On a media double feature episode of Unpacking the News, host Andre Goulet welcomes Geoff Sharpe, co-founder of online advocacy org North99, to explore the rise of left/socialist media in Canada and the United States and why professionalizing indie media in this country is more important than ever. Plus: why Arnold Viesen can't rap, how John Baird's Conservative leadership run is bound for failure and a celebration of the one year anniversary of the SNC-Lavelin scandal.

Then, Chris Markevich joins the show to discuss his epic, ambitious new podcast 'Left Behind: Socialism in the Age of Right Wing Populism' and what listeners should expect to hear from the left/socialist Canadian podcasting community in 2020.

Patrons can hear more from Chris and Geoff later this month, including a look behind the curtain at what it was like working for the federal NDP in Ottawa in the heady days of Official Opposition and what the Bernie Sanders political moment means for the Canadian left, by supporting the show at the $5/month tier at patreon.com/unpackingthenews

Read and subscribe to the new left Canadian online journal 'Passage' at readpassage.com and find out about new advocacy campaigns at north99.org

Conversations recorded on 2/2 (Markevich) and 2/10 (Sharpe), 2020.