The Current

Extreme climate change — consecutive years of drought, floods and cold winters — is taking a heavy toll on farmers’ crops. We hear how farmers are adapting to these devastating challenges.

Foreign workers are protesting Prince Edward Island’s plan to reduce the number of immigrants it nominates for permanent residency, a change the province says is necessary to reduce pressures on housing and health care. Guest host Rebecca Zandbergen speaks to one of the protestors and Dan Kutcher, mayor of Summerside, P.E.I.

When Manitoba farmers realized they had a massive surplus of potatoes, they decided to give them away — all 5.4 million kilograms of them. We hear about the incredible logistics of moving that much food, and what it meant to the people who need it at food banks and charities.

The U.S. plans to slap 100 per cent tariffs on electric vehicles imported from China — and some want Canada to follow suit. We hear why North American automakers are concerned — and what it all means for consumers.

Ontario is planning tougher penalties for impaired drivers, up to a lifetime licence suspension for incidents involving death. We look at the devastating impact of impaired driving, which increased 16 per cent in the province last year. 

A creeping wildfire forced Marina Barnes to evacuate Fort McMurray, Alta., on Tuesday, days after starting a new job in the city. She tells us what it was like to be forced to flee.

Some Alberta farmers are turning to water trading in the face of devastating droughts. The CBC’s Joel Dryden explores the secretive market where water rights are bought and sold.

Being told you have cancer is traumatic enough, but imagine getting that news in the hallway of a crowded ER department, or over the phone from a doctor you don’t know. It’s a scenario some doctors say is becoming more common. 

Canadian short story writer Alice Munro has died, aged 92. Matt Galloway talks to those who knew the Nobel Prize winner both as a friend and a master of her craft.

Scientists say they’ve discovered a kind of phonetic alphabet used by sperm whales, bringing us a step closer to understanding the building blocks of whale communication.

Massive wildfires are already forcing people from their homes across Canada, in part fuelled by “zombie fires” that have been simmering under the snow all winter. Matt Galloway asks what this season might hold, and whether Canadians must learn to live with a new normal.

Women's professional basketball is coming to Toronto, with a new team expected to start play in 2026. We talk to former professional player Christine Hyde and 15-year-old player Amaya Robinson about what this means for the sport and the next generation of players.

Fancy some oysters with kiwi? Cauliflower and grapes, seasoned with nutmeg? Chefs are experimenting with AI to find unusual flavour combinations. But do the results pass the taste test?

Apple’s new iPad ad has gotten a bruising backlash. Author David Sax explains why creative people in particular are outraged.

Narendra Modi is expected to win a third term as India’s prime minister, even as allegations swirl that his government played a role in assassination plots around the world. The CBC's Salimah Shivji explores what’s at stake in her new podcast, Modi’s India: Understood.

Health-care workers face immense pressure in Canada’s understaffed and overcrowded emergency rooms. But while they care for us, who cares for them? Matt Galloway visits a Toronto hospital to hear how staff are supporting each other through often traumatic work.

The CBC’s Brittany Greenslade brings us the latest from the trial of Jeremy Skibicki, who has admitted to killing four Indigenous women in Winnipeg.

Former Israeli prime minister Ehud Olmert says Israelis should take to the streets to stop a ground invasion of Rafah, and argues that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is more interested in protecting his own government than saving the lives of the hostages.

Jonathan Eig’s biography of Martin Luther King Jr. has won a Pulitzer Prize. Eig spoke to Matt Galloway last year about telling the story of a complicated man, from his incredible successes to his deep personal struggles.

When writer Jia Tolentino was pregnant, she tried to hide the news from her phone — hoping to stop eavesdropping apps from alerting companies that would try to sell her stuff. She tells Matt Galloway how that went, and how you too can try to escape the surveillance economy. 

For years, players have been too afraid to talk about it. But now, the truth about a broom that almost destroyed curling is finally coming out. In Broomgate: A Curling Scandal, semi-professional curler and fully professional comedian John Cullen (Blocked Party) is exposing the unbelievable, never-before-told scandal that rocked the sport of curling. Yes, curling. More episodes are available at: https://link.chtbl.com/AFwEGvQC

Russian President Vladimir Putin was sworn in again this week, adding a fifth term to his 24 years in power. We look at Putin’s vision for Russia and the wider region, and how the Kremlin's disinformation strategy tries to influence opinion around the world.

More than a trillion cicadas from two separate broods are emerging together for the first time since 1803. The noisy insects will blanket parts of the U.S. for months — and entomologists are pretty excited. 

Researchers say choking and rough sex are being normalized for teenagers, and parents can’t assume their kids haven’t been exposed to the risks. Experts say many teens are getting their sex education from pop culture, memes and hashtags like #ChokeMeDaddy.

A council in northern England is ditching apostrophes from street signs, to avoid problems with computer systems. Matt Galloway talks to punctuation expert Florence Hazrat about the uproar from locals and our ever-evolving grammar.

A long-running feud between rappers Drake and Kendrick Lamar has spiralled into accusations of pedophilia and sex trafficking. We unpack the beef — and the speculation about whether a shooting at Drake’s Toronto mansion this week is related.

TD Bank Group is being investigated in the U.S. over allegations that its services were used to launder millions of dollars in fentanyl money. Finance reporter Christine Dobby tells us more.

The Reddit forum “Am I The Asshole” has become a hugely popular place for people to share their real-life conflicts, asking other users to be the judge. Social psychologist Daniel Yudkin says AITA offers us valuable insight into modern morality — and challenges some of what traditional philosophy tells us about right and wrong. 

Jim and Sue Waddington took their first whitewater canoe trip in their 70s, in order to reach the real-life location of a painting by J.E.H. MacDonald. The couple has spent decades following clues all over Canada to find the vistas that inspired iconic works from the Group of Seven.

A Vancouver hospital recently brought in a top chef to overhaul the meals that one patient described as “anonymous mush.” We hear why healthier, tastier food can be a vital part of recovery.

Hamas accepted a ceasefire deal Monday, but Israel rejected the proposal and escalated its bombardment in Rafah. We look at what happens next, as negotiations continue.

Matt Galloway talks to political journalist Paul Wells about his new book Justin Trudeau On The Ropes, which explores the prime minister’s fight for power — and why he might be facing his toughest odds yet. 

Statistics show women are twice as likely as men to be diagnosed with a mood disorder. In her new book, All In Her Head, Misty Pratt explores the gender gap in mental health and argues the system is failing women. 

The Trans Mountain pipeline expansion is finally up and running. Matt Galloway talks to Trans Mountain Corp. CEO Dawn Farrell about the $34 billion price tag, how environmental concerns should be addressed, and who might take it off the federal government’s hands.

A new CBC podcast unpacks the 2015 scandal that rocked the genteel sport of curling. Comedian and former competitive curler John Cullen hosts Broomgate: A Curling Scandal.

For the first time, an orangutan has been documented using medicinal plants to treat its own wound. We talk to one of the scientists who observed the great ape’s fascinating behaviour.

The poet Molly Peacock turned to her art after the death of her husband. Alisa Siegel's documentary, What Can a Widow Be?, explores how Peacock found a way to not only cope but find a sense of freedom in her grief. Credit: The Widow’s Crayon Box by Molly Peacock. Copyright (c) 2024 by Molly Peacock. With permission of the publisher, W. W. Norton & Company, Inc. All rights reserved.

Four people were killed, including an infant and two grandparents, after police chased a suspect at high speed against traffic on an Ontario highway this week. We look at what goes into police decisions to engage in high-speed pursuits like this.

The CBC’s Sarah Leavitt brings us the latest from the pro-Palestinian encampment at McGill University, where a rival Israeli protest was held Thursday; public opinion researcher Dahlia Scheindlin explains the political mood inside Israel; and the WHO’s Nyka Alexander describes the dire conditions in Rafah, where more than a million Palestinians fled to escape Israel’s airstrikes but now face a possible ground incursion.

In recent weeks, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has been kicked out of question period for calling the prime minister a “wacko,” hinted at using the notwithstanding clause to crack down on criminals, and visited a controversial convoy-style camp protesting the carbon tax. How are these events playing with voters? We ask our national affairs panel: the CBC’s Catherine Cullen, the Toronto Star’s Stephanie Levitz, and the National Post’s Ryan Tumilty.

Arielle Johnson has a PhD in the science of flavour and says knowing the basic building blocks of taste can help any cook create something delicious. She talks to Matt Galloway about her new book, Flavorama. 

A Fifth Estate documentary, Whose Police?, investigates a special RCMP unit created to police protests around natural resource projects in B.C. Critics say this public force is protecting the interests of private industry. 

Calgary is in the throes of a contentious public hearing on new zoning rules, which has pitted the rights of property owners against the push to create much-needed housing. The CBC’s Scott Dippel talks us through what’s become a charged and emotional debate.

Ben Johnson maintains he was the victim of sabotage after a positive doping test stripped him of his Olympic gold medal in 1988. Matt Galloway talks to Johnson and Mary Ormbsy — author of World's Fastest Man* — about why they think the runner was mistreated as the scandal unfolded.

A new study has looked at 600 conservation efforts around the world — and found that nature conservation is working. We talk to the study’s co-author, Stephen Woodley, about finding hope in these efforts to protect biodiversity.

A Loblaws boycott kicks off Wednesday, led by consumers angry about high food prices. Matt Galloway asks an organizer what she hopes the boycott will achieve; and looks at what Canada could do to encourage greater competition and a better deal for consumers.

The Current visits a pro-Palestinian encampment at the University of British Columbia, one of several that have sprung up at universities across Canada and the U.S. 

Lucy Lawless high-kicked her way to fame in ‘90s cult show Xena: Warrior Princess, but her new documentary Never Look Away focuses on photojournalist Margaret Moth, a “warrior princess in real life.” Lawless talks to Matt Galloway about the globetrotting war correspondent’s life of sex, drugs and punk music — and whether she’d ever sign up for a Xena reboot.

B.C. is recriminalizing the use of drugs in public places, a year into a pilot project that allowed possession of small amounts of illicit drugs. We look at what that means in an opioid crisis that has claimed more than 14,000 lives in the province.

A Quebec road development threatens the habitat of the tiny western chorus frog — but now, scientists at Montreal's Biodome are hoping they have a solution.

The Trans Mountain pipeline is expected to begin expanded operations this week, after years of tension between environmentalists and the oil and gas sector — a conflict that played out in communities along the pipeline’s route. The CBC’s Erin Collins travelled along TMX to find out how people living there feel about it now.

IUDs are a common form of contraception, but women say the extreme discomfort of having one inserted — without any sedative — is often downplayed or dismissed. Some women are filming and sharing that procedure on social media, in a call for better pain management.

A new scientific declaration argues that bees, snakes and a broad array of animals experience consciousness. We talk to the declaration’s co-author Kristin Andrews about what that means, from our relationship with nature to what's for dinner.

The UN human rights office has called for an investigation into possible war crimes by Israeli forces in Gaza, following the discovery of hundreds of bodies in mass graves at two hospitals. We talk to UNHCR spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani.

Ottawa is hosting negotiations to hammer out a global treaty on plastic pollution, which is showing up in every corner of the earth — and even in human blood and breastmilk. Guest host Mark Kelley asks Nestle’s Jodie Roussell what her company is doing to curb the problem; and talks to scientist Pete Myers about what role consumers can play.

Ontario will bar employers from asking staff for sick notes, in an effort to decrease the administrative burden on doctors and give them more time with patients. Dr. Cathy Risdon says doctors face a lot of paperwork that’s necessary but doesn’t do much to help patients.

Steve Burgess loves to travel, but he also sees how tourists are taking a toll on the places they visit. He joins us to discuss his new book, Reservations: The Pleasures and Perils of Travel.

The federal government’s buyback program for assault-style firearms has hit a snag: Canada Post is refusing to collect the banned guns, citing safety concerns for its employees. We look at what Ottawa can learn from countries like Australia, which implemented a large-scale gun buyback program after a mass shooting in the 1990s.

NASA’s Voyager 1 started sending gibberish back to Earth a few months ago, after almost 50 years of communication from deep space. This week the space agency announced they’d fixed an error — at a distance of 24 billion kilometres. Astronaut Chris Hadfield talks to Matt Galloway about how they did it and what Voyager means to us here on this pale blue dot. 

Neuroscientist John Kounios has been studying the brains of jazz musicians, hoping to better understand the concept of flow. He tells us what he learned about flow, the state where a person becomes so immersed in an activity that time and complexity melt away.

More and more municipal politicians are leaving their jobs because of the abuse they face and the toll it takes. Matt Galloway talks to Waterloo, Ont., city councillor Jen Vasic; Calgary city councillor Jasmine Mian; and Montreal borough councillor Younes Boukala.

Artificial intelligence has its roots in Canadian research, but some experts worry the country risks being left behind as AI accelerates. David Skok, editor and CEO of The Logic, explores how to seize this moment in the new book, Superintelligence: Is Canada Ready for AI?

A bird flu virus, H5N1, has infected cattle in the U.S. It’s raising fears it could jump to other species like humans. We ask experts how concerned they are about the virus and whether it poses the risk of a fresh pandemic. 

Dr. Christopher Kerr has spent years interviewing dying patients about the dreams they have as the end of life gets closer. He tells Matt Galloway those dreams and visions can be profound for both the patient and their loved ones.

Sophie Grégoire Trudeau says family life can get messy since her separation from the prime minister — but they’ve still got each other's backs. She tells Matt Galloway about her new book, Closer Together, and why she wants to help Canadians build the emotional literacy needed to cope with the stresses of modern life. 

Elections are underway in India, with almost one billion people registered to cast their votes at a million polling stations. We discuss how Narendra Modi has shaped the country over his decade as prime minister and what’s at stake as he seeks a third term.

Defence lawyer Nader Hasan alleges three police officers committed perjury when they testified at the murder trial of Umar Zameer. The Toronto man was found not guilty Sunday in the death of Toronto police officer Det.-Const. Jeffrey Northrup, but Hasan says he’s not sure any criminal charges would ever have been laid if the victim had not been a police officer.

The climate is changing. So are we. On What On Earth, you’ll explore a world of solutions with host Laura Lynch and our team of journalists. In 1970, 20 million people showed up to fight for the environment on the first Earth Day. More than five decades later, is it time for this much tamer global event to return to its radical roots? 

OG organizer Denis Hayes recounts how – amidst other counterculture movements at the time – his team persuaded roughly one in ten Americans to take to the streets. As he approaches 80, Denis offers his singular piece of advice to the next generation of climate leaders. Then, environmental warriors Maria Blancas and Axcelle Campana share ideas on what a reinspired Earth Day could look like – including making it a public holiday.

More episodes of What On Earth are available at: https://link.chtbl.com/rtraABEv

We love to hear from our listeners and regularly feature them on the show. Have a question or idea? Email Earth@cbc.ca

Some Olympic winners will receive almost $70,000 on top of their gold medals this summer. But the move has sparked criticism for undermining Olympic values and favouring track and field over other sports.

Sikh separatists in Canada and the U.S. allege that the Indian government is attempting to assassinate its critics in other countries — people India considers terrorists. We hear about a Fifth Estate investigation into those allegations.

The U.S. has approved billions in aid for Ukraine after months of congressional debate. Chris York, a news editor for Kyiv Independent, tells us what that money will mean for the country and a war that shows no sign of ending.

The U.S. has introduced regulations to keep chemicals called PFAS out of drinking water. We look at what Canada is doing to deal with these “forever chemicals,” which are used in all kinds of consumer products but linger in our air, water and soil.

The writer Gary Shteyngart spent seven days on the largest cruise ship in the world, and hated it. He compares being on the Icon of the Seas — a ship twenty decks high with up to 10,000 people on board — to being trapped in a giant mall, adrift in the Caribbean.

The federal government says changes to the capital gains tax will only affect the very wealthiest, but tax expert John Oakey says the middle class may also be impacted in some circumstances.

Jenna Doak heard a lot of comments about her weight when she was growing up. She says it took years as an adult to “unbrainwash” herself and learn to love her body. Doak’s not alone: a new study suggests that comments about a child’s weight can have a lifelong impact.

African scientists are genetically re-engineering mosquitoes in hopes of eradicating malaria from the continent — but there are concerns about releasing those modified mosquitoes back into the wild. Matt Galloway talks to Abdoulaye Diabaté from Target Malaria Burkina Faso.

Work is underway on a new Canadian dictionary, which will be the first major update of the country’s lexicon in two decades. Editor-in-chief John Chew talks us through what makes a word truly Canadian.

Professional boxer Claire Hafner gets tested every year for signs of head trauma, by researchers studying hits to the head and long-term degenerative brain conditions. But there’s a personal factor for Hafner: she says if there’s evidence of decline, she’ll retire. The CBC’s Katie Nicholson went with Hafner for this year’s testing — and the results. 

Jasmin Paris tells us about becoming the first woman to complete the Barkley Marathons in Tennessee, one of the most gruelling ultramarathons in the world.

A Quebec class action lawsuit is looking to hold 16 pharmaceutical companies responsible for their alleged role in the opioid epidemic. Matt Galloway talks to the lawyer leading the case and asks a pain doctor about how opioids are prescribed now.

Our national affairs panel convenes to break down the federal government’s 2024 budget, which proposes $52.9 billion in new spending over five years.

The show Bluey is ostensibly for kids, but it’s gained a significant following among adults for the way it handles moments like death and infertility — like in its recent season finale, in which Bluey and her family processed tough emotions about a potential move. Meryl Alper, an associate professor in communication studies at Northeastern University in the U.S., tells us more about this charming blue heeler dog.

Author Salman Rushdie was attacked with a knife on a New York stage in 2022, suffering severe injuries and losing his eye. He tells Matt Galloway about the book he’s written to move past the attack and what he intends to do with his “second chance” at life.

Jacob Opwapo, a humanitarian worker with Islamic Relief, gives us the latest on the civil war in Sudan that broke out about a year ago and has killed an estimated 14,000 people while displacing roughly eight million.

Former U.S. president Donald Trump is accused of falsifying business records in attempts to cover up an affair with adult film actress Stormy Daniels. The presumed Republican presidential candidate also faces three other indictments. Washington Post columnist Philip Bump tells us more.

The drug Trikafta has changed the lives of many Canadians living with cystic fibrosis. But in many other parts of the world, the drug is either not available — or if it is, it costs hundreds of thousands of dollars a year. That’s why Cheri Nel, who is based in Johannesburg, is suing American pharmaceutical company Vertex over its patent and price tag.

Former Thunder Bay, Ont., police chief Sylvie Hauth is facing charges of obstruction and breach of trust. Guest host Rebecca Zandbergen speaks with Willow Fiddler, a reporter for the Globe and Mail in Thunder Bay; and Thunder Bay Police Chief Darcy Fleury.

Some survivors of sexual assault, like Marlee Liss, are coming face-to-face with their assailants — not in court, but in rooms focused on something called restorative justice. The CBC documentary Marlee’s Circle explores that process, which emphasizes accountability and healing over punishment. 

Iran fired more than 300 drones and missiles at Israel over the weekend, in retaliation for Israel’s bombing of Iran’s embassy in Syria on April 1. Matt Galloway asks international affairs expert Thomas Juneau: what comes next?

A new report suggests there’s an “urgent” need to improve training for truck drivers, and that new drivers who have not received adequate training are making Canada's roads less safe.

Some dietitians online have adopted anti-diet messaging, pushing back against shaming people for the food they eat. But a Washington Post investigation suggests food manufacturers have co-opted that messaging and are sponsoring dietitian influencers to promote products like sugary cereal. We discuss what to watch for when you seek dietary advice online, as part of our series Well Founded.

Tamara Moir says her 93-year-old father-in-law was billed $5,200 after a hospital stay last year because he refused to move to a long-term care home that his family felt was too far away. The $400-a-day charge is allowed under a controversial Ontario law designed to free up hospital beds, but criticized for forcing older Canadians into care homes not of their choosing. 

Dan Pashman wants people to get inventive with how they cook pasta. The Sporkful podcast host and author of Anything's PASTAble tells Matt Galloway about inventing a new pasta shape, cascatelli, and bringing in influences beyond Italy.

O.J. Simpson died this week at age 76. We look at the cultural impact and racial tensions around his trial and acquittal for double murder in the 1990s — and how it foreshadowed celebrity culture, the 24-hour news cycle and reality TV.

More than 140 BMO customers say $1.5 million was transferred out of their accounts by hackers — but the bank is refusing to reimburse that money. Cybersecurity specialist John Wunderlich talks us through how to prevent this from happening to you.

How might climate change affect conditions like multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer's or epilepsy? We talk to researchers looking into how rising temperatures could impact our brains, in an emerging area of study called climatological neuroepidemiology.

Ed Yong has “birder derangement syndrome,” a condition that’s entirely made up but may be familiar to other birding enthusiasts. The science writer tells Matt Galloway how the joy of birding saved him from pandemic burnout and radically changed how he interacts with nature.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau testified Wednesday at the public inquiry into foreign interference, which is looking into claims that China in particular meddled in Canada's past two elections. The Toronto Star’s Stephanie Levitz and former Conservative leader Erin O’Toole dissect what the prime minister said, and what’s needed to protect Canadian democracy.

Record-breaking wildfires devastated much of Canada last year, but there are warnings that this coming fire season could be equally catastrophic. We ask climate change expert Blair Feltmate how bad it might get and what should be done to protect Canadians.