The Decibel

The flu season hit Canada hard and fast this year, seemingly reaching its peak in late December. But it’s not over yet: one public health official says we’re still in the ‘heavy, middle part’ of flu season.

Alanna Smith explains what’s different about this year’s dominant variant of the influenza virus and the impact it’s having on Canada’s health care system.

Questions? Comments? Ideas? E-mail us at thedecibel@globeandmail.com

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What happens when we stop rushing around and pause to take in the vastness of the world around us? In this episode of Happy Enough, we explore awe — the emotion that can make you feel surprisingly small, and, at the same time, happier. To break down the science behind awe and why it makes us feel better, Garvia speaks with Dacher Keltner, professor of psychology at UC Berkeley and the author of ‘Awe: The new science of everyday wonder and how it can transform your life’. They discuss how awe affects our bodies and simple ways to incorporate it into o...

In less than a year, U.S. President Donald Trump’s second term has re-shaped the international order. From levying tariffs against much of the world, turning against long-standing allies, capturing Venezuela’s president, and threatening to annex Greenland – the U.S. has flouted international law and ignored the traditional rules-based order.

Michael Byers, Canada research chair on global politics and international law at the University of British Columbia, is on the show to explain the legal agreements and treaties that govern the international order and whether it’s possible to hold powerful countries to account when they def...

For weeks, U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened to annex Greenland, an autonomous region of Denmark. That led to a meeting on Wednesday between a delegation of Danish and Greenland foreign ministers and U.S. Vice-President J.D. Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The two sides did not seem to come to any kind of conclusion.

The Globe’s Europe correspondent, Paul Waldie, is in Greenland to get a sense of how people are feeling on the ground. He was in Denmark earlier this week. He joins the show to tell us what he’s le...

Protests in Iran ramped up over the weekend after the Islamic Republic regime – ruled by Ayatollah Ali Khamenei – instituted an internet and phone blackout. But despite this, reports started to come out about a crackdown. On Tuesday, an Iranian official said the death toll, composed of both protesters and security personnel, was over 2,000 people.

The protests have garnered some global supporters, including U.S. President Donald Trump, who has issued threats to the Iranian regime over its treatment of the protesters.

Today’s guest is Thomas Juneau. He is a professor with the Graduate School of Pub...

This week, Prime Minister Mark Carney will head to China, marking the first time a Canadian prime minister has gone to China since 2017. Recent interactions between Canada and China have been wracked with tension and international incidents. But there is much at stake in this meeting, with Canada looking for new trade partners as the United States becomes increasingly unreliable.

Steven Chase is the Globe’s senior parliamentary reporter. He’s here to talk about what Carney needs to balance in order to strengthen economic ties with China without upsetting the U.S., and what’s next for th...

The new year is upon us and for some of us, that means New Year’s resolutions. These goals often involve improving our fitness, or going to the gym more often. But that’s not always cheap with gym membership and classes costing more and more.

In today’s episode, host Sherrill Sutherland and The Globe’s healthy living reporter, Graham Isador, try a class at one of Toronto’s luxury gyms, Sweat and Tonic. They share their experiences and Graham discusses why gym prices have risen so drastically and how you can make your fitness resolutions possible. ...

Today is Chrystia Freeland’s last day in Canadian politics, but she still plans to work in government – just not this one. On Monday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that he had appointed the former Liberal cabinet minister his new economic adviser. The news sparked a week of backlash in Ottawa, as many raised concerns that a sitting member of parliament working with a foreign government created a conflict of interest.

The Globe’s senior reporter, Stephanie Levitz, joins The Decibel from Ottawa. She’ll explain what we know about Freeland’s new role, the questions it’s raised, an...

The new year is a time of goal setting. Culturally, there’s pressure to set resolutions that you are meant to achieve in due course. Think: weight loss, healthy eating, a new hobby. But what if you commit to something you know you can’t achieve? And what if you make that your life’s work?

Mark Medley, the Deputy Editor of The Globe’s Opinion section, and author of ‘Live to See the Day: Impossible Goals, Unimaginable Futures and the Pursuit of Things That May Never Be’, profiled people who’ve done just that. He’s on the show to e...

Following the U.S. attack on Venezuela, President Donald Trump referenced the Monroe Doctrine – a centuries-old ideology that posits American control and dominance in the Western hemisphere. That idea was also cited in the Trump administration’s new National Security Strategy outlining U.S. foreign policy. After campaigning on non-intervention, is this now Trump’s blueprint for dealing with the rest of the world?

Vincent Rigby, a professor at McGill University’s Max Bell School for Public Policy and former national security adviser to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, joins The Decibel to parse through the details of Trump’s...

U.S. President Donald Trump was clear on Saturday when he announced his administration’s plans for the future of Venezuela: “We’re going to have our very large United States oil companies, the biggest anywhere in the world, go in, spend billions of dollars, fix the badly broken infrastructure, the oil infrastructure, and start making money for the country,” he told the world.

But how feasible is that? How quickly could it happen? And even if U.S. oil companies do return to Venezuela and increase their exports, what will that mean for Canada at a time whe...

On Saturday, Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro was captured by U.S. military forces in an early morning raid that included attacks on the capital city of Caracas.

Since September, the U.S. has conducted deadly strikes on alleged drug-smuggling boats from Venezuela, as U.S. President Donald Trump accused Maduro of leading a criminal organization.

The future of the Latin American country is uncertain, as the Venezuelan leader is held in New York, facing U.S. federal drug trafficking, terrorism and weapons charges.

The Globe’s U.S. correspondent Adrian Morrow joins The...

After a year that was truly one for the books in Canadian politics — from Trudeau’s resignation to Trump’s trade war, an “elbows up” election, Pierre Poilievre losing his seat, Jagmeet Singh resigning his leadership, and the prospect of a new Pacific pipeline — 2025 has come to a close. What will 2026 hold?

Stephanie Levitz is a senior reporter with The Globe’s Ottawa Bureau, and she’s on the show to discuss the Liberal road to a majority, the leadership of both the Conservative Party and NDP, and the renegotiation of Canada’s trade agreement with the U.S.

Questio...

Most schools are now off for winter break — but this year, some educators are wondering how much their students are learning. A KPMG survey found that over 70 per cent of Canadians over 18 years old now use generative AI to complete their school work. Professors and students are concerned that a growing reliance on tools like ChatGPT and Gemini could be weakening critical thinking skills. Recent research is now giving us further insight into that potential connection.

The Globe’s Joe Castaldo reports on AI and tech. He tells us what educators and students say about how generative AI i...

Maryam Fatima was born with a condition called hemimegalencephaly, a rare birth defect where one side of the brain is abnormally large. She suffered from severe seizures from the moment she was born. They became so bad that they stopped Maryam from feeding, sleeping and breathing. Her life was at risk.

That’s when a team at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto decided to attempt a first-in-Canada procedure to save Maryam’s life.

Health Science reporter Jennifer Yang interviewed some of the medical professionals who performed the procedure, as well as Maryam’s mother...

Canadians have been spending a lot of time thinking about identity and their relationship to Canada. As U.S. President Donald Trump’s trade war drags on, taking an ‘Elbows Up’ approach isn’t just about economics – it’s also cultural. Many of the songs and albums that make up the soundtrack to your life are written and performed by Canadian artists – and they’ve helped shape what this country sounds like. 

Today, deputy arts editor Rebecca Tucker and reporter Josh O’Kane are here to talk about how they put together a list of 101 essential Canadian albums, and how the...

The winter holidays are a time to cozy up with family – even if those family members are furry and of a different species. For many, dogs and cats aren’t just animals, they’re cherished loved ones who come into our lives at the exact moment we need them.

This holiday season, The Decibel’s editor David Crosbie, Globe and Mail staffers and Canadians share personal stories about how they met their pets and how caring for them has changed their lives.

Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at thedecibel@globeandmail.com

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Many factors of modern life can make time feel like it’s moving faster than it actually is: hustle culture at work, a productivity compulsion at home, over-programmed kids – they’re all attempts to get as much as possible out of our time and keep up with the frantic pace of life. But life also has moments where time feels like it’s slowing down, or even stops. We know that time can’t actually slow down or speed up – but why does it feel like that?

The Globe’s time use reporter, Zosia Bielski, speaks to The Decibel ab...

The Canadian television show Heated Rivalry has found major success not just in Canada, but with American audiences, too. The show, a love story between two male hockey players, has broken television streaming records and taken over social media.

The Globe’s television critic J. Kelly Nestruck joins The Decibel to talk about why Heated Rivalry has resonated with so many people, and how significant it is for a Canadian show to break through to global audiences so quickly.

Questions? Comments? Ideas? E-mail us at thedecibel@globeandmail.com

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Canadian counter-intelligence military officer Matthew Robar, is facing charges of espionage. The veteran military officer is accused of sharing information with Ukraine in its war against Russia, according to a source for The Globe and Mail. Robar was arrested last week, and charged with multiple offences related to passing highly sensitive government secrets to a foreign entity.

Steven Chase, a senior parliamentary reporter for The Globe, speaks to The Decibel about what’s known about Robar, what the espionage charges mean, and how this development might affect Canada’s relationship with Ukraine.

Questions? Comments? Ideas? Emai...

This travel season, Canadians might be headed away for something other than a vacation.

More Canadians are participating in medical tourism, travelling to another country to receive medical treatment, though some question its safety and the threats this poses to Canada’s public health care system.

Sarah Bartnicka, a freelance writer for The Globe, explains the costs, the risks and what Canadians can keep in mind for best practices when travelling abroad for a medical procedure.

Questions? Comments? Ideas? E-mail us at thedecibel@globeandmail.com

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The attack on Jewish Australians at Bondi Beach in Sydney has sent shockwaves around the world. To many in Jewish communities, it mirrors previous antisemitic attacks seen in countries around the world over the past several years. 

Globe columnist and Pittsburgh Post-Gazette executive editor David Shribman joins The Decibel. He covered the Tree of Life shooting in 2018, where 11 Jewish people were killed in their synagogue in Pittsburgh. Shribman talks about how the recent shooting in Sydney impacts Jewish communities around the world and what living in Pittsburgh has taught him about life after tragedy. 

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Loyalty reward programs are everywhere we shop. They’re at coffee shops, retailers, airports and grocery stores. Many of us are connected to our points, but the rewards no longer seem to go as far as they used to.

Vass Bednar, the managing director of the Canadian SHIELD Institute, explains the changes to Canadian loyalty rewards programs, what we are giving up when we hand companies our data in exchange for points – and if it’s even still worth it to collect rewards points anymore.

Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at thedecibel@globeandmail.com

The heirs to Canada’s multi-billion dollar frozen food empire are fighting. New Brunswick’s McCain Foods is the world’s largest French fry maker, and is privately owned by the McCain family. Recently, one of its heirs, Eleanor McCain, requested to be bought out of her stake in the company – but her relatives are refusing to.

Globe business columnist, Andrew Willis, has been reporting on the showdown inside one of Canada’s wealthiest families. He’ll explain the fight over ownership, whether it could impact the world’s biggest French fry producer, and how these tensions trace back to...

Mark Carney’s federal government has introduced its second tough-on-crime bill this fall. The new bill, Bill C-16, focuses on violence against women and children, changes to mandatory minimum sentences and the growing problem of court delays.

The Globe’s justice reporter, David Ebner, explains the specific changes to the Criminal Code that this bill wants to make and what advocates and critics are saying about it.

Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at thedecibel@globeandmail.com

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Late-stage prostate cancer diagnoses are on the rise in Canada. According to a recent study, between 2010 and 2021, rates of prostate cancer discovered at Stage 4 increased by about 50 per cent in men aged 50 to 74. In men over the age of 75, rates were up over 65 per cent.

There is a simple blood test that can screen for early signs of prostate cancer, called a prostate specific antigen, or PSA test; however, in 2014, Canada recommended against using the PSA for widespread screening. Today, Globe health reporter Kelly Grant explains what this study found and why these guidelines are so highly...

Hours before a strike deadline, Air Transat and the union representing airline pilots reached a tentative agreement. For customers, it comes as relief in the middle of a busy holiday travel season. And in a year already wracked by airline work stoppages, the threat of disruption and lengthy customer reimbursement periods continue to loom.

Mariya Postelnyak, The Globe’s Consumer Affairs reporter, speaks about what you need to know as a traveller, what’s afforded in air passenger protections, and how to get what you’re owed if your flights get cancelled.

Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email...

The Canadian manufacturing sector has been having a hard time, which has been made worse by U.S. tariffs. The impact of these tariffs varies company to company. So a team of Report on Business journalists from The Globe spoke to several manufacturers to see how they’ve fared this past year.

Matt Lundy, The Globe’s Economics Editor, speaks about how badly these companies have been hurt, what they’re doing to try to cope and whether federal government supports have been any help.

Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at thedecibel@globeandmail.com

For families, the tragedy of opioids is beyond measure. The opioid epidemic has claimed tens of thousands of lives in Canada and has been recognized as a public health crisis, but it’s also an economic one – and it disproportionately affects workers in key sectors like construction and the trades. As Ottawa ramps up its push to build major projects fast, could the ongoing toxic drug crisis slow it down?

Today, Globe reporter Jason Kirby joins the show. As part of our Poisoned series, he spoke with workers, companies, unions and health researchers to understand the grip the...

Canada is in the midst of reframing its approach to military spending. The reasons for this are twofold; a commitment to fulfilling NATO spending as part of GDP, and the push to diversify spending away from the U.S. To that end, Prime Minister Mark Carney has recently signed a deal joining the EU’s military procurement fund, granting Canada access to both selling and purchasing defence materiel.

Steven Chase, The Globe’s senior parliamentary reporter, is on the show to discuss what this means for our burgeoning national defence industry, the political considerations involved, and where our...

It’s not unusual for business owners to forge ties with governments, but there are rules around conflicts of interest when it comes to procurement. In February, 2025, an Alberta senior public servant stepped forward with allegations of political interference in the awarding of large health contracts. These allegations prompted investigators, auditors and opposition politicians to look closely at the ties between Premier Danielle Smith’s government and an Alberta businessman, Sam Mraiche.

Mraiche’s company, MHCare, had been awarded hundreds of millions of dollars worth of procurement contracts from Alberta Health Services. A Globe and Mail investigation found...

With the holidays right around the corner, households are getting ready for company and deep cleans are underway. Even the idea of letting family and friends see a clutter-strewn home can be anxiety-inducing, and images of perfectly-clean celebrity homes on social media don’t help. But what are we actually losing when we prioritize the act of cleaning over the people we do it for?

Zosia Bielski, The Globe’s Time Use reporter, digs into the societal pressure we all face over deep cleaning, why the work often disproportionately falls on women and how letting our guard down...

Across Canada, highways and rural roads are studded with cellular ‘dead zones’. In some provinces, coverage gaps span over 30 per cent of major roads. In some cases, you can’t receive calls and texts for more than 100 kilometres. So when something goes wrong, what do people do?

Today, the Globe’s telecoms reporter Irene Galea and national news reporter Jill Mahoney have been investigating how many of the country’s major roads and highways are disconnected. They explain why years-long public safety risk persists, how it affects the Canadians driving through them, and what is being done about the...

Ontario just passed Bill 60, officially named the “Fighting Delays, Building Faster Act.” It’s a big omnibus bill, but it’s garnered the most attention for reforms to Ontario’s rental system. Doug Ford’s government walked back the most controversial part of the bill, but critics are concerned that what remains will still lead to more evictions and worsen the homelessness crisis.

Today, Shane Dingman, the Globe’s real estate reporter, is on the show to talk about why these legislative changes are so contentious, and what impact they could have on people living in Canada’s largest rental...

Prime Minister Mark Carney and Alberta Premier Danielle Smith have signed an agreement that sets the framework for building a new pipeline, carrying bitumen to the west coast. The deal commits to simultaneously making Canada a “global energy superpower” and reducing greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050. Indigenous co-ownership is a requirement for development, as is consultation with British Columbia.

In response, Liberal minister Steven Guilbeault, a former environment minister and longstanding environmentalist, has resigned from cabinet.

Campbell Clark, The Globe’s chief political writer, joins the show to explain what’s in the deal, th...

The Canadian consensus on immigration cratered last year. In the fall of 2024, an Environics poll found that for the first time in a quarter century most Canadians felt there was too much immigration. Under former prime minister Justin Trudeau, the country experienced one of the biggest periods of immigration growth in its history, but after the shift in public opinion, the Liberal government reversed course. Despite big reductions to immigration levels, most Canadians still think rates are too high.

Today, The Decibel is looking at how Canada’s relationship with immigration significantly changed, what it’s meant for...

Some of the world’s largest tech companies, like OpenAI, Google and Meta, have invested hundreds of billions of dollars into artificial intelligence as they try to build the data centres they need. And right now, a lot of the stock market’s growth is based on AI companies. But what if it’s all a big financial bubble? And if it is, what are the signs it’s about to pop?

Globe business reporter Joe Castaldo, who covers AI, explains why markets are twitchy about AI right now and what’s behind investors’ concerns.

Questions? C...

Last week, the FBI and the RCMP announced 10 new arrests in connection with a $1-billion drug-trafficking ring allegedly run by Canadian former Olympic snowboarder Ryan Wedding. The charges, which haven’t been tested in court, include drug trafficking, conspiracy to retaliate against a witness and murder. Wedding, who’s been in hiding since 2015, is now one of the FBI’s 10 most wanted fugitives.

Eric Andrew-Gee is The Globe’s Quebec correspondent. He’s on the show to talk about what these new charges bring to light, and whether authorities are any closer to capturing Wedding.

Questions...

No Canadian province allows doctors to offer care under both private and public systems – but leaked draft legislation obtained by The Globe and Mail shows Alberta is trying to change that. The province says it’s proposing the change in an effort to reduce surgery wait times and retain health care workers. But experts say it could result in a two-tiered medical system.

Today, Carrie Tait, a reporter in The Globe’s Calgary bureau, joins The Decibel. She broke the story last week, and she’ll tell us what she’s learned about the province’s plan, the impact a...

For cancer patients, every day of treatment is critical. But the best care possible is not always reaching patients quickly. Despite Health Canada approving a drug treating an aggressive blood cancer, a complex web of organizations, insurance plans and negotiations over drug pricing means it’s still not available in Canada.

Globe reporters Kelly Grant, who covers health, and Chris Hannay, who covers the business of health care, tell us what is holding up life-changing drugs and why Canadian patients are the ones left with the consequences.

Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at thedecibel@globeandmail.co...