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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1,334 episodes
Updated Friday

Episodes1334

Newest first

June 11 · 22 min
The risks and rewards of the IPO hype in Canada
There’s a surge of excitement around a few big companies going public this year – like Apotex and SpaceX both going on stock exchanges this week. These IPOs, or initial public offerings, are generating a ton of buzz – and there’s particular interest in trying to invest in a company before it goes public. Meera Raman, The Globe’s personal finance reporter, is here today to explain how Canadians are getting involved in IPOs, and the potential benefits and risks of this increase in DIY investing.
June 10 · 26 min
World Cup 2026: Breakout stars, dark horses and Canada’s chances
The World Cup starts on Thursday, beginning what will be the largest iteration of a hugely popular global event. This time, there are 104 matches with 48 countries competing across 16 cities in Canada, Mexico and the U.S. And the Canadian team will be making its third ever appearance at the World Cup, competing in Group B and playing its initial games in Toronto and Vancouver. But can this team advance to the knockout rounds? Especially since Canada has never won a World Cup game before? Neil D
June 9 · 24 min
Is smoking making a comeback?
Smoking cigarettes is cool again. Apparently. Social media and accounts online are raving about the habit, turning it into a trend with images from celebrities and appealing to Gen Z. But this rebirth in popularity runs counter to widespread anti-smoking campaigns warning about the dangers of getting addicted and the health effects of cigarettes. Where did this cultural resurgence for smoking and vaping come from? Dr. Robert Schwartz is a senior scientist at the Centre for Mental Health and Add
June 8 · 23 min
Carney’s plan for AI in Canada, explained
The federal government released its plan for AI, and it includes a lot of new money ($2.3 billion, to be precise) towards training, adoption and supporting Canadian businesses and tech companies. There was a lot of anticipation leading up to this strategy’s release, both from those excited about how Canada plans to build and harness the technology, but also from those who are concerned about the potential ramifications and safety of AI. Joe Castaldo is a staff reporter writing about AI for The
June 5 · 26 min
Patrolling the Arctic with the Canadian military
As Canada builds out its military, there has been an increasing focus on arctic security. But military strategies that work in the southern part of the country do not always work in the North. Gavin John was embedded in a patrol with Canadian rangers as part of Operation Nanook-Nunalivut. John, who covers national defence for The Globe, shares what it was like to patrol more than 1,000 km in the Arctic on a snowmobile and why a small group of rangers are an important component of Canada’s mili
June 4 · 22 min
The recession question
Canada’s economy has stalled. According to Statistics Canada, Canada’s real GDP contracted 0.1 per cent on an annualized basis in the first quarter of 2026. In the previous quarter, there was a 1-per-cent annualized decline. Two consecutive quarters of decline has sparked debate in Ottawa and on Bay Street about whether the country is in a recession. Mark Rendell is The Globe’s economics reporter. He’s on the show to put these numbers in context, unpack the debate around what defines a recessio
June 3 · 23 min
How alcohol sales explain Canada’s internal trade problem
Interprovincial trade within Canada is complicated. Existing barriers mean that many goods, like alcohol, often can’t be sold across provincial and territorial lines. Prime Minister Mark Carney has been pushing for ‘one Canadian economy’ in the wake of attempts to diversify away from the U.S. Opening up interprovincial alcohol sales, especially direct to consumer sales, have been a litmus test for this vision. But last week, the provinces and territories missed the deadline for an agreement on r
June 2 · 26 min
Unpaid and overworked: labour violations in Canadian trucking
The Canadian trucking industry touches almost every aspect of commercial life — most Canadian products on store shelves made at least some part of their journey on the back of a truck. The conditions for drivers who got them there, however, are getting worse. A Globe investigation by Sara Mojtehedzadeh , an investigative reporter at The Globe, and Mahima Singh, a Globe data editor, looked into the concerns raised by drivers and experts in the trucking industry. They found widespread accusati
June 1 · 23 min
A crack in Carney’s Liberal caucus over climate
Liberal MP Steven Guilbeault has announced his resignation from Mark Carney’s government, after stepping down from cabinet last fall.. During his time in Canadian parliament Mr. Guilbeault has become a symbol for the Liberal party’s climate conscience. His decision to depart centres on the Prime Minister’s approach to climate policy and it signals the most public disruption in the perceived unity of the Liberal caucus. Marieke Walsh is The Globe’s senior political reporter. She’s here to dis
May 29 · 25 min
Uncovering FIFA’s costly World Cup demands on Canadian cities
Vancouver and Toronto are getting ready to host FIFA World Cup matches in June and July, and the demands FIFA makes tend to be costly. Requirements from FIFA go from stadium renovations to branding enforcement, transportation and even tax exemptions. All three levels of government have already spent hundreds of millions of dollars in preparation. Contracts between FIFA and host cities aren’t usually public, but Greg Mercer, The Globe’s investigative reporter, managed to get access to them.
May 28 · 18 min
What’s behind the surge in military enlistment in Canada
Canada has been pushing to increase its defence efforts. Earlier this year, Canada reached their NATO defence spending target of two per cent of GDP. On Wednesday, Prime Minister Mark Carney announced plans to obtain new early warning aircraft technology. And, the Canadian military is seeing an increase in enlistment rates. Janice Dickson is The Globe’s international affairs reporter. Earlier this month, she visited a military recruitment booth at a job fair. She’s on the show to talk about wha
May 27 · 32 min
The search for graves at Tk’emlups, five years on
Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc First Nation near Kamloops, B.C. was the site of a national reckoning over the legacy of residential schools. On May 27, 2021, the First Nation announced it had discovered 215 probable unmarked graves on the ground of a former residential school, using ground-penetrating radar technology. The number was later revised to around 200 probable graves. Since that revelation, leaders of the First Nation have been reluctant to provide more information and have not yet conducted
May 26 · 24 min
A reality check on Alberta separatism
Political tensions are rising in Alberta. Last week, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith announced the province will hold a referendum on whether to hold a subsequent referendum on secession from Canada. Division and debate has been stirred up between federalists and separatists. And those who want to leave argue that Alberta will be better off, more economically successful and have full control over its natural resources. The Globe’s editorial board did a reality check on some of the arguments for
May 25 · 22 min
Deaths raise concerns over selling plasma in Canada
Getting paid for plasma – the yellow-gold liquid part of blood – in Canada is still pretty new. It’s full of protein and antibodies and can be used to make medicine for immunodefficient people. But following the deaths of two plasma donors, the practice is facing criticism and concerns are being raised about its safety. Chris Hannay is a business of healthcare reporter for The Globe. He’s on the show today to discuss how plasma collection works in Canada, what he’s learned from his experience d
May 22 · 30 min
An interview with Pierre Poilievre
Pierre Poilievre, the leader of the Conservative Party of Canada, sat down with The Globe’s editorial board for an interview last week. They asked him about a range of issues, from the current state of the Conservative Party to the Alberta separatism movement and tariff-free trade. Patrick Brethour is the editorials editor at The Globe, and he’s on the show to discuss what they learned in this exclusive interview.
May 21 · 23 min
The growing concern over stray drone strikes in Europe
Drones have become a part of everyday life for many Ukrainians. Now, they’re showing up in the airspace of Baltic countries. On Wednesday, people in Lithuania’s capital, Vilnius, were instructed to take shelter when drone activity was detected near the border with Belarus. The day before, a NATO jet shot down a Ukrainian drone over southern Estonia. This followed an incident earlier this month when two drones hit an empty oil facility in Latvia. It’s still not clear exactly how these drones are
May 20 · 25 min
A week without ultraprocessed foods
Finding the time to cook can be a challenge. The solution for many Canadians looks like using convenient pre-prepared foods. Ultraprocessed foods (UPFs) are branded, commercial foods made from cheap ingredients and contain little to no whole foods. But despite their convenience, foods like these are usually known for being bad for your health. So is it possible to go without UPFs? Kelly Grant, one of the Globe’s health reporters, decided to find out. She and her family underwent a week-long exp
May 19 · 22 min
A big step forward for B.C. mothers subjected to ‘birth alerts’
“Birth alerts” were a controversial practice in several Canadian provinces that allowed hospitals and child-welfare agencies to flag pregnant patients they deemed to be high-risk without their knowledge or consent. They were in place until as recently as 2023 in Quebec. Last week, a proposed settlement worth $66-million was reached in a class action lawsuit over British Columbia’s use of birth alerts. Across the country, several other class actions are underway. Andrea Woo is a staff reporter
May 15 · 24 min
Trump in China: Iran war, Taiwan and trade tensions
U.S. President Donald Trump’s visit to China to meet President Xi Jinping this week is full of jeopardy. From tense talks over trade and tariffs, the role of each superpower in the war in Iran, and the future of Taiwan – each leader has been full of praise, while also talking past each other on the thorniest issues. Will any substantial deals get done? And where does this leave the U.S.-China relationship? James Griffiths, The Globe’s Asia correspondent joins the show to discuss the recent hist
May 14 · 23 min
The big business of romance novels
Once relegated to paperback stands in grocery stores, the business of romance novels is hot right now – especially in Canada. In a moment when book sales in other genres appear to be relatively flat or declining, what is it about romance novels that’s making readers fall in love? Deborah Aarts is a freelance business journalist. She’s on the show today to discuss what’s driving this “swoon boom,” how Canada became such a hotbed for romance readers and writers, and what it is about this moment t