Perhaps the most fascinating and stunning part of our journey learning about Kratom is the real-life stories from its users. It is after hearing these stories that we really understand the effect this plant can have on lives…
Canada is experiencing record numbers of deaths from opioid overdoses. In 2017, there were an estimated 4000 drug overdose deaths in the country. A substance that may be able to put a dent in that number is worth looking int…
When Chris Bergoch writes a movie, he doesn’t shy away from social advocacy topics that can be seen as controversial. At Stand Up Speak Up, we try to raise awareness around important social issues, so when Karla discovered t…
Why does someone get involved in the criminal world? What makes someone interested in joining a motorcycle gang known for brutal activity? We tell the story of one man who was let down by the Quebec foster care system growin…
Statistically, men commit far more acts of physical violence than women, and that also applies to serial killers. There are far fewer female serial killers than males, but the number is big enough not to be ignored - and may…
If you’ve listened to Stand Up Speak Up before, then you’ve heard the voice of host Karla Stephens-Tolstoy. Usually, she’s helping tell the story of others, but you might not have known that Karla herself has led a pretty in…
It’s estimated that illegal trade accounts for one-fifth of the global GDP. In his 2009 book McMafia, Misha Glenny outlined the growth of organized crime around the world, from drugs and sex trades to internet frauds and mon…
Most of us have enjoyed a good action movie, but the difference between a movie and Don Mann’s life, although it may sound like something from a movie, is that his life is completely real. No written storyline. No special ef…
Prepare for some raw true crime discussion, as we enter part 2 of our chat with Christian Cadieux of Crime & Trauma Scene Cleaners. What’s just another day at work for Christian, could very well be traumatizing for most of u…
When tragedy strikes, Christian Cadieux and his team at Crime & Trauma Scene Cleaners are called in to handle the cleanup. With crews across Canada, there’s nothing they haven’t seen, and nothing they’re afraid of. Some cont…
We trust law enforcement to do the absolute best job keeping communities safe, conducting investigations, and bringing criminals to justice. But, what about when they don’t live up to their duty? As we saw with the Shelley D…
Maryalice Ashbrook was born into a family that seemingly had it all. Her grandfather was president of a huge company that listed a movie studio among its subsidiaries. Her mother counted Joan Crawford and Jane Russell among …
As a child, Michael James knew that life with his parents was not what it was supposed to be. Their drinking was taking its toll on his childhood and it led Michael to approach the police to take him away to a more stable en…
Patricia Rodenbaugh was turned over to the L.A. foster care system at the tender age of 12. By her later teen years, she had given birth to two children and married just to escape the system. While Patricia had a rough start…
Reporter Drew Penner tracks down four very different but important perspectives on the evolving harm reduction movement. This episode will take you from east coast of the United States to London, Ontario, to Vancouver's down…
While researching for our episodes on the foster care system, we came across Scott Inman and felt he deserved an episode all to himself. Scott's story begins as so many others forced into the foster system - his father passe…
Reporter Drew Penner travels with Anita, the mother of a 16-year-old native girl named Delaine who went missing one year ago. We retrace her last known steps, in an effort to get a better understanding of the issue of missin…
This is the first episode in a series about missing and murdered native women in Canada. We head to Kenora, Ontario to tell the story of Delaine Copenace, a 16-year-old aboriginal girl who went missing one year ago and was f…
There is a disproportionate number of homeless LGBTQ teens on the street, but most people don't talk about it. House of Mayhem is talking about it. House of Mayhem is a new tv series about LGBTQ youth in the foster system. I…
We talk a lot about mental health and fighting your inner demons. But what happens when those demons take over? It's a sad conversation, but one that we need to have. That's why this episode takes a look at serial killers. B…
Jenny Maher has been through a lot. Growing up with a mentally ill mother, she was in and out of the foster system. Jenny experienced some bad things in her childhood, but she managed to overcome them. Today, she is an inspi…
Who pays for sex? Why do they pay for sex? Often, without even knowing it, Johns are supporting sex trafficking operations. In this human trafficking awareness series, we examine prostitution from John's point of view. Host …
Part of our human trafficking series, this episode delves into the mind of a pimp. How does he think? How does he control the victims of sex trafficking? Listen for some answers. Understanding modern-day slavery is the first…
Human trafficking is a hard conversation to have, but it needs to be spoken about. This episode is part of our human trafficking series, a series designed to spread awareness about the prevalence of modern-day slavery. We lo…
