Front Burner

The bitter fight over the construction of a natural gas pipeline in Northern B.C. continues to escalate. Over the last several days, the RCMP has moved in to enforce an injunction order to allow Coastal GasLink to get to work on the $6 billion project. Dozens of people have now been arrested, on Wet'suwet'en territory where the pipeline passes through, and at solidarity protests across the country. Today, CBC reporter Chantelle Bellrichard explains why the stakes are so high for everyone involved.

Today, the Canadian company Bombardier is more than $9 billion US in debt. Over the years, it has received billions in taxpayer bailouts. But after some big failures, layoffs and criticism over executive bonuses, this time around may be different.

Throughout the 1980s, Satanic cults were widely believed to be terrorizing and torturing children. There were hundreds of false allegations and countless lives torn apart — but never any real proof. Uncover: Satanic Panic from CBC Podcasts is out now. Subscribe at cbc.ca/uncover

A CBC report has uncovered a series of internal government emails showing Canadian officials defending the use of glyphosate, frequently sold under the brand name Roundup. It's a herbicide that was at the heart of a landmark U.S. lawsuit in 2018 that linked the product to cancer. Monsanto, which makes Roundup, is appealing the decision, and its parent company Bayer says the weedkiller is safe when used as directed, citing more than 100 scientific studies backing that position. However, despite mounting concerns about its safety, glyphosate remains the most widely used herbicide in Canada. Today on Front Burner, CBC News writer Chris Arsenault talks to guest host Josh Bloch about why regulating glyphosate is so complicated.

It’s been a year since a runaway train derailed near Field, B.C., killing the three crew members on board: Dylan Paradis, Andy Dockrell and Daniel Waldenberger-Bulmer. But questions remain about what led to the crash of Canadian Pacific Railway Train 301. The only formal police investigation into the derailment was done by CP Rail’s own police force. CBC investigative reporter Dave Seglins has dug into the crash for his Fifth Estate documentary Runaway Train. Today on Front Burner, he talks about what he found, and what it can tell us about safety and accountability on railways across the country.

When Megan Millward and her husband Lie Zhang left their home in Montreal to visit family near Wuhan for Lunar New Year, they had no idea they would be putting their small family, and two young children, at risk. When the coronavirus hit, the family were trapped under quarantine in the countryside of Hubei province and left with no idea about how or when they could return home. This Thursday, the federal government plans on airlifting Canadians out of Wuhan. Millward and Zhang want their family on that flight, but there’s no telling what will happen. Today on Front Burner, we hear their story.

A new federal report proposes sweeping changes to Canada’s broadcasting and telecommunications sector. The recommendations range from bringing online media platforms like Yahoo and Facebook under the scope of Canada’s Broadcasting Act to making sure that streaming companies like Netflix and Amazon Prime are sufficiently promoting Canadian material. Today on Front Burner, CBC Entertainment reporter Eli Glasner joins host Jayme Poisson to explain what’s at stake.

Months of Democratic strategizing and in-fighting culminates on Monday in the first caucus of the party’s 2020 leadership race. Historically, the Iowa caucuses are the first hint of which candidate could take on the President in November. Today on Front Burner, Washington Post reporter Dave Weigel takes us to Iowa, where the momentum of caucusing could be the key to capturing the Democratic nomination.

Tonight, at 11 p.m. local time, it finally happens: Brexit. It's been almost four years since Britain launched a referendum on whether to leave the European Union. To remember the highs and lows of how the U.K. got to this point, we're joined by the BBC World Service's political correspondent Rob Watson. He walks us through the big moments of Brexit, like the big red Brexit bus, the resignations of two prime ministers, and the stockpiling of food. Plus we look ahead to what might come next.

As early as Friday the U.S. Senate is expected to vote on whether or not witness testimony will be allowed at Donald Trump’s impeachment trial. It could be a real game changer, especially in light of former national security adviser John Bolton’s new bombshell accusations against the president. Today on Front Burner, longtime CBC Washington correspondent Keith Boag explains the likelihood of testimony being heard and how it could possibly affect the outcome of the trial.

Right now, there’s a proposal for a massive oilsands project awaiting approval from Justin Trudeau’s cabinet. The Teck Frontier mine is thought to be one of the largest oilsands mines ever proposed in Alberta. It’s projected to bring in billions of dollars of federal and province taxes. It’s also expected to have significant environmental impacts: from the destruction of old-growth forest, to an increase in carbon emissions. Cabinet has until next month to make a decision on whether or not to give it the greenlight. What happens next could act as a litmus test for the future of the Alberta oilsands. Today on Front Burner, Sharon Riley, Alberta energy and environment reporter with The Narwhal, explains the Teck Frontier oilsands mine.

NBA legend Kobe Bryant died on Sunday in a helicopter crash near Calabasas, California, along with his 13-year-old daughter Gianna and seven other people. The 41-year-old 18-time NBA all-star won five championships with the L.A. Lakers. His legacy is also complicated by the fact that in 2003 he was accused of sexual assault. The criminal charges were dropped after his accuser refused to testify in court. Today on Front Burner, we talk about Bryant's career and complicated legacy with Slate writer and podcast host Joel Anderson.

The coronavirus outbreak has come to Canada. A man in his 50s who’d recently been to Wuhan, China is Canada’s first “presumptive case,” and is being treated in a Toronto hospital. Today, on Front Burner, we speak to infectious disease specialist Dr. Isaac Bogoch to learn what’s happening in this country and around the world to combat the 2019-nCoV coronavirus. He explains everything from front-line measures being taken by health professionals, to the co-ordination of international public health authorities, to the lab research being done to help us better understand and better fight this virus.

Last week, former reservist Patrik Mathews was arrested by the FBI on firearms-related charges. Front Burner first covered his story last summer, when he was being investigated by law enforcement for suspected ties to a militant white supremacist group called The Base. After a raid by the RCMP, Mathews disappeared. Because of his arrest, we have access to a trove of court documents from the FBI's investigation of Mathews. Today on Front Burner, we talk to Vice national security correspondent Ben Makuch about what we've learned from these documents, and what they might say about efforts to stop the growth of white supremacist groups.

A leaked draft memo revealed recently the European Union is considering a temporary ban on the use of facial recognition technology in public spaces. And in the last few days, Google's CEO and the editorial board of the Financial Times have called for a moratorium on the burgeoning technology. Facial recognition is evolving and disseminating so quickly, that some are saying it's time to pump the brakes. Clare Garvie thinks that's the right idea. She studies facial recognition technology at the Georgetown Center on Privacy and Technology. Today on Front Burner, she explains how it's being used and its potential for abuse.

A new virus spreading out of China has caught the attention of infectious disease experts around the world. That's because it bears some strong similarities to SARS, the respiratory disease that killed hundreds of people including 44 Canadians in 2003. Whether this new coronavirus turns out to be more or less dangerous than SARS, experts say we need to better prepare for pandemics because they are coming for us — ready or not. Today on Front Burner, we talk to Dr. Kamran Khan, who heads up a medical data analytics firm that's trying to set up an early warning system for infectious diseases so doctors like him can spread information about pandemics faster than diseases can spread themselves.

Meng Wanzhou’s extradition hearing finally kicked off this week. It’s been just over a year since the Huawei chief financial officer was arrested on fraud charges. The arrest ignited a massive diplomatic rift between Canada and China, and a lot of international attention is focused on the Vancouver courtroom where a judge now must decide whether Canada will send the heiress to face the U.S. justice system. CBC Vancouver senior reporter Jason Proctor has been covering this story closely. Today on Font Burner he explains how extradition hearings work and how these proceedings might affect Canada’s already tense relationship with China.

For decades, televangelist Benny Hinn has travelled the world, reportedly performed miracles on stage and raked in cash. In that time, CBC’s Bob McKeown has done several investigations into the controversial pastor’s so-called miracle healing as well as his finances. In The Insider: Tales from Inside the Benny Hinn Ministries, a new documentary for The Fifth Estate, McKeown spoke with Benny Hinn’s nephew, Costi, who’s left the ministry. Today on Front Burner, McKeown discusses what he learned about Benny Hinn’s ministries from his former followers.

Today on Front Burner, host Jayme Poisson talks to business professor Sarah Kaplan about the decision by the world’s biggest money manager, BlackRock, to make climate change central to its investment decisions, and whether corporations can lead on climate change action.

Ron Posno knows how he wants to die: on his own terms and with help from a healthcare professional. He’s an advocate for people with dementia and a volunteer with Dying with Dignity Canada from London, Ontario. But he doesn’t qualify for a medically-assisted death right now. That could change. Starting this week, the federal government has launched two weeks of public consultations asking Canadians how they would like to amend the existing medically-assisted dying laws. This follows a Quebec ruling last September that found people should be able to access assisted dying even if death is not imminent. Today on Front Burner, we ask if dementia patients should be able to consent to an assisted death in advance.

The race to become the next leader of the Conservative Party of Canada has officially started. There have been a lot of questions about who might run ever since Andrew Scheer quit last December. Today on Front Burner, host Jayme Poisson talks to Maclean's senior writer Paul Wells about how this isn't just about the leader the Conservative party wants — but also what kind of party it wants to be.

Today on Front Burner, as anti-government protests erupt in Iran over the shooting down of Flight 752, reports are coming out that live ammunition is being used in the police crackdown. We speak to a journalist on the ground in Tehran.

Today the top members of the royal family will meet to discuss Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s future role inside the British monarchy. It’s the first time the Duke of Sussex will be in the same room as his grandmother, the Queen, since the couple announced plans to step back as senior royals, gain financial independence, and split their time between Britain and North America. There’s a lot of anger in the United Kingdom about this, fueled by reports that the Queen was surprised by the news. So, today on Front Burner, we talk ‘Megxit” with former BBC royal correspondent Peter Hunt. He explains what the announcement means for the future of the British monarchy and what Canada has to do with it.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has announced that intelligence now indicates that a missile likely brought down the Ukrainian airliner that crashed in Iran - killing 176 on board, including 63 Canadians. Today on Front Burner, host Jayme Poisson talks to arms control expert Jeffrey Lewis about missile detection, and CBC senior writer Aaron Wherry about how the Canadian government might seek accountability.

As the world sat on edge Tuesday night, fearful that increasing violence and belligerence between the U.S. and Iran could escalate into war, tragedy struck. But not the tragedy anyone was expecting. In an instant, 176 lives were lost when a Ukrainian International Airlines flight crashed just outside of Tehran, less than two minutes after takeoff. Sixty-three of those victims were Canadian. Today, on Front Burner, we hear from victims' loved ones from across the country and learn more about what might have caused the plane to go down.

Australia's eastern coast has been ravaged by wildfires that have killed at least 25 people, decimating precious ecosystems, and left an estimated 500 million animals dead. Today on Front Burner we hear from someone who knows what it’s like to see the sky burn orange and watch ash drop like rain. Jessica Friedmann, author of Things That Helped, hales from Braidwood, a small town in New South Wales, Australia. She’s written about her family’s experience with the wildfires. We speak to her today about why this wildfire season is so devastating and how she feels the government should be responding.

Harvey Weinstein's criminal trial starts this week. The former movie producer faces charges of predatory sexual assault and rape, and has pleaded not guilty on all counts. Today on Front Burner, The National's Adrienne Arsenault brings us the stories of two women, not involved with the criminal case, who were both assistants to Weinstein. They've accused him of sexual misconduct, and allege he has used non-disclosure agreements to keep women silent for years.

In the days since the Trump administration ordered a lethal drone strike in Baghdad on Iran’s second-most powerful man, Qassem Soleimani, Iranian officials have promised “vigorous vengeance” against the U.S. and chants of “death to America” were heard in the Iranian parliament. On Sunday, as anti-war protests broke out across the United States, a funeral for Soleimani brought thousands of mourners to the streets in the Iranian city of Ahvaz. Today on Front Burner, as tensions ratchet up, we talk with national security expert Heather Hurlburt about what could happen next.

Regina’s crime rate is nearly triple that of Toronto. The neighbourhood of North Central Regina is considered one of the most dangerous in the country. CBC’s Duncan McCue, along with the Fifth Estate, wanted to find out why. And so, this past autumn, he went to North Central and held a townhall, welcoming community members, grassroots activists and police. Today on Front Burner, Duncan McCue shares what he learned about the current impacts and root causes of Indigenous gangs in the Prairie city.

Quebec Premier François Legault came to power saying he would protect the province's cultural identity by reducing its intake of immigrants. On Jan. 1, Legault fulfils part of his controversial plan — the implementation of a "values" test some potential immigrants will have to complete. Today, we talk with CBC reporter Ben Shingler about the policy, how it will likely play out, and the message it sends.

In over a year, Front Burner has covered a lot of stories. But we haven’t had time to follow up on all of them. Today, we revisit a handful, from the Canadian link to a militant neo-Nazi group called The Base, to the treatment of migrant children at the U.S.-Mexico border and the fallout from a feud between two incredibly famous beauty YouTubers.

This was a banner year for K-pop. South Korean pop music — known for aggressively catchy hooks, flawless choreography and highly photogenic performers — had been popular in the West for decades. But 2019 seemed to be a turning point, as the biggest acts conquered the market outside Asia. The boy group BTS broke a Beatles record, with three Billboard number one albums in a single year. They sold out stadiums like London's Wembley, and performed on Saturday Night Live. The quartet Blackpink became the first female K-pop act to play Coachella. But at home in South Korea, the industry was tarnished by multiple scandals involving sexual assault, corruption and suicide. Today on Front Burner, Jayme Poisson talks to the Asia editor of Bloomberg Businessweek, Matthew Campbell, about what he learned seeing the K-pop machine up close.

She's the teenager who skipped school — and sparked a global protest. Today, Greta Thunberg is instantly recognizable by her stern demeanour and singular message: When it comes to climate change, listen to the scientists. But it was only last year that she was an unknown 15-year-old, protesting outside Swedish parliament. In the time since, she's dressed down heads of state at the UN, inspired millions of people to march in the global Climate Strike, and been named Time magazine's Person of the Year. But in 2019, it wasn't just Greta and the youth movement she inspires — there were other large-scale protests, led by groups like Extinction Rebellion. Today on Front Burner, Jayme Poisson talks to the Washington Post science and environment reporter Sarah Kaplan about whether these movements can produce real change in the year to come.

This December, Front Burner hosted a live show at the CBC’s Glenn Gould Studio in Toronto. In this second part, host Jayme Poisson was joined by CBC personalities Peter Armstrong, Elamin Abdelmahmoud, Piya Chattopadhyay and Tom Power for a freewheeling news quiz.

This December, Front Burner hosted a live show at CBC’s Glenn Gould Studio in Toronto. In this first part, host Jayme Poisson was joined by CBC personalities Peter Armstrong, Elamin Abdelmahmoud and Piya Chattopadhyay to talk about the biggest news stories of the year.

Amazon is a giant company, but in reality, it's probably far bigger and involved in far more activities than most people are aware — think cancer research and police surveillance. Today on Front Burner, Wired writer Louise Matsakis, explains just how vast Amazon is and helps us grasp the implications of such a giant business. She brings insight into challenges that face Amazon, how the company could evolve in the future and why owner Jeff Bezos wants to colonize space.

In July 2018, a man went on a shooting rampage in downtown Toronto, killing two people and wounding 13 others. Now, a class-action lawsuit has been launched to sue gun manufacturer Smith & Wesson, alleging the company did not follow through on an earlier U.S. agreement to equip its handguns with smart gun technology that would restrict who can use the weapon. Today on Front Burner, we hear from one of the lawsuit’s plaintiffs and get a crash course in smart guns.

The war in Ukraine and U.S. military aid was central to this week’s impeachment of U.S. President Donald Trump. That war has left roughly 13,000 people dead with many more injured and internally displaced. Today on Front Burner, CBC’s Russia correspondent Chris Brown will take us inside the conflict to explain why the U.S. military aid Donald Trump withheld had life and death stakes for the people who have lived through six long years of war.

The U.S. House of Representatives is scheduled to vote Wednesday on the articles of impeachment. President Donald Trump is expected to become just the third U.S. president in history to be impeached. But after the House vote, the proceedings move to the Senate, where there will be a trial. Today on Front Burner, CBC Washington correspondent Alex Panetta explains how some Republicans want the trial to be swift, while others are hoping for a full-on spectacle.

The "Afghanistan Papers," released last week by the Washington Post, contain hundreds of interviews with high-ranking officials involved in the ongoing 18-year war in Afghanistan. The documents reveal that many insiders knew the war was dysfunctional and unwinnable. That comes as no surprise to CBC's Murray Brewster, who spent 15 months on the ground in Afghanistan covering the war. Today on Front Burner, he describes Canada's role in the war, the challenges the Canadian military faced there, and why he thinks there are still important questions to be answered about this country's involvement.

It has now passed the one-year mark since two Canadians, Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig, were arrested and detained in China. Both were accused by Chinese authorities of charges related to spying and stealing national secrets. Both were picked up mere days after Meng Wangzhou, the chief financial officer of Chinese tech company Huawei, was arrested at a Vancouver airport in 2018. The ‘Two Michaels’ are still being held in detention centres where conditions are a far cry from Meng’s house arrest. Today on Front Burner, Jayme Poisson talks to the Globe and Mail’s Asia correspondent Nathan VanderKlippe about visiting the prisons where Spavor and Kovrig are being held, and what happens next with their cases.

Andrew Scheer is stepping down as leader of the federal Conservative party amidst a controversy over his use of party funds to send his kids to private school and growing criticisms over his election performance. Today, Jayme Poisson speaks with Power & Politics host Vassy Kapelos for insight on Scheer’s resignation and to find out what, and who, could be next for the party.

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman has responded to a string of allegations about racism, bullying and physical abuse in the league, declaring "we will not tolerate abusive behaviour of any kind." The fallout began when player Akim Aliu described being called the n-word by his then-coach Bill Peters, who has since resigned as head coach of the Calgary Flames. So, is this a moment of reckoning for hockey? Today on Front Burner, former NHLer Daniel Carcillo and former OHLer Brock McGillis talk about their experiences with the dark side of hockey culture, and how they think it can change.

Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland has signed the new free trade agreement with the U.S. and Mexico. Today on Front Burner,Globe and Mail reporter Adrian Morrow explains what the new Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) accomplished for Canada and why it took so long to get signed.

Aung San Suu Kyi won the Nobel Peace Prize for her struggle for freedom and democracy in Myanmar. But now — as the current leader of her country — she's in The Hague, before the International Court of Justice, defending her regime against charges of genocide against Myanmar's Rohingya Muslim population. Today, on Front Burner, Mark Farmaner of the Burma Campaign U.K., brings us the story of the violent attacks against the Rohingya and why a once-revered human rights icon is now being called an apologist for ethnic violence.

The UK election campaign is entering its final days. On Thursday, the country will head to the polls for the third time in under five years. The incumbent Tory, Boris Johnson, is promising to “get Brexit done.” Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn is proposing another referendum. Both leaders are grappling with grim popularity ratings. Today on Front Burner, BBC’s Rob Watson lays out the high stakes, saying “the UK has never faced a peacetime challenge like Brexit.”

On Thursday, Justin Trudeau kicked off Canada's 43rd parliamentary session with his government's speech from the throne, delivered by Gov. Gen. Julie Payette. Today, on Front Burner, Vassy Kapelos, host of CBC's Power & Politics, joins Jayme Poisson to discuss the speech, how it was received by the other party leaders and how likely the prime minister will be able to fulfil his promises considering his government's minority status.

Today on Front Burner, the story of an alleged “professional” identity thief who is facing over 50 fraud-related charges, and accused of stealing the identities of some 20 women by creating forged identification documents and racking up big bills. In this episode, guest host Elamin Abdelmahmoud speaks with CBC senior reporter John Lancaster about how prevalent identity theft is, and how devastating it can be for Canadians.

The Chinese tech giant Huawei is in the news again. This week is the one-year anniversary since the company's CFO, Meng Wanzhou, was arrested at a Vancouver airport, which triggered a massive diplomatic crisis between Canada and China. Also this week, Meng Wanzhou's father, the founder and CEO of Huawei, said the company's centre for research and development will be relocated from the United States to Canada. But that move isn't such a surprise. Huawei currently funds $56 million of academic research at Canadian institutions, a fact that worries tech and national security experts. Today on Front Burner, guest host Elamin Abdelmahmoud is joined by Peter Armstrong, CBC's senior business reporter, to talk about the risks and rewards of accepting Huawei's money.

This week, provincial and territorial leaders from across the country gathered in a Toronto suburb to decide on a collective agenda to present to the federal government. On Monday, the premiers came out of the meeting striking a tone of unity, with a list of agreed-upon priorities to assist struggling resource-dependent provinces. Today on Front Burner, CBC's J.P. Tasker reports on what came out of the meeting, why Alberta Premier Jason Kenney won big and what a united group of conservative-leaning premiers might mean for the Liberals' legislative plans.