The Sunday Magazine

Host Piya Chattopadhyay speaks with The Economist's Rob Russo and The Globe and Mail's Stephanie Levitz about how Canadian politicians are responding to Donald Trump's tariff threat, historian Evan Friss explores why bookstores endure against the odds, researcher Carolyn Whitzman shares approaches to solving Canada's housing crisis, and our monthly challenge That's Puzzling! returns.

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2024 has been dubbed the "year of elections," and it comes as democratic backsliding is on the rise. Now that Donald Trump is returning to the White House, what does that spell for the fate of democracy worldwide? Piya Chattopadhyay moderates the 2024 Stanfield Conversation – a series focusing on critical challenges to democracy and imaginative and inspiring responses to them – at Dalhousie University in Halifax. This year's featured guests are The Globe and Mail's international affairs columnist Doug Saunders and McGill University political scientist and Canada Research Chair in Racial Inequality in Democratic Societies, Debra Thompson.

Host Piya Chattopadhyay speaks with international relations professor Fawaz Gerges about the consequences of the ICC's arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, associate professor of political science Maria Popova unpacks recent escalation in the Russia-Ukraine war, linguist Julie Sedivy talks about how language defines our lives, and we present the 2024 Stanfield Conversation about the U.S. election and democracy's global fate, featuring The Globe and Mail columnist Doug Saunders and McGill University political scientist Debra Thompson.

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After a beloved gorilla at the Toronto Zoo named Charles died last month, hundreds of people visited his enclosure to mourn and lay flowers. But did his fellow apes understand that he had died? Did Charles ever contemplate his own mortality? Susana Monsó has long contemplated questions like these as she seeks to understand how animals understand death. The philosopher joins Piya Chattopadhyay to talk about how all kinds of animals relate to mortality... and what we humans might learn from them.

Host Piya Chattopadhyay speaks with Carleton University's Ian Lee about the latest on the Canada post strike and the postal service's future, Dene leader Georges Erasmus reflects on his decades-long fight for Indigenous rights, World Meteorological Organization secretary-general Celeste Saulo talks climate, cash, and the role of meteorology in navigating a warming world, The Sunday Magazine's Peter Mitton unpacks the politics of grievance, and philosopher Susana Monsó examines how animals relate to death.

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In the latest edition of our monthly challenge That's Puzzling!, Piya Chattopadhyay competes against one familiar voice and one clever listener in a battle of brain games devised by puzzle master Peter Brown. Playing along this month are CBC Sports reporter Devin Heroux and Waterloo, Ont. listener Skyler Xiang.

Host Piya Chattopadhyay reconvenes our U.S. Election Panel – Washington Post White House bureau chief Toluse "Tolu" Olorunnipa, Wall Street Journal senior political correspondent Molly Ball and former CBC Washington correspondent Keith Boag – to discuss what Donald Trump's presidential victory means for the country's future, Rolling Stone's Rob Sheffield breaks down how Taylor Swift transformed culture, society, and the pop landscape, The Economist's Gregg Carlstrom and Atlantic Council's Michael Bociurkiw explore what Trump's return to power may mean for wars in the Middle East and Ukraine, and our monthly challenge That's Puzzling! returns.

When Malcolm Gladwell released his debut book The Tipping Point in 2000, only three people showed up to his first publicity event. But it didn’t take long for the Canadian journalist’s exploration of social epidemics and their impacts to catch fire... and soon, reach its own tipping point in the zeitgeist. Nearly 25 years later, Gladwell has returned to his seminal work – this time, from a darker perspective. At a recent on-stage event hosted by the University of Toronto's Rotman School of Management, Chattopadhyay spoke with Gladwell about his latest book Revenge of the Tipping Point, in which he warns that the same tools we have used to make positive social changes can also be used to thwart them. 

Host Piya Chattopadhyay reconvenes our U.S. Election Panel – Washington Post White House bureau chief Toluse "Tolu" Olorunnipa, Wall Street Journal senior political correspondent Molly Ball and former CBC Washington correspondent Keith Boag – to break down the final stretch in the race for the White House, Timothy Caulfield unravels the myths of the "manosphere" while investigating the male wellness industry, and author Malcolm Gladwell explores the darker sides of social epidemics.

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Dr. Chika Stacy Oriuwa is an accomplished doctor and poet – but in 2016 she made headlines for something else. In her medical school class at the University of Toronto, she was the only Black student. She went on to become the first Black woman named sole valedictorian of the department. Since then, Dr. Oriuwa has taken up the work of creating opportunities for other racialized people in medicine. She tells Piya Chattopadhyay about her journey to becoming a doctor and finding her voice as explored in her new memoir Unlike the Rest: A Doctor's Story.

Host Piya Chattopadhyay speaks with Susan Delacourt and Rob Russo about the Liberal caucus revolt, Dr. Chika Stacy Oriuwa shares her journey to becoming a doctor and advocating for other racialized people in medicine, political scientist Dave Karpf explores how Big Tech is shaping the U.S. election campaign, Eater correspondent Jaya Saxena charts how review culture took root in modern life, and MLB historian John Thorn dives into the storied Yankees-Dodgers rivalry taking place at this year's World Series.

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Over the past three decades, writer, broadcaster and priest Michael Coren has gone from notoriety as a right-wing talk radio host who opposed gay marriage, to an outspoken supporter of 2SLGBTQ+ rights and a tolerant, progressive brand of Christianity. He joins Piya Chattopadhyay to reflect on the many transitions that have defined his public and personal life, as he explores in his memoir Heaping Coals.

Host Piya Chattopadhyay speaks with Marieke Walsh, Matt Gurney, and Stephen Maher about the week in Canadian politics, Michael Coren reflects on the transitions that have defined his public and personal life, Toluse Olorunnipa, Molly Ball, and Keith Boag break down what the final two weeks in the race for the White House could look like, and political scientist Oliver Stuenkelexplains the rise of the BRICS group of nations.

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In the latest edition of our monthly challenge That's Puzzling!, Piya Chattopadhyay competes against one familiar voice and one clever listener in a battle of brain games devised by puzzle master Peter Brown. Playing along this month are CBC News senior business reporter Anis Heydari and New Westminster, B.C. listener Ruth Silverman.

Host Piya Chattopadhyay speaks with writer Porter Fox about Hurricane Milton and our future of living with superstorms, Adrian Ma's documentary traces how Vince Carter shaped Canada both on and off the basketball court, veteran broadcaster Connie Chung reflects on her trailblazing career, and we play another round of our monthly challenge That's Puzzling!

From his NHL start with the Toronto Maple Leafs, to his championship run with the Colorado Avalanche, to now playing centre for the Calgary Flames… Nazem Kadri's identity, staunch confidence and scuffles have defined the hockey player on the ice for years. He joins Piya Chattopadhyay to discuss his memoir Dreamer: My Life On the Edge, which recounts his journey growing up as a hockey-loving kid in London, Ont., becoming the first Muslim player to win the Stanley Cup, and the challenges, controversies and racism he's faced along the way.

Host Piya Chattopadhyay speaks with CBC News foreign correspondent Chris Brown about the latest developments in the Middle East, NHL star Nazem Kadri shares his journey in hockey, menswear writer Derek Guy explains what clothes communicate on the campaign trail, Din Tesler describes his experience surviving the Oct. 7, 2023 attack in Israel, Farida Algoul shares her experience of displacement in Gaza during the Israel-Hamas war, Israeli columnist Gideon Levy shares his perspective on his country's future, and Middle East expert Beverley Milton-Edwards talks about the future of Hamas and other regional militant groups.

With his epic Pulitzer Prize-winning 2018 novel The Overstory, Richard Powers earned acclaim for his rumination on the connected lives of trees, and the threats they face. In his latest novel, Playground, he explores what humans can learn from the underwater world that can seem so alien to us here on land. Powers joins Piya Chattopadhyay to discuss its themes of climate change, technological instability and the power of awe... and why he's trying to tell a more hopeful story about the existential threats facing us today.

Host Piya Chattopadhyay speaks with CBC's Margaret Evans and The Economist's Gregg Carlstrom about the latest developments in the Middle East, Richard Powers reflects on finding possibility in the threats we face with his new novel Playground, Sixties Scoop survivor Andrea Currie shares her story and efforts to help other Indigenous people heal, and writer and humourist Eli Burnstein talks about the value of parsing fine distinctions in everyday language.

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Nathan Law rose to prominence a decade ago as one of the student leaders of the pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong known as the Umbrella Movement. He went on to become one of the semi-autonomous Chinese region's youngest legislators... and not long after, one of its most wanted men. Today, he lives in exile with a bounty on his head, but that hasn't stopped him advocating from abroad. Law joins Piya Chattopadhyay to explore his unlikely journey to activism, and what he makes of the prospects for democracy in Hong Kong now, after recent national security laws have further restricted rights.

Host Piya Chattopadhyay speaks with emerging technology expert Christopher Kirchhoff about how tech is changing the nature of global conflict, exiled activist Nathan Law reflects on Hong Kong's prospects for democracy, New York Times investigative journalist Susanne Craig shares her reporting on Donald Trump's wealth, and celebrated Canadian author Guy Vanderhaeghe looks back on what shaped him as a writer.

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With a surge in population growth sparking affordability concerns, the federal government has been making a series of policy changes meant to restrict the volume of temporary residents entering and staying in Canada. Piya Chattopadhyay speaks with former international student Mehakdeep Singh to hear about the challenges of navigating a complex web of pathways and policies after his permit expired. Then, economists Armine Yalnizyan and Mikal Skuterud join Chattopadhyay to offer their analysis on how these changes are affecting Canada – and what needs to happen to ensure sustainable immigration into the future.

Host Piya Chattopadhyay speaks with aviation expert John Gradek about what the Air Canada pilot dispute illuminates about broader turbulence on our transportation landscape, The Globe and Mail's Marieke Walsh sets up the top concerns and challenges facing MPs as Parliament returns, musicologist Walter Frisch explores the enduring power of the classic song "Over the Rainbow", economists Armine Yalnizyan and Mikal Skuterud weigh the stakes of changes to Canada's immigration policy, and author Ben Yagoda charts the rise of Britishisms in North American English.

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In the latest edition of our monthly challenge That's Puzzling!, Piya Chattopadhyay competes against one familiar voice and one clever listener in a battle of brain games devised by puzzle master Peter Brown. Playing along this month are Jeopardy! champ and host of the new CBC Radio show Bookends, Mattea Roach, and Calgary listener Caroline Connolly.

Host Piya Chattopadhyay breaks down the NDP-Liberal breakup with Toronto Star national columnist Susan Delacourt and The Line's Matt Gurney, writer and publisher Roland Allen explores why the notebook still endures in the digital age, statistician Nate Silver weighs the rewards of taking risks in politics and beyond, and our monthly challenge That's Puzzling! returns.

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False claims of Indigenous ancestry are nothing new in Canada. But recent accusations levelled against public figures like Buffy Sainte-Marie, Mary Ellen Turpel-Lafond and Michelle Latimer have put increased pressure on institutions and society at large to grapple with the phenomenon of so-called "pretendians." Métis author and poet katherena vermette joins David Common to talk about putting the tension surrounding "pretendians" at the heart of her new novel Real Ones, and why such figures can cause uniquely deep damage to Indigenous communities.

Guest host David Common speaks with Canadian Labour Congress president Bea Bruske about the state of the labour movement today, writer katherena vermette explores how "pretendians" uniquely damage Indigenous communities, journalist and podcaster Jon Ronson talks about how COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns helped fuel culture wars, and cognitive scientist Maya Shankar offers advice on how we can all weather change better.

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The notion that "fire knows no borders" continues to ring true this summer. From Jasper, Alta. to Athens and the American West Coast... wildfires have left their marks on so many communities – and on the minds and memories of those who call them home. Viet Thanh Nguyen is a self-described scholar of memory. Much of the Pulitzer Prize-winning author's work examines how trauma shapes our narrative and emotional recollection. He speaks with Piya Chattopadhyay about his latest kids book Simone, which tells the story of a young girl and her mom fleeing home in the face of fire.

Host Piya Chattopadhyay speaks with columnist Emilie Nicolas, senior political reporter Marieke Walsh, and former Liberal strategist David Herle about what's at stake for the federal Liberals ahead of Parliament's return, Pulitzer Prize-winning author Viet Thanh Nguyen talks about his latest kids book Simone, and we present an on-stage conversation with journalists April Lindgren, Mohsin Abbas, Juanita Taylor, and Nicholas Hune-Brown about the vital role of local news – and new ideas emerging to enhance it.

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Sound travels more than four times faster underwater - and almost all marine creatures depend on it in some way. But humans are making it really difficult for them to interpret sound, which can have disastrous consequences, says Amorina Kingdon. The science writer joins Duncan McCue to discuss her book Sing Like Fish: How Sound Rules Life Underwater.

Guest host Duncan McCue is joined by Toluse Olorunnipa, Molly Ball and, Keith Boag to unpack the latest on Kamala Harris' election campaign ahead of the democratic national convention, science writer Amorina Kingdon explains the effect of human activity on the natural marine soundscape, Jennifer Welsh, and Arif Lalani, discuss the latest developments in the conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine, and 'Godmother of AI' Fei Fei Li reflects on her groundbreaking work.

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Something "weird" – or maybe something "brat" – seems to be happening with internet slang this summer. The language of the chronically-online is transcending TikTok and entering the political arena, with some potentially lasting, real world consequences. In the latest installment of Word Processing, our ongoing look at language, Gen Z linguist Adam Aleksic tells Piya Chattopadhyay about the political and cultural force of memes and online language… and how it all shapes our popular lexicon.

Host Piya Chattopadhyay speaks with law professor Lisa Pruitt about how the white working class became a force in American politics, linguist Adam Aleksic spells out how online subcultures shape popular language, CBC Sports senior contributors Shireen Ahmed and Morgan Campbell reflect on the successes, controversies and surprises of the Paris Olympics, and historian Mary Beard shares lessons for our world from the Roman Empire.

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She has two Olympic golds and four podium finishes at the World Championships. But Caster Semenya can no longer compete in elite competition, all because of what's long defined the middle distance runner more than her athletic achievement: her gender. Semenya has higher testosterone levels than average women, which has made her a lightning rod in conversations around gender in sports for years. Now, she's telling her own story in a memoir called The Race to Be Myself. She joins Piya Chattopadhyay to talk about being the subject of debate in public and how she's keeping up her fight for all women to be respected and included in sports.

Guest host David Common speaks with the Institute for Peace and Diplomacy's Bijan Ahmadi and Canada's former ambassador to Israel Jon Allen about the latest developments in the Middle East, journalist Julia Davis surveys the state of media in Russia, paraclimbing world champion Maureen Beck shares her view from the top, and Olympic champion runner Caster Semenya reflects on being at the centre of debates around gender in sports.

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Over the past several years, followers of QAnon – a conspiracy theory suggesting Donald Trump is the leader of a secret war against the "deep state" – have gained political influence in the United States and beyond. Several of them were part of the attack on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Now, investigative reporter Jesselyn Cook is looking into the human impact of believing in such conspiracies – both on followers, and their loved ones. She joins Piya Chattopadhyay to discuss her book The Quiet Damage, which explores the social fallout of QAnon and challenges our ideas about truth and reality.

Host Piya Chattopadhyay speaks with environmental writer Ed Struzik about what lessons the Jasper, Alta. wildfire may hold for our future, Pulitzer Prize-winning writer Anne Applebaum discusses how autocrats are uniting to undermine liberal democracy, Olympics expert Jules Boykoff surveys the politics on display at the Paris Summer Games, and investigative reporter Jesselyn Cook explores how conspiracy theories affect families.

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The Paris Olympics are forecast to be the hottest on record. As temperatures climb, so too do concerns about the impacts of climate change on sports – but the challenges go beyond heat. Wildfires and flooding are also forcing adaptations to how some sports are played. Meanwhile, the sports world must also navigate how to reduce its own emissions, lest it remain part of the problem. Sports ecologist Madeleine Orr joins Megan Williams to walk through how our changing planet is changing sports, as explored in her book Warming Up.

Guest host Megan Williams speaks with Elaina Plott Calabro, Simon van Zuylen-Wood, and Joel Goldenstein about how the vice-presidential picks are shaping the U.S. election, archaeologist Christopher Beckman explores the anchovy's slippery history in Western cultures, sports ecologist Madeleine Orr reveals how climate change is changing sports, and photographer Edward Burtynsky reflects on how his industry roots shape his perspective on art.

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The revelation that Alice Munro knew that her husband had sexually abused her nine-year-old daughter – and concealed it, even after he was convicted years later for his crimes – has rocked the literary world. Canadian authors Heather O'Neill, Sarah Weinman, and Stephen Marche join Megan Williams to discuss what this means for readers of Munro's fiction, and those who might not have yet discovered her.

Guest host Megan Williams speaks with Tolu Olorunnipa, Molly Balland Keith Boag about the attack at Donald Trump's campaign rally on Saturday, Kelly and Zach Weinersmith lay out the challenges that scientists and policy makers face when it comes to surviving on Mars, authors Heather O'Neill, Sarah Weinman, and Stephen Marche speak on how the literary world has been rocked by the revelation surrounding Alice Munro, and Kent Monkman and Gisele Gordon share their story of teaming up to write The Memoires of Miss Chief Eagle Testickle: A True and Exact Accounting of the History Turtle Island.

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A new political era is underway in Europe in the face of two snap elections. People in France are casting ballots in a second round of voting that could chart a new course for the country’s future, while across the channel, a landslide victory for the United Kingdom's Labour Party ended 14 years of Conservative rule. While the places, players and people are different... voters in the U.K. and France seem to have one unifying message: change. The Globe and Mail's Europe correspondent Paul Waldie, The Economist's Paris bureau chief Sophie Pedder and University of Surrey politics professor Amelia Hadfield join Piya Chattopadhyay to break down the issues and broader global implications.

Host Piya Chattopadhyay speaks with Paul Waldie, Sophie Pedder, and Amelia Hadfield about what Europe's elections signal for the world, Phil Elwood talks about his career as a PR operative for dictators, tycoons and politicians, strategists Ashley Csanady and Andrew Perez discuss the current state of the federal Liberal Party, and Dr. Jen Gunter debunks menstruation myths.

On June 30, 2021, a fast-moving wildfire burned most of Lytton, British Columbia to the ground. Two people were killed and 90 per cent of the village went up in flames. Three years later, most of Lytton is still empty and construction hasn’t begun on most of the structures that were destroyed. Playwright and actor Kevin Loring and Toronto Star crime reporter Peter Edwards hope that will soon change. The two were born and raised in the village. They join David Common to discuss their new book Lytton: Climate Change, Colonialism and Life Before the Fire, and explore why Lytton has played such a huge role in the fight against climate change. 

Guest host David Common speaks with Washington Post White House bureau chief Toluse "Tolu" Olorunnipa, Wall Street Journal senior political correspondent Molly Ball and former CBC Washington correspondent Keith Boag about the stakes at play following the first U.S. presidential debate, playwright Kevin Loring and journalist Peter Edwards reflect on the legacy of the Lytton, B.C. wildfire three years on, NPR science reporter Michaeleen Doucleff talks about what ancient cultures can teach us about raising kids, and former NBA star Rex Chapman explores his journey through addiction.

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Dr. Anthony Fauci became the public face of the United States government's response to the COVID-19 pandemic – a role he describes as "communicator in chief." Many hail him as a hero for his leadership during that time. But some others have cast him as a villain, leading to public and political attacks. Since stepping down from his decades-long role as a public health official and chief medical advisor to the president, he's now reflecting on his frontline scientific career from the AIDS crisis to COVID. Through it all, he tells Piya Chattopadhyay, the benefits of pursuing public health and public service have outweighed the negatives.

Host Piya Chattopadhyay speaks with Toronto Star columnist Susan Delacourt and The Line's Matt Gurney about what issues will hang over Parliamentarians as they head home from the House of Commons for the summer, chef Fadi Kattan shares his journey documenting and preserving Palestinian food culture, Dr. Anthony Fauci reflects on his public health career and becoming a political lightning rod along the way, and Marie Wilson recounts her experience helping lead the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

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Sarah Thornton had never thought much about her breasts. But after undergoing a double mastectomy, the sociologist found herself thinking deeply about what she'd lost as a woman – and the complicated relationship our society has with breasts. Thornton's experience inspired her to speak with scores of people, from plastic surgeons, to bra designers and milk bankers. She joins Piya Chattopadhyay to share what she learned from them about the power and politics of breasts, as explored in her book Tits Up.

Host Piya Chattopadhyay speaks with Toronto Star immigration reporter Nicholas Keung and University of Toronto political science associate professor Phil Triadafilopoulos about changing attitudes towards immigration in Canada and beyond, The New York Times global economy reporter Peter S. Goodman outlines the risks facing the global supply chain, our Sunday Documentary explores how Ukraine's new draft measures are sparking tensions for people inside and outside the country, and sociologist Sarah Thornton uncovers the power and politics of breasts.

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Over the past two decades, hundreds of local radio, television, print, and online news outlets have shuttered in communities across Canada. But some people and projects are also offering hope for the future of local news in our country. For the latest installment in the series Trust Talks – an ongoing CBC initiative that aims to engage in meaningful conversations about the future of journalism – Piya Chattopadhyay speaks with journalists from a variety of backgrounds about the vital role that local news plays, the challenges and rewards of telling local stories, and new ideas and strategies emerging to enhance local journalism.

The guests featured in this discussion are April Lindgren, a professor at Toronto Metropolitan University's School of Journalism and the principal investigator of the Local News Research Project; Mohsin Abbas, the publisher of Diversity Reporter Media Inc., which publishes four community newspapers in Southwestern Ontario; CBC News Senior Reporter Juanita Taylor, who covers Canada's North; and Nicholas Hune-Brown, executive editor of the Toronto online magazine The Local.

Their conversation took place at the Canadian Association of Journalists' national annual conference in Toronto.

Host Piya Chattopadhyay speaks with Arif Lalani and Jennifer Welsh about the week in global affairs, BBC golf correspondent Iain Carter explores how a battle in the golf world is shaking up the sport and transcending the green, and we present an on-stage conversation with journalists April Lindgren, Mohsin Abbas, Juanita Taylor, and Nicholas Hune-Brown about the vital role of local news – and new ideas emerging to enhance it.

Discover more at https://www.cbc.ca/sunday