What happens when the people responsible for protecting a nation's borders find themselves entirely unprotected in their own workplace?

In this episode, host Christian Lane sits down with Danielle Getzie and Josée St-Pierre, two long-serving members of the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA). Together, they share their deeply personal and parallel experiences navigating systemic harassment, discrimination, and a culture of leadership retaliation.

Instead of walking away, Danielle and Josée chose to fight back, founding the Nova Alliance, a survivor-informed, peer-support organization helping current and former CBSA members safely navigate psychological workplace injuries.

Tune in as they pull back the curtain on a grueling bureaucratic system, discuss the impending federal parliamentary study into the CBSA's toxic environment, and explain why true institutional change must start with accountability and human empathy.

• [00:00] – Introduction to host Christian Lane and guests Danielle Getzie and Josée St-Pierre.
• [02:17] – Josée’s career path: From loving land border immigration work to stepping into a leadership role.
• [05:18] – Moving from silence to advocacy: Josée opens up about surviving sexual harassment, the impact on her mental health, and the systemic retaliation she faced after reporting it.
• [13:16] – Danielle’s story: Achieving her dream as a detector dog handler and facing immediate targeting after challenging a discriminatory 90-day maternity leave policy.
• [18:50] – Turning trauma into action: How navigating a daunting, unsupportive grievance process led Danielle to establish the Nova Alliance in 2024.
• [25:18] – Identifying the pattern: Recognizing that their individual struggles were actually symptoms of a country-wide, systemic playbook.
• [34:16] – The structural beast: A discussion on whether the suffering is caused by broken bureaucratic processes, poor leadership administration, or both.
• [40:11] – The Parliamentary Study: Unpacking the federal investigation into systemic discrimination within the CBSA.
• [43:54] – The Manager's Dilemma: Host Christian Lane shares his perspective as a former manager on how the system forces leaders to suppress empathy to survive.
• [59:40] – Looking forward: The desired objective for the Nova Alliance and the critical need for third-party accountability.
• [01:09:14] – How to connect with the Nova Alliance for confidential peer-support.

Are you a current or former member of the CBSA who needs help?

Connect with Nova Alliance on Instagram @novaalliance.ca or email them at novaalliance.ca@gmail.com

Follow the Team Ten Eight Podcast on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn!

In this episode, Dr. David Zwoboda shares his transformative journey from traditional physical therapy to holistic healing through plant medicine, trauma recovery, and spiritual connection. Discover insights on ayahuasca, microdosing, and the deep connection between mind, body, and spirit.

Keywords

healing, trauma recovery, ayahuasca, microdosing, spiritual connection, mental health, holistic health, PTSD, personal transformation

Key Topics

• Transformation from traditional physiotherapy to holistic healing
• The role of ayahuasca and plant medicine in trauma recovery
• The impact of microdosing on emotional and spiritual well-being

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Dr. David Zwoboda

02:12 Transitioning from Traditional Therapy to Holistic Healing

07:08 Personal Journey to Ayahuasca

11:50 Experiencing Ayahuasca: The First Encounter

19:16 Understanding the Mechanism of Plant Medicine

21:50 The Importance of Environment in Healing

25:21 The Journey to Healing: Starting Point Matters

27:28 Embracing Emotions: The Power of Feeling

30:12 Crying as a Natural Process: Breaking Down Stigmas

33:01 Identity Crisis: Unraveling the Ego Self

35:33 Microdosing and Integration: A New Approach

47:03 Building Community: The Importance of Support

49:55 Connecting Through Shared Experiences: The Canadian Community

50:38 The Importance of Connection and Community

53:56 Spiritual Healing and Personal Growth

58:11 Exploring Spirituality and Personal Beliefs

01:02:16 Experiencing Presence and Gratitude

01:13:00 The Power of Now and Mindfulness

Resources

• Becoming OM on Instagram
• Plant Medicine for PTSD Podcast
• The Cosmic Serpent by Jeremy Narby
• The Bhagavad Gita by Jack Hawley

Follow the Team Ten Eight Podcast on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn!

In this insightful interview, Neida Santini shares her journey from Venezuela to Canada, her public service career, and her perspectives on immigration, community, and mental health. Discover how her experiences shape her approach to service, resilience, and personal growth.

Key topics

• Immigration journey from Venezuela to Canada
• Public service career and its impact
• Community and cultural integration
• Mental health, vulnerability, and resilience
• Leadership and service in government

Chapters

00:00
Introduction to Neida Santini's Journey

04:26
Cultural Transition: From Venezuela to Canada

08:59
Perceptions of Safety and Community in Canada

13:35
The Immigrant Experience: Integration and Identity

18:04
Public Service: A Calling and a Journey

22:17
Navigating Workforce Reductions: A New Perspective

26:38
Finding Opportunity in Adversity

31:09
Legacy: The Impact of Human Connection

36:01
Exploring Life After Death

38:15
The Human Experience and Purpose

40:54
Navigating Life's Challenges

41:59
Cultural Influences on Identity

45:53
Reframing Work and Identity

47:42
Finding Balance in Life

54:21
The Challenge of Vulnerability

01:02:42
Staying Grounded in Uncertain Times

Resources

• Psychology Today - Neida Santini
• Ottawa Citizen Opinion Piece by Neida Santini
• Canadian Public Service Careers

Guest links

• LinkedIn

Follow the Team Ten Eight Podcast on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn!