
Cherry Picking with Alexia Benn
Welcome to Cherry Picking, a political podcast recorded on lək̓ʷəŋən territory. Initially, this show was created by host Alexia Benn as a coping mechanism to find joy while completing the final year of her undergrad. Uniquely messy, at times particularly niche, and consistently caught within the contradictions of life, Cherry Picking now seeks to analyze, interrogate, and assess private and public policy through the consumption and gossip of mainstream media, acknowledging profit incentives lurking in the political sphere. From municipal politics, RCMP expenditures, anarchist and Marxist theory, environmental policy, and Indigenous governance, facts, feelings and ideas meet in the ether, given a chance to air themselves out. Always professionally unbiased, and always driven by the utmost care and consideration for human life, with a goal of accessibility. What does the acid rain which falls from the sky whisper to us? How do we listen? What will we do? Tune in most Wednesdays, sometimes with guests!
Episodes
25 episodes
Interview with Ned Taylor 2.0 - Saanich South MLA Candidacy
In 2021, host Alexia Benn interviewed Ned Taylor for the first time. At the time, Taylor was a Saanich City Councillor and CRD Board Member. We catch up with him three years later to see whats new.Now a current Saanich South Provincial ...
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Episode 24
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50:54

There and Back Again
Hello dear friends and welcome back to the podcast! It's been a year, hasn't it? Time flies when you have no other choice than to live each day out in a perpetual cycle embodying Sisyphus. How nice it is to be able to catch up like...
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Season 2
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Episode 23
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55:24

Should Canada Release It's "Royal Bond"?
What does it mean to be Canadian?Come one, come all. Welcome back to the pod. Today we talk about titles, the genuine joy of fulfilling employment, and a pressing question of necessity when it comes to Canada's status as a Commonwealth ...
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Season 2
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26:55

Perfection Is Not The Goal
Baby we are back in a big way.It's been a year! Literally. I hope it has been a good one for you. Your host Alexia has been caught up in the world in a whirlwind. It's been so long I barely know where to begin! So, without further ado, ...
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Season 2
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Episode 22
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27:17

Interlude
Hello and welcome to Episode 21 of Cherry Picking with Alexia Benn. This Episode comes as an interlude, bridging the first and second seasons of the show together. This episode stands unique as it is probably the most scattered chronologically ...
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Season 2
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Episode 21
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31:09

The Finale + RCMP Update
Hello everyone! Today marks our 20th episode of the show, and with that milestone, also the conclusion of our first season. And what a season it has been! Today we go over some pleasantries and I lay out my plan for this break, catching l...
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Season 1
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Episode 20
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33:32

The Future is Now
Good morning and happy Wednesday! I'm pleased to have my first episode out on time in a little while here and man, does it feel good. Today on Episode 19 of Cherry Picking we talk about the Metaverse. Or Meta? The Meta. Metaverse. Something vag...
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Season 1
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Episode 19
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45:44

Are White People 'Indigenous'?
Hello! Before anything else, I would like to answer the above question with a resounding no! However, in today's episode of Cherry Picking, we'll dive into the opinion of someone who might disagree. To start off we'll discuss the concept of rac...
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Season 1
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Episode 18
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52:32

Dirty Laundry
If you're anything like me, you might have a pile of dirty laundry somewhere in your room. On a chair, on the floor, maybe it's in a basket. It's a human ailment, clothes get dirty and need to be cleaned, they're worn again and it all starts ov...
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Season 1
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Episode 17
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1:04:49

We Spent How Much Enforcing Fairy Creek?!
This week on Episode 16 of Cherry Picking, we take a look at exactly how much money was spent in just 5 months on RCMP enforcement of logging up at Fairy Creek, alongside numbers from the enforcement of Coastal Gaslink on Wet'suwet'en territory...
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Season 1
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Episode 16
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47:47

An Honest Conversation About Climate Change
Inspired by the recent 'atmospheric river' on Monday that delivered over an entire month of rain in one day in some areas, today on Episode 15 of Cherry Picking, we delve into the topic of climate change. And as of now, the lower mainland is ex...
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Season 1
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Episode 15
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47:47

Conspiracy Theories & Elon Musk
Today on Episode 14 of Cherry Picking we embark on a journey exploring the role that conspiracy theories play in supporting the ever quaking foundations of our social society as we know it. Why are conspiracy theories so appealing? And why are ...
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1:06:00

Intermission
This week on Episode 13, your host is dishevelled. Big changes are incoming and I am experiencing some existential dread. So, today, I just spoke from the heart. No notes, just cold. I'll be back next Wednesday with a carefully thought out epis...
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Season 1
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Episode 13
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48:31

Freshwater, Fracking, and Climate Doom
Today on Episode 12 of Cherry Picking we dive right into the petrol tainted freshwater. In case you missed it, Iqaluit, the capital of Nunavut, is currently under a non-potable water advisory. This situation serves as a starting point to explor...
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Season 1
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Episode 12
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41:00

Fairy Creek, Squid Games, and Cold War 2.0?
This week on Episode 11 we are all over the map, truly. Join today's episode to hear a recap of some of the motions made over the past few weeks regarding Fairy Creek. The fight is far from over, and really it's just begun. Having a clearer und...
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Season 1
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Episode 11
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37:33

Pandora's Box
Today on Episode 10 of Cherry Picking, we address the 'bombshell' of the Pandora Papers dropped on October 3rd, along with Frances Haugen's blowing of the whistle, followed by an honourable mention to the outages of Facebook, Instagram, Faceboo...
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Season 1
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Episode 10
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48:23

National Day for Truth and Reconcilliation
Tomorrow is National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, a new holiday introduced by government this year in the wake of the now thousands of Indigenous children who have been recovered from mass graves at residential 'school' sites. While we sho...
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Season 1
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Episode 9
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55:41

The Evolution of Indigenous Relations with the Canadian State
There's no way to summarize this appropriately. In Episode 8, we'll be addressing Indigenous relations with the Canadian state from a variety of perspectives, grounded in history, and based on my education. We'll talk about whiteness, the...
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Season 1
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Episode 8
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1:07:27

Let's Get This Party Started
Election day is only 5 days away. In today's episode of Cherry Picking, we'll discuss the ideologies that are represented by the active political parties in Canada, as well as jump into a few key issues present in this election cycle. ...
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Season 1
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Episode 7
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52:35

The Strategics of Voting
Today on Episode 6 of Cherry Picking with Alexia Benn, we dive into a quick but incredibly important conversation about voting. With the upcoming federal election coming in fast on September 20th, it can be difficult to figure out ...
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Season 1
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Episode 6
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32:32

Sowing Seeds w/ Matt Swiech
Today on Episode 5 of Cherry Picking we are joined by Matt Swiech, a hospitality worker turned entrepreneur. Matt began investing in a business idea of his back in December of 2020, driven by the lack of food security on Vancouver Island. He's ...
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Season 1
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Episode 5
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55:55

Monocultures & Monopolies
Today on Episode 4 of Cherry Picking with Alexia Benn, we dip our toes into the world of modern agriculture production. Food is how we fuel our bodies to get us where we need to go and do what we need to do. However, humans are mor...
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Season 1
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Episode 4
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47:15

Local Motives w/ Ned Taylor
Today on Episode 3 of Cherry Picking with Alexia Benn, Saanich City Council member and CRD Director Ned Taylor joins the show to discuss municipal government. At 19, Ned became the youngest Saanich City Council member elected. On the show...
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Season 1
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Episode 3
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50:28
