pod.link/thedecibel
pod.link copied!
The Decibel
The Decibel
The Globe and Mail

Context is everything. Join us Monday to Friday for a Canadian daily news podcast from The Globe and Mail. Explore a story... more

Listen now on

Apple Podcasts
Spotify
Google Podcasts
Overcast
Podcast Addict
Pocket Casts
Castbox
Stitcher
Podbean
iHeartRadio
Player FM
Podcast Republic
Castro
RadioPublic
RSS

Episodes

City Space: Vancouver’s Chinatown fights gentrification

Canada’s largest Chinatown has been under siege for over a century: first by race riots, then by poverty and most... more

26 Apr 2024 · 41 minutes
The call to disband the Thunder Bay police

This week, a group of First-Nations leaders called for the Thunder Bay Police Service to be disbanded for the second... more

25 Apr 2024 · 21 minutes
How Hong Kong is cracking down on dissent

The government in Hong Kong recently voted to pass a new national security law, referred to as Article 23. It... more

24 Apr 2024 · 20 minutes
As conflict rages in Gaza, a ‘silent war’ in the West Bank

The Israel-Hamas war is continuing in Gaza, but tension extends to another Palestinian territory, the West Bank. Five hundred Palestinians... more

23 Apr 2024 · 20 minutes
The capital gains tax, explained

When the federal government released their 2024 budget last week, they changed the capital gains tax for the first time... more

22 Apr 2024 · 20 minutes
ArriveCan and the government’s outsourcing problem

On Wednesday, Kristian Firth became the first person in over a century held in contempt of Parliament and ordered to... more

19 Apr 2024 · 21 minutes
The stakes of India’s election as Modi seeks third term

With nearly one billion eligible voters, India is the world’s biggest democracy. Beginning April 19, with voting staggered over six... more

18 Apr 2024 · 18 minutes
What the 2024 federal budget means for you

The 2024 Canadian federal budget has been unveiled, with a particular focus on affordability and housing this year. But the... more

17 Apr 2024 · 23 minutes
How a new kind of drug could change the future of Alzheimer’s

There are an estimated 650,000 cases of dementia in Canada right now. The last 20 years of research into the... more

16 Apr 2024 · 21 minutes
City Space: How Halifax’s unhoused crisis got so bad

The Globe and Mail’s City Space podcast takes on the big issues, questions and stories of urban living. What makes... more

15 Apr 2024 · 40 minutes
What we’ve learned from the foreign interference inquiry

After a spate of news stories and immense public pressure, the government of Canada established the Public Inquiry into Foreign... more

12 Apr 2024 · 23 minutes
Former health minister Jane Philpott’s plan to save health care

Long wait times and the never ending battle to connect with a healthcare professional is a reality most people know... more

11 Apr 2024 · 25 minutes
Why major economies are trying to woo Vietnam

Vietnam is having a moment on the world stage. Last month, Canada sent the largest ever “Team Canada” delegation of... more

10 Apr 2024 · 18 minutes
How seafood from North Korean forced labour ends up in Canada

Where does your seafood come from? And who, along the supply chain, handled it? An investigation from the non-profit investigative... more

09 Apr 2024 · 26 minutes
The big business bet on psychedelic drugs

In the last few years, there has been an increase in research around using psychedelic drugs, like LSD and magic... more

08 Apr 2024 · 19 minutes
The deadly challenges of getting aid into Gaza

The deaths of seven World Central Kitchen humanitarian aid workers in Gaza has shone a light on the dangerous conditions... more

05 Apr 2024 · 24 minutes
School boards take on social media giants

Educators across Canada are worried about the use of cellphones – and in particular social media – in classrooms, saying... more

04 Apr 2024 · 20 minutes
Canada’s uncertain AI future

Since 2017, Canada has worked to attract the best artificial intelligence research talent in the world. But it hasn’t been... more

03 Apr 2024 · 23 minutes
Four reasons why you can’t afford housing

Buying and owning a home in Canada is an endless source of frustration. Many have been priced out, while competition... more

02 Apr 2024 · 20 minutes
What to know about the upcoming total solar eclipse

On April 8, the moon will block out the sun giving many Canadians a chance to witness a total solar... more

01 Apr 2024 · 20 minutes
How sleep affects our brains

There are few more important habits for human health than the hours we spend asleep every night. Research shows sleep... more

28 Mar 2024 · 22 minutes
Amid a housing crisis, students build tiny homes for teachers

Aspen, Colorado is a picturesque mountain town often called a snowy “playground for the rich”. Real estate is also one... more

27 Mar 2024 · 20 minutes
What you need to know about your CPP money

For most workers in Canada, there’s a chunk of money deducted from each paycheck that goes toward the Canada Pension... more

26 Mar 2024 · 20 minutes
Why single parents are struggling in Canada

The number of single parents in Canada has been steadily growing since the 1970s. Today, one in five children grow... more

25 Mar 2024 · 21 minutes
The political fight over the carbon tax

The federal price on carbon is set to increase on April 1. This tax is being criticized by many provinces... more

22 Mar 2024 · 21 minutes
Who’s left to oppose Vladimir Putin?

Russian President Vladimir Putin is one of the longest serving leaders of the country, on track to surpass the rule... more

21 Mar 2024 · 21 minutes
Why full parole was granted to a multiple murderer

The man who murdered the parents of a former NHL goalie was recently granted full parole. In 2022, a ruling... more

20 Mar 2024 · 20 minutes
The dark side of Bay Street’s hottest finance funds

Private debt funds are one of the hottest commodities in the world of investing. High rates of return and low... more

19 Mar 2024 · 25 minutes
The challenge with preparing for wildfires in B.C.

Canada went through its most destructive wildfire season in 2023. Wildfire services rely on data, forestry photography and mapping as... more

18 Mar 2024 · 19 minutes
Why millennial women are so burnt out

Millennial women are feeling burnt out. The responsibilities and pressures of family, work and caregiving are piling up, amidst the lingering... more

15 Mar 2024 · 21 minutes
Where Haiti could go from here

After months of escalating violence, Haiti has descended into chaos. Criminal gangs have largely taken control of the country’s capital... more

14 Mar 2024 · 18 minutes
The ‘invisible’ opioid crisis in small towns

The dangerous effects of the opioid crisis could be distilled in a single afternoon in February: the town of Belleville,... more

13 Mar 2024 · 20 minutes
The debate around using hormone therapy for menopause

A new series published by the medical journal, The Lancet says menopause is being “over-medicalized.” It argues that treating aging... more

12 Mar 2024 · 22 minutes
Building renewables in Alberta just got a lot harder

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith announced new regulations for renewable power developments that started on March 1st. This comes after the... more

11 Mar 2024 · 21 minutes
Toxic truths about Agent Orange in Canadian military base

A recent legislative commission in Maine has questioned the 2006 Canadian investigation on the spraying of herbicides that took place... more

08 Mar 2024 · 18 minutes
Celebrated Group of Seven sketches revealed to be fakes

In 2015, the Vancouver Art Gallery believed it had made a groundbreaking acquisition. 10 sketches by Group of Seven member... more

07 Mar 2024 · 21 minutes
Why measles infections are surging again

Measles cases have been popping up all over the world, including in Canada. This highly contagious virus can be devastating... more

06 Mar 2024 · 21 minutes
Documents reveal fired scientists shared information with China

Newly released documents reveal two scientists who worked at a high-security infectious disease lab in Winnipeg provided confidential scientific information... more

05 Mar 2024 · 20 minutes
What to know about Canada’s new Pharmacare bill

The Liberal-NDP supply-and-confidence deal has passed another test. The two parties managed to table a pharmacare bill before the March... more

04 Mar 2024 · 22 minutes
Filling Canada’s trades labour shortage with high school students

There are increasing shortages in the skilled trades in Canada, and provinces and territories are desperate to get people to... more

01 Mar 2024 · 21 minutes
Why discount airlines keep going bust in Canada

On Monday, Calgary-based discount airline Lynx Air, which launched a mere two years ago, ceased operations. For customers, that means... more

29 Feb 2024 · 22 minutes
The rise in exclusive deals between insurers and pharmacies

Exclusive deals struck between insurance companies and pharmacies are increasingly drawing scrutiny from patients, pharmacists and cabinet ministers. The arrangements,... more

28 Feb 2024 · 22 minutes
The Odysseus lunar landing and a new space race

For the first time ever, a spacecraft built by a private company has landed on the moon. The robotic lander,... more

27 Feb 2024 · 20 minutes
The landmark decision on white nationalist terrorism

Since the murder of a Muslim family by a self-described white nationalist in London, Ont. in 2021, debate has raged... more

26 Feb 2024 · 20 minutes
On the ground in Kharkiv, two years into the Russian invasion

Two years ago, Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Now, with Russia on the front foot, many towns that... more

23 Feb 2024 · 21 minutes
Is Trudeau leading the Liberals to an election day shellacking?

The latest poll numbers are looking grim for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the Liberals. According to an Abacus poll... more

22 Feb 2024 · 19 minutes
Investigating Canada’s dependence on for-profit nursing

As health care across Canada struggles with staffing shortages, a Globe investigation has found that provincial use of private nursing... more

21 Feb 2024 · 23 minutes
The Federal Housing Advocate on the national encampment crisis

Canada’s first federal housing advocate released her first-ever formal review last week: Housing is a human right and that the... more

20 Feb 2024 · 22 minutes
The Alberta credit union betting on gold over government

Worried about total economic collapse because of government mismanagement? Bow Valley Credit Union might be for you. The Alberta credit... more

16 Feb 2024 · 23 minutes
Inside the power struggle over Rogers’ telecom empire

Back in the fall of 2021, Canadian news headlines were dominated by the story of the Rogers family battling for... more

15 Feb 2024 · 23 minutes
Palestinians fleeing Gaza face hurdles coming to Canada

The Israel-Hamas war has led to a growing humanitarian crisis in Gaza. In January, Canada launched a temporary program for... more

14 Feb 2024 · 18 minutes
The rising costs of pet ownership

Life has gotten expensive in a number of ways – from groceries to housing. And so too, have the costs... more

13 Feb 2024 · 22 minutes
China sets its sights on the Arctic

A new report about Chinese companies registering in Russia’s Arctic highlights China’s “no limits partnership” with Russia, and its interest... more

12 Feb 2024 · 19 minutes
Why the ‘last mile’ of inflation is the hardest

The most recent numbers show that inflation in Canada is at 3.4 per cent. Still above the 2-per-cent target, which... more

09 Feb 2024 · 21 minutes
A year of drug decriminalization in B.C.

It’s been a year since B.C. got permission to decriminalize possessing small amounts of some street drugs. At the time,... more

08 Feb 2024 · 21 minutes
Fact-checking Alberta’s new gender-affirming care policies

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith unveiled a raft of new policies last week that have healthcare professionals warning of dire consequences... more

07 Feb 2024 · 19 minutes
The U.S. states vying for cheaper drugs from Canada

In early January, Florida became the first U.S. state to get approval to import wholesale drugs from Canada. The FDA’s... more

06 Feb 2024 · 21 minutes
TD Bank’s anti-money-laundering troubles

For months now, TD Bank has been making headlines. First there was the news they were acquiring U.S.-based First Horizon... more

05 Feb 2024 · 17 minutes
Hells Angels, an Iranian drug lord and an alleged murder plot

A U.S. federal indictment is unsealed and within it are explosive allegations. According to court documents released this week, an... more

02 Feb 2024 · 20 minutes
The five pro hockey players charged with sexual assault

Five hockey players from Canada’s 2018 world junior hockey team have been charged with sexual assault in connection to an... more

01 Feb 2024 · 23 minutes
Debate around Israel-Hamas war collides with Canadian theatre

Online petitions. Angry in-person meetings. An ultimatum. These are just a few of the events that lead to a Canadian... more

31 Jan 2024 · 19 minutes
On the new frontlines of Myanmar’s civil war

Myanmar has been embroiled in a bloody civil war for nearly three years, after the military staged a coup in... more

30 Jan 2024 · 20 minutes
What you need to know about the foreign interference inquiry

The long-awaited inquiry into foreign interference begins today. The Globe and Mail’s reporting, based on top-secret CSIS documents, of sophisticated... more

29 Jan 2024 · 22 minutes
Federal Court finds Trudeau’s use of Emergencies Act unjustified

Nearly two years on, the federal government’s use of the Emergencies Act against the 2022 convoy protests is still being... more

26 Jan 2024 · 22 minutes
What’s driving property tax hikes in big cities?

Cities in Canada pay for most of the services they provide with property taxes. What homeowners are charged in property... more

25 Jan 2024 · 20 minutes
Turning the tides into renewable energy

Companies around the world are trying to harness the power of the tides to create a renewable energy source. Canada’s... more

24 Jan 2024 · 19 minutes
Invasive Group A Strep infections: what you need to know

Cases of Invasive Group A Strep infections are on the rise in Canada. It’s an illness with potentially fatal outcomes... more

23 Jan 2024 · 20 minutes
What happens when a group of hospitals get hacked

On Oct. 23, 2023, five hospitals in southwestern Ontario realized they were under attack. A cybercrime group was hacking them... more

22 Jan 2024 · 18 minutes
Baby boomers mourn a future without grandkids

Canada’s birth rate is at an almost 20-year low. People are deciding not to have kids for a variety of... more

19 Jan 2024 · 21 minutes
What’s driving Canada’s ‘population trap’?

Canada is one of the fastest growing countries in the world and in 2023, the population officially reached 40 million... more

18 Jan 2024 · 19 minutes
The repercussions and fallout from the Steven Galloway case

The case of Steven Galloway caused a firestorm when it was first made public, and it continues to this day.... more

17 Jan 2024 · 22 minutes
The promise and problems with Ontario’s Ring of Fire

Ontario’s Ring of Fire has long been believed to contain critical minerals like nickel, copper and chromite, purportedly worth tens... more

16 Jan 2024 · 20 minutes
You’re not wrong, snowy winters aren’t like they used to be

Snowy season in many parts of Canada is off to a slow start. At the end of December, fewer than... more

15 Jan 2024 · 19 minutes
Why it feels like everyone is getting sick right now

There seems to be a lot of illness going around right now. Hospitals are struggling with what the Canadian Medical... more

12 Jan 2024 · 21 minutes
South Africa takes Israel to UN court

On December 29, South Africa submitted an application with the International Court of Justice claiming that Israel’s offensive in Gaza... more

11 Jan 2024 · 19 minutes
Why Taiwan’s election tests China’s authority

Taiwan, the east Asian country of 24 million people, is ramping up to a pivotal presidential election on January 13.... more

10 Jan 2024 · 21 minutes
Hard truths about ‘gentle parenting’

There’s a conversation happening amongst parents that is drumming up a lot of controversy. It’s around the idea of gentle... more

09 Jan 2024 · 22 minutes
What’s in store for Canada’s economy in 2024

Inflation has been rising, interest rates have accelerated at record pace, and the cost of living has been weighing on... more

08 Jan 2024 · 20 minutes
New attacks threaten to push Israel-Hamas war beyond borders

Tensions in the Middle East have heightened in the last week, not just because the war in Gaza continues, but... more

05 Jan 2024 · 21 minutes
Has the promise of plant-based meats gone bust?

Plant-based meat has been touted as a way of having our steak and eating it too. The industry had grand... more

04 Jan 2024 · 18 minutes
Where grief fits into Canada’s healthcare system

There is a universal – but uncomfortable – truth about grief: We will all experience it at some point in... more

03 Jan 2024 · 20 minutes
It was a rough year for Trudeau – what will 2024 bring?

2023 was a rocky year for Justin Trudeau and his Liberal government. The country was grappling with unaffordable housing and... more

02 Jan 2024 · 21 minutes
The story of the world's most premature twins to survive

For the holidays, The Decibel is sharing their favourite stories of the year, with the producers taking you behind-the-scenes on... more

29 Dec 2023 · 28 minutes
Ford and the never-ending Ontario Place saga

For the holidays, The Decibel is sharing their favourite stories of the year, with the producers taking you behind-the-scenes on... more

28 Dec 2023 · 28 minutes
The hunt for dark matter, two kilometres under Sudbury

For the holidays, The Decibel is sharing their favourite stories of the year, with the producers taking you behind-the-scenes on... more

27 Dec 2023 · 26 minutes
Butter, sugar and a pinch of family

Food and family are often front and centre during the holidays. These two ingredients also help make up our identities... more

22 Dec 2023 · 19 minutes
A wallet was sent to The Globe with a letter from a dying man

Earlier this year, The Globe’s sports editor Jamie Ross got a peculiar package in the mail – a wallet, with... more

21 Dec 2023 · 20 minutes
The lost art of human pinsetting

The Globe’s Carrie Tait recently went to visit a bowling alley in the small town of Kimberley, British Columbia. It’s... more

20 Dec 2023 · 18 minutes
The myth and the reality of Newfoundland’s giant squids

A giant squid discovered in Newfoundland in 1873 turned what until then was a mythological creature into the scientifically named... more

19 Dec 2023 · 18 minutes
The complicated art of political cartoons, with Brian Gable

Nearly every day, The Globe published an editorial cartoon. Around 8,000 of those cartoons were drawn by Brian Gable. After... more

18 Dec 2023 · 20 minutes
The Decibel
Where grief fits into Canada’s healthcare system
The Decibel
0:00
-0:00

Listen now on

Apple Podcasts
Spotify
Google Podcasts
Overcast
Podcast Addict
Pocket Casts
Castbox
Stitcher
Podbean
iHeartRadio
Player FM
Podcast Republic
Castro
RadioPublic
RSS

Description

There is a universal – but uncomfortable – truth about grief: We will all experience it at some point in our lives.... more