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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

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Episodes

A massive cyanide leak and the cost of gold

Back in June, there was a massive accident at the Eagle gold mine in central Yukon, on traditional Na-Cho Nyak... more

27 Sep 2024 · 20 minutes
How the Conservatives tried (and failed) to trigger an election

On Wednesday, a Conservative non-confidence motion was voted down by the other parties in the House of Commons. But it’s... more

26 Sep 2024 · 23 minutes
The politics of B.C.’s involuntary care

Last week, days before the British Columbia election was called, Premier David Eby announced a new plan for mental health... more

25 Sep 2024 · 24 minutes
The behind-the-scenes look at how Rogers took over Toronto sports

A set of rivals came to an unexpected agreement recently. Rogers Communications Inc. bought BCE Inc.’s 37.5-per-cent stake in Maple... more

24 Sep 2024 · 22 minutes
The rules for buying a house are changing

Last week, the Liberal government announced they’re bringing in new mortgage rules to help first-time buyers get into the market.... more

23 Sep 2024 · 19 minutes
‘We are deeply ashamed’: The Canadian Medical Association

On September 18, the Canadian Medical Association issued an apology to Indigenous peoples. The group represents Canadian doctors and President... more

20 Sep 2024 · 23 minutes
Gold bars, millions of dollars seized by police...is that legal?

Back in March of this year, authorities in British Columbia filed an “unexplained wealth order” to seize a safety deposit... more

19 Sep 2024 · 16 minutes
By-election tests: The NDP passed. The Liberals failed.

On Monday, voters in the Winnipeg riding of Elmwood-Transcona and Montreal’s LaSalle-Émard-Verdun went to the polls. The results saw the... more

18 Sep 2024 · 21 minutes
Why AI is no miracle drug

Drug development has always been a long and arduous process, taking years of research and costing millions of dollars. When... more

17 Sep 2024 · 23 minutes
The ‘ghost gear’ strangling Canada’s marine wildlife

Fishing equipment like nets, traps and lines that have been lost or abandoned are a serious problem for marine wildlife.... more

16 Sep 2024 · 20 minutes
The fallout from Ukraine’s incursion into Russia

It’s been just over a month since the Ukrainian military launched an incursion into the Russian region of Kursk. It... more

13 Sep 2024 · 22 minutes
Can Trudeau pull the Liberal Party back from the brink?

The Liberal Party is in a ‘dire state’. From questions over Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s continued leadership to the collapse... more

12 Sep 2024 · 21 minutes
Analyzing Canada’s big banks’ ties to an Israeli defence company

Since the 2023 Giller Prize ceremony, Scotiabank, the fiction prize’s lead sponsor, has been the target of protests over its... more

11 Sep 2024 · 21 minutes
Bingo! What to expect in the U.S. presidential debate

Donald Trump and Kamala Harris are set to face off in what will likely be the only debate between them... more

10 Sep 2024 · 24 minutes
In conversation with Ukraine’s First Lady

A new phase in the war in Ukraine began when Ukrainian forces took Russian territory in August. A month later,... more

09 Sep 2024 · 21 minutes
How an unsolved murder uncovered the world’s largest art fraud

Police say that it’s the biggest art fraud in world history—and it happened here in Canada. It centres around the... more

06 Sep 2024 · 21 minutes
Jagmeet Singh ‘rips up’ Liberal-NDP deal

Since March 2022, the NDP has been propping up the Liberals in a supply and confidence agreement, that saw both... more

05 Sep 2024 · 21 minutes
Rat czars and pigeons on ‘The Pill’: cities wage war on pests

As long as there have been cities, there have been pest problems. Beneath our feet, rats scurry about and feed... more

04 Sep 2024 · 17 minutes
How to deal with back-to-school anxiety

This week, most kids across the country are headed back to school. That transition can bring a lot of feelings... more

03 Sep 2024 · 21 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

30 Aug 2024 · 20 minutes
Why Canada is cutting back on temporary foreign workers

The government has announced that they are cutting down on the numbers of low-wage temporary foreign workers being admitted into... more

29 Aug 2024 · 19 minutes
What’s going on at TD Bank?

Last week, TD Bank released its quarterly earnings. For the first time in 21 years, they reported a quarterly loss... more

28 Aug 2024 · 23 minutes
The railway labour dispute, explained

Labour negotiations between Canada’s two major railways – CN and CPKC – and the train workers’ union, Teamsters Canada Rail... more

27 Aug 2024 · 18 minutes
How inflation is messing with benefits and pensions

We often think about how food prices and income struggle to keep up with inflation, but what about things like... more

26 Aug 2024 · 21 minutes
Why running is more popular than ever

Distance running, once a relatively niche sport, has exploded in popularity. The trend has been ongoing for at least a... more

23 Aug 2024 · 23 minutes
The killing of a multimillion-dollar fraudster

On June 17, police were called to a shooting in a neighbourhood of Toronto. Three people were killed, two victims... more

22 Aug 2024 · 22 minutes
Why movie theatres are banking on ‘go big or go home’

Going to the movies is getting more complicated. When you want to pick a showing, you now have a growing... more

21 Aug 2024 · 19 minutes
University of Toronto lab unmasks Russian hacking campaign

By now, most people know how to recognize the signs of a phishing e-mail – poor spelling and grammar, strange... more

20 Aug 2024 · 17 minutes
Why the condo slump matters for the housing crisis

A recent report said that condo sales in Toronto are at a 27-year low. Insolvencies amongst condo developers are rising... more

19 Aug 2024 · 19 minutes
Why aren't there more public toilets?

When nature calls, you have to answer, and quickly. The last thing you’d want is to walk several kilometers to... more

16 Aug 2024 · 23 minutes
Mayors call for help with ‘humanitarian crisis’ of homelessness

A coalition of mayors across Ontario are pleading for help in what they call a “humanitarian crisis” on their streets.... more

15 Aug 2024 · 21 minutes
Viral videos on IUD pain spur new medical guidance

Intrauterine devices, or IUDs, have become increasingly accessible and popular over the last few years. The high level of efficacy... more

14 Aug 2024 · 25 minutes
A developer, a beloved island and an old amusement park

Boblo Island is situated in the Detroit River, on the border of Canada and the U.S., just outside of Windsor.... more

13 Aug 2024 · 22 minutes
Loblaw dominates groceries. Now it’s eyeing healthcare

In 2023, more than 6.5 million people across Canada did not have a family doctor. Family doctor deserts are growing... more

12 Aug 2024 · 24 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

09 Aug 2024 · 21 minutes
Israel-Hezbollah tensions escalate with deadly strikes

Since the war in Gaza broke out in October, Israel and Hezbollah have been engaged in constant military strikes. At... more

08 Aug 2024 · 22 minutes
The secrets of Summer McIntosh’s Olympic success

Expectations were high for 17-year-old Canadian swimmer Summer McIntosh coming into the Paris Olympic Games. After all the races were... more

07 Aug 2024 · 22 minutes
Inside the longevity movement selling a longer lifespan

Over the last few years, a movement has grown where followers are spending thousands of dollars on rigorous and sometimes... more

06 Aug 2024 · 24 minutes
Stress Test: Here’s what young Canadians are putting in their TFSAs

We’re taking a peek into the TFSAs of regular Canadians to give you ideas of how to better use yours.... more

02 Aug 2024 · 32 minutes
Why is Ontario getting rid of its COVID wastewater surveillance?

For nearly four years, researchers have been using data collected from wastewater samples to determine when and where COVID infections... more

01 Aug 2024 · 24 minutes
Drone spying casts shadows over Canada’s Olympic Games

One of the biggest stories of the Paris Olympics has centred on the Canadian women’s soccer team, as the reigning... more

31 Jul 2024 · 17 minutes
What Jasper can teach us about managing wildfires

Last week, wildfires tore through the town of Jasper, Alta., and the surrounding national park. Around 30 per cent of... more

30 Jul 2024 · 24 minutes
The think tank writing the ‘blueprint’ for Trump’s second term

Opponents of Donald Trump have been sounding alarms about Project 2025, a policy plan for a conservative presidency put forward... more

29 Jul 2024 · 18 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

26 Jul 2024 · 18 minutes
A murder conviction and the search for missing Indigenous women

A serial killer in Winnipeg has been convicted in the murders of four Indigenous women – Morgan Harris, Rebecca Contois,... more

25 Jul 2024 · 20 minutes
The paradox – and potential – of Kamala Harris’ campaign

In under two days, the narrative around Kamala Harris has completely shifted. It went from questioning her ability to replace... more

24 Jul 2024 · 21 minutes
The Paris Olympics might be exactly what we need right now

The Globe and Mail’s Cathal Kelly has high hopes for the upcoming Olympic Games in Paris. He thinks that 2012... more

23 Jul 2024 · 21 minutes
How Biden’s exit fits into American political history

After weeks of pressure, speculation and open questions from political leaders about his age and health, U.S. President Joe Biden... more

22 Jul 2024 · 19 minutes
Why discount airlines keep going bust in Canada

In late Februrary, Calgary-based discount airline Lynx Air, which launched a mere two years prior, ceased operations. For customers, that... more

19 Jul 2024 · 22 minutes
The sorry state of Canada’s water pipes

When a large drinking water pipe burst in Calgary last month, city residents were subject to water usage restrictions that... more

18 Jul 2024 · 20 minutes
The Canadian accused of building a digital den for drug dealers

Paul Krusky is an unassuming tech nerd whose company, EncroChat, was once just one of the world’s many encrypted phone... more

17 Jul 2024 · 22 minutes
What’s next for Republicans after the attack on Trump

The attempted assassination of Donald Trump in Pennsylvania on Saturday has thrown an already tense election campaign into further chaos.... more

16 Jul 2024 · 20 minutes
Five ways that Canada’s housing market is broken

The problems with Canada’s housing market have spread beyond major cities like Toronto and Vancouver to smaller communities across the... more

15 Jul 2024 · 24 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

12 Jul 2024 · 27 minutes
What’s at stake for Canada at the NATO summit

This year’s NATO summit comes at a critical moment. Pledges of support for Ukraine drum up questions about why Canada... more

11 Jul 2024 · 22 minutes
Life on the border of Myanmar’s civil war

The Myanmar civil war has been raging on for over three years now. Over 50,000 people have been killed, including... more

10 Jul 2024 · 20 minutes
Meeting IRL: the backlash against online dating

Dating apps have gained popularity over the past decade as singles strive to meet new people in a digital age.... more

09 Jul 2024 · 22 minutes
Jane Boon: Reflecting on my sexual experience with Frank Stronach

On June 7, the 91-year-old Canadian business magnate Frank Stronach was arrested and charged with sexual assault. On June 26,... more

08 Jul 2024 · 23 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

05 Jul 2024 · 22 minutes
Closing fisheries devastated Newfoundland. Should they come back?

Last week, the federal government ended a 32-year ban on commercial cod fishing off the coasts of Newfoundland and Labrador.... more

04 Jul 2024 · 19 minutes
How rising antisemitism is affecting Canadian Jews

Since October 7th, antisemitic incidents in Canada have been on the rise. Toronto Police Deputy Chief Robert Johnson said that... more

03 Jul 2024 · 22 minutes
The complex man at the centre of the Canada-India feud

A year after the death of prominent Sikh leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar, questions remain about who he really was. His... more

02 Jul 2024 · 22 minutes
A crushing loss is making Trudeau’s Liberals rethink the future

Justin Trudeau and the Liberals appear to be in big trouble. Following a stunning loss in the Toronto-St. Paul’s by-election... more

28 Jun 2024 · 22 minutes
Why Brits are so tired of the Conservative Party

The U.K.’s Conservative Party is in deep trouble. Britons are heading for a general election on July 4 and polls... more

27 Jun 2024 · 24 minutes
What Nenshi’s win means for the NDP, Alberta, and Danielle Smith

Over the weekend, the Alberta NDP elected former Calgary mayor Naheed Nenshi to lead the party into the 2027 provincial... more

26 Jun 2024 · 18 minutes
A new Canada-U.S. border crossing and Windsor’s economic boom

For the first time in almost a century, North America’s busiest border crossing – between Detroit and Windsor – is... more

25 Jun 2024 · 21 minutes
How to make friends as an adult

It’s hard making friends as an adult. Time to build new relationships becomes scarce. And despite many ways to keep... more

24 Jun 2024 · 21 minutes
Introducing ‘Lately’: The Globe and Mail’s business and tech podcast

Introducing ‘Lately’: a new weekly podcast from The Globe and Mail about the intersection of business and technology. Every Friday,... more

21 Jun 2024 · 33 minutes
Why Elon Musk’s $50 billion payday scandal matters

Last week, Tesla shareholders voted to approve a huge pay package for CEO Elon Musk that a judge previously struck... more

20 Jun 2024 · 22 minutes
AI hype vs. AI reality

Artificial Intelligence has been creeping into our lives more and more as tech companies release new chatbots, AI-powered search engines,... more

19 Jun 2024 · 22 minutes
Climate change, migration and Menaka’s epic birding day

Point Pelee National Park juts out into Lake Erie like a finger, as every spring thousands of birds touch down... more

18 Jun 2024 · 25 minutes
The fallout from a law school’s pro-Palestinian letter

Canada’s newest law school is in crisis. After an open-letter called for the Lincoln Alexander School of Law at Toronto... more

17 Jun 2024 · 25 minutes
The elite soldiers behind the major battles for Ukraine: Part Two

Yesterday on The Decibel, The Globe’s senior international correspondent Mark MacKinnon told us about the top commanders and soldiers he’s... more

14 Jun 2024 · 20 minutes
The elite soldiers behind the major battles for Ukraine: Part One

For the past few years, The Globe’s senior international correspondent Mark MacKinnon has been building relationships with some of the... more

13 Jun 2024 · 25 minutes
Maternity care and midwives in Canada’s health labour shortage

Hospitals across Canada have long been overwhelmed by patient demand and staff shortages. But another category of medical experts, specializing... more

12 Jun 2024 · 22 minutes
How will Canada manage major energy demands in the next decade?

Canada’s ‘green energy’ transition has begun. By 2035, the federal government is aiming to achieve a net-zero electricity grid. But... more

11 Jun 2024 · 21 minutes
Canadian parliamentarians accused of helping foreign agents

A national watchdog report says some parliamentarians in Canada are ‘semi-witting’ or ‘witting’ participants in foreign efforts to interfere in... more

10 Jun 2024 · 20 minutes
Funding for the arts in Canada is broken

Canada’s cultural institutions are coming up against serious economic challenges. Theatre companies say they’re facing a crisis as they struggle... more

07 Jun 2024 · 19 minutes
What the Bank of Canada’s interest rate cut means for you

The Bank of Canada lowered the interest rate to 4.75 per cent on Wednesday – the first rate cut in... more

06 Jun 2024 · 18 minutes
Why Trump’s apocalyptic rhetoric has such wide appeal

Last week, former U.S. president Donald Trump was found guilty on 34 felony counts. In speeches and interviews following the... more

05 Jun 2024 · 23 minutes
The Decibel
The elite soldiers behind the major battles for Ukraine: Part One
The Decibel
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Description

For the past few years, The Globe’s senior international correspondent Mark MacKinnon has been building relationships with some of the top commanders... more