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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Jul 9, 2025 · 21 min
How to talk to kids about climate change
The threat and realities of climate change are real and visceral – punishing heat waves, families displaced, towns destroyed by wildfires, dangerous smoke hanging over communities and flash floods that can be deadly and unpredictable. But how do you talk to kids to prepare them for the reality, without overwhelming or scaring them? Amberly McAteer is a contributing columnist for The Globe, who often writes about parenting. She joins the show to talk about the challenging conversations we’re hav
Jul 8, 2025 · 22 min
The B.C. billionaire fighting to take over Hudson’s Bay stores
On June 1, Hudson’s Bay – the iconic department store brand whose operation predates the founding of Canada – sold its last striped blanket. Struggling under $1.1 billion in debt, the company was granted court protection from its creditors in the spring. Since then, it’s cleared the shelves in liquidation sales, sold its brand identity and laid off more than 8300 people. Now, the courts are selling off what’s left, including the leases to nearly 100 massive store locations left sitting empty. B
Jul 7, 2025 · 28 min
Canada’s emergency room crisis is worse than we thought
Ever since the pandemic, emergency-room closures have become more common in Canada, especially in rural communities. This can leave people in dangerous situations that can require them to drive an hour or more to access emergency medical care. When time is of the essence, emergency-room closures can be deadly. Because there’s no centralized data on how common closures are across Canada, it’s challenging to parse out how bad the problem is. As part of The Globe’s Secret Canada series, health rep
Jul 4, 2025 · 24 min
The women changing the face of Canadian rodeo
Cowgirls love the rodeo just as much as cowboys, but for the better part of the past century, there’s only been one event for women – until now. Breakaway roping, dubbed the fastest event in rodeo, has swept competitions across North America, and is corralling more space for cowgirls in the process. The Globe’s Jana Pruden was at the 50th Canadian Finals Rodeo this fall, where the second-ever women’s event was showcased at the country’s biggest rodeo for the first time. She speaks with Canadian
Jul 3, 2025 · 23 min
Making sense of Carney’s tactics in the U.S.-Canada trade talks
Prime Minister Mark Carney set a deadline of July 21 to reach an economic and security deal with the United States after last month’s G7 summit. But negotiations were derailed last week when U.S. President Donald Trump called off talks, blaming Canada’s digital services tax, which was set to come into effect on June 30. Two days later, Carney rescinded that tax, and talks were back on. Adrian Morrow is the Globe’s U.S. correspondent, based in Washington. He’s on the show to talk about the risk
Jul 2, 2025 · 24 min
Is AI making us dumb?
School is out for summer but this year some educators are wondering how much their students really learned. A KPMG survey found that over half of Canadians over 18 years-old now use generative AI to complete their school work. Professors and students are concerned that growing reliance on tools like ChatGPT and Gemini could be weakening critical thinking skills. And now, recent research is giving us further insight into that potential connection. The Globe’s Joe Castaldo reports on AI and tech.
Jun 30, 2025 · 18 min
The benchmark of housing affordability has changed in Canada
The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation has said it is no longer possible to return Canada to 2004 levels of housing affordability. We cannot build enough new housing supply to hit that target. So it’s changing its benchmark. Rachelle Younglai covers housing and real estate for The Globe. She explains the CMHC’s new approach to affordability, what they say needs to happen to improve the cost of housing and what it means for home prices and rents.
Jun 27, 2025 · 23 min
Why cuts to a U.S. inspection agency matter for Canadian food
For months, the “buy Canadian” movement has inspired Canadians to shift their shopping habits away from American goods. While this has mostly been a patriotic move, some experts say recent cuts at the Food and Drug Administration, the agency responsible for inspecting 80 per cent of American food, might give Canadians another reason to think twice about buying American products at the grocery store. Kate Helmore is The Globe’s agriculture and food policy reporter. She’s on the show to talk abou
Jun 26, 2025 · 22 min
Do you feel broke? How to overcome ‘money dysmorphia’
In the social media age, it’s challenging to know what’s ‘normal’ for your finances. How are others able to afford lavish trips and expensive dinners? Are your friends getting ahead while you’re left behind? Will you be able to afford your long-term goals? This confusion has inspired a new term – money dysmorphia. And for some, this disconnect can mean worry, low self-esteem and a you-only-live-once spending mentality. Shannon Lee Simmons is a Certified Financial Planner and author. She’s on th
Jun 25, 2025 · 23 min
How Canada fits into the high-stakes NATO summit
This week, Prime Minister Mark Carney has been in Europe for a series of meetings that are focused on strengthening ties. On Monday, he was in Brussels, Belgium, to sign a new defence partnership with the European Union. Mr. Carney then went to The Hague, in The Netherlands, to attend the NATO summit. Between the war in Ukraine and U.S. involvement in the conflict between Israel and Iran, a lot is at stake. Kerry Buck was Canada’s ambassador to NATO from 2015 to 2018. She’s on the show to talk
Jun 24, 2025 · 17 min
National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak wants Carney to slow down
On Friday, the Liberals’ controversial Bill C-5 was passed by the House of Commons — it’s the only legislation to pass, ahead of Parliament rising for the summer. Bill C-5, the One Canadian Economy Act, aims to remove barriers to interprovincial trade, fulfilling Prime Minister Mark Carney’s promise to do so by Canada Day. But the legislation would also give Carney’s cabinet the power to quickly approve big industrial projects deemed to be ‘in the national interest,’ exempting them from some fe
Jun 23, 2025 · 28 min
Threat of wider war looms after U.S. bombs Iran nuclear sites
This weekend, the U.S. struck three Iranian nuclear facilities, as it warned Iran about its nuclear capabilities and attacks against Israel. U.S. President Donald Trump called the bombing mission “a spectacular military success” and threatened “future attacks” if a nuclear peace deal was not made. The Globe’s international affairs columnist, Doug Saunders, joins The Decibel. He explains how the U.S. got involved in this conflict, what’s at stake for the leaders of the U.S., Israel and Iran, and
Jun 20, 2025 · 26 min
How The Matriarch tackled trauma in the wrestling ring
Sage Morin’s life changed on May 19, 2013. A tragedy altered her family forever, and Sage was left to pick up the pieces, all while navigating her own deep grief and a complicated legal system. More than a decade later, the trauma of her loss has become a badge of resilience and healing. Sage’s transformation is literal: She enters a wrestling ring, donning the character of a proud Cree fighter, inspiring a new generation of Indigenous youth. Jana G. Pruden, feature writer for The Globe, tells
Jun 19, 2025 · 21 min
How wildfires are changing the way we think of summer
This year is off to a bad start for wildfires. To date, more than 40,000 people have had to evacuate their homes, and both Manitoba and Saskatchewan declared provincial states of emergency. Even people in communities thousands of miles from the fires have faced hazardous smoke. Temur Durrani has been covering this year’s wildfires for The Globe. He joins us to talk about how wildfires in the summer have become the new normal and why fire chiefs are pushing for a more centralized approach to han
Jun 18, 2025 · 25 min
Trump, Iran-Israel attacks loom large over G7 summit talks
Every year, some of the world’s most powerful leaders meet to discuss political and economic issues in the G7 summit. This year’s meeting, held in Kananaskis, Alberta, wrapped up on Tuesday. It was also the first G7 summit for Prime Minister Mark Carney. The G7 offered an opportunity for leaders to try to improve relations with U.S. President Donald Trump, whose second term has been marked by tensions and trade wars. After increasing attacks between Israel and Iran, Trump left the summit on Mon
Jun 17, 2025 · 19 min
Israel-Iran conflict escalates as death toll rises
The long shadow war between Israel and Iran is now out in the open, as pressure mounts over a nuclear peace deal pushed by the U.S. and President Donald Trump. The growing conflict reached its fourth day – Israel continued its bombardment of Iranian cities and infrastructure, while Iran’s missiles evaded Israel’s aerial defence system and hit targets in the country. More than 200 Iranians have been killed so far, while at least 24 Israelis have died, as the two nations trade attacks. The Globe’
Jun 16, 2025 · 20 min
Why the job market is hitting new grads especially hard
Right now, the Canadian job market is tough. Unemployment is the highest it’s been since 2016, excluding the pandemic lockdown years. Young people and new grads are facing especially bleak job prospects. They’re worried not just about their employment, but also their future careers and long-term financial planning. Meera Raman is the retirement and financial reporter for The Globe and Mail. She’s on the show today to explain why the job market is so bad for young people, what the potential long
Jun 13, 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
Jun 12, 2025 · 35 min
City Space: Why Berliners think expropriation could solve the housing crisis
Is expropriation, or forcing corporations to sell apartments to the government, a way to ease the housing crisis? Berlin seems to think so. In a landmark referendum back in 2021, the majority of Berliners voted ‘yes’ to forced sales, calling for the government to buy 240,000 apartments owned by some of Berlin’s mega landlords - whether they want to sell or not. Some call the strategy “radical” but needed. Others say it’s unconstitutional. But is it a viable solution to Berlin’s housing crisis, a
Jun 11, 2025 · 25 min
‘Strong borders’ 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