The Decibel

Cryptocurrency, like Bitcoin, created a whole new market – and it felt like a whole new world to journalist and author Ethan Lou. He wrote Once a Bitcoin Miner: Scandal and Turmoil in the Cryptocurrency Wild West. After he started investing in Bitcoin while in university, he ended up making enough money to quit his job as a journalist at Reuters in his mid-twenties.Ethan tells us about his own adventure in the fast-paced cryptocurrency culture of Calgary in the late 2010s, and how Wild West frontier myths help explain the draw of cryptocurrency, despite the downsides that come with the ups and downs of the market. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Dave Chappelle’s latest Netflix comedy special, The Closer, has been getting a lot of criticism since its release on October 5th. That’s because a number of jokes in the standup are about trans people and are being called transphobic. This prompted some Netflix employees to stage a walkout on Wednesday in protest of the special but also because the company continues to stand by the content and the comedian.Imara Jones is a journalist and founder and CEO of TransLash Media. She explains why The Closer is so enraging, why Netflix’s defence of Chappelle may come at a cost to the company and why she thinks the content in the special could cause real-life harm to trans people. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On Monday, Albertans headed to the ballot box to cast their votes on a number of things: municipal leaders, the merits of daylight savings and whether the country should get rid of the mention of equalization from the Constitution Act of 1982. But there’s a problem with that last one: Alberta alone can’t actually make any changes to the country’s Constitution.So what was the point of this referendum? Globe columnist and reporter Kelly Cryderman thinks this was more about politics than policy and says that this vote couldn’t have happened at a worst time for people, like Alberta Premier Jason Kenney, who want to see Ottawa renegotiate the equalization program. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

People in Iqaluit are in the midst of a water crisis. On Oct. 12 a state of emergency was declared when some of the 9,000 residents in Nunavut’s capital city complained of a suspicious fuel-like odour coming from their taps. Since then, they’ve been told to avoid drinking that water. Recent test results confirmed the water is contaminated with high levels of hydrocarbons consistent with diesel fuel or kerosene.National news reporter Willow Fiddler has been following the story and she explains what we know about the situation so far, how people in Iqaluit have been managing without any tap water and how it’s related to a broader water crisis facing many Indigenous communities in Canada. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In the early days of the pandemic, many speculated that being locked down with partners would inevitably lead to a baby boom. Recently, Statistics Canada released preliminary data that points to the opposite. In 2020, more than 13,000 fewer babies were born than in the previous year. Experts were surprised at just how sharp the decline was.Zosia Bielski is a national reporter for The Globe who writes about how we live together and apart, and traces large-scale social shifts. She explains why so many people chose to put a pause on family planning, why experts are saying the data may have a silver lining and whether this baby bust could just be a blip. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

A terrorism hoax charge has been withdrawn years after a Burlington, Ont., man told multiple journalists that he had travelled to Syria and worked as an executioner for ISIS. An RCMP investigation then found no evidence that Shehroze Chaudhry, now 26, went to Syria or joined the terrorist organization.Leah West, national security lawyer and professor at the Norman Paterson School of International Affairs at Carleton University, discusses how the story of an ISIS fighter among us sparked a political scandal and stoked public fear that has affected how our country is dealing with Canadians who really did go fight overseas and are now being detained there – along with their children. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Restaurants in Canada are facing an exodus. Over the past 19 months the hospitality industry has lost 15 per cent of the work force. Labour issues have been plaguing restaurants since the pandemic began and many are scrambling to hire and keep workers on. But this is an issue that existed long before COVID-19.Therese DeGrace worked in restaurants, including as a chef and as a consultant, for almost 30 years. Working with food had always been a dream of hers, but her expectations didn’t match up with her experience. She talks about what it’s like working in the industry, why the pandemic prompted so many to leave and what restaurants need to do to get workers back. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has yet to set a date for the reopening of Parliament nearly a month after the federal election.Parliamentary reporter Marieke Walsh updates us on what the parties think about their gains, their losses – and their leaders – as they look toward a new session. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Today we're bringing you an episode of City Space, a new podcast from The Globe and Mail about how to make our cities better, hosted by Adrian Lee.The 15-minute city is an urban planning concept that would see neighbourhoods designed so that day-to-day amenities are always just a short walk or bike ride away. And after living 18+ months of pandemic life, where most of us were forced to stay in our own neighbourhoods, it seems like implementing this idea in as many cities as possible will pay nothing but dividends. But while it’s popular in other parts of the world like many European cities, can we really just cut and paste the idea in Canada?In this episode, we hear from Alain Miguelez, Ottawa’s Manager of Policy Planning, who believes our nation’s capital is ripe for the 15-minute city and explains why he’s working hard to help execute it there. Plus, we check in with Jay Pitter, an award-winning placemaker and urban planning lecturer, about why she believes there is a crucial — but so far, absent — step necessary for the 15-minute city to actually work in North America. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

A deadline to get the COVID-19 jab – or lose their job – is quickly approaching for unvaccinated health care workers in Quebec and British Columbia. Meanwhile, the issue of mandatory vaccinations is also being hotly debated in other provinces such as Ontario. All of this is prompting questions about what could happen to our hospitals and long-term care centres if thousands of workers suddenly aren’t allowed to work?Health columnist André Picard discusses why the anticipated staff shortage may not actually pan out, why now is the time for these kinds of mandates and explores the reasons why thousands of health care workers in Canada remain unvaccinated. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On February 23, 2018, Ulla Theoret was murdered along with her son and her mother by a neighbour who was obsessed with her. More than three years later, an Ontario committee that reviews all cases of intimate partner homicides examined what happened to Ulla and her family and provided some recommendations for the province’s Solicitor General.The review was prompted by national reporter Molly Hayes’s initial investigation and she is on the Decibel to discuss how this case challenges the way authorities think about domestic violence, why unconventional relationships are often overlooked and the red flags that police sometimes miss. 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 busy few days for Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen. On Sunday, the former lead product manager for Facebook’s Civic Misinformation team went public with her criticism of the company in an interview on 60 Minutes. Then on Tuesday, she testified before a U.S. Senate hearing and accused the social media company of putting profits ahead of people and democracy.Now that it’s known that Facebook knew about the addictive nature and harmful effects of its platforms, what should be done about it? Taylor Owen is an associate professor and director of the centre for media technology and democracy at McGill University, where he studies Facebook and other Big Tech companies. He is on The Decibel to unpack what kinds of regulations governments could enact if they want to fix Facebook. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What do blackouts in China, surging natural gas prices in Europe and Asia and renewable energy have to do with each other? They are all wrapped up in a bumpy moment for the global energy supply as economies across the world revved up following a pandemic-induced slowdown.Globe and Mail reporter Jeffrey Jones explains exactly why this pickup in demand has stressed our global supply at this moment, how that’s causing a ripple effect worldwide and what can be done about it to prevent future crunches as we continue to transition away from fossil fuels as our primary source of energy. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In 2018, The Globe’s telecom industry reporter Alexandra Posadzki was hacked via a cell phone scam known as SIM swapping. This allowed the hacker to assume her identity and correspond with her friends and my family. The ordeal left her feeling unsettled and wondering just how common this type of fraud is in Canada.The answers, as Posadzki found out, weren’t readily available. She had to file an access to information request to get the first-ever glimpse into the prevalence of these types of attacks in Canada. She’s on the show to explain what she found out, how you can try to prevent this fraud from happening to you and why there needs to be more transparency around what measures are being taken to stop it. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

More than 4,000 care home residents have died in Quebec during the pandemic, but not all were directly due to COVID-19. Some were left to languish – without food, water or basic sanitary care – during the first wave of the pandemic and essentially died of neglect. The most infamous example was a home called Résidence Herron, where 47 of the 139 residents passed away after the home’s staff disappeared once the novel coronavirus struck.A coroner’s inquest that has included public testimony has clarified the details of the tragedies that unfolded and chaos inside these care homes. National reporter Tu Thanh Ha discusses the disastrous chain of events that led to a collapse of care, causing the undignified deaths of many seniors. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

As Canada marks the first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, we remember its origin in Orange Shirt Day, and explore how to meaningfully measure progress toward reconciliation.One way: The Canadian Reconciliation Barometer, developed by Indigenous and non-Indigenous researchers. Katherine Starzyk is a psychology professor at the University of Manitoba and principal investigator on the project, and Ry Moran is a collaborator, member of the Red River Metis and the associate university librarian-reconciliation at the University of Victoria. They’ll help explain what exactly the project is measuring, and how this gauge can be used to inform the conversation. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Marie Henein is one of Canada’s most famous criminal defence lawyers. Her successful career is highlighted by her representation of well-known clients most notably, former CBC host Jian Ghomeshi. This has also made her a polarizing figure. Defending Ghomeshi against sexual assault charges – which he was acquitted thanks to her work – garnered public backlash. She was even accused of being a traitor to her gender.In a new book, Nothing But The Truth: A Memoir, Henein details her journey from her childhood in Egypt to her high-profile legal career. She sat down with Robyn Doolittle to discuss what she thinks needs to change in our justice system, how growing up surrounded by strong women has shaped her and her thoughts on the future of the #MeToo movement. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

After spending more than a 1,000 days in Chinese detention, Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor arrived back in Canada on Saturday. Just hours earlier, Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou, who was arrested in Vancouver’s airport in 2018 on charges related to violating U.S. sanctions, returned to China after a deal was reached with U.S. prosecutors. These events signal a swift and dramatic end to what has been a tumultuous time for Canada and China’s relationship.Yves Tiberghien, a political science professor at the University of British Columbia, explains the details of the deal, why he thinks it left Canada looking admirable on the world stage, and why China’s history made Meng’s return to China strike such a chord with the Chinese public. 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 four-lane bridge that separates Del Rio, Texas from Acuña, Mexico. As far as border crossings go, it’s not that remarkable. But until this Friday, the scene had looked more like a refugee camp for most of September as thousands of migrants gathered there with hopes of getting into the United States.The Globe’s Nathan Vanderklippe went to visit the migrant camp at this spot along the U.S.-Mexico border. There he spoke to Haitian migrants, many of whom travelled for months from South America to get there and then found themselves staring down the prospect of being deported back to their homeland. Nathan is on the show to share their stories and how the U.S. is handling yet another immigrant dilemma. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What do you do when your depression doesn’t respond to traditional treatments? Especially when that depression is severe and causes suicidal thoughts? For author Anna Mehler Paperny, that meant turning to ketamine.Often thought of as just a party drug, evidence for the use of ketamine as a treatment for depression is growing. Anna details her journey navigating the new treatment as a patient, examining how the therapeutic use of psychedelic drugs has changed the way we understand the brain and depression.If you are having thoughts of suicide, call Kids Help Phone at 1-800-668-6868 or Crisis Service Canada at 1-833-456-4566, or visit crisisservicescanada.ca. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

China’s second-largest property developer, Evergrande, owes about US$300-billion in liabilities, sparking fears that the property developer could default. But would Beijing allow such a huge company to fail?The Globe’s Asia correspondent James Griffiths explains how Evergrande became a behemoth in a real estate market overrun with speculation, and why its current trouble started partly because of new government crackdowns on inequality in China. 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 reckoning happening on campus at Western University. The London, Ont., post-secondary institution is reeling after allegations that young women were drugged and sexually assaulted started spilling out over social media following its orientation week earlier this month.Now the university is pledging to do something, not just to make students feel safer on campus but to address the underlying cultural issues that have led to this situation. The Globe and Mail’s postsecondary education reporter, Joe Friesen, is on the show with Hope Mahood, the co-ordinating news editor for Western’s student paper, the Western Gazette. They discuss the mood at the university now, what pressures the university administration is facing and what promises are being made. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Justin Trudeau and the Liberal Party of Canada won their third straight election, but failed to capture a majority mandate in Canada’s 44th federal election. By early Tuesday morning, the results nearly mirrored the seat count when parliament was dissolved.So now the question that is being asked is: Was the campaign worth it? Political columnist and writer at-large John Ibbitson and parliamentary reporter Kristy Kirkup join to discuss this, and break down what happened on election night and what it means for the country.You can find more coverage of the results in the days after the election at www.theglobeandmail.com. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

One hundred and eighty two. That’s how many COVID-19 patients were in intensive care unit (ICU) beds at the peak of Alberta’s third wave in May. But after a summer of no restrictions, that number is now beyond 200. And it is going to climb; public officials are nearly certain about that.Alberta Bureau Chief James Keller is on the show to explain how the province wound up here, why vaccination rates are the lowest in the country and what lies ahead for hospitals as case counts rise and ICUs are pushed to the brink. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

At the start of the federal election campaign, we asked the three major federal party leaders to come on the show. Conservative leader Erin O’Toole’s team declined, and we never heard back from Liberal leader Justin Trudeau.But this week, NDP leader Jagmeet Singh said yes, and from his tour bus between campaign stops, we asked him about his party’s plans to protect people from the effects of climate change and make affordable housing, and about strategic voting and low voter turnout among young people. 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, all four major federal parties have credible climate plans. And there is even some agreement between them. For example, they all want to invest in electric vehicles, develop battery supply chains and transition to a greener economy. But where do they differ? And whose plans are the most realistic according to experts? And will any of them actually hit their greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets?Emma Gilchrist joins the show. She is the Editor-in-Chief of The Narwhal, a non-profit journalism organization that does investigative work about Canada’s natural world. She breaks down the various climate change policies across the different party platforms to help voters make sense of what plans are being offered to save the world. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In scenes that have baffled many across the country, groups of people have been protesting COVID-19 legislation outside hospitals. Despite the fact that healthcare workers have nothing to do with lockdowns or vaccine mandates, they are still being targeted by these demonstrations.Globe health reporter Andrea Woo went to one of these protests in Vancouver this week and is on the show today to discuss what the protesters said, who is organizing them, and why this is happening during a fourth wave of the pandemic that by some measures is worse than ever before in Alberta and Saskatchewan.Read more about the response to these demonstrations. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The increasing price of everything from cell phone bills to housing to child care can feel overwhelming. And when a federal election rolls around, it’s a chance for politicians of all parties to vie for votes by pledging to make life more affordable for Canadians.So who is promising what in this election? And what do the experts think about their solutions? Report on Business reporter Mark Rendell is on the show to go through how the Liberals, Conservatives and the NDP are saying they will make your life cheaper, especially when it comes to home ownership and daycare. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Mohammed Sharif Sharaf and Mukhtar Amiri worked for The Globe in Afghanistan alongside our correspondents. Between them, their work for the newspaper spans a decade, and included translating, arranging interviews, reporting trips and helping Globe reporters safely navigate a country at war.When the Taliban took back Afghanistan in August, Sharif and Mukhtar knew that work put them – and their entire families – at risk of attack by the Taliban or their supporters. The Globe’s Senior International Correspondent Mark MacKinnon and other journalists knew that too, and began figuring out a way to help their former colleagues escape.You can read and watch more about the escape of Sharif and Mukhtar here. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Omar Mouallem was just a kid growing up in High Prairie, Alberta when the World Trade Center in New York was brought down by two commercial airplanes hijacked by members of the terrorist group al-Qaeda, killing almost 3,000 people.Now a journalist and author, Omar explores how the events of that day shaped his own relationship to his Muslim heritage, and about his journey to mosques and Muslim communities across the Americas to better understand the history and present day lives of Muslims here.You can read Omar’s essay for the Globe on the 20th anniversary of 9/11 here. His book Praying to the West: How Muslims Shaped the Americas is out on September 21st. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

With less than two weeks to go, the federal election campaign is heating up with two official election debates back-to-back. While Jagmeet Singh’s NDP have gained ground, polling suggests the Conservatives’ popularity have tied them with Justin Trudeau’s Liberals.Writer-at-large and political columnist John Ibbitson has been on the campaign trail with Erin O’Toole, and tells us how the leader has exceeded expectations this campaign. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Women were hit harder than men by layoffs during the pandemic, and those who were caregivers or parents and kept working had to contend with COVID-19 outbreaks in long-term care and schools. Online learning, runny noses and COVID-19 scares all meant that kids stayed home more, often on short notice. This made remote work necessary for many parents and the burden fell disproportionately on women.As kids return to school, and the vaccine buys us some freedom to move around, employers are eyeing a return to the office. But child care remains precarious as COVID-19 scares – or even the kind of common childhood bugs that resemble the virus – threaten to keep kids home on short notice. That reality, along with the flexibility of remote work many employees have grown accustomed to, has given rise to the idea of a hybrid model, where employees can choose when to work at home, and when to come into the office.But as ROB senior business writer and columnist Rita Trichur points out, the hybrid model can only work fairly if those who need to work remotely are given the same opportunities to advance in their careers as the employees who put in more face time at the office. And that means deliberately shifting the culture of many workplaces. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Even before COVID-19, one in five kids in Canada met the diagnostic criteria for a mental disorder. Since school closures, lockdowns, job loss, and of course the illness and death caused by the pandemic, children’s mental health has gotten even worse.Dr. Tracy Vaillancourt is co-author of a report from the Royal Society of Canada that explains what we know about the effects of school closures on children during the pandemic. She is a professor and Canada Research Chair in Children’s Mental Health and Violence Prevention at the University of Ottawa.She’ll explain how the government could help children struggling with their mental health in the wake of the pandemic, and how parents can support their children’s mental health. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Seven Hong Kong democracy activists were sentenced to prison this week for their roles in the 2019 protests that saw hundreds of thousands of people protesting, and many violent clashes with the city’s police.That unrest continues to have a major impact on Hong Kong today, thanks to the national security law passed in its wake, which banned secession, subversion, terrorism and collusion with foreign powers. This broad law created a chilling effect on the city’s once-vibrant pro-democracy movement and other civil society.Hong Kong-based Asia correspondent James Griffiths speaks with us from the city to explore how it has changed since the national security law was passed. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

We’re heading into the third school year of the pandemic. For 18 months now, students and their parents have had to deal with unpredictable school disruptions and a lot of anxiety around contracting COVID-19. Most students were forced into remote learning for weeks at a time. Kids in Ontario spent more than half of the 2020-2021 academic year out of the classrooms. Most kids and parents managed the isolation, the screen time, the tech issues. But very few thrived.And now that the vaccination rollout has over 65 per cent Canadians fully inoculated, most Canadian students are returning to in-person learning. But there is still a tangled web of restrictions for parents to sort out and the looming threat of the Delta variant that could send kids home, again.The Globe and Mail’s education reporter, Caroline Alphonso, is on the show to help parents understand how schools are gearing up to keep kids stay and facilitate as normal of a return to school this fall as possible. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The fraud trial of Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes has started in California. Holmes has been accused of defrauding investors and patients by lying about a groundbreaking technology that could test for a range of diseases from a single drop of blood.Jason Kirby, a reporter with The Globe’s Report on Business section, has been following the case and tells us Silicon Valley entrepreneurs will no doubt be closely watching to see how the court – and media – regard one of their now-fallen stars, the youngest ever self-made female billionaire. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On Monday it was announced that the last American troops had left Kabul’s airport, ending 20 years of Western military presence in Afghanistan. Canada’s last flight evacuating Canadians and Afghans who had worked with Canada departed last week. But individuals and groups, including The Globe and Mail, continued to try to arrange ways out of the country for those threatened by the Taliban.Adrian Lee is an editor for Globe Opinion, and our guest host. He first introduces us to two Afghan men who have successfully fled to Ukraine with the help of The Globe. Then, Adrian speaks with Ottawa Bureau Chief Robert Fife about what the government has done — and hasn’t done — to help Afghans trying to flee the Taliban in these final days. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In his new memoir, environmentalist Clayton Thomas-Müller recounts growing up surrounded by love and strength – but also family violence, relentless racism, and poverty. From selling drugs in a gang to organizing environmental campaigns against oil and gas extraction, the stories of Thomas-Müller’s life defy any one category to paint a complex picture of what it is to be a Cree man in Canada.Guest host and Globe national reporter Willow Fiddler speaks with Thomas-Müller about the connection between fighting climate change and healing in Indigenous communities, and how his book Life in the City of Dirty Water is part of his own path to healing. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

As a bonus, we're bringing you an episode of Stress Test, a podcast about personal finance from The Globe and Mail, hosted by Rob Carrick and Roma Luciw.A lot of people feel uncomfortable negotiating with their boss for a raise and other perks. But if you don’t ask, you won’t get. And it’s definitely a lot easier to save money if you’re making more of it. We hear from a group of friends (who tell each other everything) as they discuss their recent experiences asking for a raise. Plus, Roma talks to Hadiya Roderique, who taught negotiation at the University of Toronto’s Rotman School of Management and also was a lawyer. She shares her tips on how to make your case like an expert. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Despite the pandemic, Canada’s federal election campaign has felt somewhat normal. There have been socially-distant campaign events and speeches full of policy promises. The NDP and Conservatives have released their platforms and while the Liberals haven’t released theirs, they are still making new announcements. But has one of these issues come to define the campaign so far?Marieke Walsh, a political reporter at The Globe and Mail, joins guest host Laura Stone from the campaign trail to break down what’s been going on so far and explore the big question … what is this federal election actually about? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Should judges take race into account when deciding on punishments for crimes? The Nova Scotia Court of Appeal ruled last week that it should. Judges in that province must now take the effects of marginalization and racism into account when sentencing Black offenders by considering ensuring reports called Impact of Race and Culture Assessments – or it could be grounds for an appeal. Justice Anne Derrick wrote in the ruling that Black and other racialized people are overrepresented in federal prisons. Nearly 10 per cent of Canadian federal prisoners are Black, while Black people make up only 3.5 per cent of the country’s population.Tanya Walker, a lawyer from Toronto, is on the show to tell us how systemic racism shapes legal outcomes, the importance of rehabilitation, and what this ruling could mean for the future of Canadian law. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Shein may be one of the most successful clothing brands that you’ve never heard of. The fast-fashion giant is where Gen Z shoppers go to find cheap, trendy clothing. Over the course of the pandemic, the brand managed to bring in nearly $10 billion (USD) in sales. But what are the environmental and ethical costs of this quickly produced yet easily disposed form of fashion?Terry Ngyuen, a reporter for The Goods at Vox, recently wrote a piece called, Shein is the future of fast fashion...is that a good thing?, and is on the show to tell us how Shein got so popular, where it stands alongside competitors and what questions still remain about how it has managed to become so big so quickly. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Canada has an opportunity when it comes to electricity. We’re ahead of the game in some ways. A sizable part of the electrical grid is already decarbonized. And, about 80 per cent of our electricity comes from clean sources like hydroelectricity. But with demand expected to double as we electrify everything in our lives – from electric vehicles to heating homes – Canada’s grid faces some major challenges if we are going to keep up and meet our net-zero climate goals.The federal election provides us with a moment to have a national conversation about an infrastructure issue that could be as consequential as building the railway was in the 19th century. Columnist Adam Radwanski discusses the hurdles for modernizing and unifying the grid and why all Canadians should care about an admittedly wonky policy topic. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The last time the Taliban ruled Afghanistan, they imposed an extremist interpretation of Shariah law on its people, harboured Osama bin Laden as he planned 9/11, and were ultimately routed from power by the U.S.-led invasion of the country in 2001. Now, they’re back, and giving interviews promising a kinder regime, with amnesty for all Afghans who worked for the government. Meanwhile on Wednesday, civilians were killed when Taliban militants violently dispersed a protest.Sher Jan Ahmadzai worked in the government of former Afghan president Hamid Karzai, and is now the director of the Center for Afghanistan Studies at the University of Nebraska Omaha.Today, Professor Ahmadzai tells us who this new Taliban is, how they swept back into power, and why he fears for a “bleak” future for the people of Afghanistan. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

After 17 months of lockdowns, masking, social distancing and vaccinations, it looked like we might finally be cresting the worst of the pandemic. But the official word has come from Canada’s top public health officer, Theresa Tam: we’re now in a fourth wave.Cynthia Carr, an epidemiologist based in Winnipeg, talks about how the combination of the Delta variant, vaccine hesitancy, and schools reopening means this wave will be different.Read more about the complications the Delta variant will create as kids return to school. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Taliban’s capture of Kabul has caught NATO governments flat-footed in their efforts to extricate their embassy staff and the Afghan nationals who have been helping them, as well as the troops. While many foreigners have been flown home, a lot of Afghans are stuck. Now, these residents are scared that the Taliban will find them and their families.Many are wondering if Canada will help them escape while they wait hidden in their homes or in safe houses set up by Canadian veterans. Ottawa reporter Menaka Raman-Wilms has been speaking with people in Kabul as well as the Canadians who are desperately trying to get them out of the country. She explains the context around their private efforts, as well as what the government is pledging it will do. 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 almost 1000 days since Canadians Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor were detained by the Chinese government. The move was widely seen as retaliation for Canada arresting Chinese citizen Meng Wanzhou on behalf of the U.S. Now, Spavor has received an 11-year sentence for espionage, Kovrig’s sentence is expected any time now, and Meng’s extradition case could continue for years.The Globe’s new Asia correspondent, James Griffiths, breaks down the politics at play between China, the U.S., Canada and Iran to untangle the threads that link these cases.Send a message to Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig as they near 1,000 days in detention in China. The Globe and Mail is inviting readers to send letters that we will forward to the Chinese embassy in Ottawa. E-mail [email protected] or send hard copies to The Globe and Mail Toronto office with “Attn: Two Michaels” on the envelope: 351 King Street East, Suite 1600. Toronto, ON, M5A 0N1 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

As a bonus, we're bringing you an episode of Stress Test, a podcast about personal finance from the Globe and Mail, hosted by Rob Carrick and Roma Luciw. The pandemic ruined many wedding plans. But even before that, a culmination of peer pressure and over-the-top consumerism had pushed the cost of weddings sky-high. It’s made some couples ask: What is a wedding worth? We hear from Jasmine, a glamorous but cost-conscious millennial who got married just as the world first shut down during COVID-19. Plus, Karen Cleveland, co-author of the book called The New Wedding Book: A Guide To Ditching All the Rules, talks with Roma about the need to rethink weddings from a personal finance perspective. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Canada’s last federal election was in the fall of 2019, and the Liberals won a minority government. Now, as some experts say the fourth wave of the pandemic is upon us as case counts rise thanks to the Delta variant, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is rumoured to be preparing to call an election as early as this Sunday, which would mean an election day in late September.Globe writer at large, John Ibbitson, has been the bureau chief in Ottawa and Washington, D.C for the Globe, and he joins us to explain why he’s expecting an election imminently, why the opposition parties would rather not be campaigning just yet, and how a federal pandemic election might look different— and could even backfire for the Liberals. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Monday’s IPCC report brought together the world’s latest science to tell us what we know about what causes climate change and what exactly it’s doing to our planet. It painted a picture of a world becoming, in some areas more than others, harder for people to live in. Millions of people are already displaced each year because of weather events like hurricanes, flooding, drought and extreme heat, that we now know will become more frequent as climate change progresses. Increasingly, experts have predicted mass, permanent migrations caused by climate change in the coming decades.Novelist, journalist and former Globe reporter Omar El Akkad joins the show to talk about this emerging group of climate refugees. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.