Front Burner

In this season of Uncover: The Village, reporter Justin Ling reveals the history of unsolved murder and missing persons cases in Toronto's gay village.

CBC Power and Politics host Vassy Kapelos breaks down the secretly-recorded phone call between former Attorney-General Jody Wilson-Raybould and former Privy Council Clerk Michael Wernick - as the SNC-Lavalin controversy grows.

Since the writ dropped in Alberta, two candidates have resigned from the United Conservative Party over Islamaphobic, white supremacist, homophobic and transphobic messages on social media. This is only the latest controversy for the party. The Jason Kenney campaign has been accused of supporting a 'kamikaze candidate' to help him win the leadership race in 2017, and the RCMP is looking into allegations of voter fraud. Maclean's Alberta correspondent Jason Markusoff says the scandals may not prevent Jason Kenney from winning the premiership. "This is an economically anxious province," says Markusoff. "Albertans are frustrated and anxious, they're looking for some change to make to liberate themselves from the status quo."

When Edward Snowden showed up at her door, Vanessa Rodel had no idea who he was. Then she saw his face of the front page of the newspaper. Rodel and her daughter have just arrived in Canada as privately sponsored refugees. Vanessa tells the story of how she hid Snowden, who at the time was the subject of an international manhunt for leaking top secret information that exposed a global US spy program. She also talks about the price she paid to help him.

After the merger of Disney and Fox, one movie studio controls almost 40% of the box office. The merger puts Disney in a position to compete with big tech companies like Netflix and Apple in the streaming game. But is it good for moviegoers and TV watchers? Film critic David Sims says 'bigness' can lead to bad outcomes for less profitable content like local news and art movies, but will increase our diet of superhero blockbusters. "It seems that these companies that have always existed in the movie business are looking at this industry and saying, we can only make a few kinds of movies anymore that can make money," says Sims.

In 1982 a brutal massacre in a small farming community during the Guatemalan civil war left over 160 men, women and children dead. Over thirty years later, one of the men responsible for the horrific murders has been sentenced to more than 5000 years in prison by a Guatemalan Court. His name is Santos López Alonzo. Today on Front Burner, CBC's Nahlah Ayed explains how a little boy that Santos López kidnapped from the village after the massacre? would one day grow up and help put him behind bars.

A summary of Robert Mueller's investigation into possible collusion with Russia during the 2016 election is out. CBC Washington correspondent Keith Boag breaks down what we know so far, and the implications for the Trump administration.

The Christchurch mosque shooter formed his radical views online. Today, an examination of how far right communities spread their toxic messages on the Internet and how they use YouTube to do it.

This week's federal budget laid some initial groundwork for the possibility of a national pharmacare plan in Canada. But with a contentious election year ahead, there are still plenty of questions around how a strategy could be implemented. Today on Front Burner, Globe and Mail health reporter Kelly Grant explains how the pharmacare debate is unfolding and what we can expect from the Liberals in the coming year.

CBC Washington reporter Lyndsay Duncombe guides us through the growing list of Democratic presidential candidates vying to run in 2020.

Rachel Notley is expected to declare the date of the provincial election any day now. And within a matter of weeks, voters will cast their ballots to pick the next provincial government of Alberta. At the same time, one of the key parties in this race, the United Conservative Party, is at the center of a mounting political scandal. There are allegations that during the party's leadership race, Jason Kenney's campaign engaged in illegal practices. Over the weekend, Charles Rusnell and Jennie Russell, investigative journalists at CBC Edmonton, reported on a cache of documents that show collaboration between Jason Kenney's campaign team and the campaign team for another candidate, Jeff Callaway. Today on Front Burner, Charles Rusnell breaks it down.

Mass shootings at two mosques on Friday evening in Christchurch, New Zealand, were felt around the globe. We hear from Adrienne Arsenault, who is in Christchurch. And from Stephanie Carvin, a former analyst for CSIS, on the steady rise of far-right extremism in Canada.

A few months ago we did an episode on Brexit. We talked about how the whole Brexit process has been a mess. Well, it's still a mess. This week there were three votes in the UK parliament. First, MPs voted down Prime Minister Theresa May's new Brexit deal with the EU. Then they said no to leaving the European Union without a deal in place. Then they voted to delay making a decision. Today on Front Burner, CBC's London reporter Thomas Daigle breaks down what is going on and what is at stake for the United Kingdom.

Canada has some of the most expensive cell phone plans in the developed world. It has to do, in part, with access to the country's wireless spectrum. As another round of wireless spectrum gets auctioned by the Canadian government, CBC National Business Correspondent Peter Armstrong helps us understand why cell phone plans are so expensive, and what can be done about it.

A growing list of countries have grounded the Boeing 737 Max 8 following a crash that killed 157 people, including 18 Canadians. Not even six months ago the same type of airplane plunged into the Java sea near Indonesia. Today on Front Burner, an aviation expert explains the mounting concerns over this Boeing model and CBC's Susan Ormiston reports from the Ethiopian crash site.

Reporter Alex Posadzki on how the death of a Canadian cryptocurrency entrepreneur has caused the disappearance of about $180-million in digital currency.

We've heard from the key players in the SNC-Lavalin scandal. There's former Attorney-General Jody Wilson-Raybould, who said she was subjected to inappropriate pressure by the Prime Minister's office to intervene with the corruption case against engineering giant SNC-Lavalin. On the other side, Prime Minister Trudeau, his former principal secretary Gerry Butts and the Clerk of the Privy Council, all of whom say nothing outside the normal functioning of government happened. Today, we take a step back and navigate five lingering questions about the SNC-Lavalin scandal with CBC senior reporter David Cochrane.

This week, a major milestone in HIV/AIDS research made headlines worldwide. A man known as the "London Patient" has seemingly been "cured" after receiving a bone marrow transplant from a donor with an HIV-resistant genetic mutation. It's only the second time in history a procedure like this has been executed successfully. But while some doctors are inspired by this week's breakthrough, others are more cautious in their optimism. Today on Front Burner, we track the historical battle against the virus and what it means for future progress with help from Canada Research Chair in HIV Pathogenesis and Viral Control, Eric Arts.

In his much anticipated testimony Gerald Butts, the Prime Minister's former principal secretary, laid out a counter-narrative to the allegations of political interference in the SNC-Lavalin case.

On Monday, Chinese authorities accused two Canadians who have been detained since December of being spies. This news comes as Canada proceeds with a U.S. extradition request for Huawei's CFO Meng Wanzhou. But this isn't the first time Canadians have been caught in the middle of an escalating diplomatic dispute with China. Kevin and Julia Garratt know what it's like to live in Chinese custody under suspicion of espionage. Today on Front Burner, they describe what happened to them and share what they learned about China's judicial system during their two-year ordeal.

"It's something we'll have to grapple with in an ongoing way," says Slate music critic Carl Wilson about the challenge of coming to terms with the sexual abuse allegations against Michael Jackson in the HBO documentary "Leaving Neverland". He, along with Exclaim! magazine contributor A. Harmony, talk to host Jayme Poisson about what that might mean for Jackson's legacy as a pop music icon.

Reporter Nahlah Ayed discovered a private group chat where women are helping each other flee repressive regimes

The relationship between India and Pakistan has historically been troubled, but this week, tensions escalated with both countries launching airstrikes against one another. "There's of course the larger significance of these two countries being nuclear states," says UBC professor M.V. Ramana, an expert on nuclear energy in India. He traces the historical conflict between India and Pakistan, and sets up what's at stake globally.

On Wednesday, Jody Wilson-Raybould told the Justice Committee she had been pressured by the PMO to get a deferred prosecution agreement for SNC Lavalin. "I experienced a consistent and sustained effort by many people within the government to seek to politically interfere in the exercise of prosecutorial discretion," said Wilson-Raybould in her testimony. Power & Politics host Vassy Kapelos explains how Wilson-Raybould says it all culminated in her removal from the office of attorney general.

After years of allegations, singer R. Kelly faces ten charges of aggravated sexual assault. Music critic Lindsay Zoladz talks about the case, and why #metoo moved more slowly in the music industry.

NDP leader Jagmeet Singh has won a seat in the riding of Burnaby-South. It's just one of three byelections that took place across the country. The CBC's Briar Stewart and Hannah Thibedeau break down the political stakes of the Burnaby-South byelection, and what it might tell us about the upcoming federal election.

Our behaviour online creates a lot of data that's useful for tech companies - what we buy, what videos we watch on YouTube, what movies we see on Netflix. Author Glen Weyl says if tech companies make money off this information, we should get paid for it.

An unprecedented summit on the sexual abuse of minors in the Catholic Church is taking place at the Vatican. For many victims, it's a chance to seek justice. That includes Evelyn Korkmaz, a residential school survivor calling on the Pope to apologize for the Church's involvement in residential schools. She tells host Jayme Poisson why and CBC reporter Jorge Barrera helps us understand the historical relationship between the Catholic Church and Canada's residential schools.

With eight confirmed cases, Vancouver is facing Canada's worst measles outbreak in years. Dr. Natasha Crowcroft on why the infectious disease is having a worldwide comeback.

On Tuesday a convoy of trucks arrived in Ottawa. The rolling protest is driven by Canadians who want pipelines, hate carbon taxes and are calling for more help for the Alberta economy. But there is another element: some in the group have also been protesting immigration and using hateful, racist, language. Today on Front Burner, CBC's David Common and Rosemary Barton explain the complicated politics around this protest.

On Monday afternoon one of the most powerful men in Ottawa resigned. Following allegations of political interference in a court case involving engineering giant SNC-Lavalin, Gerald Butts stepped aside as the Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister. Today on Front Burner, CBC Parliamentary reporter John Paul Tasker explains why Justin Trudeau's most senior adviser-and longtime friend- would resign while denying any wrongdoing.

Two Canadian women have surrendered to US-backed forces after spending years in ISIS-controlled territory. Journalist Michelle Shephard made a documentary about a similar case last year. She says repatriation is a thorny subject for the Canadian government. "It really feels like the Canadian policy has been not to have a policy," says Shephard.

CBC/Radio-Canada journalists crunch the data on more than 9-million troll tweets and reveal foreign campaigns to influence Canadians' opinions. Retweets focused on issues like pipelines and immigration. Jeff Yates joins us to explain what he learned. Elizabeth Dubois from the University of Ottawa paints the wider picture of how troll activity is changing.

The talk around Washington these days, is that the Mueller investigation is winding down. Special Counsel Robert Mueller's inquiry into whether there was collusion between Donald Trump's presidential campaign and Russia to interfere in the 2016 U.S. election has dominated the headlines since 2017. Nobody knows for sure when it will wrap. But we do know that this story has taken a long and winding road. Today on Front Burner, CBC Washington correspondent Keith Boag breaks down the most essential elements of the saga.

With Jody Wilson-Raybould's resignation from the Liberal cabinet, the scandal involving SNC-Lavalin and the Liberal government continues to grow. CBC investigative reporter Dave Seglins guides us through the troubled history of the engineering company that's at the heart of the political firestorm.

Juan Guaidó is touring Venezuela this week, meeting with journalists and citizens. But while Canada acknowledges Guaidó as the official president of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro says the job is still rightfully his. The CBC's Adrienne Arsenault and Evan Dyer on the latest from Caracas.

Ottawa is reeling after a story broke late last week alleging that the Prime Minister's Office pressured former Attorney General and Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould to intervene in the prosecution of Quebec-based engineering company SNC-Lavalin. Today on Front Burner, CBC's David Cochrane breaks down the scandal and explains why this could be very problematic for Justin Trudeau and his closest allies.

"I can't even venture to guess how long it'll take for people to feel safe again." CBC reporter Catou MacKinnon covered the shooting at the Islamic Cultural Centre of Quebec City on January 29, 2017. Alexandre Bissonnette pleaded guilty to six counts of first degree murder and six counts of attempted murder. Ahead of his sentencing, Catou tells host Jayme Poisson about the lasting impact the incident has had on the Muslim community in Quebec City's Sainte-Foy neighbourhood.

Nuclear weapons expert and Obama adviser Jon Wolfsthal on how the treaties that once prevented a nuclear war between the U.S. and Russia, could be unravelling today.

It's only Wednesday, but Ontario premier Doug Ford has already had a jam-packed week. On Monday, an unnamed civil servant was fired and the police were notified in relation to a leak from inside the ruling Progressive Conservative government. That leak put controversial healthcare policy proposals into the hands of the opposition party. Today on Front Burner, Toronto Star Queen's Park bureau chief Robert Benzie breaks down what Doug Ford has been up to as premier of Ontario and explains why the politician has captured the attention of Conservatives across the country.

In December a digital privacy watchdog began receiving mysterious emails from businessmen who didn't seem to exist. John Scott-Railton from the Citizen Lab joins us to try and understand why his group was targeted by what they believe to be undercover operatives.

Oil is being put on trains and moved across Canada in increasing numbers. Today on Front Burner, Winnipeg Free Press reporter Dylan Robertson explains why a lot of people are attributing this to a lack of pipeline capacity and breaks down what he's learned about how safe it is to transport oil by rail.

This week, a Google search result listing Omar Khadr as a Canadian soldier gained a lot of traction online, inciting anger from many people, including Conservative Party leader Andrew Scheer. CBC technology reporter Matt Braga tracks how the former Guantanamo Bay detainee showed up in the search in the first place and how easily misinformation can become politicized.

This week, the truck driver who caused the Humboldt Broncos bus crash is facing his sentencing hearing. CBC reporter Susan Ormiston joins us from Melfort, Saskatchewan to talk about how the victims' families are feeling about the possibility of some closure and to explain how complicated it could be for the judge to decide Jaskirat Singh Sidhu's punishment.

On Tuesday, Bruce McArthur pleaded guilty to eight counts of first-degree murder and we heard never-before-released details about the evidence in the case. But as we hear from freelance reporter Justin Ling, there are still lots of unanswered questions about how McArthur committed his crimes and what comes next.

Toronto Star reporter Daniel Dale tries to fact check everything U.S President Donald Trump says. It keeps him working at all hours and his reporting has drawn attention all over the world. Dale talks about how he builds his database of false claims, which is up to 4,210 as of today, and why he believes pointing out Trump's dishonesty is crucial journalism.

Canada's ambassador to China, John McCallum, was forced to resign after making multiple comments that were out of step with the federal government's stance on the Canadian arrest of Chinese Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou. Today on Front Burner, CBC's Katie Simpson breaks down what happened and why it is such a big deal.

One of the world's most notorious drug lords, Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman, is on trial in New York and a star witness just revealed a lot about Chapo's Canadian operation. The National Post's Brian Fitzpatrick explains what court documents have shown.

The toll of British Columbia's money laundering problem is climbing, with recent reports suggesting that about a billion dollars a year have been laundered through the province's casinos.This week, the federal government promised it will do more to help B.C. finally clamp down. Today on Front Burner, CBC Investigative journalist Eric Rankin explains the long-term problem and breaks down how the money is tangled up in organized crime, illegal drugs, and even real estate.

Brandon Truaxe, the founder of Canadian skincare company Deciem, has died after a year-long public unravelling. He built 'The Abnormal Beauty Company' into a worldwide brand through a combination of radical pricing and social media marketing. But his increasingly erratic behaviour, documented on his company's Instagram account, ultimately cost him his position as CEO. Senior business reporter Aaron Saltzman takes us inside Truaxe's story.