The Decibel

Canada is facing tariffs, a possible recession and an ongoing housing crisis. The country needs millions of new, affordable homes, and Prime Minister Mark Carney wants the federal government to help build them. But how effective was it the last time the federal government built housing?Today, Dr. Carolyn Whitzman, a senior housing researcher with the University of Toronto, will walk us through the postwar plan Carney is drawing inspiration from. And then, we’ll analyze the challenges Carney and Housing Minister Gregor Robertson will face, and whether their plan can solve Canada’s long-standing housing crisis.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, Canada Post received a strike notice from its union representing 55,000 workers. The notice comes just less than a year after the last postal strike back in November. Canada Post is under major financial trouble. A recent report commissioned by the federal government says the postal corporation is in an “existential crisis.” Canada Post has lost $3-billion since 2018 and according to the report, that’s due to a drop in letter mail and parcel delivery competition. This is putting even more pressure on the corporation and the union to come to a deal.Meera Raman is a financial and retirement planning reporter at The Globe. She’ll explain the financial state of Canada Post, what’s been happening with negotiations, and what the impact could be on 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.

Over the weekend, the Israeli military launched a new operation in Gaza called Gideon’s Chariots. It comes after a two-month long blockade of humanitarian aid that is finally starting to ease as some trucks with food have been allowed to enter the Palestinian enclave.Hamida Ghafour is The Globe’s deputy foreign editor. She talks about the international response to Benjamin Netanyahu’s recent decisions, an update on the remaining hostages and what it has been like for Palestinians to live under the current circumstances.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.

Generative AI has been taking the world by storm, and Alberta wants in on the action. The province currently has plans to break ground on at least six AI data centres this year. But, more data centres means more electricity usage, and in Alberta, that means more natural gas.Joe Castaldo is a business reporter for The Globe and Mail. He’s on the show to explain why Alberta is trying to become the next big data centre hub and what that means for the province’s electricity needs and emissions.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.

Last week, Justice Maria Carroccia dismissed the jury in the Hockey Canada case for the second time. The trial will continue and be heard by a judge alone, rather than appointing a new jury and starting over – a decision that means the complainant, a woman known only as E.M. due to a publication ban, won’t have to testify again. Robyn Doolittle has been covering the court case for The Globe. She explains what prompted this shocking development, what led to the first jury getting dismissed and how E.M.’s cross-examination ended. 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 experiences of Inuit people and scientific data show the impacts of climate change and how it disproportionately affects Canada’s Far North. Arctic sea ice is central to Inuit life – Labrador Inuit communities have more than four dozen Inuttitut terms for sea ice. And the weakening of the ice as a result of climate change poses a tangible threat: stifling access for remote fly-in communities, cutting off essential goods and endangering Inuit peoples’ traditions, including hunting and fishing.Jenn Thornhill Verma, investigative journalist and Pulitzer Ocean Reporting Fellow, takes The Decibel to the northeastern Labrador Inuit community of Nunatsiavut. We hear from Inuk elders on how their communities are innovating and adapting new technology to fight climate change.This story was produced in partnership with the Pulitzer Center’s Ocean Reporting NetworkQuestions? 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.

Over the past week, the U.S. has brokered trade deals with Britain, China, and the Middle East, signaling a shift in President Donald Trump’s trade war. What this means for Canada, however, is not yet clear.Mark Rendell is an economics reporter for The Globe’s Report on Business. He joins us today to help break down what these deals mean, how the trade war has been playing out in Canada, and what might come next.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 Tuesday, Prime Minister Mark Carney’s new cabinet was sworn in. Canada now has 28 ministers and 10 secretaries of state, with representation from every province – including the north.Campbell Clark is The Globe and Mail’s chief political writer. He joins the show today to explain who’s who in Carney’s cabinet, and what this means for the new federal government.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.

After several tense weeks of escalating military action across the de facto border in Kashmir, India and Pakistan have agreed to a fragile ceasefire. For the last week there have been reports of gunfire, drone attacks, and missile strikes in the region. This current conflict started after an April 22 terrorist attack left 26 people dead at a Kashmir tourist resort. But this isn’t the first time these two countries have been at odds. Dr. Reeta Tremblay is the former provost at the University of Victoria and a political scientist and expert on the Kashmir region. She’s on the show today to give us insight into the decades-long fight between India and Pakistan, and what needs to happen in order for the two countries to have lasting peace. 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.

Measles is spreading at an unprecedented rate in Canada. It was considered eliminated in Canada in 1998, but last week, Ontario reported 1,440 cases of the disease, Alberta reported 313 cases, and Saskatchewan reported 27. There are also cases in British Columbia, Quebec, and Nova Scotia. In April, New York State issued a travel advisory for people coming to Ontario, warning “measles is just a car ride away.”Vaccination rates are also on the decline. In Ontario, only about 70 per cent of children under the age of 7 have been fully vaccinated against measles. André Picard is a health columnist for The Globe and Mail. He’s on the show to explain how significant it is that we’re seeing these kinds of measles numbers, and how he thinks public health officials need to address this moment. 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.

While the Liberal Party celebrated winning its fourth mandate in a row in the latest federal election, thousands of Albertans spent the night calling for a referendum on separatism. This week, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith addressed growing frustrations in her province and shared her demands of Prime Minister Mark Carney’s new federal government.This isn’t the first time separatism has been considered in Western Canada. But now, Alberta may soon get to vote on the question of separation.The Globe’s Carrie Tait joins the show from Edmonton. She’ll make sense of ongoing Western discontent, how Danielle Smith is responding and where the movement may be headed.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 members of Canada’s 2018 world junior hockey team are currently on trial for allegedly sexually assaulting a woman in a hotel room seven years ago. Each of the accused players has pleaded not guilty.The complainant – publicly known as E.M. – has told the jury her version of events and now is under cross-examination by the players’ defence lawyers.Globe reporter Robyn Doolittle has been reporting from the courthouse from London, Ont. She recaps what the jury has been told so far.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.

Prime Minister Mark Carney met with U.S. President Donald Trump face-to-face in Washington, D.C. for the first time on Tuesday. Tensions between the two leaders’ nations are at a historic high: a trade war, escalating tariffs and threats against Canada’s sovereignty have all been major issues since Trump’s re-election. For many Canadians, the central question in the recent federal election was how the next prime minister would handle U.S. aggression. Carney is now facing that reality.Doug Saunders, The Globe’s international affairs columnist, joins The Decibel to analyze the Carney-Trump meeting and what it signals about the Canada–U.S. relationship now.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 U.S. government is ramping up its efforts to deport immigrants. On Monday, the Trump administration announced a new policy offering anyone illegally in the U.S. $1,000 and a flight to leave the country. And on Sunday, President Donald Trump didn’t commit to upholding the right to due process for citizens and non-citizens alike.Sara Mojtehedzadeh is an investigative reporter with The Globe, and she’s been covering Trump’s crackdown on immigration. She’ll explain the rise in detentions along the Canada–U.S. border, the impact of the Trump administration’s policies on asylum claims, and what it could mean for immigration into Canada.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.

Problem gambling is a real issue in Canada – where reporting shows young people having even higher rates than adults. The increasing monetization of games, especially online, often uses similar mechanics to gambling, despite it being illegal for youth to gamble in Canada. And some experts say these apps and games are reinforcing feelings of risk and reward.Dr. Loredana Marchica is a pediatric psychologist at the Montreal Children’s Hospital and at Pathways Psychology Clinic. Her research focuses on gambling among young people. She’ll tell us how the line between gaming and gambling is becoming blurred – and how to tell it’s become a problem.Editor's note: A previous version of this article incorrectly described Dr. Loredana Marchica as a pediatric psychologist and psychiatrist. She is a pediatric psychologist.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.

At 18 years old, Andean Medjedovic was a math prodigy, finishing his master’s degree in mathematics at the University of Waterloo before most young Canadians can legally drink. Medjedovic was involved in cryptocurrency trading – and according to the U.S. Department of Justice – engaged in “cryptocurrency hacking schemes” that allegedly netted him US$65-million in digital tokens. Now, he’s on the lam.Alexandra Posadzki, The Globe’s financial and cybercrime reporter, is on the show to talk about how Medjedovic allegedly pulled off the trades, the cases against him, and how the controversial philosophy of “Code is Law” in the world of decentralized finance plays into his story.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.

Now that the election is over, we’re bringing you another edition of Campaign Call, The Decibel’s weekly election panel that makes sense of the major issues.Where does Pierre Poilievre go from here without a seat in the House of Commons? What kind of Prime Minister will Mark Carney be and how will he actually handle Trump? How do the NDP rebuild?Globe columnists Robyn Urback, Andrew Coyne and Gary Mason are on the show to discuss the path ahead for the leaders and their parties.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.

Vancouver’s Lapu Lapu festival was supposed to be a celebration of Filipino culture and traditions. Instead, it became a scene of horror on Saturday, after a man accused of driving an SUV into a crowd, killed 11 people and injured dozens more. Police say the youngest victim was five years old; the oldest was 65. The accused has been charged with eight counts of murder.Globe national reporter Nancy Macdonald, based in Vancouver, was on scene on the night of the attack. She brings us stories of eyewitnesses, what we’ve learned about the victims and the suspect and how communities are reeling after one of the darkest days in Vancouver’s history.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 April 28, Canadians voted in another Liberal government.They are heading to the House of Commons with what appeared to be a minority government.The Conservatives gained seats and will form the Official Opposition; however, leader Pierre Poilievre’s seat remained undecided early Tuesday morning.Today, the Globe’s Ottawa Bureau Chief Robert Fife and feature writer Shannon Proudfoot join us from the nation’s capital. They break down the surprises in this close race and what Monday’s results could mean for the direction of the country.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 impossible to get a full picture of a country as big and diverse as Canada, but audio journalist Kasia Mychajlowycz set out on a road trip to find as many people as she could to ask: what’s the most important issue to you in this election season, and why?What people answered ranged through topics like affordability, healthcare, trust in government, reconciliation, tariffs and more. But in over 35 interviews in a dozen places over seven provinces, people went beyond politics, retelling the joys, challenges and tragedies that make up all our lives. CORRECTION: An older version of this episode misidentified Al Porter.Listen to the first installment East to West: voices in Atlantic Canada ahead of the election 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.

With the federal election nearly upon us, we’re bringing you the last edition of Campaign Call before Canadians head to the polls. This week, feature writer Shannon Proudfoot and columnists Robyn Urback and Marsha Lederman discuss how the leaders’ final pitches are sitting with Canadians.Plus, The Globe’s economics reporter Nojoud Al Mallees breaks down the costed platforms of the Liberals and the Conservatives and explains why some people are questioning the math.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 15 years ago, the NDP became Canada’s official opposition. Now, Jagmeet Singh and the NDP are trailing far behind the frontrunners of the upcoming federal election and are no longer campaigning to win — but instead to hold the winners accountable, raising questions about the party’s future.Gary Mason is a national affairs columnist at the Globe. He’s on the show to explain how Singh’s campaign is responding to waning support, what’s led the NDP to this point and what the party’s collapse could mean for Canada’s political landscape.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.

Ahead of Pope Francis’s funeral on Saturday, many are remembering his time as pope as one that marked a shift towards more progressive ideals, including an apology for the role of the Catholic Church in the harm done to Indigenous peoples through the residential school system, both in Rome, and again in Canada, back in 2022. Some critics said this apology didn’t go far enough. Tanya Talaga is an Anishinaabe journalist, speaker and contributing columnist for the Globe and Mail. She’ll explain the Pope’s role in reconciling historic harms, what impact his apology actually had, and where reconciliation with the Church goes from 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.

Recently, U.S. President Donald Trump’s on-again, off-again tariffs have created an uncertain environment for Canadian businesses, and many are considering shifting investments south of the border. But, for some, tariffs are having the opposite effect – providing opportunity to grow in Canada.Pippa Norman is The Globe’s innovation reporter. She’ll explain how these businesses are expanding at home, and how risky the bet on Canada might be.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 April 28, Canadians will vote in a new federal government. Voters have gotten to know the front-runners – Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre and Liberal leader Mark Carney … but what about the people steering them?With a week left, we’re looking at the people running this election’s leading campaigns – and the strategies driving the Liberal and Conservative war rooms in this tight race.The Globe’s senior reporter Stephanie Levitz will introduce us to the strategists, advisors and campaign directors trying to win your vote – and the challenges both parties are facing in the process.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.

Presenting Machines Like Us, a Globe and Mail podcast on technology and people.We’re a few weeks into a federal election that is currently too close to call. And while most Canadians are wondering who our next Prime Minister will be, host Taylor Owen and his guests today are preoccupied with a different question: will this election be free and fair?In her recent report on foreign interference, Justice Marie-Josée Hogue wrote that “information manipulation poses the single biggest risk to our democracy”. Meanwhile, senior Canadian intelligence officials are predicting that India, China, Pakistan and Russia will all attempt to influence the outcome of this election. To try and get a sense of what we’re up against, Owen wanted to get two different perspectives on this. Aengus Bridgman is the Director of the Media Ecosystem Observatory, a project that they run together at McGill University, and Nina Jankocwicz is the co-founder and CEO of the American Sunlight Project. Bridgman and Jankocwicz are two of the leading authorities on the problem of information manipulation.This episode was originally published on April 8, 2025. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Canadians are not particularly good at resting. According to Statistics Canada data collected between July 2022 and July 2023, people over the age of 15 spent an average of 17 minutes a day resting, relaxing, or lying down, and an average of 18 minutes a day on relaxing pursuits known as “active leisure” (think: birdwatching, camping, or going to an art gallery). That’s translating into stress – more than a fifth of employed Canadians said their stress levels were high or very high. On top of all that, Expedia’s 2024 Vacation Deprivation Report found that 45 per cent of Canadians left vacation days on the table in 2023.Zosia Bielski is the Globe and Mail’s time use reporter. Today, she’s on the show to challenge the idea that down time needs to be earned, and to talk about some of the different approaches people are taking to prioritize rest in their lives.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.

With less than two weeks until the federal election, The Decibel is bringing you another edition of Campaign Call, The Globe’s weekly election panel.This week, ahead of the French and English leaders’ debates, feature writer Shannon Proudfoot and chief political writer Campbell Clark will explain why debates still matter and what each leader needs to accomplish during them.In the second half, we’re joined by Nik Nanos, the chief data scientist of Nanos Research, to get a behind-the-scenes look at the polls – in terms of how the data is gathered and how reliable polls are.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 way medical records are handled in Canada is a patchwork of disconnected systems – creating massive headaches for patients and doctors. Patients struggle to access their own data, and practitioners have to waste time compensating for inefficiencies. But, governments, companies and healthcare professionals are searching for ways to make all these systems talk to each other.Chris Hannay is a staff reporter at the Globe who covers the business of healthcare. He’ll explain how Canada’s medical record system ended up like this and what Canada could gain from adopting an interconnected system.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 election is in two weeks, on April 28 – so the Decibel has invited the leaders from Canada’s major parties onto the show to share their vision for the country.And while environmental concerns haven’t been top-of-mind in this election … Green Party co-leader Jonathan Pedneault says he isn’t just concerned about climate change.Pedneault – who previously served as the party’s deputy leader from 2022 to 2024 – is proposing bold policies on a range of issues Canadians are facing, from U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariff threats to the high cost of living.The former journalist and human rights investigator, who has spent the better part of the last decade and a half working and living abroad, believes more progressive ideas are needed in this election. But the Greens are lagging in the polls, and Pedneault is running in a Liberal stronghold … So how will they be effective if they don’t make it to the House of Commons?Today, Green Party co-leader Jonathan Pedneault joins us from Montreal. Ahead of the leader debates this Thursday, we ask him about his party’s daring proposals, what the Greens are offering Canadians, and if he’s returning to Canadian politics for good.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.

We’re halfway through the election period and it’s time for Campaign Call, The Decibel’s weekly election panel making sense of the major issues. This week, the embers of western separatism were stoked by an opinion piece by Preston Manning published in The Globe, arguing that national unity is on the ballot. We explore the threats of regionalism amidst the surge of pro-Canadian sentiment across the country. Plus, we’ll look into how the major parties are making their pitch to win over a crucial voting demographic – seniors.Feature writer Shannon Proudfoot, Alberta politics reporter Carrie Tait, columnist Konrad Yakabuski based in Montreal and Meera Raman, retirement and financial planning reporter, discuss the big stories with host Menaka Raman-Wilms.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.

Last week, U.S. President Donald Trump announced sweeping global tariffs on most of the world, plunging markets into some of the worst days in recent memory. The tariffs took effect yesterday, but after hours of market volatility, the White House reversed course. Trump announced a 90-day pause on his initial tariff plans, instead issuing a 10-per-cent tariff on all implicated trading partners other than China. Instead, Trump doubled down by raising tariffs on Chinese goods to 125 per cent. All of this uncertainty has led to chaos in global markets.Tim Kiladze, a financial reporter and columnist for The Globe, is on the show to make sense of what’s going on in the markets, and what all this means for global trade.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.

For years, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has been framing the federal race as a “carbon tax election.” But then Mark Carney became the Liberal Leader and Prime Minister and “axed the tax” for him, setting the consumer carbon price to zero.Now, Poilievre is targeting another federal carbon tax – the one on the industry’s largest emitters. It’s part of a broader shift in this election toward energy sovereignty. Against the backdrop of U.S. President Donald Trump’s ongoing threats to Canada’s economy, there’s been a surge in public and political support for domestic oil and gas projects.Today, The Globe’s Adam Radwanski, a columnist who covers climate policy, is on the show. He’ll walk us through the ongoing political fight over carbon pricing, why we’re suddenly seeing more support for pipelines, and the cost of slowing Canada’s efforts against climate change.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.

In the age of gentle parenting, a new trend has emerged: parents are changing the ways they talk to their young children about sharing. Rather than forcing their kids to share their toys, relenting to their playmates’ demands, some parents are encouraging their children to say “no” and stand up for themselves.Amberly McAteer is a contributing parenting columnist for the Globe. She joins the show to talk about what it looks like to teach your kids it’s okay not to share all the time, how she’s adopted this mentality with her own children, and why she believes it will lead them to become more empowered and self-assured as they grow up.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.

Last week, the U.S. Senate vote to pass Senator Tim Kaine’s resolution to end the state of emergency that allows U.S. President Donald Trump to issue tariffs on Canadian goods. President Trump’s stated reason for the tariffs is that the fentanyl flowing into the United States from Canada “constitutes an unusual and extraordinary threat.” The number he’s been citing is 43 pounds for the fiscal year 2024.Globe reporters Kathryn Blaze Baum, Colin Freeze and Andrea Woo looked into that number and found that the White House has been using misleading data to justify tariffs on Canada. Today, Kathryn is on the show to explain what their investigation found, how much fentanyl seized in the U.S. last year can actually be attributed to Canada, and what kind of impact the Senate resolution could have on the trade 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.

It’s the end of the week, which means it’s time for Campaign Call…our election panel where we make sense of the major issues. This week we’re going to talk about one of the central themes in the campaign: the uncertainty caused by U.S. President Donald Trump. We also get into why the Conservatives are fighting in public, and what each major party is promising to help workers affected by Trump’s tariffs.Feature writer Shannon Proudfoot, senior reporter Stephanie Levitz, and economics reporter Jason Kirby discuss with host Menaka Raman-Wilms.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.

U.S. President Donald Trump signed a sweeping executive order on Wednesday to put reciprocal tariffs on goods from most of its international trading partners. Trump called the tariffs a “declaration of economic independence” and accused other nations of stealing American jobs.However, Canada and Mexico, which have been in Trump’s crosshairs for months, are exempt from the new tariffs, as long as they comply with the U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade deal. But higher tariff rates will continue for aluminum and steel, and tariffs are coming on all foreign auto products.Mark Rendell, the Globe’s economics reporter, breaks down the confusing array of new tariffs, the ones that Canada’s still dealing with... and the impact of Trump’s trade war going global.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 U.S. President Donald Trump took office in January, immigration lawyers have reported seeing a rise in non-U.S. citizens being denied entry. At the beginning of March, Jasmine Mooney, a Canadian who had previously been able to obtain a U.S. work visa, was detained for nearly two weeks when she tried to renew her visa. European tourists have been detained at the border, and Canadians born in Iran and Afghanistan have been increasingly turned away at the border.The Globe’s Vanmala Subramaniam spoke to immigration lawyers about what Canadians living and working in the U.S. should do, given the situation at the border. Today, she’s on the show to talk about why we’re seeing this increase in Canadians being denied entry or detained at the U.S. border, and what people travelling to the U.S. can do to protect themselves.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 the first week of the federal election campaign, several new foreign interference stories have bubbled up. The first involves allegations that CSIS believed agents working on behalf of India organized support for Pierre Poilievre’s 2022 Conservative leadership bid.Meanwhile, the Liberals are dealing with fallout from the allegations that former Member of Parliament Chandra Arya had ties with India and met with Prime Minister Narenda Modi. Liberal leader Mark Carney is also responding to calls to fire a GTA candidate after remarks calling for a Conservative candidate be turned in for a Chinese bounty.Robert Fife has been breaking all of these stories, and he’s is on the show to discuss.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 March, Adrial and Adiah Nadaraja turned three years old. Born at 22 weeks, they were the youngest premature twins ever to survive to their first birthday. If they had been born just two hours earlier, health care workers would not have medically attempted their resuscitation.Today, Kelly Grant joins the show with an update about how Adrial and Adiah are doing, how far the family has come, and how the twins’ birth asked difficult medical and moral questions, but may ultimately help to push the conversation around preemie viability forward.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.

During the election campaign, the Globe and Mail is travelling across the country to hear about the issues facing people in Canada today.In small communities in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick this week, producer Kasia Mychajlowycz spoke to students, business owners, retirees and more. She found that as some struggle to make ends meet with the rising cost of living in rural Atlantic Canada, many are patriotic in the face of the trade war with the Trump administration.If you’d like the Globe and Mail to visit your community, please e-mail and tell us why 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.

Welcome to The Decibel’s inaugural election panel!Each week, we’re going to focus on a major theme from the week’s campaign, and provide some analysis about what’s happening. Then, we’re going to unpack specific policy promises from the big parties to help you decide how to vote. We’ll end by answering your questions. So here’s a reminder to send us an e-mail or voice note with your questions about the campaign.This week we look at how all of the candidates are trying to campaign on the idea that they are the change Canada needs, and then we’ll break down the duelling tax cuts from the Conservatives, the Liberals and the NDP.For our first panel today, we’ve got Ottawa-based feature writer Shannon Proudfoot, columnist Robyn Urback and economics reporter Nojoud Al Mallees.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.

For decades, scientific research at the Great Lakes has meant close partnership between Canada and the U.S., but President Trump’s latest job cuts may be changing that. Last Thursday, the U.S. agencies overseeing the health and conditions of oceans, lakes and rivers became the latest target of the Trump Administration’s federal job-cutting spree.Patrick White reports on water issues for the Globe. Today, he explains how the partnership around the Great Lakes is changing, why there’s new negotiations about water sharing, and why these conversations about freshwater are not just issues of environmental concern – but also of national security.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.

Last week, Global Affairs Canada confirmed that China has executed four Canadians since the beginning of the year. The move further escalates already tense diplomatic relations between the two countries.Meanwhile, China’s retaliatory tariffs on Canadian goods went into effect on Thursday. And all of this is happening in the middle of Canada’s trade war with the United States. Now, Canada finds itself fighting its two biggest trading partners – while they fight with each other.Today, the Globe’s Asia correspondent, James Griffiths, joins us from Hong Kong. He’ll explain the news of these Canadian executions, the impact of China’s retaliatory tariffs, and what these rising tensions mean for the relationship between Canada and China.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 population of undocumented migrants living and working in Canada is substantial. And while most of them initially entered the country legally, on visas or work permits, many migrants feel that it is worth it to stay in Canada after their status expires, even if they are not legally allowed to work or live in Canada and risk being deported.Globe journalist Sarah Efron, and freelance photographer Yader Guzman, spent months meeting people from Canada’s undocumented migrant community. Today, Sarah and Yader share what they learned about why people choose to stay despite the often dismal conditions they face in employment, health and housing, and how the federal government is responding.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.

At midday on Sunday, Prime Minister Mark Carney asked Governor-General Mary Simon to dissolve Parliament and begin an election campaign. Canadians are heading to the polls to elect the next federal government on Monday, April 28.Three months ago, this election was the Conservatives’ to lose. But polling has Pierre Poilievre and Mark Carney neck and neck. The race is set to be one of the most unpredictable – and important – elections in recent memory. U.S. President Donald Trump’s trade war and threats of annexation loom large as Canada fights to affirm its place in the international order.Campbell Clark is The Globe and Mail’s chief political writer, and he’s on the show to explain where the parties are, what’s at stake, and why this election is so important.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.

Prime Minister Mark Carney is expected to call a federal election by Sunday, after being sworn into office last week.And he’s had a busy week. Between announcing that he’ll be cutting the consumer price on carbon and introducing a leaner cabinet, he took his first trip as prime minister, travelling to Paris, London, and Iqaluit.But why hasn’t Carney’s tour included a trip south of the border, when trade tensions with the U.S. look to define Canada’s upcoming election?The Globe’s senior reporter Stephanie Levitz has been trailing the new prime minister. Today, she joins the show to talk about his meetings with international leaders, and what we’ve learned about the former central banker since he stepped foot into the prime minister’s office a week ago.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.

Project 2025 was meant to be a U.S. Republican transition bible, outlining a vast set of proposed policies for the next leader. Within its 900 pages, was a plan to use tariffs to correct a perceived imbalance in trade, and to bring manufacturing jobs back to the U.S. Once U.S. President Donald Trump took office, he endorsed this plan – but then, he went off-book.Now, other Republicans, and Wall Street, are trying to figure out what the president’s long-term strategy is, and what to do about it.Today, Tim Kiladze, one of the Globe’s financial reporters, is on the show to tell us about this Project 2025 tariff plan, how Trump suddenly changed course, and why it’s left global economies scrambling.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.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has agreed to a limited ceasefire with Ukraine after a discussion with U.S. President Donald Trump. The deal, also supported by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, would mean Russian and Ukrainian troops will stop targeting energy and infrastructure for 30 days.This ceasefire plan falls short of the original proposal, which would’ve seen an immediate 30-day halt to all fighting. Further talks are planned, but at this point, there are still a number of contentious issues – including security guarantees – to be negotiated.The Globe’s Europe correspondent, Paul Waldie, reported from Ukraine. He’ll talk about the call between Trump and Putin, the perspective from Kyiv right now, and where the peace talks are headed from 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.

Canadian dairy is a recent target of U.S. President Donald Trump’s proposed reciprocal tariffs coming in April. Trump’s proposed levies are in retaliation for the sector’s massive tariffs, which apply to American imports over a certain limit. According to the International Dairy Food Association, the import limits have never been exceeded.It’s part of a system called supply management. It controls the country’s domestic dairy production, and has strict regulations surrounding imports and exports. But some critics say it acts as a trade barrier. At a time when Canada needs to expand its relationships, can it afford to leave this system untouched?Today, the Globe’s economics reporter Nojoud Al Mallees is on the show to explain how Canada’s supply management system works, what it means for farmers and consumers, and why it’s become a target in Trump’s trade war.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.