The Current

Shawndra Whaley says she cried and cried at Taylor Swift’s concert in Toronto Thursday, overcome by the emotions of being with thousands of other Swifties. We look at why the singer inspires such passion in her fans — including Dawn Johnston, a professor who has lectured on the cultural importance of the singer, and is a bit of a Swiftie herself.

My Little Pony is being inducted into The National Toy Hall of Fame, along with Transformers and the card game Phase 10. Chris Bensch, chief curator at The Strong Museum of Play, explains why these vintage toys have had such a lasting influence. 

Millions of people shared their DNA with 23andMe, but now the company is in financial trouble and shedding 40 per cent of its workforce. What does that mean for all the genetic information the company holds?

A B.C. teenager is in critical condition with bird flu, in what's believed to be the first domestically acquired case of H5N1 avian influenza in Canada. With the source of the infection still unknown, we look at the possibility of a wider outbreak — and what people can do to reduce that risk. [CORRECTION: A previous version of this story said this was the first human case of avian influenza caught in Canada. In fact, the case is the first domestically acquired case of H5N1 avian influenza in this country. Two poultry farm workers in B.C.'s Fraser Valley fell ill with H7N3 avian influenza during an outbreak in 2004.]

We look at the rich history and allure of butter, amid news that thieves in Ontario are stealing it in bulk to sell on the black market. 

Last month the Assembly of First Nations voted down a draft agreement with the federal government on child welfare reform, worth $47.8 billion. Matt Galloway talks to Chief Derek Nepinak, who says his community needed this agreement; and advocate Cindy Blackstock, who says the goal isn’t a perfect deal, but a just one.

Christine Harron, a book-loving teenager from Hanover, Ontario, leaves for school in the spring of 1993 and is never seen again. A suspect emerges, confessing to her murder, but the case falls apart and Christine's family are left without answers.

In Season 9 of the award winning podcast Someone Knows Something, David Ridgen, along with Christine's mother, reopen the investigation and come face to face with the man who said he killed Chrissy.

Someone Knows Something is the investigative true crime series by award-winning documentarian David Ridgen. Each season tackles an unsolved case, uncovering details and bringing closure to families.

More episodes of Someone Knows Something are available at: https://link.chtbl.com/Agj3dQwc

Emily Quint waited months for the trial of the man she alleges sexually assaulted her, but the case was stayed after it took too long to be heard. That was based on the strict time limits laid out in the Supreme Court’s so-called Jordan decision, which Quint says is more concerned with the rights of accused perpetrators of violence than the rights of survivors. 

Christine Harron was 15 when she disappeared from Hanover, Ont., in 1993. Her mother Mary Ann has struggled to find answers ever since, and has now teamed up with investigative filmmaker David Ridgen to find answers in the new season of CBC podcast Someone Knows Something.

Adam Pettle has struggled with a gambling addiction since he was a teenager, eventually racking up debts that forced him to sell his family home. The recent boom in online sports betting made Pettle feel like he had a racetrack in his pocket 24/7, and a new report warns that the industry is creating a public health crisis that should be treated like alcohol and tobacco.

Jas Arora’s life was turned upside down by phone calls from strangers demanding money and threatening violence if he didn’t pay up. He’s not alone. The CBC documentary Our House explores threats and extortion targeting members of the South Asian community in Canada, and why the RCMP alleges the criminals have links to India’s government. 

Ten Indigenous people have been killed during interactions with police since August, prompting calls for a national inquiry. Matt Galloway talks to Nadalie Saddleback, whose 15-year-old grandson Hoss Lightning was fatally shot by the RCMP three months ago. 

At 91, the great Willie Nelson has released his 153rd album — and shows no signs of slowing down. Music journalist John Spong has ranked all 153 of those records and explores the artist’s story in the podcast, One By Willie.

Sonia and Guy d'Artois were part of a secret force that parachuted into occupied France to help fight Nazis during the Second World War. In May, Nahlah Ayed told the story of their love affair — and their mission behind enemy lines — in her book, The War We Won Apart.

About 30 veterans have graduated so far from Le Cordon Bleu culinary school in Ottawa, thanks to a Veterans Affairs Canada education and training benefit. Graduates Frank Ouellette and Melissa Paris share how cooking has helped them heal, find purpose and move forward after their military service. 

The COP29 climate summit begins today, with uncertainty about the impact U.S. president-elect Donald Trump will have on climate change policy. Matt Galloway talks to a panel of climate experts about what could happen if the U.S. retreats from the fight, and what roles the international community should take on. 

There have been violent confrontations between Sikh separatists and Hindu nationalists outside temples in B.C. and Ontario. We look at what's behind the protests, how the diaspora here is responding and what it will take to turn down the temperature.

Some Ontario mayors are asking Premier Doug Ford to invoke the notwithstanding clause so they can clear homeless encampments in their cities. Matt Galloway talks to Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown, who signed the letter; and Burlington Mayor Marianne Meed Ward, who says the solution lies elsewhere.

Younger men voted for Donald Trump in big numbers, perhaps influenced by endorsements from ultra-popular podcasters like Joe Rogan and Lex Fridman. Journalist Rebecca Jennings explains how podcasters and influencers are shaking up the political ecosystem — and eclipsing mainstream media.

What is it about air travel that prompts so many people to behave so badly? As one airline tries measures to shame passengers who jump the boarding queue, we ask an etiquette expert about the dos, don’ts and absolutely nots of air travel.

U.S. president-elect Donald Trump has promised an America-first approach to trade, with huge tariffs to back it up. What can Ottawa do to protect Canada’s economy?

A new audio project gathers the sounds of human migration, from the rhythm of a baby’s heartbeat to the sizzle of refugees cooking food, in a land far from home. Stuart Fowkes says his project aims to highlight the humanity in one of the most polarizing topics of our time.

What does Donald Trump’s victory tell us about the state of the United States, and its future? Matt Galloway talks to historians Carol Anderson and Jill Lepore about how the economy, class, race and gender played into this election — and where things go from here. 

What might the next four years hold? We talk to Connecticut Republican Party chairman Ben Proto and Keneisha Grant, an associate professor of political science at Howard University.

Donald Trump will be the 47th president of the United States, and in the end it wasn’t even close. Matt Galloway talks to political analysts about why voters weren’t put off by Trump’s criminal convictions and inflammatory rhetoric — and what Democrats misread about the mood of the electorate.

Tracey Danka is a staunch Trump supporter; her husband Ed voted for Kamala Harris. They tell us about the mood in their house the day after the election. And we check back in with voters we met in Michigan: Audrey Lance, an obstetrician who campaigned for Kamala Harris on reproductive rights; and Brian Pannebecker, founder of Auto Workers for Trump.

Political scientist Robert Spitzer talks us through the ongoing criminal cases facing Trump, and whether he will use his presidential powers to go after his “enemies.”

As election day finally arrives in the U.S., we check back in with three undecided voters in crucial swing states that could decide whether Donald Trump or Kamala Harris become the country’s next president. What helped them make up their minds?

Anishinaabe senator and renowned lawyer Murray Sinclair died Monday, aged 73. Matt Galloway talks to Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew and Indigenous advocate Cindy Blackstock about the man they knew, and his legacy.

The world has “become incapable of making peace,” says UN refugee chief Filippo Grandi, allowing escalating conflicts to force more than 120 million people from their homes in places like Gaza, Lebanon, Sudan and Mexico. Grandi talks to Matt Galloway about the plight of those refugees and why he thinks the United Nations is failing to protect the victims of war. 

Sandra Demontigny was in her 30s when she was diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer's, a disease she watched eat away at her father and grandmother. Demontigny wants to one day access medical assistance in dying and has been fighting for people in her position to consent to the procedure in advance, while they still can. Now, the Quebec government has agreed to the change — we hear what that means to Demontigny and her fight for a good death.

Céline Dion returned to the global stage this summer after a rare illness forced her out of the spotlight and threatened her decades-long career. The new CBC podcast Celine: Understoodexplores her ascent from a small-town Quebec singer to a global pop icon.

Donald Trump has been ramping up his unfounded claims of election fraud, fuelling fears that this week’s U.S. presidential election could be contested or even become violent. We look at the brewing battle over casting those votes — and counting them fairly.

In her new book Going to Seed, Kate J. Neville reflects on the value of being idle. In September, she talked about the importance of escaping the busyness that builds up around family, work and social demands.

Ruaridh Nicoll, Cuba correspondent with The Guardian, tells guest host Susan Ormiston how the island’s multiple power shutdowns point to the overall decline of the government’s services — it has few true allies, is financially strapped and is at risk of becoming a failed state. 

Food bank usage has surged in recent years, with a new report from Food Banks Canada indicating over two million visits in March 2024 alone. Experts suggest that income support and making healthy food more affordable through price controls could help Canadians. 

As days get shorter and temperatures drop, flu season is upon us. Dr. Isaac Bogoch, an infectious disease specialist at Toronto General Hospital, tells guest host Susan Ormiston about what to expect this year. 

Fatbergs are causing costly plumbing issues and sewage overflow in Metro Vancouver. These rock-like masses of waste form when fat, oil and grease are mixed with non-biodegradable items like wet wipes – which is why wastewater experts want us to think twice about what we put down the toilet and drain.

Sarah Smarsh grew up on a wheat farm in Kansas, and in her new essay collection Bone of the Bone: Essays on America by a Daughter of the Working Class, she tackles the narrative that people from the heartland are just “backwards, bigoted, terrible folks.” 

Israel’s government passed a law on Monday to ban the UN’s Palestinian relief agency (UNRWA), the main source of aid for Palestinians. A spokesperson for the organization says it will cause deadly consequences for Palestinians who are already suffering.

They needed certainty. They got chaos. For over a decade, countless people from at least five different countries put their trust in a company offering prenatal paternity tests. It promised clients “99.9% accuracy” — but then routinely, for over a decade, identified the wrong biological fathers.

Investigative journalists Jorge Barrera and Rachel Houlihan track down the people whose lives were torn apart by these bad results, the shattered families and acrimonious court cases that followed, and the story behind the company that continues to stand by its testing and is still operating today.

About Uncover: Crime. Investigation. Revelation. Uncover brings you explosive, high-caliber true crime year-round. From CIA mind control to serial abuse, mysterious disappearances to wrongful imprisonment. Each season features a new host who is deeply connected to the story, committed to tracking down the truth. With new episodes weekly, and over twenty seasons to choose from, Uncover represents the best in true crime.

More episodes of Uncover are available at: https://lnk.to/bYdQKYS0

Conservation advocates at the UN’s biological diversity convention propose that fungi be categorized separately from animals and plants, as they can play a significant role in protecting the environment.

For over a decade, countless people’s lives were turned upside down when a Canadian company knowingly issued incorrect paternity tests — despite promising “99.9 per cent accuracy.” Investigative journalists Jorge Barrera and Rachel Houlihan tell this story in Bad Results, the latest season of CBC’s true crime podcast, Uncover.

It's been three years since Indigenous leaders in Kamloops, Cowessess and other First Nations revealed there were hundreds of unmarked graves on the sites of former residential schools. Kimberly Murray, who was appointed special independent interlocutor for missing children and unmarked graves and burial sites associated with Indian Residential Schools, talks about her new report — and the 42 obligations Canadian institutions must meet.

In response to Canadians struggling to afford housing, the Conservative leader has pledged to remove the GST on newly-built homes sold for less than a million dollars. Economist Mike Moffatt likes the idea, but says that it needs to go further by building more homes. 

New Brunswick chose change, the Saskatchewan Party won a fifth straight majority, and the B.C. result was so close it took days to decide. Our national affairs panel looks at what these provincial results might mean for the next federal election — and whether “turbulence is all but guaranteed.”

Ukraine says more than 19,000 children have been taken into Russia since the war began — and most have not returned. Guest host Susan Ormiston talks to Mykola Kuleba, Ukraine’s former children’s ombudsman, who is urging the international community to help bring those children home.

In the face of human-made climate change, philosopher Todd May asks whether we even deserve to inhabit this planet in his book, Should We Go Extinct? In September, he told Matt Galloway that the question could force us to consider how to be better stewards of the Earth.

When journalist Tanya Talaga's great uncle requested government documents about his mother, he was told she didn't exist. In her book The Knowing, Talaga digs into how her family’s Indigenous identity was erased, and what that tells us about Canadian history.

Historian Timothy Snyder says thinking about freedom as “me against the system” is actually a trap that stops people from being truly free. The best-selling author of On Tyranny spoke with Matt Galloway at the Vancouver Writers Fest about his new book On Freedom, and why he’s now “100 per cent convinced” that there will be violence around the looming U.S. election.

Canadian billionaire Frank Stronach is facing allegations of sexual assault from 13 women, spanning decades. The Fifth Estate’s Mark Kelley spoke to some of those women, and put the allegations to Stronach in exclusive one-on-one interviews.

Mats Sundin captained the Toronto Maple Leafs for 11 seasons, and still has more career goals, overtime goals, and points than any other Leafs player. He reflects on his NHL career — and the importance of family at every twist and turn — in his new memoir Home and Away.

Journalist Bob Woodward's new book, War, takes us inside the White House to explore how the presidencies of Joe Biden and Donald Trump tackled global conflicts, from Ukraine to the Middle East to the fight for the American presidency itself.

Pauline Nickerson says it would be a miserable world without music. She and her husband Arnold, both in their 90s, host weekly kitchen parties in Nova Scotia, bringing music and joy to a faithful crowd of seniors who never miss a week.

Abortion is top of mind for many U.S. voters following the overturning of Roe v. Wade. We talk to women in Michigan about what the issue means to them, and what this election means for health care and reproductive rights across the whole country.

Arab-American residents of Dearborn, Mich., have usually voted Democrat. But anger over the war in the Middle East is prompting many voters to turn away from Kamala Harris, and consider a protest vote for Donald Trump. In this crucial swing state, could that anger decide the outcome of this entire election?

Michigan has been called the state that put the world on wheels, but after weathering decades of decline the state’s auto industry is now reckoning with the transition to electric vehicles. We hear why one retired auto worker is backing Donald Trump, despite what he said about Detroit.

The Blue Bird Inn on Detroit’s west side was the birthplace of bebop jazz and a hub for the city’s working-class Black community. Michelle Jahra McKinney gives us a tour of the venue, which closed 20 years ago but is now being revitalized as a music venue and archive. 

The Bank of Canada has slashed its key interest rate to 3.75 per cent, the biggest drop since the start of the pandemic. We look at how long it will take for this to reach the wallets of cash-strapped Canadians — and the tightrope the Bank is walking when it comes to inflation.

Elon Musk is giving away $1 million US every day to someone who signs his petition to support “freedom of speech and the right to bear arms,” as long as they’re a registered voter in a swing state. Critics say it’s an attempt to sway votes for Donald Trump — and could be illegal.

Rumble may be a lesser-known social media site, but it’s been gaining momentum as a platform for content creators banned by bigger sites. Nora Young, from the CBC’s Visual Investigations Unit, digs into the Canadian-founded video platform’s soaring popularity.

The new documentary All Too Clear explores the darkest depths of the Great Lakes, and finds a vast carpet of invasive quagga mussels, numbering in the quadrillions. Guest host Peter Armstrong talks to filmmakers Zach Melnick and Yvonne Drebert about their deep dive into that ecological damage — and the century-old shipwreck they discovered along the way.

Céline Dion is having a moment. It’s not her first, and millions of fans are hoping it won’t be her last. While Céline’s international stardom seems obvious now, it was all so unlikely.

Now, as a rare illness threatens to retire Celine’s more-than-four-decade long career, in Céline: Understood culture writer Thomas Leblanc reveals the surprising cultural, political and business alchemy that created one of the most enduring superstars the planet has ever seen.

Understood is an anthology podcast that takes you out of the daily news cycle and inside the events, people, and cultural moments you want to know more about. Over a handful of episodes, each season unfolds as a story, hosted by a well-connected reporter, and rooted in journalism you can trust. Driven by insight and fueled by curiosity…The stories of our time: Understood.

More episodes of Understood are available at: https://lnk.to/CelineUnderstood

Google has signed a first-of-its-kind deal to fuel its AI data centres with nuclear power, from next-generation small modular reactors that are yet to be built. We look at AI’s enormous appetite for power — and whether it could drive growth in the alternative energy sector.

Justin Trudeau could face calls to resign from his own “revolting caucus” Wednesday, while Pierre Poilievre is under increased scrutiny for refusing to get security clearance. Guest host Peter Armstrong unpacks the politics with the CBC’s Catherine Cullen, the Globe and Mail's Stephanie Levitz and the National Post’s Christopher Nardi.

We know music can soothe the soul, but neuroscientist Daniel Levitin says it could also help heal the body and brain. Last month, he spoke with Matt Galloway about the power of music as medicine — and how it helped his friend, Joni Mitchell, recover from a brain aneurysm.

In the dead of night, charity workers head into the Arizona desert, with food and water for migrants trying to cross into the U.S. Not far away, a rancher says the people he sees constantly crossing his land are criminals. And an undocumented family shares what life is like for them, from running a small business to getting their kids into college, without immigration status. Matt Galloway travels to Arizona to meet these people and other voters, and learn why the border has become a flashpoint in this swing state — one that could decide who wins the looming U.S. election.

At 18 years old, Nima Rinji Sherpa has become the youngest person to climb the world’s 14 tallest mountains, including Everest. He joins us from his home in Kathmandu to share what he saw at the top of the world.

Israel says its soldiers killed Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar in a firefight Thursday. What will his death mean for the escalating conflict in the region, the Israeli hostages still held by Hamas, and the plight of Palestinian civilians under assault from Israel in Gaza?

Donald Trump has suggested God has chosen him to lead the U.S., an idea that is striking a chord with white Christian nationalists. Author and religious scholar Bradley Onishi explains the role that group plays in shaping U.S. politics — and the looming election.

Many women experiencing a miscarriage end up in the ER, where they can face long wait times and a lack of compassion. A report published this week is calling for investments in early pregnancy care in Canada, arguing it would reduce the substantial suffering of pregnancy loss.

We received a lot of mail about Nova Scotia’s plan to fast-track licensing for foreign-trained doctors who come to Canada, reducing the time from 18 months to 12 weeks in some cases. Dr. Michelle Morros, a family physician in Alberta, shares her thoughts. 

Acclaimed Montreal chef Chuck Hughes never really cooked at home before he had kids — but now he's conjuring up recipes like hotdog french toast with his 8 and 10-year-old sous-chefs. He shares some recipes that your kids might love in his new book Home Cooking: Family Favourite Recipes From My Kitchen To Yours.

New figures show a sharp drop in overdose deaths in the U.S., offering a rare glimmer of hope in the opioid crisis. Guest host Rebecca Zandbergen digs into what could be driving that decrease, whether it’s a blip — and what it all means for saving lives here in Canada.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says he has the names of Conservative parliamentarians involved in foreign interference, but Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has refused the security screening that would give him access to those names. In response, Poilievre said the prime minister is lying and should name names. National security expert Wesley Wark unpacks Trudeau’s explosive testimony to the foreign interference inquiry Wednesday.

Ottawa expelled six Indian diplomats this week, following RCMP allegations that Indian officials in Canada have been involved in a wide range of criminal activities. The CBC’s Salimah Shivji joins us from Delhi to discuss the allegations — and how they’ve been received in India.

Journalist Elizabeth Renzetti says the fight for women's rights is far from over, from persistent wage inequality to a global backlash over reproductive rights. She tells us about her new book What She Said: Conversations About Equality — and why she thinks the pop star Taylor Swift represents the strange dichotomy that so many young women are trapped in today.

A Canadian soldier fighting in Ukraine had a recent brush with death after being badly wounded in an attack from Russian forces. The CBC’s David Common brings us a rare window into the war through the eyes of this Canadian fighter, known as Shadow.

Donald Trump says he’ll slap tariffs on global imports if he wins the White House, which could spell trouble for Canadian business. But Kirsten Hillman, Canada's ambassador to the U.S., says these protectionist tendencies aren’t new — and her team is already pushing back.

The CBC’s Katie Nicholson was reporting live from the Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol riot when she was swarmed by Trump supporters and forced off air. In her new documentary she tracks down one of the people who harassed her — a woman who still firmly believes the 2020 U.S. election was stolen, and is married to a lifelong Democrat who does not.

DeMar DeRozan changed the conversation around mental health in basketball, starting with a single tweet about his own struggles with depression. In September, the former Toronto Raptor spoke to Matt Galloway about why he now sees vulnerability as a form of strength — and why he “couldn't stand” Kyle Lowry when they first met.

Gaza has become a graveyard for the world’s humanity, says Palestinian poet Mosab Abu Toha. He fled the enclave with his wife and children when Israel invaded last year, in a military campaign that has since killed 31 members of his extended family. He talks to Matt Galloway about watching that violence from afar, and writing poetry amid unimaginable loss.

Arielle Johnson says knowing the basic building blocks of taste — on a molecular level — can help any cook create something delicious. In a conversation from May, she talks to Matt Galloway about the science of flavour and her book, Flavorama. 

Over the past year, more than 4,000 visits to ERs in Toronto were made by a small group of 100 unhoused people. Now, the city’s University Health Network is supporting Dunn House, a project offering homes to people in that group, with onsite medical and social supports. 

Last month Matt Galloway visited the islands of Haida Gwaii, to hear about a historic agreement that recognizes the Haida Nation’s title over the land. We revisit his conversation with renowned Haida artist Christian White — about preserving and celebrating his nation’s ancient traditions — and hear about the return of sea otters to the archipelago’s ecosystem.

Journalist Will Doig says there’s reasons for hope in even the darkest topics. As editor of the online magazine Reasons to be Cheerful — launched by David Byrne of the Talking Heads — Doig searches for stories that embody change and remind us of what’s good in the world.

Canadian Shane Gross has just won the Wildlife Photo of the Year award, for a picture that might change how you think about tadpoles. He tells us about the time he spends underwater and what he wants people on dry land to know about the world below the surface.

Julie Hosack’s son Cole is one of several people who have gone missing in Dawson Creek, a picturesque B.C. town that has become a hotbed for drugs and violent crime. The Fifth Estate went there to investigate the sudden spike in deadly crime, and found a community on edge and deeply frustrated with the RCMP.

Chef Yotam Ottolenghi’s new cookbook, Ottolenghi Comfort, focuses on recipes that bring us warmth when we need it most, from curries and noodles to a simple chocolate mousse. He talks to Matt Galloway about how what we cook — and who we eat it with — can bring comfort in uncomfortable times.

It takes 18 months for a foreign-trained doctor to be licensed to work in Canada, but a new plan in Nova Scotia aims to cut that time to just 12 weeks. Experts hope that getting these physicians to work faster can help the millions of Canadians who don’t have a family doctor.

Hurricane Milton tore through Florida overnight, ripping the roof off the Tampa Bay Rays’ home stadium and leaving millions without power and facing extensive flooding. The CBC's Katie Simpson brings us the latest from Orlando, where people are just stepping outside to assess the damage.

Last week’s conversation about pension hikes and generational fairness sparked an avalanche of mail from listeners. We hear your thoughts, and reconvene our panel to discuss how to create policies that benefit all Canadians, without pitting generations against each other.  

Hurricane season has collided with an election campaign in the U.S., and politicians like Donald Trump are using the moment to spread disinformation about relief efforts. The CBC's Nora Young helps us disentangle the facts from the deepfakes.

U.S. marines killed 24 unarmed Iraqi men, women and children in 2005, in what became known as the Haditha Massacre. Investigative journalist Madeleine Baran, host of the podcast In the Dark, looks at what happened that day — and why no one was ever held accountable. 

Hurricane Milton is bearing down on Florida, just weeks after the destruction of Hurricane Helene. Jaina Thatch has already been evacuated. She says facing two monster storms back-to-back is unimaginable, she just hopes she’ll have a home to go back to. 

A Toronto hospital is using human placentas to treat complex burns and wounds. We look at how it works — and why doctors are urging women to donate rather than dump the organ.

What role will the “man-o-sphere” and “childless cat ladies” play in a tight U.S. presidential election? We look at how Kamala Harris and Donald Trump are campaigning along gender lines — and whether the result will come down to whether men will vote for a female president.

Fashion journalist Jeanne Beker pulls some wild stories out of her closet in her new book, Heart on My Sleeve, from chatting to famous musicians in the bath to walking out on an interview with Iggy Pop. She shows Matt Galloway how the items in her closet tell her story, from a yellow bikini top to a boxy Chanel dress.

Research shows teens in Canada are becoming less likely to use a condom. We look at how educators are taking a different approach to talking about sexual health — and what’s at stake.