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
Updated Yesterday

Episodes1335

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Jan 23, 2025 · 19 min
How the L.A. wildfires could increase Canadian insurance rates
The wildfires in Los Angeles have caused massive devastation over the past two weeks and may end up being the most expensive natural disaster in U.S. history. That will likely increase insurance rates, not just in the United States, but also in Canada. Salman Farooqui writes for the Globe and Mail’s Report on Business. He explains why American disasters could affect Canadians’ insurance premiums, and how Canada’s insurance industry is adapting to record levels of extreme weather damage. You ca
Jan 22, 2025 · 16 min
Fallout from the TD Bank money laundering scandal
It’s been over three months since the U.S. Department of Justice announced that TD Bank had pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering. After paying a US$3-billion fine, Canada’s second largest bank is now shaking up its senior-most ranks of leadership. Stefanie Marotta is The Globe and Mail’s banking reporter. She explains what prompted the early departure of TD’s CEO, how this money laundering scandal could affect TD customers and what the ripple effects might be for the entire C
Jan 21, 2025 · 24 min
Who will be the next Liberal leader?
The Liberal leadership race is on – and its biggest candidates are in. Former deputy prime minister and finance minister Chrystia Freeland, House Leader Karina Gould and former governor of the Bank of Canada Mark Carney all launched their campaigns this past week. The shortened leadership race will see the deeply unpopular party select Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s replacement as figures like Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre and U.S. President Donald Trump loom large. The Globe’s senior
Jan 20, 2025 · 24 min
How Canada is preparing for day one of the second Trump era
For months, Donald Trump has threatened economic pain on Canada, with tariffs of up to 25 per cent on imports. This could begin as early as today, when he’s inaugurated as U.S. president. Canada has said that nothing is off the table when it comes to its response — whether that’s dollar-for-dollar tariffs or blocking oil exports. But with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announcing he will resign and a Liberal leadership campaign underway, premiers have been stepping forward to take a more prominen
Jan 17, 2025 · 26 min
The difficult path ahead for peace in Gaza
The mood in Israel and Gaza turned from celebratory to uncertain in the hours after a ceasefire deal was announced. The day after the deal was made public, Israel continued air strikes in Gaza and then delayed a vote on the deal. But by the end of Thursday, it looked like the process may be back on track. Thomas Juneau is a professor of public and international affairs at the University of Ottawa. He explains what we know about the deal so far, and how the most difficult part of this ceasefire
Jan 16, 2025 · 49 min
Machines Like Us: This mother says a chatbot led to her son’s death
In February, 2024, Megan Garcia’s 14-year-old son Sewell took his own life. As she tried to make sense of what happened, Megan discovered that Sewell had fallen in love with a chatbot on Character.AI – an app where you can talk to chatbots designed to sound like historical figures or fictional characters. Now Megan is suing Character.AI, alleging that Sewell developed a “harmful dependency” on the chatbot that, coupled with a lack of safeguards, ultimately led to her son’s death. They’ve also
Jan 15, 2025 · 22 min
What 2025 holds for your personal finances
If you kicked off 2025 making personal finance resolutions, it can be hard to know where to start. That question is made more difficult when factoring in all the uncertainty around how the tariffs that incoming U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened to enact will affect our economy. Rob Carrick is the Globe’s personal finance columnist and co-host of Stress Test, the Globe’s personal finance podcast for Gen Z and millennials. He’s on the show to talk about what to expect from the year ahead
Jan 14, 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 Canadia
Jan 13, 2025 · 22 min
Will alcohol have cancer warnings like cigarettes?
Dry January – when people decide to consume no alcohol – is a common new year resolution for many. But this month, the U.S. Surgeon General gave the public another reason to take stock of their drinking habits. They recommended that warning labels of cancer risks should be placed on alcohol containers, akin to the labelling on cigarette packaging. Dr. Adam Sherk, senior scientist and Special Policy Advisor at the Canadian Centre in Substance Use and Addiction joins the podcast to explain the p
Jan 10, 2025 · 29 min
The rise and fall of Justin Trudeau
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s resignation earlier this week came after months of people calling for him to step down. How he will be remembered will largely depend on what comes next – how the Liberal party moves forward, what the next government does, and how Trudeau himself writes his next chapter. Campbell Clark is the Globe’s chief political writer. Today, he joins The Decibel for a look back at Trudeau’s career from the very beginning: the rise to the top, the long fall from grace, and w
Jan 9, 2025 · 22 min
Rebuilding the Liberals after Trudeau
Beyond picking a new leader, the federal Liberals also need to repair their reputation with voters – while continuing to run the government as Donald Trump ratchets up his pressure on Canada. And they have about 75 days to do all this. Shannon Proudfoot is an Ottawa-based feature writer for The Globe and Mail. She’s on the show to talk about the existential questions the party is grappling with at this moment, and how it compares to past times when the party has found itself in the political wi
Jan 8, 2025 · 22 min
Trudeau prorogued parliament: Here’s what it means and what’s next
When Trudeau announced his plan to resign on Monday morning, he also shut down Parliament until March 24, giving the Liberal Party time to select a new leader. A confidence vote will follow shortly after the House returns, almost certainly triggering a spring election. Bill Curry is the Globe’s Deputy Ottawa Bureau Chief. He’s on the show to talk about how the government proceeds from here – what happens to the bills that haven’t been passed yet, like proposed changes to the capital gains tax,
Jan 7, 2025 · 24 min
The end of the Trudeau era
After three federal election wins and just over nine years in office, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced his resignation on Monday. Trudeau had been facing mounting pressure within his party to step down, after many months of polls showing dwindling public support for the Liberal party and several key by-election losses. Now, the Liberal Party has to choose a new leader while Parliament is prorogued. The Globe’s senior political reporter Marieke Walsh joins The Decibel to explain what led
Jan 6, 2025 · 20 min
How many activities are too many for kids?
When it comes to enrolling your kids in extracurricular activities, how many is too many? Is there such a thing as over-scheduling your kids? Parenting experts say ‘yes,’ and that doing so can have long-term negative effects on your children. Amberly McAteer is a contributing columnist for The Globe and Mail who recently looked into what the research says about programming activities for your kids, how long we’ve been ignoring expert advice, and what it means for their well-being.
Jan 3, 2025 · 17 min
Who stole half-a-million dollars worth of cheese?
Neal’s Yard Dairy, a cheese distributor in England, has been an essential part of the artisanal cheddar revival in the United Kingdom. In October 2024, they announced that 22 tonnes of artisanal cheddar — about 300,000 pounds worth, or around CAD$541,000 — had been stolen from them. Paul Waldie is the Globe’s Europe correspondent, based in London. Today, he’s on the show to talk about how this scam unfolded… and why someone might go after cheddar cheese, of all things.
Jan 2, 2025 · 21 min
Why some are turning to sound baths for relaxation
Life is noisy and stressful for a lot of people. And so sound baths – where a practitioner creates harmonies and chords with singing crystal bowls – are growing in popularity. Many people say that this provides them with a deep sense of relaxation. But what does the science say? Today on the show, Menaka tries a sound bath to see what it’s like. Later, Dave McGinn explains the hype around this wellness trend. And then, music therapy professor Dr. Heidi Ahonen from Wilfrid Laurier University exp
Dec 31, 2024 · 29 min
Climate change, migration and Menaka’s epic birding day
Point Pelee National Park juts out into Lake Erie like a finger, as every spring thousands of birds touch down on it. It’s a key stop along their migratory routes from the southern U.S., Central and South America to northern Canada. But climate change has been shifting the conditions of migration, making it harder for some birds and ultimately affecting bird populations, which are already in steep decline. Decibel host Menaka Raman-Wilms, producer Rachel Levy-McLaughlin and Globe and Mail colum
Dec 30, 2024 · 25 min
Why running is more popular than ever
Distance running, once a relatively niche sport, has exploded in popularity. The trend has been ongoing for at least a decade, but 2024′s running season may be the biggest one yet. Marathon race organizers are expecting record participation in races this year, both in Canada and in cities around the world. Today, Ben Kaplan, general manager of iRun Magazine, Allison Hill, co-founder of Hill Run Club, and members of The Decibel’s own running club explain how the sport has grown more inclusive an
Dec 27, 2024 · 26 min
Why won’t Justin Trudeau step down?
Justin Trudeau’s poll numbers have been bad for a while. The Liberals have lost two crucial by-elections and are trailing behind the Conservatives in seat projections. They just lost the support of the NDP. The shine seems to have completely come off the nine-year-old government. And yet, Trudeau remains defiant. Why? The Globe’s Shannon Proudfoot set out to determine why, in the face of increasingly long odds, some politicians can’t seem to read the writing piling up on the wall. She spoke to
Dec 24, 2024 · 19 min
Finding family through the act of baking
Food and family are often front and centre during the holidays. These two ingredients also help make up our identities and cultures. So today, The Decibel is sharing stories of finding family through the act of baking.