The Decibel

The Liberal-NDP supply-and-confidence deal has passed another test. The two parties managed to table a pharmacare bill before the March 1 deadline. But the compromise legislation is a limited program, supplying universal, single-payer coverage to only two classes of drugs.Marieke Walsh, the Globe’s Senior Political Reporter, explains how the program will work and how much it will cost.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.

There are increasing shortages in the skilled trades in Canada, and provinces and territories are desperate to get people to fill them – so, they’re turning to young people. There are programs across the country to get high school students engaged in the trades, but Ontario has proposed the most radical solution yet – allowing students to leave high school early.Today, The Globe’s education reporter Caroline Alphonso explains how provinces are trying to encourage young people into the trades, and why we might need to rethink the approach to what happens after high school.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 Monday, Calgary-based discount airline Lynx Air, which launched a mere two years ago, ceased operations. For customers, that means they’re likely not getting refunds and will have to find alternate and possibly more expensive tickets to their destinations.This is a familiar story in Canada. Discount airlines have come and gone with only a few years of operation under their belt. The Globe’s transportation reporter, Eric Atkins is on the show to explain why discount airlines keep failing in Canada and what that means for flyers looking for a deal.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.

Exclusive deals struck between insurance companies and pharmacies are increasingly drawing scrutiny from patients, pharmacists and cabinet ministers. The arrangements, known as preferred pharmacy networks (PPNs), are meant to deal with rising prices of pharmaceutical drugs. But detractors say these plans mean less transparency, competition and consumer choice.The Globe’s retailing reporter Susan Krashinsky Robertson and wealth management and insurance reporter Clare O’Hara explain why the blowback against PPNs is rooted in questions about who gets to approve treatment for patients.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.

For the first time ever, a spacecraft built by a private company has landed on the moon. The robotic lander, named Odysseus, touched down in the south polar region on Thursday. But not before a nerve-wracking communications blackout and an off-kilter landing that have scientists racing against time.What is Odysseus’ purpose? What could this mean for future space projects like NASA’s Artemis missions in 2026? Ivan Semeniuk, The Globe’s science reporter, joins the show to explain the historic feat.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 murder of a Muslim family by a self-described white nationalist in London, Ont. in 2021, debate has raged over whether this crime was an act of terrorism under Canadian law. Last week’s Ontario Superior Court ruling has settled the matter: Nathaniel Veltman’s targeted attacks on the Afzaal family is a ‘textbook’ example of terrorism.Globe reporter Colin Freeze has been covering the case and joins The Decibel to explain the precedent-setting decision, why defining terrorism matters in Canada, and what this means in protecting the victims of terrorist crimes.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.

Two years ago, Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Now, with Russia on the front foot, many towns that have been safe for months are being thrust back onto the frontlines, like Kharkiv in northeastern Ukraine.Today, The Globe’s senior international correspondent Mark MacKinnon, who’s in Kharkiv, tells us about the frontlines of the war two years on, how the soldiers are doing, and what it means for Ukraine’s army that Western support is slowing down.If you’d like to learn more, The Globe is doing a live Q&A with Mark on Saturday, February 24 at 10 a.m. ET, here.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 latest poll numbers are looking grim for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the Liberals. According to an Abacus poll in February, the Trudeau-led Liberals are polling at 24 per cent and the PM himself is deeply unpopular among voters of all ages. More than a year out from the next election, is the incumbent government already doomed?John Ibbitson, The Globe’s Writer-At-Large, explains the factors that have led to the Liberals’ steep decline and whether this is simply the end of a political cycle – as a new one could soon begin.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.

As health care across Canada struggles with staffing shortages, a Globe investigation has found that provincial use of private nursing agencies has recently skyrocketed – in some cases costing hundreds of millions of dollars.The Globe’s Kelly Grant and Tu Thanh Ha have been investigating these private agencies – and one agency in particular – for months. Today, they tell us how these agencies work, why it’s costing so much, and the concerns with how some of these companies are operating – including some questionable expenses that are being passed onto taxpayers.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.

Canada’s first federal housing advocate released her first-ever formal review last week: Housing is a human right and that the federal government is failing people who are unhoused and violating a 2019 law by not providing adequate housing. That has led directly to a poverty and encampment crisis affecting cities and towns across Canada, leaving thousands of people struggling to survive.Marie-Josée Houle, Canada’s Federal Housing Advocate, joins the show to explain the full findings of her report and the pressure on governments to act now.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.

Worried about total economic collapse because of government mismanagement? Bow Valley Credit Union might be for you. The Alberta credit union is leaning hard into anti-government, anti-regulation rhetoric. And it’s buying up precious metals like gold in a bid to shore up its depositors’ investments.They’re proud of the fact that they’ve run afoul of regulators, using their distrust of authority as a selling point, and recently sponsored Tucker Carlson’s interview with Alberta premier Danielle Smith.The Globe’s Carrie Tait explains how Bow Valley’s CEO has built up the credit union and why they appeal to thousands who’ve invested 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.

Back in the fall of 2021, Canadian news headlines were dominated by the story of the Rogers family battling for control of Rogers Communications Inc. It was a very dramatic, and very public, power struggle that was frequently compared to the TV show Succession.The fallout from that saga is still playing out today. Alexandra Posadzki has been breaking news on this story since it started. She recently published a book, Rogers v. Rogers: The Battle for Control over Canada’s Telecom Empire. Today, she explains the saga that pulled the Rogers family apart, risked a $20-billion deal, and what it all means for Canada’s telecom industry now.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 Israel-Hamas war has led to a growing humanitarian crisis in Gaza. In January, Canada launched a temporary program for Canadians to bring their family members here from Gaza.Janice Dickson is the Globe’s international affairs reporter. She’s here to talk about what makes bringing people out of Gaza so challenging, and the frustration Canadians are feeling in trying to bring their loved ones here.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.

Life has gotten expensive in a number of ways – from groceries to housing. And so too, have the costs of taking care of furry family members. More than half of Canadian households have a cat or dog and skyrocketing costs have meant some people are finding it hard to keep up with the bills.The Globe’s personal finance reporter, Erica Alini, and independent business reporter, Chris Hannay, looked into the complex web of factors that have caused rising prices. They’re on the show to explain what they learned and what pet owners can do to try and keep costs down.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 new report about Chinese companies registering in Russia’s Arctic highlights China’s “no limits partnership” with Russia, and its interest in developing mining and shipping in the Arctic that is melting due to climate change.Senior parliamentary reporter Steven Chase explores the implications for Canada, which has its own claims to sovereignty over the North Pole, the Northwest Passage, and the large swaths of the Arctic seabeds that could be mined.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 most recent numbers show that inflation in Canada is at 3.4 per cent. Still above the 2-per-cent target, which is where the Bank of Canada would like it to be. And this last little bit of inflation is a critical period for the Bank in terms of adjusting interest rates.Mark Rendell covers the Bank of Canada for The Globe’s Report on Business and he explains what challenges remain to squeeze that last little bit of inflation out of the economy.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 a year since B.C. got permission to decriminalize possessing small amounts of some street drugs. At the time, B.C.’s Minister of Mental Health and Addictions said this would “break down the stigma that stops people from accessing life-saving support and services.”But since then, B.C. recorded its highest-ever number of deaths from illicit drugs in 2023. And in response to public outcry, the provincial government has sought to limit drug use in more public areas like beaches and playgrounds.Andrea Woo is a staff reporter at The Globe’s Vancouver bureau, and she’s won a National Newspaper Award for her coverage of the toxic drug crisis. She’ll tell us what we know about how decriminalization works in B.C., and if anyone thinks it’s working out.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.

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith unveiled a raft of new policies last week that have healthcare professionals warning of dire consequences for young transgender and non-binary people. The proposals will severely restrict when and what kind of gender-affirming care – ranging from medication to surgery – that young people and their families will have access to.Zosia Bielski, national news reporter specializing in gender, sexuality and sexual health for The Globe, explains what these policies are aiming to achieve and why experts are calling these rules the most restrictive in Canada on issues of gender and identity.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.

In early January, Florida became the first U.S. state to get approval to import wholesale drugs from Canada. The FDA’s decision overrides decades-long objections from drug companies and could save the state millions of dollars. Now, Colorado is looking to do the same.The Globe’s international correspondent, Nathan VanderKlippe went to Colorado to learn about their plan to bring in cheap drugs from Canada, why drugs are so much more expensive in the U.S., and whether Canadians could be facing a shortage in their medications.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.

For months now, TD Bank has been making headlines. First there was the news they were acquiring U.S.-based First Horizon Bank. Then the news that that acquisition wasn’t going through. Then the bank announced it was under investigation.And now, thanks to the reporting of Rita Trichur and Stefanie Marotta, we know that a Canadian regulator is also set to levy a penalty against them. Stefanie, The Globe’s banking reporter, is on the show to explain what is going on inside Canada’s second-largest bank.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 U.S. federal indictment is unsealed and within it are explosive allegations. According to court documents released this week, an assassination plot was constructed between a drug lord, two Canadian Hells Angels members and Iran’s armed forces – aimed at silencing Iranian dissidents living in the U.S.The Globe’s U.S. correspondent Adrian Morrow explains what is known about the case, the people allegedly involved and how it all fits into foreign interference and extraterritorial killings.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.

Five hockey players from Canada’s 2018 world junior hockey team have been charged with sexual assault in connection to an event alleged to have taken place in London, Ont., in 2018. Four of them are current NHL players.A woman identified as E.M. sued Hockey Canada in 2022 in relation to the incident, which was settled for $3.55-million. The Globe then reported that Hockey Canada had maintained a reserve, called the National Equity Fund, to pay out sexual assault claims. It was made up, in part, by players’ registration fees.The Globe’s Robyn Doolittle led the reporting on Unfounded, a series examining how police departments across Canada treat sexual assault claims, and she’s been reporting on the alleged incident as details become public. She explains what happened in 2018 and how it led to this week’s charges.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.

Online petitions. Angry in-person meetings. An ultimatum. These are just a few of the events that lead to a Canadian play being pulled from Victoria’s Belfry Theatre and Vancouver’s PuSh Festival.The Globe’s theatre critic, J. Kelly Nestruck, explains how this play – The Runner – wound up at the centre of a controversy about a war half a world away.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.

Myanmar has been embroiled in a bloody civil war for nearly three years, after the military staged a coup in 2021. The war was stuck in a stalemate but that is changing – the resistance forces have been gaining ground, and Siegfried Modola has been there documenting some of the battles.Modola is a photojournalist and documentary photographer who has been reported on the conflict during several trips into Myanmar for The Globe and Mail. Today, he takes us to the new frontlines of the country’s civil war, and explains the toll this conflict is having on the people of Myanmar.You can see Modola’s reporting and photography here: https://www.theglobeandmail.com/world/article-myanmar-civil-war-opposition-photos/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.

The long-awaited inquiry into foreign interference begins today. The Globe and Mail’s reporting, based on top-secret CSIS documents, of sophisticated strategies by China to disrupt Canada’s democracy and federal elections set off a firestorm. Now, the public is about to learn how the federal government handled this information and what lessons can be learned to fend off actions by foreign states in the future.The Globe’s senior parliamentary reporter, Steven Chase, joins the podcast to explain the stakes of the inquiry, what is being examined and the main players who will dominate the headlines in the months to come.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.

Nearly two years on, the federal government’s use of the Emergencies Act against the 2022 convoy protests is still being debated – politically and legally. This week, a Federal Court judge ruled that the Trudeau government’s invocation of the act was unjustified and violated the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.The Globe’s senior political reporter Marieke Walsh explains this latest ruling, how this finding is different from last year’s inquiry findings and what this all means for the Trudeau government.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.

Cities in Canada pay for most of the services they provide with property taxes. What homeowners are charged in property taxes – and how much that goes up or down with each budget – has become a political statement, as well as a rallying cry for affordability.Urban affairs reporter Oliver Moore gets at the numbers behind the latest property tax hikes across the country, telling us what they’re paying for, why they are mostly going up – some, like Toronto’s, way up – and what other tools cities have to raise the money they need for services like garbage pickup and park maintenance.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.

Companies around the world are trying to harness the power of the tides to create a renewable energy source. Canada’s Bay of Fundy is a promising place to do it because it has the highest tides in the world. But turning the tides into energy has proven to be challenging and costly.Matthew MClearn is an investigative reporter and data journalist with The Globe and Mail’s Energy, Natural Resources and Environment Team. He’s on the show to explain how tidal power works and where we’re at in its development.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.

Cases of Invasive Group A Strep infections are on the rise in Canada. It’s an illness with potentially fatal outcomes – four children under 10 have died in British Columbia since mid-December, and six people under the age of 18 died in Ontario in the last three months of 2023.Carly Weeks is a health reporter for the Globe. She’s on the show to talk about how to recognize Invasive Group A Strep infections and why experts believe they’re on the rise.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 Oct. 23, 2023, five hospitals in southwestern Ontario realized they were under attack. A cybercrime group was hacking them in order to hold patient and employee information hostage. The hack resulted in all of the hospitals shutting down their systems, causing massive delays in care, backlogging tests and requiring some patients to travel for care.Karen Howlett, an investigative reporter at The Globe, has been looking into how hackers were able to get into the hospitals’ shared IT system and steal over 250,000 patient records.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.

Canada’s birth rate is at an almost 20-year low. People are deciding not to have kids for a variety of reasons and the pandemic has only intensified this drop. While Millennials and GenZ’s are saying no to kids, the declining birth rate is leaving their parents with an identity crisis: Baby boomers coming to terms with a future without grandkids.The Globe’s Zosia Bielski recently looked into the rising trend of grandchildless boomers. She explains what this new normal means for family dynamics and the pressures that come along with it.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.

Canada is one of the fastest growing countries in the world and in 2023, the population officially reached 40 million people. But economists are warning that there’s a price to pay for that growth – that Canada’s living standards and investments in infrastructure aren’t keeping up.Matt Lundy is an economics reporter for the Globe, and he joins the podcast to explain why Canada’s policies have led to a ‘population trap’ and why Canada’s immigration rates have soared.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.

The case of Steven Galloway caused a firestorm when it was first made public, and it continues to this day. Galloway was fired from the University of British Columbia after allegations of sexual misconduct, which he denies. The situation divided Canadian authors, and the public more broadly. Now, there’s been a development.The Globe’s Marsha Lederman has reported on this extensively. Today, she tells the story of how we got to this moment, the implications of this case, and the effect it’s had on the people involved.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.

Ontario’s Ring of Fire has long been believed to contain critical minerals like nickel, copper and chromite, purportedly worth tens of billions of dollars. But for more than a decade, there has been no development. This is in part because of a long process of assessments and consultations happening, much of which involve First Nations communities who live on the Ring of Fire land.Niall McGee is the Globe’s mining reporter and he explains how the leader of one First Nation in the area is pushing to allow for the mining of the Ring of Fire and why he sees it as important for reconciliation.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.

Snowy season in many parts of Canada is off to a slow start. At the end of December, fewer than half of Whistler Blackcomb’s trails in British Columbia were open due to the lack of snow. And the Prairie provinces are expected to have a milder winter, with below-normal snowfall. While the amount of snow varies from year to year, a new study says snowpack – the volume of snow that is present on the landscape – in the Northern Hemisphere is on the decline because of climate change.Ivan Semeniuk is The Globe’s science reporter. He’s on the show to explain how this loss will impact not only ski season but also water supplies and agriculture.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.

There seems to be a lot of illness going around right now. Hospitals are struggling with what the Canadian Medical Association called an “avalanche of patients,” and many of you have questions.Today, The Globe’s health reporter Carly Weeks joins us to explain how this year’s respiratory virus season is shaping up, and she answers your questions about COVID, RSV, the flu, and more.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 December 29, South Africa submitted an application with the International Court of Justice claiming that Israel’s offensive in Gaza is “genocidal in character.” The UN’s judicial court is hearing South Africa’s request for provisional measures on Thursday and will hear Israel’s response the next day.Geoffrey York is the Globe’s Africa bureau chief, based in Johannesburg. He explains what was in South Africa’s application and what it means for the war in Gaza.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.

Taiwan, the east Asian country of 24 million people, is ramping up to a pivotal presidential election on January 13. Amidst rising tensions with China, voters are being asked whether their country should have a warmer relationship with Beijing or continue a hardline stance for Taiwanese independence.James Griffiths, The Globe’s Asia correspondent, explains why the answer to that question will test China’s strength and why another superpower is watching closely.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.

There’s a conversation happening amongst parents that is drumming up a lot of controversy. It’s around the idea of gentle parenting, which is a catch-all term that generally refers to parents who try to stay calm, place a lot of importance on their child’s emotions and show a lot of physical affection.Dr. Alice Davidson is a professor of developmental psychology at Rollins College, and is one of the few academics to have actually studied gentle parenting. She shares what she has found out.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.

Inflation has been rising, interest rates have accelerated at record pace, and the cost of living has been weighing on us all. Canada’s economy has been flirting with a recession since the start of the pandemic, but we may have avoided the worst of it.So what’s in store for 2024? Will there be any reprieve? The Globe’s economics columnist and reporter David Parkinson is on the show today to tell us what this year’s financial forecast looks like.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.

Tensions in the Middle East have heightened in the last week, not just because the war in Gaza continues, but because of four events that have happened in the last week in the region.The Globe’s Senior International Correspondent, Mark MacKinnon, explains what has happened and how it’s ratcheting up geopolitical pressures.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.

Plant-based meat has been touted as a way of having our steak and eating it too. The industry had grand plans to remake the way we eat, cut down greenhouse gas emissions in meat and dairy production and address animal welfare concerns. Companies like Beyond Meat and Impossible had a meteoric rise in the late 2010s, with influencers, celebrities and investors backing the companies.But now, it appears the hype over plant-based meat is over. Sales have dropped off and stock prices are worth less than a tenth of its peak.Vox staff writer and journalist Kenny Torrella tells us why the noise around plant-based meat’s potential – and its flop – doesn’t tell the whole story.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.

There is a universal – but uncomfortable – truth about grief: We will all experience it at some point in our lives. And with the scale of death we witnessed during the pandemic, grief is a lot more present in our lives.And yet, Canada doesn’t have a cohesive network of support for grief. The Canadian Grief Alliance recently received federal funding to look into this. Paul Adams is one of the co-chairs and is on the show to explain what a better system could look like.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.

2023 was a rocky year for Justin Trudeau and his Liberal government. The country was grappling with unaffordable housing and grocery prices, high interest rates, accusations of foreign interference. Trudeau and his government have been sliding in the polls, losing significant ground to Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre.Today, in our first episode of 2024, The Globe’s political columnist and writer-at-large John Ibbitson explains how the events of 2023 impacted Trudeau and his government, and Pierre Poilievre, and what might be in store for 2024.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.

For the holidays, The Decibel is sharing their favourite stories of the year, with the producers taking you behind-the-scenes on how the episodes were made, what inspired them and all the tidbits that never made it into the original airing.***Adrial and Adiah Nadarajah are the most premature twins ever born to survive to their first birthday – they were born at just 22 weeks, about half of a full term pregnancy. If they had been born just two hours earlier, medical staff would not have tried to resuscitate them. They would have been considered too young to live.Their story is part of the medical and moral challenges that arise when babies are born dangerously early. Kelly Grant spoke with the parents and doctors of the babies – and attended the twins’ first birthday party.This episode originally aired on April 10, 2023Questions? 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.

For the holidays, The Decibel is sharing their favourite stories of the year, with the producers taking you behind-the-scenes on how the episodes were made, what inspired them and all the tidbits that never made it into the original airing.***When Ontario Place first opened in 1971, it was a jewel on Toronto’s waterfront showcasing modern architecture and Ontario culture. But in the 50 years that followed, Ontario Place faced an identity crisis. The space hosted a water park and a night club to name a few. And while a few venues have stayed open much of the park closed in 2012. The Provincial government cited dwindling attendance and soaring costs.Ontario Premier Doug Ford has a new plan that he says will turn the 155-acres of land into a ‘world class’ destination. But the project is already mired in controversy, with critics saying the Premier’s plan is shrouded in secrecy and favouritism.Decibel producer Sherrill Sutherland toured Ontario place with The Globe’s architecture critic, Alex Bozikovic to learn about why so many people are fighting to keep it a public space. Plus, the Globe’s Queen’s Park reporter Jeff Gray explains the politics behind this lucrative piece of land.This episode originally aired on May 4, 2023Questions? 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.

For the holidays, The Decibel is sharing their favourite stories of the year, with the producers taking you behind-the-scenes on how the episodes were made, what inspired them and all the tidbits that never made it into the original airing.***No one really knows what dark matter is. We just think it exists. And we believe it makes up 85 per cent of all mass in the universe. So how do you solve the mystery of something that is currently unknowable?Enter SNOLAB. This underground, clean lab is located in Sudbury, Ontario, and researchers there are running experiments to try to solve this cosmic query. Decibel producer Madeleine White, along with Globe science reporter Ivan Semeniuk, go two kilometres underground to visit SNOLAB and bring you up to date on the lab’s quest to discover dark matter.This episode originally aired on August 10, 2023Questions? 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.

Food and family are often front and centre during the holidays. These two ingredients also help make up our identities and cultures.So today, The Decibel is sharing stories of finding family through the act of baking.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.

Earlier this year, The Globe’s sports editor Jamie Ross got a peculiar package in the mail – a wallet, with a request from a man nearing the end of his life, to help return it to its rightful owner. That piqued the interest of investigative reporter Grant Robertson. And that began the saga of trying to track these people down.Today, Grant Robertson tells us the story of a hockey player, his wallet, and the mystery Grant is trying to solve around it.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 Globe’s Carrie Tait recently went to visit a bowling alley in the small town of Kimberley, British Columbia. It’s tucked in the basement of the town’s Elk’s Lodge and has a feature that exists in just a few other locations in North America: the pins are set by humans, not machines. It’s a profession from a bygone era but in Kimberley, this bowling alley from the past, is making a comeback.Carrie is on the show to tell us about this unique space, the people who put it together and how the bowling alley is helping to revive a small town looking toward its 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.