The Decibel

The Globe and Mail

Context is everything. Join us Monday to Friday for a Canadian daily news podcast from The Globe and Mail. Explore a story shaping our world, in conversation with reporters, experts, and the people at the centre of the news.

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1,335 episodes
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Episodes1335

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Oct 2, 2025 · 16 min
Boiling point: the uncertain future of lobster fishing
The great boom of the lobster industry is, in many ways, a story of success. For more than 30 years, Canada’s most valuable seafood export has generated wealth for Canadian fishing communities and created an appetite around the world for the luxury food. But it’s also come at a tremendous cost – Indigenous fishers have been excluded, and scientists have warned warming waters and overfishing are severely affecting catches, causing high tensions and sometimes violent fights. Greg Mercer, investig
Oct 1, 2025 · 16 min
What life is like for missing Ukrainian kids in Russian camps
Official estimates from Ukraine’s government say 19,000 Ukrainian children have been taken by Russian forces since the start of the conflict. And many of these kids are living in Russian camps overseen by former soldiers. Now, a pamphlet from one of the camps has given the world a window into the lives of these children. Janice Dickson, The Globe’s international affairs report, discusses Russia’s attempts to turn these children against their home land. Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at
Sep 30, 2025 · 50 min
Machines Like Us: AI upending higher education
Just two months after ChatGPT was launched in 2022, a survey found 90 per cent of college students were already using it. But students are no longer using artificial intelligence for writing essays – AI is used in generating ideas, conducting research, and summarizing reading. In other words: they’re using it to think for them. What does this mean for higher education? And what are the real costs of AI in critical thinking? Machines Like Us Host Taylor Owen, welcomes two guests – Conor Grennan,
Sep 29, 2025 · 24 min
Let's talk about autism
Last Monday, the Trump administration linked Tylenol to autism and warned against pregnant women taking it — Health Canada says there is no conclusive evidence and continues to recommend acetaminophen to treat fever and pain during pregnancy. This is not the first time U.S. President Trump or Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. have made controversial remarks on autism and what causes it. And some advocates and scientists are concerned about the wider impact this could have. Today, developme
Sep 26, 2025 · 21 min
Who’s behind Canada’s nation-building projects?
Canada’s new Major Projects Office is part of Prime Minister Mark Carney’s ambition to fast-track Canada’s major infrastructure projects. And the person leading it – Dawn Farrell – will play a critical role in getting those deals done quickly. But Farrell is no political appointee. So who is she? And what does her appointment to the post say about the federal government’s intentions for a generational infrastructure build? Globe reporters Emma Graney and Jeffrey Jones spoke to Farrell’s friends
Sep 25, 2025 · 23 min
High-stakes trade talks begin as Trump tariffs persist
After months of informal back-and-forth talks about Donald Trump’s tariffs, a new chapter in the U.S.-Canada trade war has begun. Last week, the U.S. officially started the review process of USMCA, the current North American free trade deal. Mark Rendell covers economic issues for The Globe and explains what the U.S. wants and what Prime Minister Mark Carney’s goals are in this crucial trade negotiation.
Sep 24, 2025 · 25 min
Tracing the virus: How measles made its way back to Canada
Measles is one of the most contagious respiratory viruses in the world. But for decades, it rarely infected Canadians. That’s not true any more. Since October, 2024, North America has seen record case numbers — and most of them seem to lead back to one Canadian family. Today, The Globe’s international correspondent Nathan Vanderklippe joins the show. He’ll tell us the story of his 40,000-kilometre journey to trace the measles outbreak and to figure out how it took hold in North America after Ca
Sep 23, 2025 · 24 min
Charlie Kirk, free speech, and Canada’s new anti-hate law
A fierce debate about free speech has erupted in the U.S. in the wake of Charlie Kirk’s killing. Government officials have encouraged reporting against Americans in their reaction to Kirk’s death, with some, like talk show host Jimmy Kimmel having his show briefly suspended under government pressure. This debate over what is acceptable speech extends to Canada, as the federal government introduced a new bill in expanding Canada’s anti-hate laws. The Decibel is joined by James L. Turk, director
Sep 22, 2025 · 26 min
Meet the people who save aggressively to retire early
Would you work two full-time jobs and live off of ramen noodles if it meant you could retire at 35? That’s the image many people have of people who follow the FIRE path — that stands for, financial independence, retire early. In early September, Globe retirement reporter Meera Raman and Decibel producer Michal Stein went to a retreat at a camp near Toronto to find out how they make it all work. Today, Meera is on the show to talk about what she learned from some of the most devoted FIRE followe
Sep 19, 2025 · 33 min
The disappearance of Jack and Lilly Sullivan
On May 2, 2025, Lilly and Jack Sullivan were reported missing from the small community of Landsdowne, Nova Scotia. The disappearance of the siblings quickly became a story of national interest. And despite the massive search and police investigation with detection dogs, divers, helicopters, drones and search teams of experts and volunteers, the 6-year-old girl and 4-year-old boy have not been found. The Globe’s Atlantic reporter Lindsay Jones and investigative reporter Greg Mercer have been rep
Sep 18, 2025 · 22 min
Mark Carney’s plan for affordable housing
At the beginning of the week, Prime Minister Mark Carney announced the launch of Build Canada Homes, an agency tasked with building affordable and supportive housing across the country. This marks the first big plank of his government’s efforts to alleviate the housing crisis. But will it work? Nojoud Al Mallees covers economic issues for The Globe and she explains what kind of projects this agency will oversee, who will benefit from them and what impact it may have on the wider housing market.
Sep 17, 2025 · 24 min
Israel begins ground invasion of Gaza, UN inquiry finds genocide
After weeks of warnings, Israel has begun a full-scale ground invasion into Gaza City. Hundreds of thousands of people are living under bombardment in the city, with large waves of Palestinians under evacuation order, attempting to move south in the Gaza Strip. Meanwhile, a United Nations Commission of Inquiry has determined that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza. Hamida Ghafour, deputy foreign editor at The Globe, joins the show to break down the latest escalation of the war in Gaza, what
Sep 16, 2025 · 22 min
What you need to know about COVID-19 this fall
COVID-19 is currently surging again. And it’s not even respiratory illness season yet. While much of the public would like to leave the pandemic behind, the virus isn’t going away and annual infections are becoming common. So, with testing, masking and vaccinations all down, what should be done to stop the spread? The Globe’s health reporter and columnist, André Picard joins the show. He’ll explain why we’re seeing COVID-19 infections numbers jump outside of respiratory season, the shifting pol
Sep 15, 2025 · 26 min
The challenges ahead for Carney as Parliament resumes
Between ramping up major infrastructure projects, trying to make a deal with the U.S., and working on strengthening ties with Europe, Prime Minister Mark Carney has had a busy summer. With Parliament resuming for the fall session today – this government’s first full session, save for a brief sitting in the spring – Carney will have to address Canadians’ changing priorities. Today, Shannon Proudfoot, a feature writer for The Globe’s Ottawa bureau, and Robyn Urback, a Globe opinion columnist, dis
Sep 12, 2025 · 23 min
KPop Demon Hunters, Korean culture and why kids love it so much
The movie of the summer wasn’t in theatres this year. It was on Netflix, it’s called KPop Demon Hunters and kids are obsessed with it. It has become the most-streamed movie ever on Netflix. Four of the songs from the movie are on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The movie is about a K-pop girl group who are also secret protectors of the world, keeping demons at bay. It’s the brainchild of Korean-Canadian Maggie Kang, and made by Hollywood studio Sony Pictures Entertainment. Ji-yoon An is an assist
Sep 11, 2025 · 23 min
Leak reveals China is exporting internet censorship technology
China’s Great Firewall blocks social media platforms like Facebook and TikTok, along with certain political topics, streaming platforms, and even Google. For years, we’ve heard about what China’s firewall keeps out — but much less about how it’s achieved. Now, a massive leak is shedding light on how the country’s censorship technology works and which countries it’s being exported to. Today, the Globe’s Asia Correspondent, James Griffiths is here. He’s an expert on China’s online censorship, and
Sep 10, 2025 · 22 min
Pipelines, ports and rail: What’s Carney building first?
For months, there has been speculation about what Prime Minister Mark Carney and the federal government might put forward as “nation-building projects” under the Building Canada Act, Bill C-5. But The Globe and Mail has obtained a draft list of 32 major projects, the first glimpse into what kinds of projects the government is considering. Bill Curry, The Globe’s Deputy Ottawa Bureau Chief, is on the show to talk about what’s on the list, which projects are making the biggest headlines and what
Sep 9, 2025 · 23 min
The multimillion-dollar fight over a piece of Canadian history
As the Hudson’s Bay Company continues to sell off what it owns to pay back creditors, a historic document has come up for sale. The Bay’s charter is its founding document, dating back to 1670, in which King Charles II gave the company exclusive trading rights over much of what would become Canada. Now the court is grappling with finding a process to sell this one-of-a-kind piece of Canadian history after an offer from Galen Weston and his family derailed plans for an auction. Susan Krashinsky R
Sep 8, 2025 · 19 min
Segregation of child inmates being challenged in landmark lawsuit
A landmark class action lawsuit is alleging that Manitoba has subjected thousands of incarcerated children to solitary confinement — the province denies it. The case is the first of its kind to head to trial in Canada. Today, Globe reporter Robyn Doolittle joins The Decibel. She’ll describe what segregated confinement looks like, how widespread the practice is, and what the case could mean for youth inmates in Manitoba and across the country.
Sep 8, 2025 · 3 min
Introducing the new host of The Decibel
The Decibel welcomes Sherrill Sutherland as the host for the coming year, with a special appearance from Menaka Raman-Wilms. You can get in touch with us at thedecibel@globeandmail.com.