fresher Technologies, an EY Entrepreneur of the Year, to dig into what “freshness” actually means, why bacteria accelerates with heat, and how packaging can quietly make or break food quality.

Mina walks us through his unlikely path from biomedical engineering and biomaterials research to building a smart packaging company focused on fresh proteins. The big insigh...

Halifax is growing fast — and Mayor Andy Fillmore says the real danger is not growth itself, but being unprepared for it.

In this episode of Afternoon Pint, we sit down with Mayor Fillmore at City Hall following his State of the Municipality address to talk about what comes next for Halifax and the wider HRM. We dig into the pressure points residents are already feeling: housing costs, congestion, infrastructure delays, Halifax Water, suburban growth, affordability, and whether City Hall is moving quickly enough to meet the moment.

The Mayor lays out why ma...

Cancer research can feel like a distant world of microscopes and jargon, but the stakes are painfully everyday: can we help people live longer, feel better, and suffer less while they’re in treatment? We’re joined by Halifax-based immunology PhD Jeanette Boudreau from Dalhousie University to unpack what’s changing right now in cancer immunotherapy, especially in blood cancers, and why “hope” is starting to look a lot like hard evidence.

We talk about the invisible costs of cancer care in Canada, from travel and missed work to the way treatment can take over family life. Jeanette e...

Former NDP Nova Scotia premier Darrell Dexter walks us through what it’s like to govern when the economy melts down, revenues disappear, and voters still expect big change on a small budget. He’s candid about how fast a government can go from popular to punished, and why that doesn’t automatically mean the work failed. 

We get into the real mechanics of “transformational” government versus “transactional” government, using Nova Scotia examples that still shape daily life: the Irving shipbuilding contract, the fight to keep Port Hawkesbury Paper running, and policy choices that aim for durable benefits instea...

You can learn a lot about high performance by listening to someone who lives in the details, and Christina Black lives there. Over pints at Jungle Jim’s, we talk with the Nova Scotia skip about how an eight-year-old in Sydney goes from watching the Scotties on TV to hearing an arena roar at the Olympic Trials in Halifax, and what that kind of pressure feels like when it’s finally real.

We get into the parts of curling casual fans miss: why the game is closer to chess than most sports, how a skip balances analytics with...

A must listen episode to gain perspective on Canada's Immigration Crisis. Two young men from India sit down with us and tell a story we can’t shake. They came to Nova Scotia with a plan, followed the rules, studied hard, built careers, paid taxes, and still may be forced to leave Canada because the rules changed while they were already here. We keep their identities private for their protection, but we don’t soften what they’re living through: sleepless nights, shrinking timelines, and the feeling of building a life with an expiry date.

We talk about...

A lot of people think “spy” means gadgets, fights, and glamour. We’ve got a different story for you, straight from a Canadian military intelligence operator who actually worked the Cold War and later returned to serve in Afghanistan. Mike Fournier, known as Intelligence Operator 230, joins us for a candid conversation about what intelligence work really is: supporting the commander, learning an insane amount of detail, living by strict rules, and staying calm when the situation turns sharp.

We dig into how compromise and entrapment work in the real world, including the slow build adversaries use to find a...

A pub table in Halifax is a strange place to map out a film and TV career, but that’s exactly where we end up with Taylor Olson, Bob Mann, and Adam DeViller. Between bites of a spice bag and a lot of laughter, we get into the real mechanics of building independent work in Nova Scotia: writing roles when the acting jobs don’t come, directing to control the full vision, and editing comedy with the kind of timing that makes awkward silence actually land. We also talk about Hey Halifax, how it grew with support from Bell TV1...

You can feel the difference between a “housing” conversation and a “homeownership” conversation the minute Donna Williamson walks us through how Habitat for Humanity Nova Scotia actually works. We’re recording from the Burnside ReStore (with local beers from Burnside Brewing), and we start by clearing up the biggest misconception: Habitat doesn’t give houses away. Families buy at fair market value, but the model removes the barriers that keep working people stuck renting, including down payments and high interest. With interest-free mortgages and 500 volunteer hours, the goal is a real pathway to affordable homeownership that builds pride, stability, and equity.<...

A kid from Williamswood leaves Nova Scotia at 17, lands in New York with no connections, survives the visa pressure cooker, and ends up directing heavyweight actors in Hollywood. That’s the real arc behind our conversation with Sonja O’Hara, an Emmy-nominated writer, director, and actress who’s built her career by treating filmmaking like both art and entrepreneurship. We talk about what the highlight reels never show: daily rejection, imposter syndrome, the cost of American education, and why a supportive home base can be the difference between resilience and burnout. 

Sonja breaks down the practical side of maki...

Nova Scotia has big resource potential, but the real question is whether we can turn opportunity into outcomes without repeating the mistakes that still haunt the province. We talk with Dustin O’Leary, a Nova Scotian working in gold mining business development, about what “responsible mining” has to mean if communities are ever going to trust it again.

We get specific about the parts people argue over most: reclamation bonds, who pays when a mine shuts down, and why the legacy of a project can’t be “a hole in the ground.” Dustin walks us through how modern opera...

This week we are having a drink at Jellies on Quinpool Road in Halifax with screen writer and director Tyler Burns, and the conversation goes from bar stories and many random interjections to the real deal on making Canadian comedy. 

Tyler walks us through what it took to build a six-episode series and then finding a place to put it where audiences would see it. Trailerparkboysplus.com happened to be the perfect spot for this raunchy fun comedy to go. 

We get through a lot in this one, including how fast a million dollar budget di...

St. Patrick’s Day turned into a surprise live show when we crack a couple drinks at home and decide to hit YouTube with zero guest and no safety net. The result is a classic Afternoon Pint mix: real conversation, dumb games, and a chat that keeps pulling the night in new directions. If you like podcasts that feel like you’re sitting at the table with friends, this one is for you.

The serious heart of the night is a fundraiser we’re fired up about: the Leukemia Lymphoma Society of Canada’s Visionary of the Year cam...

Gabriella is an art therapist who once refused to read out loud in ninth grade, met a teacher who really saw her, and discovered dyslexia and ADHD were the reasons school never fit. That shift—from “lazy” to “misunderstood”—set her on a path through art school and the classroom to a therapy practice that uses colour, texture, and play to help people find themselves again.

We talk frankly about late ADHD diagnoses, especially for women whose symptoms often fly under the radar. Task paralysis, perfectionism, time blindness, and hyperfocus on the wrong task all make an appearance...

Founder Basam Murtaza Tahoor shares how he rebuilt his marketing career from scratch in Halifax—ditching gimmicks, mastering Canadian business basics, and proving that trust is the only real currency. From landing his first client to crafting a blue-ocean pivot into original illustration and brand IP, Basam breaks down buyer personas, pricing strategy, networking that actually works, and how to use AI without losing your human edge. A practical roadmap for builders who believe creativity and community win long term. 

We unlocked a new location for this episode. Thank you Quinns Arm Pub for the Hospitality and Ste...

We sit down with Nova Scotia NDP leader Claudia Chender for a candid, ground-level conversation about what’s really driving the affordability crisis—and what can actually fix it.

Claudia shares her journey from law to politics, shaped by her work in education and advocacy, and a front-row view of how government decisions impact families. We break down the housing crisis—from rent caps and fixed-term leases to the difference between building more units and building homes people can truly afford. Supply matters, but the type of supply matters more when luxury towers don’t help nurses, teachers...

What makes someone plant roots instead of moving on? We sit with Paula Knight, CEO of ISANS, to unpack the real work of turning arrivals into neighbours—and why belonging is the quiet infrastructure that powers Nova Scotia’s future. From first intake to first job, from a child’s first hockey game to a nurse’s first licensed shift, Paula shows how practical supports and human connection move people from surviving to thriving.

We dive into the ISANS model: language training that meets learners where they are, employment programs that push past generic job boards, and credenti...

A single march in the rain changed everything. After losing his cousin to a senseless act of violence, Quentrel Provo turned grief into a mission: Stop the Violence, Spread the Love. We sit down with Q to unpack how a community showed up, how forgiveness sharpened his purpose, and why June 10 is now Stop the Violence Day—wear red, do one kind act, and make compassion visible.

We go deeper than slogans. Q explains how youth mentorship became the centre of gravity for the movement, why “one caring adult” can redirect a life, and how he tailored his ta...

The conversation begins with an introduction and lighthearted Super Bowl predictions. It then transitions into a discussion about anti-racism and pro-equality, emphasizing the importance of solidarity and love. The origin story of the Stop the Violence, Spread the Love movement is shared, highlighting the personal tragedy that led to its creation. The impact and recognition of the movement, as well as the speaker's personal reflection and mental health, are discussed. The conversation concludes with a focus on current events and social justice, addressing recent incidents and the importance of spreading love and empowering youth. The conversation delves into the...

We sit down with Coach Micah Brown — former pro quarterback, founder of BATLX, and a leader in Atlantic Canada’s football development scene. 

Micah breaks down the mental intelligence behind football and why the best coaching is about way more than schemes and stats. We talk leadership under pressure, building confident athletes, mentorship and representation, and the real responsibility coaches carry as community leaders. 

The conversation goes deep on self-care and mental health, what it takes to stay locked in when life gets loud...

We sit down with Coach Micah Brown — former pro quarterback, founder of BATLX, and a leader in Atlantic Canada’s football development scene. 

Micah breaks down the mental intelligence behind football and why the best coaching is about way more than schemes and stats. We talk leadership under pressure, building confident athletes, mentorship and representation, and the real responsibility coaches carry as community leaders. 

The conversation goes deep on self-care and mental health, what it takes to stay locked in when life gets loud...

The conversation covers a wide range of topics, including the journey from playing football to coaching, the challenges of managing a football team, the impact of coaching, and the complexity of game management. It also delves into the cultural differences in football across different countries and the importance of data analysis in football. The conversation covers the complexity of football, community impact and youth development, developmental camp and league play, competitiveness, fun, and development, coaching and representation, influence on underrepresented communities, overcoming self-doubt and resilience, leadership and accountability, starting a business and leadership, and moving together for a better...

A forgotten shore, a loud crowd, and a quiet life that fuels a very big record—Christina Martin joins us for an unvarnished look at building a career that actually holds together. From quitting university to nannying in Austin, signing a dead-end contract in Germany, and then getting invited last-minute to open for Wilco, her story moves through detours that somehow line up. The band drama that pushed her out of a 70s revival project became the nudge into solo work; the pandemic forced a hard audit of what pays and what matters; and the result is Storm, a sw...

We sit with Tia to trace the unvarnished path from teen motherhood and convictions, a string of rejections from employers due to her criminal background check to her $50 start up cleaning company that scaled across Halifax. 

Tia shares the weight of raising kids while surviving the street, a son shot seven times, and the accountability she refuses to outsource. We talk about why “diversity” often advances without finishing the last fight, how Black women remain last in line for capital and boards, and what changes when you invest your own $200,000 to create Black Women in Excellence. We get i...

Ready for a clear-eyed look at AI that doesn’t lean on buzzwords or doom? We’re joined by digital anthropologist Giles Crouch to unpack how these systems really work, what they cost in the physical world, and why culture—not code—ultimately decides which technologies endure. We trace the supply chain from rare earths and chip bottlenecks to the low-frequency hums of data centres built near homes, and we talk about the policy vacuum that leaves Canadians exposed while the EU clamps down and the US lets courts test the boundaries.

Giles shares a personal account of a sop...

We sit down with newly elected Mayor Andy Fillmore after his first year for a wide-open conversation about what it takes to steer a city that’s growing in every direction: more people, more jobs, more pressure on streets and services. He talks frankly about trading the heat of Parliament for the hands-on grind of City Hall, where a mayor is one vote among many and every policy hits a sidewalk, a bus route, or a household budget.

We dig into mobility first. Halifax is in a loop where buses are stuck in traffic and riders default to...

For this years Holiday Special, The Afternoon Pint presents a radio-play reimagining of A Christmas Carol —written in-house and brought to life with the help of the three 48 Hour Film Festival winners known collectively as Shwing Entertainment. Mike turns his crankiness up to 11 for Scrooge while Matt works his improvisational muscle by preforming as all of the ghosts.

We then have some addtional stories from the AP content creator team.  

Laura Flemming, shares the beautifully strange and haunting original Chr...

What did 2025 really change? We sit down with Steve Murphy for a clear-eyed year-end that swaps noise for signal. The conversation starts with community—Christmas Daddies turning 62 and a bold decision to sell seized U.S. liquor to fund food banks—then widens into the defining fault line of the year: leadership tone and what it does to a country.

Politics loomed large without swallowing the local. Steve unpacks why style and truth-telling matter as much as policy, and how that set the stage for Mark Carney’s centrist moment. We dig into Quebec’s shifting currents, vote mig...