Episode 50: The Toll
(Photo by Garth Mullins) [Alt text: Drug user activist Kathy Pinheiro stands beside a tall Frankenstein statue in Geneva, Switzerland. Frankenstein’s is holding Narcan in his hand]
(Photo by Jeanie Seward-Magee) [Alt text: Photo of yellow, red, and pink flowers in a mason jar, sitting atop a letter written by Jeanie and her husband to their deceased son, Timothy Seward-Magee. The letter reads: “The Last time you were with us we sat on this bench together. ❤️ Remembering you darling Tim on this day, February 26th - you were born 49 years ago today.❤️Love you forever.❤️Mom and Dad. XOXOX].
It’s the end of an era in Canada. On March 10th – after nine years in power – Mark Carney replaced Justin Trudeau as Canada’s Prime Minister. We mark the occasion by looking back at Trudeau’s legacy on the drug war: over 50,000 preventable overdose deaths. And we struggle to describe how this epidemic of death and grief has changed us and our movement.
(Photo by Kat Gallant). [Alt text: Photo of Sam Fenn and Garth Mullins standing on a cobblestone street in Geneva’s historic old town. Sam is holding a microphone and an audio recorder. Garth is wearing a leather jacket and camo pants].
(Photo by Alex de Boer). [Alt text: Photo of dozens of drug user activists, allies, and Indigenous leaders gathered in a circle in Oppenheimer Park. Several people are draped in pink and blue blankets that were sewn by members of the Western Aboriginal Harm Reduction Society. The blanketing ceremony was held on August 31st 2023, eight years into British Columbia’s official overdose crisis].
Transcript
A complete transcript of this episode will be uploaded here when ready.
Works Cited
Manisha Krishnan, “Justin Trudeau’s ‘Mixed Bag’ Legacy on Drug Policy.” Filter. January 17, 2025. https://filtermag.org/justin-trudeau-drug-policy-legacy/
Credits
Crackdown is produced on the territories of the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil Waututh Nations.
Follow Garth Mullins on Bluesky and on tik tok.
Our editorial board is Dean Wilson, Jeff Louden, Laura Shaver, Samona Marsh, Shelda Kastor, Elli Taylor, Delilah Gregg, and Martin Steward. Rest in peace Dave Murray, Greg Fresz and Chereece Keewatin.
“The Toll” was conceptualized, written, and produced by Sam Fenn, Alex de Boer, Jade Boyd, Lisa Hale and Garth Mullins.
Mix by Alex Kim.
Special thanks to Jeanie Seward-Magee.
“The Toll” was produced in partnership with the Canadian Research Initiative in Substance Matters’ People With Lived Experience working group. Special thanks to the members of CRISM who we traveled to Switzerland with: Brandi Abele, Matthew Bohn, Kathy Pinheiro, Frank Crichlow, Natasha Touesnard, and Alex Sherstobitoff. Thanks as well to Kat Gallant and Kelsey Speed who coordinated our Geneva trip.
Jade Boyd is the intellectual director of “The Toll.”
Funding was provided by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research.
Theme song by Sam Fenn and Garth Mullins. All other music by Blue Dot Sessions.
If you like what we do here at Crackdown, please support us at patreon.com/crackdownpod.
