031 Empire of Fur & Fire

Long before Canada wore a crown or stitched a flag, it built its bones on beaver pelts, burned land, and brutal systems of control. In this episode, we take a dark descent into the legacy of the Hudson’s Bay Company—an empire cloaked in trade but soaked in blood. Behind the crisp blankets and quaint trading posts lies a centuries-long campaign of expansion, extraction, and erasure.

But the story doesn’t end in the past.

In our Current Case segment, we turn to the Wet’suwet’en Nation’s ongoing resistance to the Coastal GasLink pipeline, a modern flashpoint in the long war between Indigenous sovereignty and settler profit. As RCMP raids continue and hereditary chiefs assert their rights, we ask: how much has really changed since the days of fur and fire?

Gidimt’en Checkpoint

The Gidimt’en Checkpoint is a frontline reoccupation site established by the Gidimt’en clan of the Wet’suwet’en Nation to uphold Indigenous law and protect their unceded territory from unauthorized industrial development, including the Coastal GasLink pipeline. The checkpoint serves as a physical assertion of Wet’suwet’en sovereignty and a hub for resistance and solidarity.

Unist’ot’en Camp

Founded in 2010 by members of the Unist’ot’en (Dark House) of the Wet’suwet’en Nation, the Unist’ot’en Camp is a healing center and homestead located on unceded territory. It stands as a living example of Indigenous resurgence, providing a space for cultural revitalization, healing, and the assertion of Indigenous rights and title.

Indigenous Climate Action

Indigenous Climate Action (ICA) is an Indigenous-led organization that empowers Indigenous communities to take action on climate change. Guided by Indigenous knowledge and values, ICA focuses on climate justice, policy advocacy, and community-based solutions to address the climate crisis and uphold Indigenous rights.

🎧 Listen now—because the ghosts of empire still walk among us.

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Edited by Kyle McDonnell