Afternoon Pint

Hosted by Matt Conrad and Mike Tobin

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Episodes

159

Latest episode

Jun 2026

Language

EN-CA

About the show

Afternoon Pint is a laid-back Canadian podcast hosted by Matt Conrad and Mike Tobin—recorded where the best conversations happen: craft breweries, local pubs, and great restaurants around Canada Each week, they sit down with a surprise guest—from entrepreneurs and athletes to authors, entertainers, politicians, and everything in between. You never quite know who’ll show up, and that’s exactly the point. Every episode feels like meeting someone new over a pint—sometimes for the first time, sometimes picking up right where you left off. The conversations are real, unfiltered, and always a little unpredictable. Because at its core, The Afternoon Pint is about bringing people together—sharing stories, perspectives, and a bit of good human spirit along the way. So grab a drink, pull up a chair, and join the conversation.

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60 recent

June 16, 2026Episode 1591 hr 8 min

Storm The Ballot Box And Fix Canadian Democracy with Joanne Roberts

Something is off when a government can win a “supermajority” while millions of Canadians stay home. We’re joined by Joanne Roberts, author of *Storm The Ballot Box: An Insider’s Guide to a Voting Revolution*, to dig into what low voter turnout really means for Canadian democracy and why people stop believing their vote counts. We talk candidly about what she learned on the inside as a candidate, how parties use data to chase reliable voters, and why that strategy can quietly shrink democracy to a handful of swing ridings. We also break down the mechanics that shape everything: first past the post, the promise and politics of proportional representation, and the uncomfortable reality that many ballots translate into zero representation. Joanne walks us through why local riding connection still matters, how minority governments and coalitions have delivered some of Canada’s biggest social programmes, and why floor-crossing can feel like voters lose their voice overnight. Then we go where the incentives live: party funding and money influence. From the end of the federal per-vote subsidy to the way access can track with donations, we connect electoral rules to public cynicism. We finish with a forward-looking idea that sparks real debate: lowering the voting age to 16 with mandatory civics, plus how AI and misinformation may change how young voters call out political nonsense. If you want smarter conversations about electoral reform, voter engagement, and how to make every Canadian voice heard, hit play, share the episode, and leave a review. What’s one change that would make you more likely to vote next time?Send us Fan Mail Your Dream Home Does Not Have to Be Just A Dream. Today's show is brought to you by Kimia Nejat of Exit Reality Metro. Kimia is the realtor who knows how to get things done. Buying or Selling? Go to afternoonpint.ca/kimia and we will set up an introduction Does Your Business Need a Boost With Foot traffic? Hosts for An Event? Or Even Actors For A Production? Or the Production itself? Go to https://www.afternoonpint.ca/services and see some of the services that the Afternoon Pint team offers. Support the showFind The Afternoon Pint on Youtube Facebook Instagram & TikTokBuy merch, get out newsletter, or book some of Afternoon Pints Media Talent on our website: www.afternoonpint.ca#afternoonpint #entrepreneur #popculture #authors #actors #politics #money #music #popular #movies #canadalife #madeincanadaYour follows likes and subscribes help support Canadian Made Media. Please drop us a line and let us know if you are enjoying the show.

June 9, 2026Episode 15854 min

How Bioengineer Mina Mekhail's Startup Extends The Shelf Life Of Salmon

Fresh salmon can have around 14 days of shelf life if the cold chain stays perfect. The problem is real life is never perfect, and one small temperature slip can turn premium seafood into waste. We’re joined by Mina Mekhail from Dartmouth-based Fresher Technologies, an EY Entrepreneur of the Year, to dig into what “freshness” actually means, why bacteria accelerates with heat, and how packaging can quietly make or break food quality.Mina walks us through his unlikely path from biomedical engineering and biomaterials research to building a smart packaging company focused on fresh proteins. The big insight is not just technical, it’s commercial: extending shelf life only works if the market wants the solution. You’ll hear how customer discovery pushed him to pivot away from low-margin produce, move into high-value seafood, and then pivot again when processors rejected anything sprayed directly on fish because of additive and labelling concerns.Tune in to get the inside scoop on how the technology works. We also talk about the B2B reality of adoption cost, plug-and-play integration on existing packaging lines, protecting a moat with patents and trade secrets, scaling a global business from Halifax, and what it means to partner with Mitsubishi Chemical in Japan for premium markets like wagyu beef. Mina even shares how he evaluates AI at work with clear KPIs, plus the medical potential he’s deliberately not chasing yet so the company can stay focused.Subscribe, share this with someone who cares about food waste reduction and sustainable packaging, and leave a review if you want more founder deep dives like this. What part of the food supply chain do you think wastes the most time and money?Send us Fan Mail Your Dream Home Does Not Have to Be Just A Dream. Today's show is brought to you by Kimia Nejat of Exit Reality Metro. Kimia is the realtor who knows how to get things done. Buying or Selling? Go to afternoonpint.ca/kimia and we will set up an introduction Does Your Business Need a Boost With Foot traffic? Hosts for An Event? Or Even Actors For A Production? Or the Production itself? Go to https://www.afternoonpint.ca/services and see some of the services that the Afternoon Pint team offers. Support the showFind The Afternoon Pint on Youtube Facebook Instagram & TikTokBuy merch, get out newsletter, or book some of Afternoon Pints Media Talent on our website: www.afternoonpint.ca#afternoonpint #entrepreneur #popculture #authors #actors #politics #money #music #popular #movies #canadalife #madeincanadaYour follows likes and subscribes help support Canadian Made Media. Please drop us a line and let us know if you are enjoying the show.

June 2, 2026Episode 15747 min

Halifax Is About to Boom Again — Mayor Andy Fillmore Says the Real Risk Is Saying No

Halifax is growing fast — and Mayor Andy Fillmore says the real danger is not growth itself, but being unprepared for it.In this episode of Afternoon Pint, we sit down with Mayor Fillmore at City Hall following his State of the Municipality address to talk about what comes next for Halifax and the wider HRM. We dig into the pressure points residents are already feeling: housing costs, congestion, infrastructure delays, Halifax Water, suburban growth, affordability, and whether City Hall is moving quickly enough to meet the moment.The Mayor lays out why major national defence investment could bring another wave of economic growth to Halifax, including the possibility of the city becoming home port for Canada’s future submarine fleet. But with that opportunity comes a hard question: can we build the housing, transit, water systems, and public trust needed to make growth work for everyone — not just the downtown core?This is a candid, long-form conversation about the future of Halifax: what we’ve done well, where the systems are struggling, and why the next few years may define the city for decades.And because it’s still Afternoon Pint, we wrap things up with a round of “Around Halifax,” testing the Mayor on local landmarks, communities, food spots, history, and one very famous turtle.A thoughtful, honest, and fun conversation about the city we love — and the choices we need to make before the next boom arrives.Send us Fan Mail Your Dream Home Does Not Have to Be Just A Dream. Today's show is brought to you by Kimia Nejat of Exit Reality Metro. Kimia is the realtor who knows how to get things done. Buying or Selling? Go to afternoonpint.ca/kimia and we will set up an introduction Does Your Business Need a Boost With Foot traffic? Hosts for An Event? Or Even Actors For A Production? Or the Production itself? Go to https://www.afternoonpint.ca/services and see some of the services that the Afternoon Pint team offers. Support the showFind The Afternoon Pint on Youtube Facebook Instagram & TikTokBuy merch, get out newsletter, or book some of Afternoon Pints Media Talent on our website: www.afternoonpint.ca#afternoonpint #entrepreneur #popculture #authors #actors #politics #money #music #popular #movies #canadalife #madeincanadaYour follows likes and subscribes help support Canadian Made Media. Please drop us a line and let us know if you are enjoying the show.

May 26, 2026Episode 1561 hr 4 min

Immunologist Jeanette Boudreau Shares How Their Lab Fights Cancer Back

Cancer research can feel like a distant world of microscopes and jargon, but the stakes are painfully everyday: can we help people live longer, feel better, and suffer less while they’re in treatment? We’re joined by Halifax-based immunology PhD Jeanette Boudreau from Dalhousie University to unpack what’s changing right now in cancer immunotherapy, especially in blood cancers, and why “hope” is starting to look a lot like hard evidence.We talk about the invisible costs of cancer care in Canada, from travel and missed work to the way treatment can take over family life. Jeanette explains why quality of life needs to sit beside overall survival when we judge success, and how patient partners are pushing labs to solve real problems instead of chasing shiny headlines. Then we get into the science: how cancer is a rogue version of our own cells, why that makes it hard for the immune system to spot, and how therapies like CAR T cell treatment can re-arm immune cells to hunt cancer for years.From there, we zoom out to the future: building advanced therapies closer to home with new cell-processing tech, using AI and data science for precision medicine, and creating tumour “avatars” to test options before exposing a patient to toxic side effects. We also tackle prevention and risk, including smoking, UV, alcohol, and radon exposure, plus why diverse blood donation matters for biobanks, transplant matching, and cancer research that works for everybody.Subscribe for more conversations that make complex science human, share this with someone who cares about better cancer treatment in Canada, and leave a review to help more listeners find the show.Send us Fan Mail Your Dream Home Does Not Have to Be Just A Dream. Today's show is brought to you by Kimia Nejat of Exit Reality Metro. Kimia is the realtor who knows how to get things done. Buying or Selling? Go to afternoonpint.ca/kimia and we will set up an introduction Does Your Business Need a Boost With Foot traffic? Hosts for An Event? Or Even Actors For A Production? Or the Production itself? Go to https://www.afternoonpint.ca/services and see some of the services that the Afternoon Pint team offers. Support the showFind The Afternoon Pint on Youtube Facebook Instagram & TikTokBuy merch, get out newsletter, or book some of Afternoon Pints Media Talent on our website: www.afternoonpint.ca#afternoonpint #entrepreneur #popculture #authors #actors #politics #money #music #popular #movies #canadalife #madeincanadaYour follows likes and subscribes help support Canadian Made Media. Please drop us a line and let us know if you are enjoying the show.

May 19, 2026Episode 1551 hr 21 min

Former NDP Premier Darrell Dexter On Leadership, Energy Policy & Transformational Government

Former NDP Nova Scotia premier Darrell Dexter walks us through what it’s like to govern when the economy melts down, revenues disappear, and voters still expect big change on a small budget. He’s candid about how fast a government can go from popular to punished, and why that doesn’t automatically mean the work failed. We get into the real mechanics of “transformational” government versus “transactional” government, using Nova Scotia examples that still shape daily life: the Irving shipbuilding contract, the fight to keep Port Hawkesbury Paper running, and policy choices that aim for durable benefits instead of quick wins. Dexter also breaks down healthcare reforms like collaborative emergency centres, plus what COVID-19 taught him about crisis communication, public trust, and the hard tradeoffs leaders make when nobody has perfect information. The conversation turns to what’s driving anger right now: cost of living, wage pressure, housing, and food prices. Dexter explains why targeted tax credits and a controversial HST move were designed as practical income support, then takes on the energy debates that never die in Nova Scotia politics: fracking, uranium, renewables, Muskrat Falls, tidal power, and the question of whether public ownership of the utility is realistic. He ends with a strong case for university research and the humanities as the foundation for better leadership. If you care about Nova Scotia politics, Canadian public policy, energy policy, and what actually counts as a government legacy, you’ll want this one in your feed. Subscribe, share with a friend who loves politics, and leave a review, then tell us: what decision do you think Nova Scotia will judge differently 10 years from now?Send us Fan Mail Your Dream Home Does Not Have to Be Just A Dream. Today's show is brought to you by Kimia Nejat of Exit Reality Metro. Kimia is the realtor who knows how to get things done. Buying or Selling? Go to afternoonpint.ca/kimia and we will set up an introduction Does Your Business Need a Boost With Foot traffic? Hosts for An Event? Or Even Actors For A Production? Or the Production itself? Go to https://www.afternoonpint.ca/services and see some of the services that the Afternoon Pint team offers. Support the showFind The Afternoon Pint on Youtube Facebook Instagram & TikTokBuy merch, get out newsletter, or book some of Afternoon Pints Media Talent on our website: www.afternoonpint.ca#afternoonpint #entrepreneur #popculture #authors #actors #politics #money #music #popular #movies #canadalife #madeincanadaYour follows likes and subscribes help support Canadian Made Media. Please drop us a line and let us know if you are enjoying the show.

May 12, 2026Episode 1541 hr 31 min

Christina Black On Building A Winning Canadian Curling Team

You can learn a lot about high performance by listening to someone who lives in the details, and Christina Black lives there. Over pints at Jungle Jim’s, we talk with the Nova Scotia skip about how an eight-year-old in Sydney goes from watching the Scotties on TV to hearing an arena roar at the Olympic Trials in Halifax, and what that kind of pressure feels like when it’s finally real.We get into the parts of curling casual fans miss: why the game is closer to chess than most sports, how a skip balances analytics with instinct, and how one mistake can open the door to a three with the five rock rule in play. Christina breaks down film study, opponent scouting, and endgame decision-making, including how teams think about hammer, forcing, and when to protect against the “hero shot” that can swing an entire match.Team chemistry is a full storyline too. Christina explains how Team Black formed, what it took to recruit longtime rival Jill Brothers, and why the right mix of roles, communication, and energy can matter as much as pure shot-making. We also talk about the World Curling Tour, bonspiels, ranking points, and where to find streams and schedules if you want more curling in your life than just the Olympics.If you care about Canadian curling, the Scotties Tournament of Hearts, Olympic Trials, or simply how elite competitors keep their heads clear, this one delivers. Subscribe, share this with a curling fan, and leave a review with the biggest takeaway you’re stealing for your own game or your own life.Send us Fan Mail Your Dream Home Does Not Have to Be Just A Dream. Today's show is brought to you by Kimia Nejat of Exit Reality Metro. Kimia is the realtor who knows how to get things done. Buying or Selling? Go to afternoonpint.ca/kimia and we will set up an introduction Does Your Business Need a Boost With Foot traffic? Hosts for An Event? Or Even Actors For A Production? Or the Production itself? Go to https://www.afternoonpint.ca/services and see some of the services that the Afternoon Pint team offers. Support the showFind The Afternoon Pint on Youtube Facebook Instagram & TikTokBuy merch, get out newsletter, or book some of Afternoon Pints Media Talent on our website: www.afternoonpint.ca#afternoonpint #entrepreneur #popculture #authors #actors #politics #money #music #popular #movies #canadalife #madeincanadaYour follows likes and subscribes help support Canadian Made Media. Please drop us a line and let us know if you are enjoying the show.

May 5, 2026Episode 15348 min

Two Anonymous Young Immigrants Share The Hidden Costs Of Chasing Permanent Residency in Canada

A must listen episode to gain perspective on Canada's Immigration Crisis. Two young men from India sit down with us and tell a story we can’t shake. They came to Nova Scotia with a plan, followed the rules, studied hard, built careers, paid taxes, and still may be forced to leave Canada because the rules changed while they were already here. We keep their identities private for their protection, but we don’t soften what they’re living through: sleepless nights, shrinking timelines, and the feeling of building a life with an expiry date.We talk about the real cost of the “international student to permanent residency” pathway in Nova Scotia, from $45,000 tuition bills to GIC deposits, rent, and the pressure to juggle multiple jobs under strict work-hour limits. They describe an education experience that didn’t match the marketing, including being moved into Cineplex classrooms because the university didn’t have enough space. We also dig into how immigration quotas, the provincial nominee program, and changing priorities toward construction and healthcare can leave established workers in other needed fields stranded, and how that uncertainty hurts employers who train people they may soon lose.Most of all, we focus on the humanity behind Canadian immigration policy: what fairness means when someone has already invested years in Halifax, built networks, and planned to start a business and create jobs. If you’ve ever wondered what “policy shifts” look like in real life, this conversation puts it in plain language. Subscribe, share this with someone in Nova Scotia, and if your touched by the story of these two young gentleman. Write your MLA!Send us Fan Mail Your Dream Home Does Not Have to Be Just A Dream. Today's show is brought to you by Kimia Nejat of Exit Reality Metro. Kimia is the realtor who knows how to get things done. Buying or Selling? Go to afternoonpint.ca/kimia and we will set up an introduction Does Your Business Need a Boost With Foot traffic? Hosts for An Event? Or Even Actors For A Production? Or the Production itself? Go to https://www.afternoonpint.ca/services and see some of the services that the Afternoon Pint team offers. Support the showFind The Afternoon Pint on Youtube Facebook Instagram & TikTokBuy merch, get out newsletter, or book some of Afternoon Pints Media Talent on our website: www.afternoonpint.ca#afternoonpint #entrepreneur #popculture #authors #actors #politics #money #music #popular #movies #canadalife #madeincanadaYour follows likes and subscribes help support Canadian Made Media. Please drop us a line and let us know if you are enjoying the show.

April 28, 2026Episode 1521 hr 30 min

Former Canadian Intelligence Operator Mike Fournier On The Practicality Of Spycraft

A lot of people think “spy” means gadgets, fights, and glamour. We’ve got a different story for you, straight from a Canadian military intelligence operator who actually worked the Cold War and later returned to serve in Afghanistan. Mike Fournier, known as Intelligence Operator 230, joins us for a candid conversation about what intelligence work really is: supporting the commander, learning an insane amount of detail, living by strict rules, and staying calm when the situation turns sharp.We dig into how compromise and entrapment work in the real world, including the slow build adversaries use to find a weakness and apply pressure at exactly the wrong moment. Mike walks us through unforgettable stories from behind the Iron Curtain, including a honey trap attempt on a fellow soldier in Norway and a Warsaw scenario that shows why “no fraternization” isn’t just a policy, it’s protection. Along the way, we talk surveillance, counterintelligence, tradecraft, and why real spycraft is often quiet, methodical, and exhausting rather than cinematic.We also go where these conversations usually don’t: the mental toll, the isolation, the hyper-vigilance that sticks around for decades, and how PTSD shaped Mike’s life after service. Writing his memoir became a way to face those demons while still honouring the truth of Canadian Forces intelligence work. If you’re interested in Canadian military history, Cold War espionage, counterintelligence, and the human cost behind the badge, you’ll get a lot out of this one. Subscribe, share this with a friend who loves real-world spy stories, and leave a review.Link to Mike Fournier's New Book: https://books.friesenpress.com/store/title/119734000249065885/Mike-Fournier-Intelligence-Operator-230#servicecanada #military #intellegence #coldwarSend us Fan Mail Your Dream Home Does Not Have to Be Just A Dream. Today's show is brought to you by Kimia Nejat of Exit Reality Metro. Kimia is the realtor who knows how to get things done. Buying or Selling? Go to afternoonpint.ca/kimia and we will set up an introduction Does Your Business Need a Boost With Foot traffic? Hosts for An Event? Or Even Actors For A Production? Or the Production itself? Go to https://www.afternoonpint.ca/services and see some of the services that the Afternoon Pint team offers. Support the showFind The Afternoon Pint on Youtube Facebook Instagram & TikTokBuy merch, get out newsletter, or book some of Afternoon Pints Media Talent on our website: www.afternoonpint.ca#afternoonpint #entrepreneur #popculture #authors #actors #politics #money #music #popular #movies #canadalife #madeincanadaYour follows likes and subscribes help support Canadian Made Media. Please drop us a line and let us know if you are enjoying the show.

April 21, 2026Episode 1511 hr 18 min

Canadian Film & TV: Our Next Great Export with Taylor Olson, Bob Mann, and Adam DeViller

A pub table in Halifax is a strange place to map out a film and TV career, but that’s exactly where we end up with Taylor Olson, Bob Mann, and Adam DeViller. Between bites of a spice bag and a lot of laughter, we get into the real mechanics of building independent work in Nova Scotia: writing roles when the acting jobs don’t come, directing to control the full vision, and editing comedy with the kind of timing that makes awkward silence actually land. We also talk about Hey Halifax, how it grew with support from Bell TV1, and why landing on TPB Plus helps local shows reach viewers far beyond the city.From there, the conversation widens into the hard stuff that every Halifax artist feels right now: cost of living, arts cuts, and what happens when talented people have to leave because the margins get too thin. We make the case that the arts are not a hobby on the side of the economy, they’re entrepreneurship, jobs, and part of what makes a city worth staying in.We also hear about Taylor’s feature What We Dreamed It Then, its festival run, its impact screenings focused on houselessness, and what it takes to start pushing into the US market through festivals and distributors. If you care about Halifax comedy, Nova Scotia film, Canadian creators, and how culture gets made when resources are tight, this one goes deep. Subscribe, share this with a friend who’s building something, and leave a review with the one line you can’t stop thinking about.Send us Fan Mail Your Dream Home Does Not Have to Be Just A Dream. Today's show is brought to you by Kimia Nejat of Exit Reality Metro. Kimia is the realtor who knows how to get things done. Buying or Selling? Go to afternoonpint.ca/kimia and we will set up an introduction Does Your Business Need a Boost With Foot traffic? Hosts for An Event? Or Even Actors For A Production? Or the Production itself? Go to https://www.afternoonpint.ca/services and see some of the services that the Afternoon Pint team offers. Support the showFind The Afternoon Pint on Youtube Facebook Instagram & TikTokBuy merch, get out newsletter, or book some of Afternoon Pints Media Talent on our website: www.afternoonpint.ca#afternoonpint #entrepreneur #popculture #authors #actors #politics #money #music #popular #movies #canadalife #madeincanadaYour follows likes and subscribes help support Canadian Made Media. Please drop us a line and let us know if you are enjoying the show.

April 14, 2026Episode 1501 hr 4 min

Canadian Home Ownership Matters With Habitat For Humanity CEO Donna Williamson

You can feel the difference between a “housing” conversation and a “homeownership” conversation the minute Donna Williamson walks us through how Habitat for Humanity Nova Scotia actually works. We’re recording from the Burnside ReStore (with local beers from Burnside Brewing), and we start by clearing up the biggest misconception: Habitat doesn’t give houses away. Families buy at fair market value, but the model removes the barriers that keep working people stuck renting, including down payments and high interest. With interest-free mortgages and 500 volunteer hours, the goal is a real pathway to affordable homeownership that builds pride, stability, and equity.From there we get into the bigger problem Halifax and Nova Scotia are living through: the missing middle. When the bridge between rentals and market ownership collapses, the whole housing continuum jams up. Donna explains why building one or two volunteer-led homes a year isn’t enough anymore, and what scaling impact can look like through partnerships, more diverse builds like townhouses, and even condo-style approaches used by other Habitat affiliates across Canada.Then the conversation turns personal. Donna shares the brutal stretch that pushed her to create She Shed Unfiltered: a breakup, major life hits, and devastating loss, followed by the kind of friend support that literally picked her up. We talk therapy, trust, accountability, and why community matters when life breaks wide open. If you care about the housing crisis, affordable housing solutions, nonprofit leadership, and the human side of rebuilding, this one will stick with you.Subscribe, share this with a friend who’s feeling the housing squeeze, and leave a review with your biggest takeaway.Send us Fan Mail Your Dream Home Does Not Have to Be Just A Dream. Today's show is brought to you by Kimia Nejat of Exit Reality Metro. Kimia is the realtor who knows how to get things done. Buying or Selling? Go to afternoonpint.ca/kimia and we will set up an introduction Does Your Business Need a Boost With Foot traffic? Hosts for An Event? Or Even Actors For A Production? Or the Production itself? Go to https://www.afternoonpint.ca/services and see some of the services that the Afternoon Pint team offers. Support the showFind The Afternoon Pint on Youtube Facebook Instagram & TikTokBuy merch, get out newsletter, or book some of Afternoon Pints Media Talent on our website: www.afternoonpint.ca#afternoonpint #entrepreneur #popculture #authors #actors #politics #money #music #popular #movies #canadalife #madeincanadaYour follows likes and subscribes help support Canadian Made Media. Please drop us a line and let us know if you are enjoying the show.

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