255: A MAHA Wellness Scam at Ontario Place

255: A MAHA Wellness Scam at Ontario Place

Conspirituality · 2025-05-01

Doug Ford’s Progressive Conservative government in Ontario has leased the public space of OP to the Therme Spa company, which promises to bring wellness and democracy to the good citizens of Toronto, for a price.

Bruce Van Dieten and Ann-Elizabeth Samson of Ontario Place for All join Matthew to discuss the history and possible future of Toronto's cherished public space.

Bruce is "a retired busybody with nothing better to do than to lodge burrs under the saddles of politicians who see us as customers instead of citizens and treat us like obstacles."

Ann Elisabeth Samson specializes in equality, innovation, and futures thinking. She founded and ran BabyCenter Canada, and led the launch of the $300M Equality Fund. She is co-chair of Ontario Place for All and as an open water swimmer and rower - loves Lake Ontario.

Show Notes

Ontario Place for All

“To Rid Society of Imbeciles”: The Impact of Dr. John Harvey Kellogg’s Stand for Eugenics

RFK Jr. Wants to Send People Addicted to Antidepressants to Government “Wellness Farms”

Ontario Place

Quick Facts & Analysis + Fact Checker: Ford government's health care funding

Ford government spending $525-675M on Therme Spa to get up to $380-580M in value back if it is successful for 95 years: analysis

Ford says he will ‘double and triple check’ Ontario Place deal after new report

European Spa Company Therme Misrepresented Itself in an Effort to Expand Into Canada

Province grilled over Therme's credentials to build luxury spa at Ontario Place
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Conspirituality

Dismantling New Age cults, wellness grifters, and conspiracy-mad yogis. At best, the conspirituality movement attacks public health efforts in times of crisis. At worst, it fronts and recruits for the fever-dream of QAnon. As the alt-right and New Age horseshoe toward each other in a blur of disinformation, clear discourse, and good intentions get smothered. Charismatic influencers exploit their followers by co-opting conspiracy theories on a spectrum of intensity ranging from vaccines to child trafficking. In the process, spiritual beliefs that have nurtured creativity and meaning are transforming into memes of a quickly-globalizing paranoia. Conspirituality Podcast attempts to bring understanding to this landscape. A journalist, a cult researcher, and a philosophical skeptic discuss the stories, cognitive dissonances, and cultic dynamics tearing through the yoga, wellness, and new spirituality worlds. Mainstream outlets have noticed the problem. We crowd-source, research, analyze, and dream answers to it.

Where can you listen?

Apple Podcasts Logo Spotify Logo Podtail Logo Google Podcasts Logo RSS

Episodes