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Dark Poutine / Curiouscast

True crime, legends, folklore, dark history and other creepy topics from the perspective of real live Canadians.

Dark Poutine - True Crime and Dark History

Episode 347: In this episode, part one of two, thanks to Mathew’s intrepid and unflinching research, we’re peeling back the layers on one of the most harrowing chapters in Canadian history: the Gay Purge. 
Officially, the campaign targeted LGBTQ+ individuals as part of a national security effort—citing their supposed susceptibility to blackmail by Soviet agents - But the real story is that these purges were driven more by institutional homophobia cloaked in Cold War fears and rhetoric than by legitimate security concerns. The blackmail excuse became a convenient cover for the government's systemic discrimination, allowing a deeply entrenched homophobia to flourish unchecked.
This campaign stretched from the 1950s through to the 1990s, destroying lives, careers, and communities along the way. We’ll explore the origins of this agenda, how it escalated, and look at a few of the stories of individuals affected.
Sources:
Peyton V. Lyon, The Loyalties of E. Herbert Norman: A Report Prepared for External Affairs and International Trade Canada, March 18, 1990 (Ottawa: 1990).
Bowen, Roger W, Innocence Is Not Enough: The Life and Death of Herbert Norman (Vancouver: Douglas & McIntyre, 1986).
Kinsman, Gary, and Patrizia Gentile. The Canadian War on Queers: National Security as Sexual Regulation. University of British Columbia Press, 2010.
The Canadian Encyclopedia: "Canada’s Cold War Purge of 2SLGBTQ2+ from Public Service"​ The Canadian Encyclopedia
Village Legacy Project: "Ottawa LGBT History: The 'Fruit Machine'"​ Village Legacy Project
https://definingmomentscanada.ca/all-for-9/historical-articles/lgbt-purge/#_edn3
https://www.trentarthur.ca/news/i-was-a-good-soldier-understanding-the-fruit-machine-2018-dir-sarah-fodey
https://ambcanada.ca/ambassadors/egerton-herbert-norman/
Arthur Newspaper
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The Gay Purge in Canada Part 1: The 1940’s-1960’s

Episode 348: This is part 2 of our coverage of the Gay Purge in Canada. Last week, we uncovered the origins of the Canadian government’s purge of gays and queer folk, a campaign that began in the early years of the Cold War. 
This week, we take a chilling dive into one of the government’s most sinister methods—the Fruit Machine. This pseudoscientific device was meant to expose gay individuals through invasive tests, and how the RCMP and military’s attempted Purge of gays from civil service continued unabated all the way through to the 1990s.
Sources:
Peyton V. Lyon, The Loyalties of E. Herbert Norman: A Report Prepared for External Affairs and International Trade Canada, March 18, 1990 (Ottawa: 1990).
Bowen, Roger W, Innocence Is Not Enough: The Life and Death of Herbert Norman (Vancouver: Douglas & McIntyre, 1986).
Kinsman, Gary, and Patrizia Gentile. The Canadian War on Queers: National Security as Sexual Regulation. University of British Columbia Press, 2010.
The Canadian Encyclopedia: "Canada’s Cold War Purge of 2SLGBTQ2+ from Public Service"​ The Canadian Encyclopedia
Village Legacy Project: "Ottawa LGBT History: The 'Fruit Machine'"​ Village Legacy Project
https://definingmomentscanada.ca/all-for-9/historical-articles/lgbt-purge/#_edn3
https://www.trentarthur.ca/news/i-was-a-good-soldier-understanding-the-fruit-machine-2018-dir-sarah-fodey
https://ambcanada.ca/ambassadors/egerton-herbert-norman/
Arthur Newspaper
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The Gay Purge in Canada Part 2: The 1960’s -1990's

Episode 349: In the 8th Christmas episode of the Dark Poutine podcast, we once again dive into the shadowy side of holiday traditions that often go unnoticed amidst the festive cheer. This episode will explore the dark origins of some Christmas customs, such as mummering, a practice steeped in mystery and community engagement, where masked individuals visit homes to entertain and sometimes frighten.
We will also recount the chilling tale of Isaac Mercer, who met a tragic end at the hands of mummers in Bay Roberts, Newfoundland, in 1860.
Additionally, we’ll dig into the age-old custom of telling ghost stories during Christmas, which has deep roots in ancient traditions. This custom entertains and serves as a poignant reminder of mortality amidst the holiday festivities, adding an intriguing layer to our understanding of Christmas celebrations. We’ll share some chilly Canadian ghost stories along the way.
Sources:
Saturnalia | Celebration, Sacrifice, & Influence on Christmas | Britannica
The Wild Holiday That Turned Ancient Rome Upside Down
The Fright Before Christmas by Jeff Belanger
Mummers, Murder and Mayhem
Archival Moments: An Act Outlawing Mummering
Celebrate Christmas the old-fashioned way: with drunken mayhem | CBC News
Ep079 The Isaac Mercer Mummer Murder Case. | MUN
Statutes of Newfoundland, 1861
The Christmas Tradition With A Dark Side | The Murder Of Isaac Mercer | Youtube
Any Mummers ’Lowed In?: Christmas Mummering Traditions in Newfoundland and Labrador by Dale Jarvis
The dark side of mummering: What you may not know about a beloved tradition | CBC News
The Isaac Mercer Mummer Murder Gate | Carved by the Sea
Victorian Christmas Ghost Storytelling Traditions in Montreal
Rousing ghost of Mount Royal
The Coffin Surfing Ghost
Montreal’s Duggan House built on a foundation of the uncanny
The long journey for a body's burial
10 famously spooky Canadian ghost tales
Mysteries in Canadian History
7 Spooky Stories from Across Canada
Augustus John Peers (1848-1901)
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Christmas 2024: Mummers, Murder and Manifestations

Episode 350: Ashley Wadsworth’s story is one of hope and adventure turned into a nightmare. Originally from Vernon, British Columbia, Ashley travelled to the UK to be with her boyfriend, Jack Sepple, whom she had met online. However, what began as a romantic journey ended in tragedy when she was found dead in February 2022. Her murder shocked communities on both sides of the Atlantic and raised questions about the dangers of online relationships.
Join us as we unravel the details of this heartbreaking case, examining the events leading up to Ashley’s untimely death and the subsequent investigation that brought her killer to justice.
Sources:
Ashley Wadsworth Obituary - Vernon, BC
Language & Culture Revitalization - Okanagan Indian Band
Timeline – Okanagan Nation Alliance
Vernon BC | The Canadian Encyclopedia
City of Vernon
The Implications of 'No Comment' in A Police Interview and the Importance of Legal Advice - Makwanas | Criminal Legal Aid Solicitors
The Power of Giving a 'No Comment' Interview During Police Questioning
Charge laid after B.C. woman killed in U.K.
Chelmsford: UPDATE Man charged with murder
Boyfriend killed Canadian teenager then filmed bloody confession | ITV News
'She wanted to help him... He repaid by taking her life' | ITV News
The Murder of Ashley Wadsworth | MacLeans
Vernon, B.C. teen’s U.K. killer sentenced to 23.5 years
‘She wanted to do so many things’: Vernon family grieving woman murdered in England
‘I was shocked’: Mother of Vernon teen murdered in England upon guilty plea
Documentary on B.C. teen’s murder airs on British TV
‘I thought England was the safest place in the world’ — DailyMail
Brit who killed girlfriend after she flew to UK was banned from meeting own mum
Mother of Vernon woman killed by boyfriend reacts to documentary about the death - Okanagan
The Murder Of Ashley Wadsworth — ITVX Documentary
Clare’s Law
Interpersonal Violence Disclosure Protocol (Clare’s Law) Act | Royal Canadian Mounted Police
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Transatlantic Tragedy — The Murder of Ashley Wadsworth

Episode 351: On March 8, 1987, a routine Sunday morning traffic stop on a quiet stretch of Route 640 between Yoho Lake and Hanwell to the southwest of Fredericton, New Brunswick, turned into a tragedy that shocked the nation. Constable Emmanuel “Manni” Aucoin, a 31-year-old highway patrol officer, husband and father of two young children, was shot and killed in the line of duty. His murderer, Anthony Phillip Romeo, an American fugitive who was wanted for another killing in New York, had been fleeing authorities when Aucoin pulled him over for speeding. Romeo shot Aucoin twice in the head as he wrote up a ticket, leaving him to die in his cruiser before fleeing back to the United States. Romeo was later captured, claiming Aucoin was a monster who’d been killing young men.
Constable Aucoin was the third Canadian police officer killed on duty in 1987 and was the first and only member of the New Brunswick Highway Patrol ever to die while serving.
Sources:
Joseph Emmanuel “Manni” Aucoin (1955-1987) - Find...
Anthony Philip Romeo, Petitioner, Appellant, v. James B. Roache, Respondent, Appellee, 820 F.2d 540 (1st Cir. 1987)
Cst. Emmanuel Joseph Aucoin
1991 CanLII 12407 (NB KB) | R. v. Romeo (1991) | CanLII
1991 CanLII 113 (SCC) | R. v. Romeo | CanLII
R. v. Romeo - SCC Cases
HE’S CHARGED IN ’85 GUN SLAY
Anthony Phillip Romeo - Search - Newspapers.com™
Governor General Award — Emmanuel Joseph Aucoin Police Exemplary Service Medal, Awarded on August 28, 1987
New Brunswick Highway Patrol
SUSPECT IN KILLING ON FIRE I. IS HELD IN CANADIAN SLAYING (Published 1987)
N.B. cop killer Anthony Romeo granted escorted trip for meditation class
Facebook — MURDER - CST. MANNY AUCOIN
N.B. cop killer Anthony Romeo granted escorted trip for meditation class - New Brunswick
Facing killer a life-changing event | Blue Line
Man, 25, Found Slain In Home on Fire Island (Published 1985)
SUSPECT IS NAMED IN MURDER OF SON OF EX-AIDE TO CUOMO (Published 1987)
New Yorker ordered held in Canadian cop killing - UPI Archives
PEOPLE v. ROMEO (2008)
1985 L.I. conviction is overturned
Parole board denies release of American who killed New Brunswick cop in 1987 - New Brunswick
New Brunswick highway patrol officer's killer denied full parole | CBC News
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Killed on the Job: Constable Emmanuel Aucoin

Episode 352: At 5:18 a.m. on May 9, 1992, in Plymouth, Pictou County, Nova Scotia, in the Westray Mine, a methane gas explosion, followed by a coal dust blast, ripped through the underground tunnels, claiming the lives of 26 miners working the night shift.
The tragedy unfolded against a backdrop of known safety violations and ignored warnings. In the aftermath, a gripping rescue attempt captivated the nation as teams of drägermen braved hazardous conditions in a desperate search for survivors. The bodies of 15 miners were recovered during the initial rescue and recovery efforts. However, the remains of 11 miners were never recovered and remain entombed deep within the mine to this day.
Despite criminal charges being filed against the mine owners and its management, no convictions were secured due to the complexity of establishing legal responsibility. More than ten years later, the federal government introduced amendments to the Criminal Code in response to this tragedy.
Sources:
Coal Mining Fatalities
The Story of Fossil Fuels, Part 1: Coal
World Coal Consumption: Past, Present, and Future
Parks Canada - Beginnings of Coal Mining National Historic Event
Coal in Canada
History of Mining | Mining Museum
Coal in Canada | Canadian Encyclopedia
1860s Accidents | Not Your Grandfathers Mining Industry, Nova Scotia, Canada
A Short History of Blame: The Doctrine of Progress
Canada's Deadliest Mining Disaster - Coal - Alberta's Energy Heritage
Mining Disasters
Nova Scotia's Historic Underground Coal Mine Workings Information
Nova Scotia Archives | Mining Disasters
Nova Scotia Archives | Men in the Mines
Coal and Grit
Miners Memorial Day: Davis Day
Stellarton, NS | Canadian Encyclopedia
Westray | NFB Film
Westray Mine | Wikipedia
Westray Disaster | Canadian Encyclopedia
The Day the Westray Mine Blew
Westray Coal Mine Disaster | New Scotland
Nova Scotia Archives | The Westray Story | Report of the Westray Mine Public Inquiry
Justice K. Peter Richard, Commissioner
Westray.Mine.Public.Inquiry
Death by Consensus: The Westray Story
The Westray Mine Disaster and its Aftermath: The Politics of Causation
1993 CanLII 3278 (NS CA) | Nova Scotia (Commissioner of Inquiries, Westray Mine) v. Phillips | CanLII
1995 CanLII 86 (SCC) | Phillips v. Nova Scotia (Commission of Inquiry into the Westray Mine Tragedy) | CanLII
Westray Verdict
The Westray Disaster
The Road From Westray: A Predictable Path to Disaster? by Eric Tucker
The Westray Story: A Tragic Tale and the Law that Followed
Criminal liability for workplace deaths and injuries – Background on the Westray Law
20th Anniversary of the Westray Law
Westray: 30 Years - USW Canada
Still Dying for a Living by Stephen Bittle
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THe Westray Mine Disaster

Episode 353: On April 23, 2018, a bright spring afternoon turned into a nightmare when a rented van plowed through pedestrians along Yonge Street in North York, a Toronto neighbourhood. In just minutes, 10 lives were tragically lost, and 16 others were injured; one of those later passed away from her injuries, bringing the death toll to 11. The community was left mourning, and the country grappled with questions of how and why such a senseless act could occur. 
The man behind the wheel was 25-year-old Alec Minassian, a self-proclaimed member of the so-called "incel" community—short for "involuntary celibate." This online subculture, rooted in misogyny and resentment, has been linked to acts of violence, often targeting women. Minassian’s actions that day were not random; they were a calculated act of terror fueled by a toxic ideology that glorifies hatred and violence against those perceived as rejecting or oppressing men like him. 
Sources:
Backgrounder: Yonge Street Incident | Toronto.ca
Alek Minassian Case: Agreed Statement of Facts | PDF
Alek Minasssian Trial | PDF
Alek Minassian Interview | PDF
Diverting Hate - Bi-Annual Report September 2023 | PDF
Victim Impact Statements | PDF | Justice criminelle | Crime et violence
The Incel Rebellion | PDF
Exhibit # 6 - Doc-Victim Impact Statement From R. FORSYTH | PDF
CJEM-v1n1-Rozdilsky-Snowden.-Toronto-Van-Attack
April 24, 2018 episode transcript | CBC Radio
TPSNews.ca | Stories | Witnesses Sought to Yonge-Finch Investigation
Toronto van attack: Eyewitness accounts
Witnesses say they are still struggling nearly 1 year since the deadly Toronto van attack
Alek Minassian booked by police after Toronto van attack - YouTube
Alek Minassian confesses in police interview after Toronto van attack - YouTube
Toronto police on Const. Ken Lam, officer who arrested van attack suspect - YouTube
How this Toronto officer 'courageously' got the van attack suspect in custody without firing a shot | CBC News
Toronto van attack suspect says he was 'radicalized' online by 'incels'
Incels.co - Involuntary Celibate
incel lingo.pdf | Human Sexuality
Incels (v1.2) by Aleph | Human Sexual Activity
Policybrief Violent Extremists Incels
OPV - Extremism and Hate Motivated Violence in Alberta - 2 | Extremism | Violence
Alek Minassian admits to planning, carrying out van attack | Watch News Videos Online
Toronto van attack - Wikipedia
Alek Minassian admits to planning, carrying out Toronto van attack | Globalnews.ca
Toronto van attacker sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole for 25 years | Globalnews.ca
Toronto van attacker sentenced to life in prison, no parole for 25 years
2021 ONSC 1258 (CanLII) | R. v. Minassian | CanLII
Why attackers use vehicles as weapons to kill innocent people in crowds
Vehicle Ramming: The Evolution of a Terrorist Tactic Inside the US
Democratization of terrorism: an analysis of vehicle-based terrorist events by Ryan Scott Houser
Elliot Rodger meticulously planned Isla Vista rampage, report says
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The 2018 Toronto Van Attack

Episode 354: In the quiet, close-knit community of Fosterville, New Brunswick, a crime of unspeakable horror shattered the peace on November 26, 1924. Two young sisters, Cynthia (14) and Necia Foster (10), were found bound, gagged, and brutally murdered in the lakeside camp of their uncle, Harry D. Williams. The sheer brutality of the crime sent shockwaves through the region, making it one of the most infamous cases in New Brunswick’s history.
Sources:
https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/new-brunswick
Fosterville, New Brunswick
Harry Williams - Search - Newspapers.com™
Fosterville Murder, Part 1
Fosterville Murder Part 2
Fosterville Murder Part 3
Fosterville Murder Part 4
Fosterville Murder Part 5
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The Fosterville Murders

Episode 355: In this episode, we explore a phenomenon that blurs the line between consciousness and culpability: homicidal somnambulism. Can a person be held responsible for murder if they commit the act while sleepwalking? We'll examine two haunting cases that have grappled with this very question. First, we'll unravel the infamous story of Kenneth Parks, who, in 1987, drove 23 kilometres from his home in Pickering to Scarborough, Ontario, where he brutally attacked his in-laws, Dennis and Barbara Woods, killing his mother-in-law. Then, we'll turn our attention to the lesser-known case of Clayton John Vickberg, who attempted to kill his friend Hugh Heglin in Victoria. B.C., in 1996, while allegedly in a state of automatism. These cases challenge our understanding of criminal intent and raise unsettling questions about the nature of consciousness itself.
Sources:
Sleepwalking - Symptoms and causes
5 Possible Causes of Sleepwalking
Sleepwalking: What Is Somnambulism?
Sleepwalking (Somnambulism)
Sleepwalking Doesn’t Have To Stop You From Resting Easy
Dark Poutine 115: The Homicidal Sleepwalker (ON)
1992 CanLII 78 (SCC) | R. v. Parks | CanLII
1998 CanLII 15068 (BC SC) | R. v. Vickberg | CanLII
Sleepwalking — Sleep Forensic Medicine
Homicidal somnambulism: a case report - PubMed
Killer Sleep: An Overview of Homicidal Somnambulism
Nov 15, 1985, page 17 - Times Colonist at Newspapers.com
Nov 17, 1989, page 19 - Times Colonist at Newspapers.com
Sept 19, 1991, page 21 - Times Colonist at Newspapers.com
Apr 25, 1998, page 2 - Times Colonist at Newspapers.com
Apr 27, 1998, page 11 - The Kingston Whig-Standard at Newspapers.com
Hugh Heglin Obituary (2006) - The Times Colonist
If you kill someone in your sleep, are you a murderer?
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Homicidal Somnambulism: Are You a Murderer if You Kill in Your Sleep?

Episode 356: In this episode, we explore two enduring Canadian legends that have captivated imaginations for generations. Our journey begins with the Lost Lemon Mine, a tale from the Canadian Rockies dating back to 1870. Two prospectors, Frank Lemon and "Blackjack," allegedly discovered gold, but their expedition descended into a dark saga of murder, madness, and an alleged curse that has kept the mine's location hidden for over 150 years.
We then venture to the frigid wilderness of Nunavut, where the mystery of the vanishing village at Angikuni Lake unfolds. In November 1930, fur trapper Joe Labelle reportedly discovered an abandoned Inuit settlement, sparking an investigation and endless speculation about the disappearance of an entire Inuit village. Join us as we delve into these fascinating Canadian mysteries, examining the evidence, historical context, and their lasting impact on the nation's folklore.
Sources:
The Last Great Unsolved Mystery
Reader's Digest Article about Oak Island
47: The Legend of Slumach and his Lost Gold Mine (BC)
The Legend of the Lost Lemon Mine
The Lost Lemon Mine | Canadian Encyclopedia
Blackjack’s ghostly legacy | LostLemon.com
The Lost Lemon Mine: An Unsolved Mystery of the Old West by Ron Stewart | goodreads.com
The Lost Lemon Mine: The Greatest Mystery of the Canadian Rockies by Dan Riley
Nov 27, 1930, page 7 - The Bee at Newspapers.com
The Vanishing Village of Angikuni Lake
The Vanishing Village of Angikuni Lake — Canada's Great Disappearance
Angikuni Lake | Wikipedia
The Vanishing Of The Angikuni Lake Village
Mysteries in Canadian History | Canadian Encyclopedia
Unravelling the Franklin Mystery, Second Edition | McGill-Queen’s University Press
The legend of Lake Angikuni - WordPress.comhttps://xylemmag.files.wordpress.com/2020/04/the-legend-of-lake-angikuni.pdf
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Canadian Legends: The Lost Lemon Mine and The Vanishing Village at Angikuni Lake

Episode 258: On the morning of February 20, 1989, stay-at-home mother of two Janice Faye Johnson was found unconscious, gravely injured and barely clinging to life at the foot of a flight of basement stairs in the Shelburne, Nova Scotia home she shared with her family, Clayton Norman Johnson and daughters Darla and Dawn. Even though she was still alive when she was found by a neighbour, who called for an ambulance immediately, Janice died in the hospital just after noon that day.
More than three years after her death, police arrested Janice’s husband, Clayton, a high school industrial arts teacher, and charged him with first-degree murder. Consistently maintaining his innocence throughout subsequent proceedings, on May 4, 1993, Clayton was found guilty of the first-degree murder of his wife. He was later sentenced to life in prison — his appeals, citing spurious forensic evidence, were rejected. He spent the next five years in prison.
Sources:
Clayton Johnson - Innocence Canada
Crown Halts Clayton Johnson Murder Prosecution - Government of Nova Scotia, Canada
Clayton Johnson Settlement - Government of Nova Scotia, Canada
Clayton Johnson: Innocent man convicted by so-called experts
Clayton Johnson walks as Crown balks at new trial | CBC News
Shelburne man, wrongly convicted of wife’s murder, dies | CBC News
1998 NSCA 14 (CanLII) | R. v. Johnson | CanLII
1994 NSCA 79 (CanLII) | R. v. Johnson | CanLII
Clayton Johnson - Wrongful Conviction - Pyzer Criminal Lawyers
Clayton Johnson: obituary and death notice on InMemoriam
Clayton Johnson wrongful murder conviction: Tide of Suspicion (1998) - The Fifth Estate — YouTube
Wrongly convicted man cleared in wife’s death - The Globe and Mail
Accident or Murder? | Forensic Files Wiki | Fandom
“Forensic Files” Accident or Murder? (TV Episode 1999) - Reference View - IMDb
Obituary | Clayton Norman Johnson of Barrington, Nova Scotia | H.M. Huskilson’s Funeral Home
Scribd | Justice Miscarried: Inside Wrongful Convictions in Canada 
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The Tragic Tale of Janice and Clayton Johnson

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