People First Radio
People First Radio is an education and awareness program broadcast on traditional radio and in online podcasts.
May 23, 2026 • 00:41:24 When it opened in 1921, the Weyburn Mental Hospital was hailed as the last and largest asylum in the British Commonwealth. Managing Madness co-author Erika Dyck writes that in the beginning, it was a symbol of both progress and a bygone era, embodying a set of contradictions from the outset.… May 22, 2026 • 00:57:00 University of Saskatchewan History Professor and Canada Research Chair in the History of Health and Social Justice Erika Dyck speaks about the history of the now demolished Weyburn Mental Hospital in Saskatchewan. Caitlin Shane, a staff lawyer with Pivot Legal Society, argues society is sending mixed messages to drug users… May 15, 2026 • 00:53:04 " May 15, 2026 • 00:57:00 Retired B.C. Judge Philip Seagram speaks about his experience going on a cross Canada busking tour, a journey which he chronicled in the book No Judgement. May 7, 2026 • 00:47:33 Dr. Jill Wiwcharuk has been practicing medicine for 15 years, largely working with people living on the streets. Since December, she’s added a new dimension to her work, social media influencer. Wiwcharuk posts under the handle streetdrjill. On Instagram, she has more than 75,000 followers at the time of writing.… May 7, 2026 • 00:57:00 Victoria based Dr. Jill Wiwcharuk speaks about her work as an influencer under the handle Streetdrjill. University of Saskatchewan PhD student Maryellen Gibson speaks about dogs, overdose, and naloxone. May 1, 2026 • 00:57:00 Douglas King of Together Against Poverty and Carolina Ibarra of Pacifica Housing speak about evictions from supportive housing. Staff and residents at Boundary Supportive Housing in Nanaimo speak about the impact of the site during a 10th anniversary BBQ. May 1, 2026 • 00:16:53 A Nanaimo supportive housing site celebrated a decade of giving people a home in the community. On a sunny April day, staff and residents at Boundary came together for a 10th anniversary BBQ. Boundary is in central Nanaimo near the hospital, it’s run by Vancouver Island Mental Health Society(VIMHS), the… Apr 24, 2026 • 00:45:36 Erin Dej, associate professor in the department of criminology at Wilfrid Laurier University, has been helping craft a curriculum to teach high school students about homelessness. “We recognize that young people are seeing homelessness, that they are aware of it, and they have questions,” Dej said. “We wanted to create… Apr 23, 2026 • 00:57:00 Erin Dej, associate professor in the department of criminology at Wilfrid Laurier University, speaks about helping develop a curriculum to teach Canadian highschool students about homelessness. That project was inspired by a documentary Dej worked on about homelessness in mid-sized Canadian cities. Tim Naimi, Director of the Canadian Institute for…

Exploring the history of a Saskatchewan mental hospital

People First Radio - May 21, 2026

Retired judge turned busker shares stories from cross Canada tour

People First Radio - May 14, 2026

"Street Dr. Jill" talks influencing on homelessness and healthcare

People First Radio - May 07, 2026

People First Radio - April 30, 2026

Nanaimo supportive housing site celebrates 10 years

Crafting a high school curriculum on homelessness

People First Radio - April 23, 2026

People First Radio is a weekly one-hour radio broadcast to educate and raise awareness about issues related to health and wellness — with a particular emphasis on topics related to mental illness and mental health, homelessness and housing, and addiction, harm reduction and recovery.
It’s currently broadcast weekly from Nanaimo, B.C. on CHLY 101.7 FM, Victoria, B.C. on CFUV 101.9FM, and Saint John, New Brunswick on CFMH 107.3 FM. People First Radio is produced and presented by Joe Pugh.
The program is also available as a podcast, click below to listen and subscribe to People First Radio on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or Spotify.
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