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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Sep 5, 2025 · 22 min
Should we worry about the gender gap at university?
When 1.5 million university students return to campus this month, men will be noticeably underrepresented in the student body. In 2025, the ratio is about 60 per cent women to 40 per cent men. The gender gap has existed for more than 20 years, and universities are well aware of the discrepancy. But it doesn’t appear they’re doing much to address it. Joe Friesen is the Globe’s postsecondary reporter. He’s on the show to talk about where that discrepancy comes from, why it seems like fewer men ar
Sep 4, 2025 · 19 min
Oct. 7 documentary draws TIFF controversy
The Toronto International Film Festival has kicked off, but not without controversy. This year, the premiere of the documentary, “The Road Between Us: The Ultimate Sacrifice”, took a brief turn on centre stage. Artists, programmers and filmmakers are locked in a debate about whether to screen the film about an Israeli family’s story during the October 7 attacks by Hamas. Barry Hertz, the Globe’s film editor, traces why TIFF pulled the documentary in the first place, why it was brought back into
Sep 3, 2025 · 23 min
The first wave of AI layoffs
Artificial intelligence in the workplace is here to stay. But what does that mean for the job market? While many Canadian companies are embracing the technology, in a few notable cases, this has led to mass layoffs. In other workplaces, it has meant a revolution in workflow, company culture and hiring practices. The Globe’s Joe Castaldo, who covers AI, and business reporter Sean Silcoff, spoke to executives who are welcoming AI in workplaces. They join us to talk about what this all means for b
Sep 2, 2025 · 22 min
Is it legal to defend yourself if someone breaks into your home?
In August, a man allegedly broke into someone’s home in a small Ontario town. After an altercation, the intruder was hospitalized with life-threatening injuries. Now, both men face charges. The case has sparked a country-wide conversation about the limits of self-defence, with politicians across Canada weighing in. Today, the Globe’s opinion columnist Andrew Coyne joins The Decibel. He’ll tell us how the public discourse is playing out and what Canadian law actually says about self-defense.
Aug 29, 2025 · 34 min
To save this baby, doctors had to kill part of her brain
Maryam Fatima was born with a condition called hemimegalencephaly, a rare birth defect in which one side of the brain is abnormally large. She suffered from severe seizures from the moment she was born. They became so bad that they stopped Maryam from feeding, sleeping and breathing. Her life was at risk. That’s when a team at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto decided to attempt a first-in-Canada procedure to save Maryam’s life. Health Science reporter Jennifer Yang interviewed some of
Aug 28, 2025 · 21 min
The black market for getting hacked Meta accounts back
Having social media accounts hacked is stressful. Usually, companies have formal channels for users to regain access. But for Meta platforms like Facebook and Instagram, some users say the social media giant isn’t responding. Now, a new kind of broker has sprung up, helping people locked out of their accounts connect with a Meta employee or contractor who can expedite their request … for the right price. In 2022, Meta fired or disciplined employees or contractors who had allegedly abused the in
Aug 27, 2025 · 23 min
How kids are getting hooked on gambling through online games
Problem gambling is a real issue in Canada – where reporting shows young people having even higher rates than adults. The increasing monetization of games, especially online, often uses similar mechanics to gambling, despite it being illegal for youth to gamble in Canada. And some experts say these apps and games are reinforcing feelings of risk and reward. Dr. Loredana Marchica is a pediatric psychologist at the Montreal Children’s Hospital and at Pathways Psychology Clinic. Her research focus
Aug 26, 2025 · 20 min
Canada’s fragmented medical records system
The way medical records are handled in Canada is a patchwork of disconnected systems – creating massive headaches for patients and doctors. Patients struggle to access their own data, and practitioners have to waste time compensating for inefficiencies. But governments, companies and health care professionals are searching for ways to make all these systems talk to each other. Chris Hannay is a staff reporter at The Globe who covers the business of healthcare. He’ll explain how Canada’s medical
Aug 25, 2025 · 26 min
Border security bill grants new powers to tighten immigration
Bill C-2, also known as the Strong Borders Act, is one of the first pieces of legislation by Prime Minister Mark Carney’s government. The 140-page bill proposes a series of enhanced powers for law enforcement and major changes to how the government processes some asylum claims and immigration applications. Sara Mojtehedzadeh is an investigative reporter at The Globe who writes about immigration and refugees. She explains the details of the bill and why the government believes the changes are ne
Aug 22, 2025 · 23 min
Fossil feud: Paleontologists have a bone to pick with new find
In 2021, mine workers in Morocco made a huge discovery. They found a fossil that scientists believed to be a new species of mosasaur – a large swimming reptile that lived in the same era as the Tyrannosaurus Rex. However, many scientists, including a group in Alberta, are now questioning whether the fossil is real or fake. Ivan Semeniuk is The Globe’s science reporter. He’s on the show today to explain what we know about this fossil, the feud that it’s provoked between paleontologists and when
Aug 21, 2025 · 15 min
Why tariffs haven’t hit consumer prices hard – yet
When the U.S. first imposed sweeping tariffs on Canada, setting off a trade war, businesses and consumers braced for high inflation. But nearly half a year later, prices for consumer goods have not risen as much as expected. So what happened? Consumer affairs reporter Mariya Postelnyak talks about why prices haven’t gone up as much as predicted and why that could soon change.
Aug 20, 2025 · 20 min
How the Air Canada strike tested Canada’s labour laws
A national strike by Air Canada flight attendants ended on Tuesday morning, three days after it began. One of the key issues that Air Canada and the Canadian Union of Public Employees were fighting over was "ground pay," the amount flight attendants are paid for their work before takeoff and after landing. Jason Kirby is a business reporter for The Globe and Mail. He’s on the show to talk about what we know about the deal so far, and what impact this strike could have on future labour disputes.
Aug 19, 2025 · 21 min
Why Wikipedia might be the last good place on the internet
Since Wikipedia was founded nearly 25 years ago as a free, online encyclopedia, it has consistently ranked as one of the top 10 most visited websites globally. In an era when so much of the internet is full of misinformation, polarization, and social media platforms designed to keep you doomscrolling for hours, you could argue that Wikipedia – free of ads, and maintained by volunteer editors – is one of the last good places online. Samantha Edwards is the Globe’s online culture reporter. She’s
Aug 18, 2025 · 22 min
Toddlers among Canadians detained by ICE
A Globe and Mail investigation has revealed the extent to which Canadians have been caught up in U.S. President Trump’s immigration crackdown. Analysis of data, obtained through a federal lawsuit, shows nearly 150 Canadians have been detained by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) since the beginning of this year. These Canadians range from 2 years old to 77 years old. Kathryn Blaze Baum, an investigative reporter for The Globe, joins The Decibel to break down the exclusive repo
Aug 15, 2025 · 25 min
Why Canada’s water security is being threatened by Trump
For decades, scientific research at the Great Lakes has meant close partnership between Canada and the U.S., but President Trump’s latest job cuts may be changing that. In March, the U.S. agencies overseeing the health and conditions of oceans, lakes and rivers became the latest target of the Trump administration’s federal job-cutting spree. Patrick White reports on water issues for The Globe. Today, he explains how the partnership around the Great Lakes is changing, why there are new negotiati
Aug 14, 2025 · 23 min
Why more Western nations are recognizing Palestinian statehood
In late July, French President Emmanuel Macron said France would recognize a Palestinian state at the United Nations General Assembly in September. The U.K. then said it, too, would recognize a Palestinian state if Israel did not agree to a ceasefire. Canada and then Australia soon committed to recognizing Palestine. Dr. Mira Sucharov is a professor of political science at Carleton University in Ottawa. Much of her work focuses on Israeli-Palestinian relations. Today, she joins us to talk about
Aug 13, 2025 · 21 min
Why an obsession with sleep hygiene might be keeping you awake
The conversation around sleep is shifting. Hustle culture views sleep as a waste of time. But in a culture increasingly focused on health and wellness, sleep is seen as something to be optimized and even perfected. Sleep hygiene trends are taking over social media, but experts warn that fixating on rigid routines and products may do more harm than good. Dr. Rebecca Robillard is a neuropsychologist at the University of Ottawa and co-chair of the Canadian Sleep Research Consortium. Rebecca writes
Aug 12, 2025 · 22 min
Popeyes Chicken, covert surveillance and alleged rotting meat
Popeyes Chicken is one of the most well-known fast food franchises in North America. But its reputation could be tested by a lawsuit alleging that some of the chain’s franchise owners purchased meat from an unauthorized seller. The accusations from a former chicken supplier – which Popeyes’ parent company refutes – include “unsafe” and “rotten” meat, according to the statement of claim. Susan Krashinsky Robertson, The Globe’s retail business reporter, breaks down the allegations, recounts the c
Aug 11, 2025 · 23 min
ICE detention and a ‘legal trap’ on the way to Canada
An Afghan family fleeing the Taliban and attempting to join relatives in Canada have been held in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention for months. Their lawyers say they’re stuck in a “legal trap.” Due to the sweeping immigration crackdown and migrant detentions in the U.S., people trying to claim asylum in Canada face a very different reality than they would have a year ago. Sara Mojtahedzadeh is a reporter on the Globe’s investigative team, with a focus on immigration issu
Aug 8, 2025 · 23 min
How a math prodigy-turned-fugitive siphoned millions in crypto
At 18 years old, Andean Medjedovic was a math prodigy, finishing his master’s degree in mathematics at the University of Waterloo before most young Canadians can legally drink. Medjedovic was involved in cryptocurrency trading – and according to the U.S. Department of Justice – engaged in “cryptocurrency hacking schemes” that allegedly netted him US$65-million in digital tokens. Now, he’s on the lam. Alexandra Posadzki, The Globe’s financial and cybercrime reporter, is on the show to talk about