Spark'd Cast

About Spark'd Cast

Station Internationale is a Canadian leftist podcast with an internationalist edge, tracking radical, subversive, and pragmatic movements that challenge capitalism, colonialism, nationalism, fascism, and imperialism at home and around the world. Cutting through media spectacle to confront power where it lives and organize beyond borders.

Publisher

SparkSolidarity.ca

Category

news

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

23 Jan 2025

Latest episode

20 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

11 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   20 Oct 2026

   REDUX: Why France Can Still Revolt (And America Can't)

   I recorded this in July during the America 250 celebrations, then shelved it when the audio came out rough. Recent student protests in France made the argument feel more relevant: why France can still turn separate grievances into collective politics, while America increasingly experiences politics through privatization, atomization and the algorithm.Stay Connected: https://alexstation.ca

2. 

   8 Oct 2026

   REDUX: What “Israel’s 9/11” Made Possible

   Three years after October 7, 2023, the comparison to September 11 continues to shape how Israel's war on Gaza is understood, justified and remembered. But what happens when a single day becomes the starting point for an entire political history? In this episode, Alex revisits a video recorded shortly after October 7 and a September 2025 livestream examining the phrase “Israel's 9/11.” From Joe Biden's speeches to the Western media's coverage, the comparison did more than communicate the scale of an attack. It imported a familiar political framework, one already associated with the War on Terror, Afghanistan, Iraq, expanded surveillance, emergency powers and decades of American military intervention. Three years later, Gaza has been devastated, more than 74,000 Palestinians have been killed, and millions have experienced displacement. Yet October 7 remains the fixed reference point through which much of the destruction that followed is explained, while the blockade, occupation and decades of Palestinian resistance that preceded it are pushed into the background. The episode examines what subsequent investigations have revealed about Israeli intelligence failures, including the ignored Hamas attack blueprint known as “Jericho Wall,” warnings dismissed by security officials, and institutional admissions that the October 7 attack could have been anticipated or its scale reduced. It also revisits the chaotic information environment surrounding the attack: Israeli use of the Hannibal Directive, documented incidents of Israeli fire killing Israeli civilians, disputed and debunked atrocity narratives, allegations of sexual violence, and the speed with which unverified accounts became accepted political talking points. The question is not whether atrocities occurred, but how evidence, propaganda and uncertainty were handled when governments and media organizations were already building the case for war. Drawing parallels with the aftermath of September 11, Alex explores how spectacular violence is transformed into a recurring media event, how repetition compresses decades of history into a few unforgettable images, and how the language of national trauma can turn military escalation into an apparently inevitable response. The episode also returns to Gaza before October 7: the blockade imposed in 2007, the Great March of Return, repeated Israeli military assaults, occupation and the political conditions that shaped Palestinian resistance long before the attack. At the centre of this discussion is a question about political memory: who gets to decide where the story begins? September 11 became the organizing date for an American era of war, surveillance and expanding state power. Twenty-two years later, October 7 was placed inside that same political vocabulary almost immediately. The consequences of that framing have now extended across three years of destruction in Gaza, even as questions about the failures preceding the attack remain unresolved. This episode looks at how the comparison was constructed, what later evidence has revealed, and why the history excluded from the opening frame matters as much as the events repeatedly placed at its centre.

3. 

   8 May 2026

   Station International Ep. 1 - Motive Remains Unclear

   Alex (alexxstation / SparkSolidarity.ca) and Mark Freeland sit down for the first episode of Station International — a new podcast about politics, sports, culture, and whatever else needs to be said. No filter, no moralism, just two people talking through what's actually going on. This first episode is being posted on the Spark Solidarity feed, but Station International will have its own home. Search "Station International" to find and follow the show directly. In this episode: the Kimberly Clark warehouse fire and what Fox News didn't want you to hear, media erasure of motive, Iranian and Chinese AI propaganda vs. American recruitment videos, the left's false consciousness around AI, China's solar and fusion technology and American decline, F1 2026 regs and the means of production, Formula E corruption in Montreal, the Keynesian war economy and Polymarket, the NDP leadership race and containment politics, MLSE and the Toronto Maple Leafs as corporate Canada, de-skilling and the ticket system, the manosphere and cultural Nazism, and the MDC Brooklyn sitcom nobody has made yet but should. visit sparksolidarity.ca

4. 

   7 Apr 2026

   Ep 08: War Without Objective (4/1/26)

   After a month of bombing Iran, Trump goes on national TV and declares the mission nearly complete. But the markets don’t buy it. Oil spikes, troops keep moving, and the infrastructure for escalation continues to build behind the scenes. In this episode, I break down the gap between rhetoric and reality. This isn’t regime change. It’s subordination, a war designed to permanently limit Iran’s ability to project power while selling the public a story of control. At the same time, rising gas prices and economic shocks get reframed as unavoidable, while coordinated messaging across Western governments turns war into a cost-of-living issue. And as Iran speaks directly to the American public, the conflict shifts into something deeper. Because this isn’t just a war on the ground. It’s a fight over how the war is understood. visit sparksolidarity.ca

5. 

   2 Apr 2026

   Ep. 07: Avi Lewis and the No Democracy Party Convention (3/29/26)

   In March 2026, the NDP gathered in Winnipeg for what it called a “renewal convention.” Inside, speeches about unity and rebuilding. Outside, protesters in the cold, locked out of the very party claiming to represent them. The gap between those two scenes tells the real story. In this episode, I break down how the NDP’s leadership race became a case study in managed opposition. From the exclusion of Yves Engler and Bianca Mugyenyi to the silencing of anti-imperialist politics, what unfolded wasn’t just internal dysfunction, but the removal of an entire political argument from within the party. I look at the collapse of the Jagmeet Singh era, why his final “fight” came too late to matter, and how the NDP’s structural position inside Canada’s political system makes real opposition functionally impossible. From propping up the Liberals to abandoning material politics, the result is a party that left many on the left politically homeless. I also take a hard look at Avi Lewis and what his leadership signals going forward. Despite a progressive reputation, his record raises deeper questions about who gets to define the limits of dissent inside the NDP, especially on Palestine and Canadian foreign policy. At its core, this episode asks a harder question: if social democracy in Canada functions as a containment mechanism rather than a vehicle for change, what comes next? Can the NDP be transformed, or has it revealed exactly what it was always meant to be? 🔗 Links here: sparksolidarity.ca SOURCES Yves Engler raises $110K, barred from NDP leadership race — CBC News https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/yves-engler-barred-ndp-leadership-9.7010236 Engler's platform — yvesengler.com https://yvesengler.com/2025/07/07/why-im-running-for-leadership-of-ndp/ NDP rejects Engler, cites harassment/propaganda/antisemitism — Globe and Mail https://www.theglobeandmail.com/politics/article-ndp-rejects-yves-engler-as-leadership-candidate/ Three-person committee rejects Engler, no member vote — Rabble https://rabble.ca/politics/canadian-politics/ndp-leadership-committee-rejects-yves-englers-candidacy-application/ Bianca Mugyenyi enters race — Globe and Mail https://www.theglobeandmail.com/politics/article-ndp-leadership-bianca-mugyenyi-yves-engler/ Mugyenyi rejected as "proxy candidacy" — Canadian Dimension https://canadiandimension.com/articles/view/by-barring-bianca-mugyenyi-ndp-shows-its-not-interested-in-renewal NDP terminates Engler's membership, no appeal — CBC News https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/voting-ndp-leadership-race-convention-9.7119241 Barry Weisleder credentials withdrawn — Yves Engler / X https://x.com/EnglerYves/status/2036461593869926744 CCF expels Manitoba legislators over Marshall Plan/NATO — Midnight Sun https://www.midnightsunmag.ca/out-of-the-impasse-the-avi-lewis-campaign-and-left-strategy/ David and Stephen Lewis expelled the Waffle, 1972 — Canadian Encyclopedia https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/stephen-henry-lewis/ Ontario NDP expels Sarah Jama — CBC News https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hamilton/jama-ndp-caucus-1.7005056 Avi Lewis October 7 thread — X https://x.com/avilewis/status/1711979812321972225 Selina Robinson "crappy piece of land" — CBC News https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/selina-robinson-israel-comments-calls-to-resign-1.7102824 Avi Lewis calls Robinson protest "childish and gross" — X https://x.com/avilewis/status/1754959906741105042 Social democracy as containment mechanism — Hampton Institute https://www.hamptonthink.org/read/the-lies-social-democrats-tell-fdr-the-new-deal-and-social-fascism

6. 

   28 Apr 2025

   Ep. 06: Green, But Not Clean (with Yves Engler) (4/28/25)

   In May 2021, a Facebook post by Annamie Paul's senior advisor, Noah Zatzman, triggered a meltdown inside the Green Party of Canada—splintering the party, pushing out MPs, and gutting its credibility. But the collapse started long before. In this episode of Spark’d Cast, I speak with writer and activist Yves Engler about how Zionist lobbying sabotaged the Greens from within, how the party reversed its own 2016 BDS resolution under pressure, and how media smears and internal power plays derailed Dimitri Lascaris’s leadership campaign. We also break down the role of Noah Zatzman and Annamie Paul in enforcing silence around Israeli apartheid, why the Greens' collapse still matters for Palestine solidarity and eco-socialism, and whether the party can still be reclaimed—or whether it’s time to leave it behind entirely. Zionism, Collapse, and the Death of Canada's Green Party https://sparksolidarity.ca/2025/04/28/zionism-collapse-and-the-death-of-canadas-green-party/ 🔗 Find Yves Engler's work here: yvesengler.com youtube.com/@yvesengler2180 If you enjoyed this episode, leave us a review or share it with a friend. Solidarity forever. Follow on social media at @sparksolidarity and sparksolidarity.ca

7. 

   23 Apr 2025

   Ep. 05: Fake As A Widow's Smile (4/23/25)

   Canada’s 2025 federal leaders’ debates weren’t just bad, they exposed the hollow core of our political system. From neoliberal technocrats to faux populists and media complicity, this episode breaks down the circus of electoral spectacle, manufactured consent, and why none of it touches real power. Let’s unpack the ritual, the rot, and what it means for our future. Follow on social media at @sparksolidarity and sparksolidarity.ca All sound clips and music are used with the sole intent of fair use. Track Listing: Dear Liberals - Lee Reed Face the Pain - Stemm Loco Locass - Le But Ruffneck Feat Yavahn - Everybody Be Somebody Senses Fail - Let It Enfold You

8. 

   10 Apr 2025

   Ep. 04: Start the Circus (4/10/25)

   Mark Carney is now Prime Minister—and he’s never won an election. No seat, no campaign, no mandate. In this episode, Alex unpacks how a central banker became Canada’s CEO, why technocracy in Canada keeps winning by default, and what it says about the state of our democracy. Follow on social media at @sparksolidarity and sparksolidarity.ca All music is used with the intent of fair use.

9. 

   22 Mar 2025

   Ep. 03: Worst Case Ontario (3/22/25)

   Ep. 3: Worst Case Ontario (3/22/25) Doug Ford just won his third straight majority—and it wasn’t even close. Polls, odds, opposition? Flattened. In this episode, Alex breaks down how Ontario politics became a vibes-based content machine, why strategic voting is a farce, and what it all means for the rest of us. Follow on social media at @sparksolidarity and sparksolidarity.ca All music is used with the intent of fair use.

10. 

    2 Feb 2025

    Ep. 02: The Art of the Steal (1/25/25)

    Ep. 02: The Art of the Steal: Trump, Tariffs & Total Chaos (1/25/25) In the second episode of Spark’dcast, Alex Station breaks down the bombastic return of Donald Trump, analyzing his inauguration speech, early executive orders, and the broader geopolitical fallout. From economic nationalism and aggressive tariff threats to militarized border policies and imperial nostalgia, Alex explores how Trump’s chaotic approach is reshaping American governance and global power dynamics. He examines the ripple effects on Canada, Mexico, and beyond—unpacking the economic and political maneuvering behind the rhetoric. Is Trump’s presidency an accelerant for American decline, or does his unpredictability create new fractures in imperialism? Tune in as Alex dissects the contradictions, consequences, and absurdities of the unfolding era. Follow on social media at @sparksolidarity and sparksolidarity.ca

11. 

    23 Jan 2025

    Ep. 01: The Broken Clock Statesman Returns (1/17/25)

    Ep. 01: The Broken Clock Statesman Returns (1/17/25) In the premiere episode of Spark'dcast, Alex Station introduces his new platform aimed at creating a welcoming community where listeners can relax, be inspired, and share stories and ideas. Alex explores the concept of cultural subversion through material praxis, discussing the importance of recognizing higher forces and contradictions in societal structures. He delves into the complexities of political and social change, emphasizing the importance of pragmatic engagement in existing systems. Alex also touches on current political dynamics, particularly regarding the second Trump term and its potential global implications. Join Alex as he navigates through pop culture, politics, sports, and more to drive meaningful discussions and inspire collective progress. follow on social media at @sparksolidarity and sparksolidarity.ca

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

YouTube views

3,794

Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025

Podcast Authority Score: 28 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

26

Social presence

0

YouTube

74

Engagement

0