The Decibel

The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation has said it is no longer possible to return Canada to 2004 levels of housing affordability. We cannot build enough new housing supply to hit that target. So it’s changing its benchmark.

Rachelle Younglai covers housing and real estate for The Globe. She explains the CMHC’s new approach to affordability, what they say needs to happen to improve the cost of housing and what it means for home prices and rents.

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

For months, the “buy Canadian” movement has inspired Canadians to shift their shopping habits away from American goods. While this has mostly been a patriotic move, some experts say recent cuts at the Food and Drug Administration, the agency responsible for inspecting 80 per cent of American food, might give Canadians another reason to think twice about buying American products at the grocery store.

Kate Helmore is The Globe’s agriculture and food policy reporter. She’s on the show to talk about why the cuts at the FDA have some experts concerned, how intertwined the U.S. and Cana...

In the social media age, it’s challenging to know what’s ‘normal’ for your finances. How are others able to afford lavish trips and expensive dinners? Are your friends getting ahead while you’re left behind? Will you be able to afford your long-term goals? This confusion has inspired a new term – money dysmorphia. And for some, this disconnect can mean worry, low self-esteem and a you-only-live-once spending mentality.

Shannon Lee Simmons is a Certified Financial Planner and author. She’s on the show to explain what’s driving all this stress, its effect and what we can all do to...

This week, Prime Minister Mark Carney has been in Europe for a series of meetings that are focused on strengthening ties. On Monday, he was in Brussels, Belgium, to sign a new defence partnership with the European Union. Mr. Carney then went to The Hague, in The Netherlands, to attend the NATO summit. Between the war in Ukraine and U.S. involvement in the conflict between Israel and Iran, a lot is at stake.

Kerry Buck was Canada’s ambassador to NATO from 2015 to 2018. She’s on the show to talk about why Mr. Carney is trying to m...

On Friday, the Liberals’ controversial Bill C-5 was passed by the House of Commons — it’s the only legislation to pass, ahead of Parliament rising for the summer.

Bill C-5, the One Canadian Economy Act, aims to remove barriers to interprovincial trade, fulfilling Prime Minister Mark Carney’s promise to do so by Canada Day. But the legislation would also give Carney’s cabinet the power to quickly approve big industrial projects deemed to be ‘in the national interest,’ exempting them from some federal laws.

Carney has said the legislation will not weaken the government’s duty to consul...

This weekend, the U.S. struck three Iranian nuclear facilities, as it warned Iran about its nuclear capabilities and attacks against Israel. U.S. President Donald Trump called the bombing mission “a spectacular military success” and threatened “future attacks” if a nuclear peace deal was not made.

The Globe’s international affairs columnist, Doug Saunders, joins The Decibel. He explains how the U.S. got involved in this conflict, what’s at stake for the leaders of the U.S., Israel and Iran, and why there are concerns this could become a wider war.

Questions? Comments? Id...

Sage Morin’s life changed on May 19, 2013. A tragedy altered her family forever, and Sage was left to pick up the pieces, all while navigating her own deep grief and a complicated legal system.

More than a decade later, the trauma of her loss has become a badge of resilience and healing. Sage’s transformation is literal: She enters a wrestling ring, donning the character of a proud Cree fighter, inspiring a new generation of Indigenous youth.

Jana G. Pruden, feature writer for The Globe, tells the story of Sage and her rebirth into The Matr...

This year is off to a bad start for wildfires. To date, more than 40,000 people have had to evacuate their homes, and both Manitoba and Saskatchewan declared provincial states of emergency. Even people in communities thousands of miles from the fires have faced hazardous smoke.

Temur Durrani has been covering this year’s wildfires for The Globe. He joins us to talk about how wildfires in the summer have become the new normal and why fire chiefs are pushing for a more centralized approach to handling them.

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

Every year, some of the world’s most powerful leaders meet to discuss political and economic issues in the G7 summit. This year’s meeting, held in Kananaskis, Alberta, wrapped up on Tuesday. It was also the first G7 summit for Prime Minister Mark Carney.

The G7 offered an opportunity for leaders to try to improve relations with U.S. President Donald Trump, whose second term has been marked by tensions and trade wars. After increasing attacks between Israel and Iran, Trump left the summit on Monday night to deal with the “big stuff” escalating in the Middle E...

The long shadow war between Israel and Iran is now out in the open, as pressure mounts over a nuclear peace deal pushed by the U.S. and President Donald Trump. The growing conflict reached its fourth day – Israel continued its bombardment of Iranian cities and infrastructure, while Iran’s missiles evaded Israel’s aerial defence system and hit targets in the country. More than 200 Iranians have been killed so far, while at least 24 Israelis have died, as the two nations trade attacks.

The Globe’s Senior International Correspondent, Mark MacKinnon, joins The Decibel to break down the late...

Right now, the Canadian job market is tough. Unemployment is the highest it’s been since 2016, excluding the pandemic lockdown years. Young people and new grads are facing especially bleak job prospects. They’re worried not just about their employment, but also their future careers and long-term financial planning.

Meera Raman is the retirement and financial reporter for The Globe and Mail. She’s on the show today to explain why the job market is so bad for young people, what the potential long-term implications might be and what they can do if they find themselves struggling for wo...

Having social media accounts hacked is stressful. Usually, companies have formal channels for users to regain access. But for Meta platforms like Facebook and Instagram, some users say the social media giant isn’t responding.

Now, a new kind of broker has sprung up, helping people locked out of their accounts connect with a Meta employee or contractor who can expedite their request … for the right price. In 2022, Meta fired or disciplined employees or contractors who had allegedly abused the internal account recovery system for bribes. Kathryn Blaze Baum, an investigative reporter at The Globe and Mail, and...

Is expropriation, or forcing corporations to sell apartments to the government, a way to ease the housing crisis? Berlin seems to think so. In a landmark referendum back in 2021, the majority of Berliners voted ‘yes’ to forced sales, calling for the government to buy 240,000 apartments owned by some of Berlin’s mega landlords - whether they want to sell or not. Some call the strategy “radical” but needed. Others say it’s unconstitutional. But is it a viable solution to Berlin’s housing crisis, and could it work here in Canada? In this episode, we dive into the history behind Berlin’...

Bill C-2, also known as the Strong Borders Act, is one of the first pieces of legislation by Prime Minister Mark Carney’s government. The 140-page bill proposes a series of enhanced powers for law enforcement and major changes to how the government processes some asylum claims and immigration applications.

Sara Mojtehedzadeh is an investigative reporter at The Globe who writes about immigration and refugees. She explains the details of the bill and why the government believes the changes are necessary.

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

More than three years on, the war between Russia and Ukraine shows no signs of slowing. Ceasefire talks have stalled. Last week, Ukraine landed one of its biggest blows against Russia, when it smuggled drones inside Russian territory and destroyed or severely damaged more than 40 Russian warplanes. Russia hit back with some of its heaviest bombardment yet.

Ukraine’s demands for a ceasefire deal include returning the Ukrainian children who have allegedly been taken into Russian custody. According to the Ukrainian government, 20,000 Ukrainian children have been reported missing since the beginning of the Russian invasion.

Ma...

On Monday, closing arguments are set to begin in the trial of five former members of Canada’s 2018 World Junior Hockey Team. Michael McLeod, Dillon Dubé, Carter Hart, Cal Foote and Alex Formenton were charged with sexually assaulting a woman known publicly as E.M. in London, Ont. in June of 2018. Michael McLeod also faces a second charge of being a party to sexual assault. All five men have pleaded not guilty.

Rachel Giese is the author of the 2018 book, Boys: What It Means to Become a Man. She’s also the Culture & Life editor at The Globe...

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...

On Tuesday, U.S. President Donald Trump signed a new executive order that raised tariffs on steel and aluminum from 25 per cent to 50 per cent. One Canadian steel producer said this means that their American business is now ‘unviable’.

Jason Kirby is a staff reporter for The Globe’s Report on Business section. He explains why these higher steel and aluminum tariffs could mean higher prices on nearly everything, and what may have contributed to Trump’s escalation. 

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

This week, Prime Minister Mark Carney announced Ottawa’s plans to fast-track infrastructure projects. The effort aims to bolster the Canadian economy, as our trade war with the U.S. stretches on. Provinces are also in a rush to expedite project approvals and reviews — the controversial Bill 5 is currently working its way through the Ontario legislature, and B.C. just narrowly passed Bill 15.

Some Indigenous nations and leaders, along with conservation groups and civil liberty associations, oppose the fast-track efforts gaining momentum across Canada. And even as governments affirm their duty to consult, Indigenous leaders warn road and...

The Canadian Medical Association says that the Alberta government has created a “moral crisis” for doctors in the province. The CMA, alongside three Alberta doctors, has filed a constitutional challenge against the Alberta government for legislation limiting access to medical treatment for transgender youth. Bill 26 became law last December, and is part of a suite of laws in Alberta that regulate access to health care, participation in sports and use of pronouns in schools for trans youth. Together, they form the most restrictive gender and sexuality laws in the country.

Alanna Smith is a health reporter for The...

More than 20 years ago, a group of internet users created the online forum 4chan – a mixture of memes, pranks, disinformation and hate speech. Soon, a hacker group on the forum calling themselves Anonymous gained notoriety for their online pranks and disruption. But now, a former member of that hacker group says they regret the role they may have played in driving today’s divisive political environment and wants to make amends.

Alexandra Posadzki is the Globe’s financial and cybercrime reporter. She’ll talk about an interview she had with the hacker, who now faces criminal charges, and how...

In 2021, mine workers in Morocco made a huge discovery. They found a fossil that scientists believed to be a new species of mosasaur – a large swimming reptile that lived in the same era as the Tyrannosaurus Rex. However, many scientists, including a group in Alberta, are now questioning whether or not the fossil is real or fake.

Ivan Semeniuk is The Globe’s science reporter. He’s on the show today to explain what we know about this fossil, the feud that it’s provoked between paleontologists, and when we might uncover the truth.

Questions? Comments...

What’s in your drinking water? On Prince Edward Island, the provincial testing program shows potable water in some communities have higher levels of toxic “forever chemicals” than is recommended by Health Canada. To what extent this affects other provinces is unclear – PEI is currently the only province that systematically tests water supplies to make sure they hit federal targets for toxic chemicals.

Patrick White is The Globe’s water reporter. He explains the safety concerns surrounding “forever chemicals” in our water, why the health agency revamped its guidelines and looks into why other provinces are slow to adapt.

On Tuesday, King Charles III opened the 45th Parliament by delivering Canada’s throne speech. The speech lays out the government’s priorities, and the King is only the second monarch to deliver it – his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, did so twice before.

The speech affirmed Canada’s sovereignty amid ongoing tensions with the U.S., and touched on Liberal election promises, including a middle-class tax cut, an end to interprovincial trade barriers, and rapid approvals of major infrastructure projects.

Stephanie Levitz is a senior reporter in The Globe and Mail’s Ottawa bureau. She joins to d...

It’s been a challenging few months for Canadian businesses. Even though Canada has been largely spared from the worst of U.S. President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs, many Canadian small business owners are finding themselves caught in the crosshairs of the U.S. tariffs targeting China.

Mariya Postelnyak is a consumer affairs reporter for The Globe and Mail. She’s on the show today to explain how small businesses are being affected by the trade disputes between the U.S. and China, how they have been preparing for potential disruptions, and what this all means for th...

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.

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 fina...

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 thedecibel@globeandmail.com

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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 a...

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...

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 commun...

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 thedecibel@globeandmail.com

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 thedecibel@globeandmail.com

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’...

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 Th...

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...

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 thedecibel@globeandmail.com

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...

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 claim...

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...