The Decibel

April 1 marked the start of a new regime to regulate health care in B.C. – the first overhaul of the system in 30 years. The Globe’s health reporter and columnist André Picard describes it as the biggest change in the regulation of health professionals the country has ever seen. Today, André explains the changes now implemented – including amalgamation, disciplinary changes and punishment for misinformation – why the B.C. government says they’re necessary, and why some of them have caused controversy. Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at [email protected] Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

April 1st marks the earliest possible date that lunar mission Artemis II could lift off. Decades have passed since humans last visited the moon. After launch, four astronauts – including Canadian Jeremy Hansen – will travel all the way around the celestial body. If all goes according to plan, he’ll become the first Canadian – and non-American – to go to the moon. Decibel producer Madeleine White takes us on a journey along with The Globe’s science reporter, Ivan Semeniuk, They explore how Jeremy Hansen got a seat on this coveted mission, explain why it’s so hard to return to the moon, what the mission entails, and how Canada fits into it all. Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at [email protected] Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On Sunday, the New Democratic Party elected Avi Lewis as its new leader. He takes the reins of a political party still reeling from losses in last year’s federal election, which cost them official party status and left them with only seven seats. Another blow came earlier this month, when Nunavut MP Lori Idlout defected to the Liberals. Without a seat in Parliament and overseeing a party with minimal resources, how Lewis will rebuild the party and what it will look like remain big questions. So today, we’re convening a panel with Campbell Clark, The Globe’s chief political writer, and Robyn Urback, a current affairs columnist for The Globe. They join the show to talk about where Lewis might steer the NDP and what it all means for the party’s future. Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at [email protected] Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Prediction trading is exploding in popularity, with the industry set to rake in about US$2 billion in revenue this year alone. Companies like Kalshi and Polymarket have popularized the practice, which lets you bet on nearly anything – from Taylor Swift’s marriage status to election outcomes. This past week, Canadian company Wealthsimple cleared hurdles to offer Canadians something similar, but the rules will be different here and a fragmented system makes regulation tricky. The Globe’s retirement and financial planning reporter Meera Raman broke the Wealthsimple news. She joins us to explain what the market may look like in Canada and the challenges regulators face in protecting investors. Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at [email protected]. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This week, decisions in two landmark trials in the U.S. found social media companies responsible for harms to youth on their platforms. They follow years of growing concern about the dangers that social media poses to young people. Now those concerns are starting to show up in policy decisions. Back in December, Australia banned those under 16 years old from creating accounts on platforms like YouTube and TikTok. Other countries are considering similar legislation – including Canada. But what do teenagers themselves think of these potential social media bans? Samantha Edwards is The Globe’s online culture reporter. She assembled a group of Canadian teenagers to talk about how they actually use social media, what adults get wrong, and what they think about losing access to the platforms they use to talk to their friends. Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at [email protected] Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Since the U.S. and Israel first attacked Iran almost a month ago, the ripple effects of the war have been felt globally. The closure of the Strait of Hormuz has affected oil prices worldwide, but energy shocks are especially felt across the rest of Asia, which is heavily dependent on energy from the Gulf states. The 35 million migrant workers living in the Gulf – the bulk of whom come from South and Southeast Asia – are in a particularly precarious position. And China, a strategic partner of Iran, has found itself on the sidelines of this war. The Globe’s Asia correspondent James Griffiths explains the geopolitics at play and how the war is impacting the day-to-day lives of people across the continent. Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at [email protected] Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The federal government is hoping to make room for the new spending outlined in last year’s budget by making cuts across the public sector. The goal is to save $60 billion over the next 5 years. Departments like Library and Archives Canada and the Correctional Service of Canada are reducing their workforces, while some programs, like one for public transit, are seeing funding cuts. The Globe’s deputy Ottawa bureau chief, Bill Curry, explains what we know so far about the cuts and the potential impacts on the services provided to Canadians. Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at [email protected] Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Amid threats of annexation and U.S.-imposed tariffs, Canadians are using their dollars to purchase Canadian goods. However, consumer complaints about products mislabelled as Canadian have spiked since the Buy Canadian movement began. Some in the food and beverage industry say cracking down too hard on mistaken labelling could backfire, dissuading retailers from promoting Canadian foods. Susan Krashinsky Robertson and Kate Helmore, both journalists for The Globe’s Report on Business, join The Decibel to discuss Canadian food labelling, the benefits of the Buy Canadian movement for farmers and producers, and how retailers can leverage patriotic shoppers to rebuild trust with them. Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at [email protected] Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Today, a case involving Quebec’s use of the notwithstanding clause is going before the Supreme Court of Canada. In the last decade, many provinces have used the clause to override federal powers to pass controversial laws. While cases involving the notwithstanding clause have been taken to the Supreme Court before, none have had the magnitude of being precedent-setting that could have major implications for the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The hearing will be one of the longest at the country’s highest court in a decade. The Globe’s justice reporter, David Ebner, explains how the clause came to be, why provinces have used it, and whether the case will change the power balance between provincial and federal governments in Canada’s charter. Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at [email protected] Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What does it mean to create music? Would you be able to tell if the sounds you were listening to weren’t made or sung by a human? Artists and supporters of the music industry are asking some of these existential questions, as technology in consumer generative AI has grown in leaps and bounds and record companies are settling legal battles with AI companies. Josh O’Kane, Globe reporter on arts and business, joins The Decibel to talk about the friction between musicians and AI tools, how AI slop has found itself onto streaming feeds, and what this could mean for the future of music. Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at [email protected] Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Since the U.S. and Israel started a war with Iran, the price of oil has spiked. That’s largely because oil tankers are no longer travelling through the Strait of Hormuz, meaning roughly one fifth of the world’s oil and gas supply remains stranded in the Gulf region. This is having an effect in Canada, even though Canada is the world’s fourth-largest oil producer and exporter. Jeffrey Jones is a journalist in The Globe’s Report on Business, who has been covering the global oil market for decades. He joins the show today to explain why Canada is seeing domestic energy prices rise as a result of the war. Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at [email protected] Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Late last week, the Ontario government announced it would introduce legislation exempting the Premier, cabinet ministers and their offices from responding to freedom of information requests. The province said these changes are needed to protect privacy and to allow ministers to discuss policy decisions in confidence. Critics say it’s an anti-democratic move designed to shield the government from accountability. Jeff Gray reports on Ontario politics for the Globe. He’s on the show to talk about how freedom of information requests have revealed past controversies in Ontario, and how the proposed changes could make government business less transparent to the public. Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at [email protected] Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Building cities for the future means building a lot more public transit – and lately, Canadian cities have been planning LRTs, or light rail transit. While these projects are introduced with great promise of moving people around more efficiently, in practice, these projects have a history of disappointment. There’s Ottawa’s LRT project, which opened to great frustration from riders. Then, Toronto’s Finch West line, upon opening, couldn’t quite keep pace with a local runner. Most recently, there was Toronto’s Eglinton Crosstown, which opened this past February, six years later than initially planned, and a billion dollars over budget. Oliver Moore writes for the Globe’s Editorial Board. Previously, he was an urban affairs reporter. He’s here to talk about why we keep building LRTs and how we should think about transit that will take us into the future. Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at [email protected] Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

It’s been one year since Mark Carney became Prime Minister. He was long known as a technocrat, having held the position of central banker for both Canada and the United Kingdom. But when Justin Trudeau resigned, Liberals – and later, Canadians – decided Carney was the man for the moment. One year later, his popularity is holding strong: an Angus Reid poll found that 60 per cent of Canadians held a positive view of him as Prime Minister. How has Carney managed to keep Canadians onside despite having so little experience in elected politics? Shannon Proudfoot is a feature writer and columnist for The Globe. She’ll unpack what she’s observed about how Carney has cultivated his political persona, and whether there are any signs that his honeymoon phase with Canadians might be coming to an end. Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at [email protected] Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On February 28th, the US and Israel struck Iran – and Iran fired back at military bases and allies in the region. The war has since dominated global attention, but it’s not just playing out in Iran. After the Iran-backed militia group, Hezbollah, fired into Israel in solidarity with Iran, a second front in the war opened up in Lebanon. Now, hundreds of thousands have been displaced in Lebanon and hundreds of others are dead as a third war between Hezbollah and Israel escalates. The Globe’s senior international correspondent Mark MacKinnon was in Lebanon this past week. He joins The Decibel to explain how this latest conflict between Israel and Hezbollah is impacting the people of Lebanon, and why this round of fighting feels different. Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at [email protected] Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

A wide-scale investigation into police corruption in Ontario – Project South – led to the arrests of 27 people, including seven Toronto Police Services officers and one retired Toronto Police officer. The allegations range from a conspiracy to traffic Toronto Police uniforms, to selling data to members of organized crime groups, to a plot to murder a corrections officer. But one of the civilians charged in the operation had links to the tow truck industry, which has a documented history of violence and criminal connections. That led Globe and Mail reporter Molly Hayes to question what links exist between the police corruption investigation and the industry. She has reported on violence and corruption in the towing industry for years. Today, she joins the show to talk about why towing has been so prone to corruption, and its ties to a major criminal investigation. Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at [email protected] Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Members of Canada’s Iranian community have been living through a complex set of emotions since the United States and Israel started a war with Iran nearly two weeks ago. They worry for their loved ones in Iran, but they want to see the Islamic Republic regime destroyed. Others are divided on whether a return to a monarchy or a newly created democracy is in their future. Today on the show, we feature the voices of eight Iranians who moved to Canada, some recently, others decades ago. They share their experiences, emotions and hopes for the future. Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at [email protected] Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

A month has passed since the mass shooting in Tumbler Ridge, B.C., where eight people were killed by 18-year-old Jesse Van Rootselaar, who then turned the gun on herself. In the weeks since, more information has emerged about the shooter — from a history of troubling posts online, to years of mental health challenges. Her family spoke about how challenging it was to access the care she needed. Andrea Woo is a B.C.-based reporter for The Globe who looked into what locals describe as a mental health desert in the region. She joins the show to talk about how Tumbler Ridge families describe their experiences of trying to access mental health care, and what changes could make a difference. Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at [email protected] Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The first episode of Skinny Inc. was all about the science behind GLP-1s, and the second episode was about the business, from the pharmaceutical companies who make GLP-1s to the insurance plans that may or may not cover it. Today, we’re exploring how the so-called “Ozempic era,” affects people’s mental health. First, business owner Maiyhet Burton tells us how using a GLP-1 has helped her body image. Globe health reporter Kelly Grant details how experts are split on the effect of GLP-1s on weight stigma, and psychotherapist Zoë Bisbing explains how the body positive movement helps her clients. Plus, Tigress Osborn, executive director of the National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance on why the popularity of GLP-1s shows how far we have to go with anti-fat discrimination, and Ary Mahraj and Emily Donahue from the National Eating Disorder Information Centre tell us how people with eating disorders may be impacted by the constant discussions about weight loss. Finally, Dr. Stephen Glazer, Medical Director for the Bariatric Surgical Program at Humber River Hospital in Toronto on how weight stigma can be internalized. You can contact the National Eating Disorders Information Centre at their toll-free helpline at 1-866-NEDIC-20 or visit their website. Questions? Comments? Ideas? E-mail us at [email protected] Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On Sunday, most Canadians lose an hour of sleep as the clocks get turned forward to daylight time. But while most of us have gotten used to the bi-annual time change, our bodies have not. And with a growing number of experts saying the practice messes with our sleep – should Canadians stop messing with the clock? Today, psychology professor Joseph De Koninck is here. He studies sleep at the University of Ottawa, and his recent research looks at how Daylight Savings Time impacts our circadian rhythms, what we can do to minimize the health effects the change has, and why he thinks Canada should consider staying on Standard Time year-round. This episode originally aired October 31, 2025. Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at [email protected] Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

When it comes to one economic indicator, Canada is lagging behind one of the U.S.’s poorest states: Alabama. And while GDP per capita is an imperfect metric of wealth, Globe reporter Tim Kiladze went down to Alabama and found that there are some things the state has done that are worth taking note of. Tim joins the show to share what he saw down south, explore the criticisms of GDP per capita and respond to the reaction his reporting has generated. Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at [email protected] Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.