In the rural prairie town of Richmound, Saskatchewan, an abandoned school becomes the unlikely stage for a 21st-century crisis. When Romana Didulo, a cult leader who calls herself “Queen of Canada,” arrives with her followers and turns the school into her royal court, the town is thrust into a surreal standoff.

Investigative journalist Rachel Browne uncovers how online extremism bleeds into everyday life and divides the town. As threats escalate and officials hesitate, a retired schoolteacher is thrust into leading an improvised resistance. The new podcast The Cult Queen of Canada tells a story about polarization, power vacuums, and what happens when a small community becomes the testing ground for extremism in modern Canada. 

Listen to the podcast here. 

Read Rachel Browne's coverage of the story for The Walrus, here.