Desmond Cole, acclaimed author and journalist at The Breach, sits down with host Jessa McLean to clear the air and contrast their positions around Yves Engler's campaign and the NDP's decision to block him.

While disagreeing on a substantive amount of items, they still manage to find common ground - moving through conversations on vetting, insurgent campaigns, the legitimacy of tactics and more, in a productive way.

Related Episodes:

• Why They Came for Me (Nov 2022), Host Jessa McLean shares her journey through partisan politics, why the NDP is trying to silence her, and how this is part of a larger pattern to push out socialists and internal advocates.
• Candidate Crisis (June 2022), how the Ontario blew an election by blocking candidates and meddling in the local nomination processes.
• People's Party? (July 2022), Discussions with current and former NDP Party Executives proves quite revealing, demonstrating that like most politics in Canada, very few people are calling all the shots.

More Resources:

• Vetting Correspondence via Yves Engler for NDP
• Referenced Breach Podcast: Who can take the NDP leftward?
• NDP leadership committee rejects Yves Engler’s candidacy application - rabble.ca

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Halifax based community activist Rana Zaman has found herself in the midst of another smear campaign launched by Zionist lobbyists, and betrayed by the very institutions that once celebrated her.

Back in 2019, the NDP withdrew her hard fought nomination - citing a three year-old tweet and pressure from organizations like B'Nai Brith and the Atlantic Jewish Council. We hear that story firsthand from Rana, as well as the impact it had on her emotionally and professionally. Its sadly similar to many of the stories we've told on the show - and its happening to her all over again.

Her recent award, a Peace Medal from the YMCA, was quickly rescinded amidst a similar campaign from the AJC and other usual suspects. The YMCA did this despite already knowing Rana's history, and assuring her they would stand by her.

Its a personal story, but also an institutional one. The story is part of a larger pattern that has far reaching consequences for members, the social movements they create, and Canadian politics in general.

Hosted by: Jessa McLean

Call to Action: Sign a Petition Demanding the YWMC Reinstate Rana's Peace Medal

Related Episodes:

• Being Pragmatic inside the NSNDP, on the removal of another NSNDP candidate over their support for Palestine, and a discussion on the pros and cons of staying in the Party;
• Sidelining Socialism, Host Jessa McLean argues that the NDP and their failure to keep Left has shifted the Overton window in Canadian politics; or,
• Get the whole INSIDE the NDP Playlist.

End Song Credit: Sean MacGillivray (with permission)

More Resources:

• 'It's not about me': Rana Zaman speaks after YMCA rescinds her award - Halifax Examiner
• CJPME Foundation Statement (December 2025)
• On Rana Zaman: Some somebodies have some explaining to do - Halifax Examiner

All of our content is free - made possible by the generous sponsorships of our Patrons. If you would like to support our work through monthly contributions: Patreon

Follow us on Instagram or on Bluesky

World Beyond War Canada organizer Rachel Small's home was recently raided by Police - at 6 a.m., while the entire family was asleep. They seized all of her electronic devices, including those of her children. At the very same time, Police were also raiding the homes of some of her fellow activists, and preparing those press releases.

Their alleged crime? Peacefully protesting outside of what organizers had defiantly labelled, a "War Crimes Summit" - a gathering of Canada's weapons manufacturers, politicians and military brass. They'd gathered to help carve out more fortunes from the $89 billion in military spending coming their way.

The guest list was also a who's who of Canada's arms trade with the Zionist occupation, companies who had been featured heavily in World Beyond War's most recent report (co-authored by the Palestinian Youth Movement) on the 'loopholes' these companies use to hide their participation in the genocide.

Rachel describes what it was like waking up to officers in her house; how she prepared for this inevitability; how she explained it all to her children, and what supports she's had since the arrest.

Hear how activists are building up the very thing Police seek to tear down, community. This isn't the first Blueprints guest to speak highly of the Toronto Legal Support Fund and the good people who have helped create a network of arrestees, lawyers and others to lean on while going through the often complicated and drawn out legal processes these charges lead to.

What they don't often lead to is convictions. Rachel reminds us that despite the well over 150 charges laid against Palestinian solidarity activists, in the Toronto area alone, there has been only one conviction. Despite the injustice of the raids, and the increased criminalization of protestors, Rachel seems undaunted. Completely resolved in her mission. And we fully support her.

Hosted by: Jessa McLean

Call to Action: DONATE TO TORONTO COMMUNITY LEGAL FUND

Related Episodes:

• Arming Israel: Canada's Continued Role, (July 2025) Haneen from PYM and Rachel share a scathing new report.
• Supports Amid State Suppression, members of the Toronto Legal Support Committee, discuss oppressive tactics being used by Police and their impact on individuals and the larger movement.

More Resources:

• The Maple: Canada’s Arms-to-Israel Scandal Explained
• REPORT: Exposing the US LOOPHOLE: HOW CANADIAN F-35 PARTS AND EXPLOSIVES REACH ISRAEL

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