Ottawa, Ontario, September 10, 2026 — In the wake of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks against the United States, Canada joined the U.S.-led invasion of Afghanistan to pursue al-Qaeda and unseat the Taliban. More than 40,000 Canadians served. Over the course of the war, more than 1,500 were wounded and a diplomat and 158 Canadian soldiers died. Now, 25 years later, the Canadian War Museum is launching a new podcast that delves into the history and legacy of this overseas mission, which forever marked Canadian military history.
The Long War: Canada in Afghanistan offers a compelling examination of Canada’s 13-year mission. Hosted by journalist Anna Maria Tremonti and guided by War Museum historian Andrew Burtch, the series traces the arc of Canada’s role in the conflict — from early victories and attempts to build a democratic state, to the counterinsurgency and the final fall of Kabul. It revisits key moments from the war, while also exploring its complicated legacy.
The series incorporates historical documentary recordings, War Museum oral histories, and original interviews conducted for the podcast. Listeners will hear from military leaders, diplomats, veterans, and policymakers, including former Chief of the Defence Staff General (Ret’d) Wayne Eyre; Major-General (Ret’d) David Fraser; Elissa Golberg, the Representative of Canada in Kandahar in 2009, and current Canadian Ambassador to Italy; and former Cabinet minister and Deputy Prime Minister John Manley. By focusing on the voices of the people who were there, the podcast combines powerful firsthand storytelling with thoughtful reflection upon a defining chapter in Canadian military history.
Eight episodes cover the history and legacy chronologically:
- The Fall and the Beginning
- Into Battle (2001–2002)
- Defence, Diplomacy, Development (2003–2006)
- Operation Medusa (2006)
- Home Front (2006–2008)
- The Grind (2007–2010)
- A Long Goodbye (2010–2014)
- Reckoning
Full descriptions and links will be available on the Museum website, and on all major podcast platforms. The first episode is available today; the remaining episodes will be released weekly over the next two months.
This year also marks the fifth anniversary of the collapse of the Afghan government to the Taliban, and the 20th anniversary of Operation Medusa, one of the toughest battles in Afghanistan for both the Canadian Army and NATO.
Many voices heard in The Long War come from the War Museum’s oral history project, In Their Own Voices: Stories From Canadian Veterans and Their Loved Ones. Both of these projects have been generously funded by donors including the A. Britton Smith Family; the Azrieli Foundation; Arthur B.C. Drache, C.M., K.C., and Judy Young Drache; The Royal Canadian Legion; The Legion National Foundation; Friends of the Canadian War Museum; the Crabtree Foundation; Robert Stollery, in honour of his service in the Second World War; Colonel (Ret’d) Stanley A. Milner, O.C., A.O.E., M.S.M., C.D., LL.D.; and individuals from across Canada.