Cherry Picking with Alexia Benn
46 episodes - English - Latest episode: about 2 months ago -Welcome to Cherry Picking, a political podcast recorded on lək̓ʷəŋən territory. Initially, this show was created by host Alexia Benn as a coping mechanism to find joy while completing the final year of her undergrad. Uniquely messy, at times particularly niche, and consistently caught within the contradictions of life, Cherry Picking now seeks to analyze, interrogate, and assess private and public policy through the consumption and gossip of mainstream media, acknowledging profit incentives lurking in the political sphere. From municipal politics, RCMP expenditures, anarchist and Marxist theory, environmental policy, and Indigenous governance, facts, feelings and ideas meet in the ether, given a chance to air themselves out. Always professionally unbiased, and always driven by the utmost care and consideration for human life, with a goal of accessibility. What does the acid rain which falls from the sky whisper to us? How do we listen? What will we do? Tune in most Wednesdays, sometimes with guests!
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Episodes
There and Back Again
May 22, 2024 07:00 - 55 minutes - 38.1 MBHello dear friends and welcome back to the podcast! It's been a year, hasn't it? Time flies when you have no other choice than to live each day out in a perpetual cycle embodying Sisyphus. How nice it is to be able to catch up like this amidst it all. I know life has changed for me since I last hosted, and I'm sure it has for you too. So join me today for a chat as we consolidate what is going on, both internally and externally, the details and the bigger picture. Towards the end of 20...
Should Canada Release It's "Royal Bond"?
May 24, 2023 14:00 - 26 minutes - 18.5 MBWhat does it mean to be Canadian? Come one, come all. Welcome back to the pod. Today we talk about titles, the genuine joy of fulfilling employment, and a pressing question of necessity when it comes to Canada's status as a Commonwealth country under the British monarchy. There's been a petition initiated by a man in Abbotsford, brought to the House of Commons by the Conservative candidate for Mission-Matsqui-Fraser Canyon. Let's talk about it, we have time. And there's an email? Refer he...
Episode 22 - Perfection Is Not The Goal
April 12, 2023 13:00 - 27 minutes - 18.8 MBBaby we are back in a big way. It's been a year! Literally. I hope it has been a good one for you. Your host Alexia has been caught up in the world in a whirlwind. It's been so long I barely know where to begin! So, without further ado, lets get into it. Today's episode is really more of a catch up, recorded in January of 2023. This one is to those who are personally invested. A book on the horizon? What was that? The bottom line is, I've missed this, I've missed us, and despite the brea...
Perfection Is Not The Goal
April 12, 2023 13:00 - 27 minutes - 18.8 MBBaby we are back in a big way. It's been a year! Literally. I hope it has been a good one for you. Your host Alexia has been caught up in the world in a whirlwind. It's been so long I barely know where to begin! So, without further ado, lets get into it. Today's episode is really more of a catch up, recorded in January of 2023. This one is to those who are personally invested. A book on the horizon? What was that? The bottom line is, I've missed this, I've missed us, and despite the brea...
Episode 21 - Interlude
July 13, 2022 07:00 - 31 minutes - 21.4 MBHello and welcome to Episode 21 of Cherry Picking with Alexia Benn. This Episode comes as an interlude, bridging the first and second seasons of the show together. This episode stands unique as it is probably the most scattered chronologically thus far. How so? This episode was recorded on February 2nd, 2022 and edited on July 5th 2022. In it, I share an old blog post I'd written on January 9th 2021 following the USA Capitol terrorist attacks that resulted in the loss of lives. This stor...
Interlude
July 13, 2022 07:00 - 31 minutes - 21.4 MBHello and welcome to Episode 21 of Cherry Picking with Alexia Benn. This Episode comes as an interlude, bridging the first and second seasons of the show together. This episode stands unique as it is probably the most scattered chronologically thus far. How so? This episode was recorded on February 2nd, 2022 and edited on July 5th 2022. In it, I share an old blog post I'd written on January 9th 2021 following the USA Capitol terrorist attacks that resulted in the loss of lives. This stor...
Episode 20 - The Finale + RCMP Update
December 22, 2021 20:00 - 33 minutes - 23.1 MBHello everyone! Today marks our 20th episode of the show, and with that milestone, also the conclusion of our first season. And what a season it has been! Today we go over some pleasantries and I lay out my plan for this break, catching listeners up on what I have in store for season 2 and what can be expected. Lots of little tweaks and improvements to be made, and I couldn't be more excited! I also reiterate some of the lessons I've learned during the process of becoming acquainted with...
The Finale + RCMP Update
December 22, 2021 20:00 - 33 minutes - 23.1 MBHello everyone! Today marks our 20th episode of the show, and with that milestone, also the conclusion of our first season. And what a season it has been! Today we go over some pleasantries and I lay out my plan for this break, catching listeners up on what I have in store for season 2 and what can be expected. Lots of little tweaks and improvements to be made, and I couldn't be more excited! I also reiterate some of the lessons I've learned during the process of becoming acquainted with...
Episode 19 - The Future is Now
December 15, 2021 13:00 - 45 minutes - 31.5 MBGood morning and happy Wednesday! I'm pleased to have my first episode out on time in a little while here and man, does it feel good. Today on Episode 19 of Cherry Picking we talk about the Metaverse. Or Meta? The Meta. Metaverse. Something vaguely reminiscent of Facebook but more ominous and somehow even less cool. This episode covers a brief history of a long slew of the legal entanglements of FB and Mark Zuckerberg, our favourite lizard barbeque, before getting into some more.. opinion dr...
The Future is Now
December 15, 2021 13:00 - 45 minutes - 31.5 MBGood morning and happy Wednesday! I'm pleased to have my first episode out on time in a little while here and man, does it feel good. Today on Episode 19 of Cherry Picking we talk about the Metaverse. Or Meta? The Meta. Metaverse. Something vaguely reminiscent of Facebook but more ominous and somehow even less cool. This episode covers a brief history of a long slew of the legal entanglements of FB and Mark Zuckerberg, our favourite lizard barbeque, before getting into some more.. opinion-dr...
Are White People 'Indigenous'?
December 09, 2021 03:00 - 52 minutes - 36.1 MBHello! Before anything else, I would like to answer the above question with a resounding no! However, in today's episode of Cherry Picking, we'll dive into the opinion of someone who might disagree. To start off we'll discuss the concept of racialization, the process of developing and attributing features to a group of people on the basis of race with the intention of justifying a specific form of treatment. We'll be piggybacking off of some content from last week for this, so if you want to...
Episode 18 - Are White People 'Indigenous'?
December 09, 2021 03:00 - 52 minutes - 36.1 MBHello! Before anything else, I would like to answer the above question with a resounding no! However, in today's episode of Cherry Picking, we'll dive into the opinion of someone who might disagree. To start off we'll discuss the concept of racialization, the process of developing and attributing features to a group of people on the basis of race with the intention of justifying a specific form of treatment. We'll be piggybacking off of some content from last week for this, so if you want to...
Dirty Laundry
December 01, 2021 15:00 - 1 hour - 44.6 MBIf you're anything like me, you might have a pile of dirty laundry somewhere in your room. On a chair, on the floor, maybe it's in a basket. It's a human ailment, clothes get dirty and need to be cleaned, they're worn again and it all starts over. What a thing. We all have different systems of organization we use on a day to day basis, even as ordinary as moving piles of clothes around. In Episode 17, we do not talk about dirty laundry, but instead, a different endless cycle. Capitalism! T...
Episode 17 - Dirty Laundry
December 01, 2021 15:00 - 1 hour - 44.6 MBIf you're anything like me, you might have a pile of dirty laundry somewhere in your room. On a chair, on the floor, maybe it's in a basket. It's a human ailment, clothes get dirty and need to be cleaned, they're worn again and it all starts over. What a thing. We all have different systems of organization we use on a day to day basis, even as ordinary as moving piles of clothes around. In Episode 17, we do not talk about dirty laundry, but instead, a different endless cycle. Capitalism! T...
Episode 16 - We Spent How Much Enforcing Fairy Creek?!
November 25, 2021 09:00 - 47 minutes - 32.9 MBThis week on Episode 16 of Cherry Picking, we take a look at exactly how much money was spent in just 5 months on RCMP enforcement of logging up at Fairy Creek, alongside numbers from the enforcement of Coastal Gaslink on Wet'suwet'en territory. But, it runs deeper than that. A few weeks ago, we discussed Trudeau's promise to increase military spending by 70% over the course of 20 years. In addition to RCMP enforcement of resource extraction projects and Trudeau's commitment, we're also seei...
We Spent How Much Enforcing Fairy Creek?!
November 25, 2021 09:00 - 47 minutes - 32.9 MBThis week on Episode 16 of Cherry Picking, we take a look at exactly how much money was spent in just 5 months on RCMP enforcement of logging up at Fairy Creek, alongside numbers from the enforcement of Coastal Gaslink on Wet'suwet'en territory. But, it runs deeper than that. A few weeks ago, we discussed Trudeau's promise to increase military spending by 70% over the course of 20 years. In addition to RCMP enforcement of resource extraction projects and Trudeau's commitment, we're also seei...
Episode 15 - An Honest Conversation About Climate Change
November 17, 2021 20:00 - 47 minutes - 32.9 MBInspired by the recent 'atmospheric river' on Monday that delivered over an entire month of rain in one day in some areas, today on Episode 15 of Cherry Picking, we delve into the topic of climate change. And as of now, the lower mainland is extremely insecure in its supply chain connections with the rest of Canada due to this event. What does this mean? Portions of the Coquihalla highway are down, entire cities are on mandatory evacuation notices, dairy farmers are reportedly pouring out v...
An Honest Conversation About Climate Change
November 17, 2021 20:00 - 47 minutes - 32.9 MBInspired by the recent 'atmospheric river' on Monday that delivered over an entire month of rain in one day in some areas, today on Episode 15 of Cherry Picking, we delve into the topic of climate change. And as of now, the lower mainland is extremely insecure in its supply chain connections with the rest of Canada due to this event. What does this mean? Portions of the Coquihalla highway are down, entire cities are on mandatory evacuation notices, dairy farmers are reportedly pouring out v...
Episode 14 - Conspiracy Theories & Elon Musk
November 10, 2021 15:00 - 1 hour - 45.4 MBToday on Episode 14 of Cherry Picking we embark on a journey exploring the role that conspiracy theories play in supporting the ever quaking foundations of our social society as we know it. Why are conspiracy theories so appealing? And why are they oh so dangerous? The best conspiracies are ones that include pieces of truth, and the most notorious conspiracy theories are the ones that aren't theories at all. We'll discuss comments from whistleblower Edward Snowden, then, discuss links that...
Conspiracy Theories & Elon Musk
November 10, 2021 15:00 - 1 hour - 45.4 MBToday on Episode 14 of Cherry Picking we embark on a journey exploring the role that conspiracy theories play in supporting the ever quaking foundations of our social society as we know it. Why are conspiracy theories so appealing? And why are they oh so dangerous? The best conspiracies are ones that include pieces of truth, and the most notorious conspiracy theories are the ones that aren't theories at all. We'll discuss comments from whistleblower Edward Snowden, then, discuss links that...
Episode 13 - Intermission
October 27, 2021 10:00 - 48 minutes - 33.4 MBThis week on Episode 13, your host is dishevelled. Big changes are incoming and I am experiencing some existential dread. So, today, I just spoke from the heart. No notes, just cold. I'll be back next Wednesday with a carefully thought out episode topic, cohesive transitions of ideas, speaking on big concepts that matter and tie into the real world. But today I talked about myself, what's going on in my world, and how I'm making changes in my tiny little bubble that I can influence. Somet...
Intermission
October 27, 2021 10:00 - 48 minutes - 33.4 MBThis week on Episode 13, your host is dishevelled. Big changes are incoming and I am experiencing some existential dread. So, today, I just spoke from the heart. No notes, just cold. I'll be back next Wednesday with a carefully thought out episode topic, cohesive transitions of ideas, speaking on big concepts that matter and tie into the real world. But today I talked about myself, what's going on in my world, and how I'm making changes in my tiny little bubble that I can influence. Somet...
Freshwater, Fracking, and Climate Doom
October 20, 2021 13:00 - 41 minutes - 28.2 MBToday on Episode 12 of Cherry Picking we dive right into the petrol tainted freshwater. In case you missed it, Iqaluit, the capital of Nunavut, is currently under a non-potable water advisory. This situation serves as a starting point to explore the relationship that Canada has with its freshwater supply. Why is water so important? What role has water played, or continues to play, in political discussions? And why is this relevant? So many reasons. Like many new technologies and developmen...
Episode 12 - Freshwater, Fracking, and Climate Doom
October 20, 2021 13:00 - 41 minutes - 28.2 MBToday on Episode 12 of Cherry Picking we dive right into the petrol tainted freshwater. In case you missed it, Iqaluit, the capital of Nunavut, is currently under a non-potable water advisory. This situation serves as a starting point to explore the relationship that Canada has with its freshwater supply. Why is water so important? What role has water played, or continues to play, in political discussions? And why is this relevant? So many reasons. Like many new technologies and developmen...
Fairy Creek, Squid Games, and Cold War 2.0?
October 13, 2021 19:00 - 37 minutes - 25.8 MBThis week on Episode 11 we are all over the map, truly. Join today's episode to hear a recap of some of the motions made over the past few weeks regarding Fairy Creek. The fight is far from over, and really it's just begun. Having a clearer understanding of what we are working on within legal terms gives us more space to understand what can be done. Then, we talk about Squid Games. What do shows like this say about our society? As captivating and entertaining as it is, there's the truth be...
Episode 11 - Fairy Creek, Squid Games, and Cold War 2.0?
October 13, 2021 19:00 - 37 minutes - 25.9 MBThis week on Episode 11 we are all over the map, truly. Join today's episode to hear a recap of some of the motions made over the past few weeks regarding Fairy Creek. The fight is far from over, and really it's just begun. Having a clearer understanding of what we are working on within legal terms gives us more space to understand what can be done. Then, we talk about Squid Games. What do shows like this say about our society? As captivating and entertaining as it is, there's the truth be...
Pandora's Box
October 06, 2021 14:00 - 48 minutes - 33.3 MBToday on Episode 10 of Cherry Picking, we address the 'bombshell' of the Pandora Papers dropped on October 3rd, along with Frances Haugen's blowing of the whistle, followed by an honourable mention to the outages of Facebook, Instagram, Facebook messenger, and Whatsapp which caused a loss of billions (though I see stocks are now making a swift recovery, hmmm). I grew up with a dad who showed me Rocky Balboa clips. I now understand that this was preparation for this truly mean and nasty pla...
Episode 10 - Pandora's Box
October 06, 2021 14:00 - 48 minutes - 33.3 MBToday on Episode 10 of Cherry Picking, we address the 'bombshell' of the Pandora Papers dropped on October 3rd, along with Frances Haugen's blowing of the whistle, followed by an honourable mention to the outages of Facebook, Instagram, Facebook messenger, and Whatsapp which caused a loss of billions (though I see stocks are now making a swift recovery, hmmm). I grew up with a dad who showed me Rocky Balboa clips. I now understand that this was preparation for this truly mean and nasty pla...
National Day for Truth and Reconcilliation
September 29, 2021 23:00 - 55 minutes - 38.3 MBTomorrow is National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, a new holiday introduced by government this year in the wake of the now thousands of Indigenous children who have been recovered from mass graves at residential 'school' sites. While we should all be wearing orange to symbolically show our support for Indigenous communities, in episode 9 we will be digging a little bit deeper. We'll be looking at two surveys, one discussing the public perception of Indigenous people held by Canadians, an...
Episode 9 - National Day for Truth and Reconcilliation
September 29, 2021 23:00 - 55 minutes - 38.3 MBTomorrow is National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, a new holiday introduced by government this year in the wake of the now thousands of Indigenous children who have been recovered from mass graves at residential 'school' sites. While we should all be wearing orange to symbolically show our support for Indigenous communities, in episode 9 we will be digging a little bit deeper. We'll be looking at two surveys, one discussing the public perception of Indigenous people held by Canadians, an...
The Evolution of Indigenous Relations with the Canadian State
September 22, 2021 14:00 - 1 hour - 46.4 MBThere's no way to summarize this appropriately. In Episode 8, we'll be addressing Indigenous relations with the Canadian state from a variety of perspectives, grounded in history, and based on my education. We'll talk about whiteness, the media, and the Canadian State as factors in the perception of how one may view this topic. Then, we'll go over the 21 things of the book '21 Things you Might Not Know About the Indian Act' by Bob Joseph, with comments on my interpretations of specific soci...
Episode 8 - The Evolution of Indigenous Relations with the Canadian State
September 22, 2021 14:00 - 1 hour - 46.4 MBThere's no way to summarize this appropriately. In Episode 8, we'll be addressing Indigenous relations with the Canadian state from a variety of perspectives, grounded in history, and based on my education. We'll talk about whiteness, the media, and the Canadian State as factors in the perception of how one may view this topic. Then, we'll go over the 21 things of the book '21 Things you Might Not Know About the Indian Act' by Bob Joseph, with comments on my interpretations of specific soci...
Episode 7 - Let's Get This Party Started
September 15, 2021 19:00 - 52 minutes - 36.2 MBElection day is only 5 days away. In today's episode of Cherry Picking, we'll discuss the ideologies that are represented by the active political parties in Canada, as well as jump into a few key issues present in this election cycle. At the end of the day, your vote is a representation of your support for a particular leader. Before we express this support, let's be clear about what it is exactly that we are supporting. Tune in to talk about what a pandemic election means, what the upcomi...
Let's Get This Party Started
September 15, 2021 19:00 - 52 minutes - 36.2 MBElection day is only 5 days away. In today's episode of Cherry Picking, we'll discuss the ideologies that are represented by the active political parties in Canada, as well as jump into a few key issues present in this election cycle. At the end of the day, your vote is a representation of your support for a particular leader. Before we express this support, let's be clear about what it is exactly that we are supporting. Tune in to talk about what a pandemic election means, what the upcomi...
The Strategics of Voting
September 08, 2021 18:00 - 32 minutes - 22.4 MBToday on Episode 6 of Cherry Picking with Alexia Benn, we dive into a quick but incredibly important conversation about voting. With the upcoming federal election coming in fast on September 20th, it can be difficult to figure out how to make the most of your vote. In BC, only 52% of eligible voters aged 18-24 voted in 2019. We can't use the excuse that it's simply too complicated. Tune in today to figure out how to see your riding, view your candidates, and learn how to use the informati...
Episode 6 - The Strategics of Voting
September 08, 2021 18:00 - 32 minutes - 22.4 MBToday on Episode 6 of Cherry Picking with Alexia Benn, we dive into a quick but incredibly important conversation about voting. With the upcoming federal election coming in fast on September 20th, it can be difficult to figure out how to make the most of your vote. In BC, only 52% of eligible voters aged 18-24 voted in 2019. We can't use the excuse that it's simply too complicated. Tune in today to figure out how to see your riding, view your candidates, and learn how to use the informati...
Sowing Seeds w/ Matt Swiech
September 01, 2021 14:00 - 55 minutes - 34.2 MBToday on Episode 5 of Cherry Picking we are joined by Matt Swiech, a hospitality worker turned entrepreneur. Matt began investing in a business idea of his back in December of 2020, driven by the lack of food security on Vancouver Island. He's identified a problem with the relationship to the food that we eat, taken a creative approach to solve challenges in setting up his business, and is set on spreading information on the topic while helping his broader community in the process. Tune in t...
Episode 5 - Sowing Seeds w/ Matt Swiech
September 01, 2021 14:00 - 55 minutes - 34.2 MBToday on Episode 5 of Cherry Picking we are joined by Matt Swiech, a hospitality worker turned entrepreneur. Matt began investing in a business idea of his back in December of 2020, driven by the lack of food security on Vancouver Island. He's identified a problem with the relationship to the food that we eat, taken a creative approach to solve challenges in setting up his business, and is set on spreading information on the topic while helping his broader community in the process. Tune in t...
Monocultures & Monopolies
August 25, 2021 14:00 - 47 minutes - 32.5 MBToday on Episode 4 of Cherry Picking with Alexia Benn, we dip our toes into the world of modern agriculture production. Food is how we fuel our bodies to get us where we need to go and do what we need to do. However, humans are more disconnected now than ever before from the food we eat. What is the impact of the way we grow food, fund, and fuel our agricultural production on the climate? How much money is lost annually in Canada due to poor management of consumable goods? Who benefits fro...
Episode 4 - Monocultures & Monopolies
August 25, 2021 14:00 - 47 minutes - 32.5 MBToday on Episode 4 of Cherry Picking with Alexia Benn, we dip our toes into the world of modern agriculture production. Food is how we fuel our bodies to get us where we need to go and do what we need to do. However, humans are more disconnected now than ever before from the food we eat. What is the impact of the way we grow food, fund, and fuel our agricultural production on the climate? How much money is lost annually in Canada due to poor management of consumable goods? Who benefits fro...
Episode 3 - Local Motives w/ Ned Taylor
August 18, 2021 14:00 - 50 minutes - 31.4 MBToday on Episode 3 of Cherry Picking with Alexia Benn, Saanich City Council member and CRD Director Ned Taylor joins the show to discuss municipal government. At 19, Ned became the youngest Saanich City Council member elected. On the show, we'll discuss how he became involved in politics, why involvement at the local level is so important and influential, while also getting into the topic of youth involvement in politics as a whole. How much impact does social media have on this? Why is eng...
Local Motives w/ Ned Taylor
August 18, 2021 14:00 - 50 minutes - 31.4 MBToday on Episode 3 of Cherry Picking with Alexia Benn, Saanich City Council member and CRD Director Ned Taylor joins the show to discuss municipal government. At 19, Ned became the youngest Saanich City Council member elected. On the show, we'll discuss how he became involved in politics, why involvement at the local level is so important and influential, while also getting into the topic of youth involvement in politics as a whole. How much impact does social media have on this? Why is eng...
Oh, Canada
August 11, 2021 18:00 - 52 minutes - 36 MBToday in Episode 2 we take a deep, yet incredibly shallow, dive into the broader concept of Canada. Intended to set the stage for future discussion, we'll touch on how Canada came to be and the basics of issues that define our current political state. Topics such as colonialism, immigration, resource extraction, trade relationships, and the democratic deficit will be introduced and described. The goal today: to begin to understand the past before we jump in and decide our future. Cheers, ...
Episode 2 - Oh Canada
August 11, 2021 18:00 - 52 minutes - 36 MBToday in Episode 2 we take a deep, yet incredibly shallow, dive into the broader concept of Canada. Intended to set the stage for future discussion, we'll touch on how Canada came to be and the basics of issues that define our current political state. Topics such as colonialism, immigration, resource extraction, trade relationships, and the democratic deficit will be introduced and described. The goal today: to begin to understand the past before we jump in and decide our future.
Episode 1 - An Introduction
June 13, 2021 02:00 - 19 minutes - 13.3 MBWelcome to Episode 1 of Cherry Picking with Alexia Benn. Today's episode introduces your host, Alexia, and what lead her to create this podcast. We'll explore several key themes that will be prominent throughout the episode, what this show sets out to do, and what you can expect from future episodes. Come as you are with an open mind.
An Introduction
June 13, 2021 02:00 - 19 minutes - 13.3 MBWelcome to Episode 1 of Cherry Picking with Alexia Benn. Today's episode introduces your host, Alexia, and what lead her to create this podcast. We'll explore several key themes that will be prominent throughout the episode, what this show sets out to do, and what you can expect from future episodes. Come as you are with an open mind. Cheers, Alexia Instagram