CBC has paused production on the Indigenous-led, so-called “prank” show that reportedly targeted a handful of authors and academics under the guise of a phony production company.

Northland Tales (working title) was an unscripted, half-hour comedy series in early production for CBC Entertainment and APTN. Complaints about the production started surfacing earlier this month after several of those asked to take part in the show started sharing their experiences.

They include author and political commentator Jerry Amernic, who was targeted for his defence of Canada’s first Prime Minister John A. Macdonald, as well as political scientist Frances Widdowson and conservative media commentator Lindsay Shepherd, who’ve both been critical of coverage of possible unmarked graves at the former Kamloops Indian Residential School site. Several RCMP veterans have also come forward to share their interactions with the show’s producers, reporting that they were lured to the CBC Vancouver studios in Red Serge with the promise of being recognized for their years of service, before the “script was flipped” calling out the Mounties for perceived injustices.

I speak to @Jerry_Amernic for @TheHubCanada, who was duped by the CBC activist prank show.

As he describes it, he flown out to Vancouver on an all expenses paid trip, and was met by a Sir John A. Macdonald impersonator attempting to pull controversial quotes out of him, a woman…

— Harrison Lowman (@harrisonlowman) May 15, 2026

“For clarity, CBC News and APTN News have no involvement in this production or prior knowledge of it,” CBC spokesperson Chuck Thompson said in a statement provided to Broadcast Dialogue. “The project was first pitched at the Indigenous Screen Summit – part of the Banff World Media Festival in 2024. CBC Entertainment joined APTN as a partner shortly thereafter.”

“Social experiments and satirical prank shows are a long-established television format used by broadcasters and streamers around the world, including many public broadcasters,” he continued. “In this case, the Indigenous creators are using the format for Northland Tales. A form of comedy is being deployed to increase better understanding of historical injustices against Indigenous peoples and support truth and reconciliation in Canada.”

The CBC “prank show” deception scandal is getting so much worse.

The producers (operating under fake identities/fake company names with fake websites) told a number of RCMP veterans – people who dedicated their lives to serving on the frontlines – that they were invited to film…

— Lindsay Shepherd (@NewWorldHominin) May 17, 2026

Thompson went on to say that it’s important that the “execution” of the show “does not negatively impact our news brand.”

“With that context, we are currently pausing on production while we assess the existing footage.”