OH CANADA! OUR HOME AND INVENTIVE LAND!

18 Episodes
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By: Professor Mark Rector

Canadian Inventors, inventions and firsts!This fun and informative podcast will take you on an amazing journey to hear some of the amazing, funny and engaging stories about the whole history of Canadian inventions, inventors and firsts, taken right from the pages of the best-selling book OH CANADA! OUR HOME AND INVENTIVE LAND by Professor Mark Rector.You'll laugh, you'll maybe shed a tear or two, but you will probably learn something about this vast, interesting and innovative country of ours. But mostly you will certainly have your chest bursting with pride, and probably pop a few buttons off of...

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Fessenden PT 3: Greatest CDN Inventor!!!
Fessenden PT 3: Greatest CDN Inventor!!! episode artwork
#16
10/04/2026

The exciting conclusion of Reginald Fessenden's amazing story as Canada's greatest inventor and his many other inventions besides voice radio. We also cover the tragic story of how much of the profits from his greatest invention were wrestled away from him in a bitter court battle!!!


Fessenden PT 2: Greatest CDN Inventor!!!
Fessenden PT 2: Greatest CDN Inventor!!! episode artwork
#15
08/25/2026

This is part 2 of a 3 part story of the life of Canada's greatest inventor Reginald Fessenden!!

He holds more than 500 patents to his name including his greatest achievement inventing voice radio and broadcasting (while trying to compete with his hero and inspiration Alexander Bell by inventing wireless telephones!!).

Hear the story here of his inventions for Edison including electrical conduit and PVC wire insulation. He also invented the hetrodyne principle on which all radio receivers are based, as well as the gyroscope, SONAR, depth finder, garage door openers, and many many more.

This...


The invention of wireless phones, Reginald Fessenden and the BlackBerry!!
The invention of wireless phones, Reginald Fessenden and the BlackBerry!! episode artwork
#14
06/07/2026

Did you know wireless phones were a Canadian invention?? Envisioned by a young Canadian boy of 9 yrs old?? in the 1870's!!!

That's right, I'm going to take you back in time to a prophetic carriage ride where young Reggie will dream up an idea that changes the world.

You'll then hear how Bell Canada brought in the first mobile phone system... in 1947!!!!!!

And how Nortel beat Apple, and everyone else, with the world's first smartphone and how the King of smartphones, the BlackBerry, was invented right here in Canada!


AVRO ARROW PT2: The NASA Legacy
AVRO ARROW PT2: The NASA Legacy episode artwork
#13
03/24/2026

In this episode, we go over some of the Avro Arrow employees' post-cancellation legacy and touch on some of the many contributions by Canadians to NASA and the space program!!

#AVRO

#AVROARROW

#JETAIRCRAFT

#NASA

#AERONAUTICALENGINEERING

#AVROCANADA

#CANADIANHISTORY

#CANADA


Avro Arrow PT1: Did one get away???
Avro Arrow PT1: Did one get away??? episode artwork
#12
03/16/2026

The mighty, amazing Avro Arrow!!!!

The enduring story that won't die!!

Think you've heard it all???

Well, wait till you hear the story of the possibility that one that got away!!!!?!?!!?

Well, you've never heard some of these details in a thorough and exciting story that takes you back to the glory days when the Arrow was soaring the skies over Person Airport.

You'll hear about the back-room political pressures, the specs from the factory floor, the testing, and much, much more!!!

You'll hear the...


Ed Rogers + the invention of the A.C. vacuum tube! TEASER
Ed Rogers + the invention of the A.C. vacuum tube! TEASER episode artwork
03/05/2026

Edward Rogers + the invention of the A.C. vacuum tube!

One of the more popular episodes of the new podcast OH CANADA! Our Home and INVENTIVE land!!

You can listen here:

https://rss.com/podcasts/oh-canada-our-home-and-inventive-land/

Or find it on Spotify, Apple podcasts, CastBox, Podbean or all your favourite podcast apps or platforms!!


Sample: Invention of Hockey
Sample: Invention of Hockey episode artwork
02/25/2026

Sample clips from the Invention of Hockey!

To hear the whole episode, search for Professor Mark Rector's podcast "OH CANADA! Our Home and INVENTIVE Land!" on all your favourite podcast apps or platforms!

Spotify, Apple podcasts, Amazon Music, Stitcher, Podbean, CastBox, IHeart Radio, TuneIn Radio and many more!!


Ed Rogers and the invention of the AC Vacuum Tube (ad)
Ed Rogers and the invention of the AC Vacuum Tube   (ad) episode artwork
02/23/2026

Ed Rogers and the invention of the AC Vacuum Tube


Dr John Hopps and the Pacemaker
Dr John Hopps and the Pacemaker episode artwork
#10
02/19/2026

Dr. John Hopps of Winnipeg, Mb invents the first electronic pacemaker at the University of Toronto in 1950.

His invention goes on to save literally tens of millions of lives around the world... including his own life!!


Sir F. Banting: insulin and the Zero-G Suit
Sir F. Banting: insulin and the Zero-G Suit  episode artwork
#11
02/19/2026

Sir Frederick Banting and Dr Charles Best are well known for inventing insulin, but we are going to take you inside the actual U of T building where history happened!!

Then we take you on an amazing journey thru Banting's later career, where he helped save fighter jet pilots and helped NASA astronauts survive high G-forces and invented the human centrifuge!!!


Camp X!! Top Secret Spy Training School
Camp X!! Top Secret Spy Training School episode artwork
#8
02/08/2026

Have we got any James Bond fans in the audience??

This is the Top Secret story of the first Spy Training school: Camp X!!! It was started by Sir William Stephenson "A Man Called Intrepid!" one of the most important and pivotal Canadians of the 20th Century!

You will hear the amazing tale of where Ian Fleming actually got inspiration for the James Bond character in Canada and how Canadian spys had to learn covert communications, explosives, and deadly hand to hand combat to become assassins!!

In this our most epic story yet...


Dr Elizabeth "Elsie" McGill - The first female Aeronautical Engineer
Dr Elizabeth "Elsie" McGill - The first female Aeronautical Engineer episode artwork
#7
02/01/2026

This episode dives into the story of one of THE most accomplished women in Canadian history.

Dr. Elizabeth "Elsie" McGill, the first woman to get a bachelors degree in Canada, the first woman to get a PHD in aeronautical Engineering making her the worlds first female aeronautical engineer and she goes on to have one the most remarkable careers of anyone in Canada. Elsie also plays a vital role in helping the Allies win WWII with her work on the famous Hawker Hurricane!


The Lightbulb a Canadian Invention!!
The Lightbulb a Canadian Invention!! episode artwork
#6
02/01/2026

PT 2 of our Victorian Era Inventions

If you thought Thomas Edison invented the light bulb, well you'd be wrong.

Let me tell you the real story about Mathew Evans and Henry Woodward, two young inventors from Toronto... and how Thomas Edison BOUGHT A LIGHT BULB FROM TWO CANADIANS!


NS INVENTORS of Gasoline + the Trans-Atlantic cable!
NS INVENTORS of Gasoline + the Trans-Atlantic cable! episode artwork
#5
01/27/2026

This episode is Part 1 of a 2 part Victorian Era Retrospective looking at two fellow East Coasters Frederic Gisborne and Abraham Pineo Gesner.

In part one the massive multi-year effort for Gisborne to span the Atlantic Ocean with a cable to connect the old and new worlds with the lightning on a wire of instant morse code communications in the 1850's

Part two will look at NS Geologist Abraham Gessner and his invention without which those first automobiles weren't going anywhere.


The First Female Doctors in Canada Emily Stowe and Jennie Trout
The First Female Doctors in Canada Emily Stowe and Jennie Trout episode artwork
#4
01/24/2026

This is the story of Canada's first two female Doctors, Emily Howard Stowe and Jennie Kidd Trout.


Edward Rogers and the invention of the A.C. vacuum tube!
Edward Rogers and the invention of the A.C. vacuum tube! episode artwork
#3
01/24/2026

This is the amazing story of a very brilliant young man who not only explores the early world of radio communications, he goes on to invent the A.C. vacuum tube which allowed us all to have a radio in the front room and gather around to listen to Saturday night hockey games!


The Invention of the Game of Hockey (and the goalie mask and jockstrap).
The Invention of the Game of Hockey (and the goalie mask and jockstrap). episode artwork
#2
01/24/2026

This episode will take you back and explore the invention of hockey in Canada. Some call it Ice Hockey some call it Hurley on ice, we call it shinny, or just the Good 'ol Hockey Game!

You'll also learn about the invention of key hockey equipment like the goalie mask and the jockstrap as well as the invention of those table top rod hockey games we all played as kids in the 60,s and 70's!


NEW PODCAST INTRO
NEW PODCAST INTRO episode artwork
01/24/2026

The introduction to the OH CANADA! OUR HOME AND INVENTIVE LAND! Podcast.