Bulletproof backpack ads. Kindergarten lockdown drills. For Robert Komaniecki, those were the tipping points. In this gripping conversation, the American-born academic explains why moving to Canada, despite higher taxes and smaller spaces, was the best choice for his family’s future.

Shane and Robert cover everything from healthcare to higher ed, community life to culture shock, and what it’s like to watch Canadians criticize problems that many Americans would kill to have. It’s real, it’s personal, and it’s packed with perspective.

Plus: why diversity, daycare, and a walk to the grocery store matter more than you think.

GUEST:
Robert Komaniecki

Originally aired on 2026-01-13

Bulletproof backpack ads. Kindergarten lockdown drills. For Robert Komaniecki, those were the tipping points. In this gripping conversation, the American-born academic explains why moving to Canada, despite higher taxes and smaller spaces, was the best choice for his family&rsquo;s future.
Shane and Robert cover everything from healthcare to higher ed, community life to culture shock, and what it&rsquo;s like to watch Canadians criticize problems that many Americans would kill to have. It&rsquo;s real, it&rsquo;s personal, and it&rsquo;s packed with perspective.
Plus: why diversity, daycare, and a walk to the grocery store matter more than you think.
GUEST: Robert Komaniecki
Originally aired on&nbsp;2026-01-13

Shane Hewitt & The Nightshift is your late-night companion for real talk, bold ideas, and unfiltered conversations that matter. Hosted by Canadian radio veteran Shane Hewitt, each episode dives into the headlines, human stories, and hidden truths shaping our world—always with curiosity, compassion, and a sharp edge.

From politics and pop culture to mental health, technology, and everyday life, this podcast is where night owls, deep thinkers, and curious minds come to connect. Featuring expert guests, passionate callers, and Shane’s signature style—thoughtful, fearless, and refreshingly real.

If you crave meaningful dialogue, smart perspectives, and late-night radio energy in podcast form, subscribe now and join The Nightshift.

Shane Hewitt &amp; The Nightshift is your late-night companion for real talk, bold ideas, and unfiltered conversations that matter. Hosted by Canadian radio veteran Shane Hewitt, each episode dives into the headlines, human stories, and hidden truths shaping our world&mdash;always with curiosity, compassion, and a sharp edge.
From politics and pop culture to mental health, technology, and everyday life, this podcast is where night owls, deep thinkers, and curious minds come to connect. Featuring expert guests, passionate callers, and Shane&rsquo;s signature style&mdash;thoughtful, fearless, and refreshingly real.
If you crave meaningful dialogue, smart perspectives, and late-night radio energy in podcast form, subscribe now and join The Nightshift.

Shane Hewitt and The Nightshift

Shane Hewitt is known for his engaging and relatable on-air personality, which captivates listeners. His ability to blend insightful commentary with humour and empathy creates a genuine connection with listeners.  Shane Hewitt and the Night Shift provides relatable content, informative discussions and expert insights – along with a balance of anecdotes and entertainment.

Shane Hewitt is known for his engaging and relatable on-air personality, which captivates listeners. His ability to blend insightful commentary with humour and empathy creates a genuine connection with listeners.  Shane Hewitt and the Night Shift provides relatable content, informative discussions and expert insights – along with a balance of anecdotes and entertainment.

ICYMI - Why He’d Never Raise Kids in the U.S. Again

Good news stories aren't supposed to be about basic infrastructure working. You turn on the tap. Water comes out. That's not news. Except when your city's been under restrictions for months because years of neglect finally caught up, suddenly a long shower somewhere else feels like a miracle.

 

Ryan explains what it's like to leave Calgary for a weekend and remember what normal water pressure feels like. David celebrates ending a two and a half year wait for healthcare access. Shane describes New Year's Eve on the phone with an EMT after his daughter got thrown from a bronc, and the moment doctors said the CT scan was clear.

 

Learn why Good News Tuesday exists and how training yourself to find positive moments compounds over time. Understand what Calgary's water crisis reveals about municipal infrastructure across Canada. Discover how one rodeo injury exposed a healed fracture nobody knew existed.


Originally aired on 2026-01-13

Good news stories aren't supposed to be about basic infrastructure working. You turn on the tap. Water comes out. That's not news. Except when your city's been under restrictions for months because years of neglect finally caught up, suddenly a long shower somewhere else feels like a miracle.
&nbsp;
Ryan explains what it's like to leave Calgary for a weekend and remember what normal water pressure feels like. David celebrates ending a two and a half year wait for healthcare access. Shane describes New Year's Eve on the phone with an EMT after his daughter got thrown from a bronc, and the moment doctors said the CT scan was clear.
&nbsp;
Learn why Good News Tuesday exists and how training yourself to find positive moments compounds over time. Understand what Calgary's water crisis reveals about municipal infrastructure across Canada. Discover how one rodeo injury exposed a healed fracture nobody knew existed.
 Originally aired on&nbsp;2026-01-13

NEW - Why a Three-Minute Shower Counts as Good News in Calgary

Autistic Barbie doll representation raises a hard question right away. Your kid asks for the doll with headphones. Do you buy it because it's inclusive, or does buying it feel like you're feeding corporate diversity theater? That tension sits at the heart of what inclusion actually means.

 

Ryan defends it immediately. He sees it through his fiancée's work in healthcare: those headphones, that fidget spinner, they're not props. They're the actual tools kids carry to get through the day. Shane's skeptical at first, wondering if Mattel's just capitalizing on representation. But the doll doesn't try to look autistic. It just has the accessories that reflect real life. That matters more than the profit motive, Ryan argues.

 

Learn why authentic disability representation in toys comes down to accuracy over intention. Understand how sensory headphones and fidget toys help people with autism navigate daily situations. Discover what shifts when representation becomes widely available instead of being reserved for educational contexts only.


Originally aired on 2026-01-13

Autistic Barbie doll representation raises a hard question right away. Your kid asks for the doll with headphones. Do you buy it because it's inclusive, or does buying it feel like you're feeding corporate diversity theater? That tension sits at the heart of what inclusion actually means.
&nbsp;
Ryan defends it immediately. He sees it through his fianc&eacute;e's work in healthcare: those headphones, that fidget spinner, they're not props. They're the actual tools kids carry to get through the day. Shane's skeptical at first, wondering if Mattel's just capitalizing on representation. But the doll doesn't try to look autistic. It just has the accessories that reflect real life. That matters more than the profit motive, Ryan argues.
&nbsp;
Learn why authentic disability representation in toys comes down to accuracy over intention. Understand how sensory headphones and fidget toys help people with autism navigate daily situations. Discover what shifts when representation becomes widely available instead of being reserved for educational contexts only.
 Originally aired on&nbsp;2026-01-13

SHIFTHEADS: Representation or Profit: The Autistic Barbie Question

Bands more famous than their songs create a strange cultural blind spot. Everyone knows the Grateful Dead. Mention their name and people nod. Ask them to name a song and they freeze. Maybe "Truckin'"—which peaked at number 64. Maybe they'll say "War" or "Low Rider." Wrong band entirely.

 

Eric Alper breaks down how the Grateful Dead became a texture instead of a structure. Thirteen studio albums. Over 100 live releases. The most top 40 albums in music history. And still, Shane admits he had to look up how to spell "Grateful" when hosting a psychedelic radio show. The band's identity arrived first—the dancing bears, the tie-dye, Jerry Garcia's guitar style. The actual songs became secondary. Eric adds more names to the list: Ramones, Nirvana, CCR, Taylor Swift. All massive cultural forces. All surprisingly hard to pin down by specific tracks.

 

Discover why some artists function as concepts rather than catalogs. Learn how the Grateful Dead built devoted fanbases buying every release without knowing the track names. Understand what happens when band identity becomes more valuable than commercial hits.

 

GUEST: Eric Alper | thatericalper.com


Originally aired on 2026-01-13

Bands more famous than their songs create a strange cultural blind spot. Everyone knows the Grateful Dead. Mention their name and people nod. Ask them to name a song and they freeze. Maybe "Truckin'"&mdash;which peaked at number 64. Maybe they'll say "War" or "Low Rider." Wrong band entirely.
&nbsp;
Eric Alper breaks down how the Grateful Dead became a texture instead of a structure. Thirteen studio albums. Over 100 live releases. The most top 40 albums in music history. And still, Shane admits he had to look up how to spell "Grateful" when hosting a psychedelic radio show. The band's identity arrived first&mdash;the dancing bears, the tie-dye, Jerry Garcia's guitar style. The actual songs became secondary. Eric adds more names to the list: Ramones, Nirvana, CCR, Taylor Swift. All massive cultural forces. All surprisingly hard to pin down by specific tracks.
&nbsp;
Discover why some artists function as concepts rather than catalogs. Learn how the Grateful Dead built devoted fanbases buying every release without knowing the track names. Understand what happens when band identity becomes more valuable than commercial hits.
&nbsp;
GUEST: Eric Alper | thatericalper.com
 Originally aired on&nbsp;2026-01-13

ICYMI - Why He’d Never Raise Kids in the U.S. Again

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