SHAUNAVON — Craig Baird will be a familiar face to many in southern Saskatchewan, having worked at the Gull Lake Advance, Prairie Post and Shaunavon Standard, where he wrote a regular historical column. He also did freelance work for the Regina Leader Post.
Today, Baird has gained national recognition with his popular podcast and social media presence, Canadian History Ehx.
In 2017, he returned to his hometown of Stony Plain, Alta., to pursue new challenges.
Almost two years later, in May 2019, Baird launched his podcast, which has since experienced remarkable growth. In September 2022, Corus Entertainment's podcast division, Curiouscast, picked up his show.
March 2023 marked a significant turning point for Baird, as he started using innovative ideas on social media, including creating a poster of Canadian Prime Ministers as rock metal icons. This creative approach tripled his fan base within a week, convincing Baird that he was onto something big.
Now, Baird dedicates half his day to social media and the other half to his podcast, thanks to sponsorships that have enabled him to pursue his passion full-time. His social media following has grown to an impressive 56,000 on X (formerly Twitter), 2,000 on Instagram, 20,000 on Threads, and 2,000 on Bluesky, with a whopping 95,000 followers on Facebook.
His podcast has also seen tremendous success, with over a million downloads per year.
Baird's love for Canadian history, which he's had since childhood, drives his mission to share it with others.
"Too often our history is overlooked in favour of American, British, or world history," he says on his website. "Canada has a rich and fascinating history, and I want to spread the word."
As Baird's show, Canada History Ehx continues to gain popularity, he's had the opportunity to interview prominent figures like former Prime Minister Kim Campbell, CBC News legend Peter Mansbridge, and comedian Tommy Chong. Actors like Ryan Reynolds are also among his followers.
Baird has also collaborated with notable Canadians, such as CBC television comedian Mark Critch of Son of a Critch and This Hour Has 22 Minutes fame.
More recently he worked with Canada Post to create a new Canadian stamp honouring those who helped keep the allies fed during World War II.
"These stamps honour Soldiers of the Soil and Farmerettes - about teenagers who helped keep the allies fed during the Second World War," stated Baird. "They were given medals after the war for helping keep the farms going while families were off fighting.”
In addition to his historical topics, Baird enjoys discussing his three favourite historical figures: David Thompson, the explorer and cartographer; Charlotte Small Thompson, his wife and partner in adventure; and Pierre Berton, the celebrated writer whose books Baird has collected (47 of 50 as of the latest count).
Baird's attention to detail has allowed him to spot Canadian references in popular movies, like The Shining, which featured famous Canadian artists in the background.
However, his creative experiments haven't always been without controversy. For instance, his Easter bunny representations of each province sparked backlash from Manitobans who found their bunny "psychotic."
Despite occasional controversy, Baird has demonstrated that the past is his future, and his passion for Canadian history continues to inspire and entertain audiences across the country. Catch his podcast every Tuesday, and explore his social media profiles for more content.
