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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Mar 3, 2023 · 19 min
The drug giving new life to cystic fibrosis patients
For years, a diagnosis of cystic fibrosis has often meant an early death for patients. This week, Cystic Fibrosis Canada released its annual data report this week for 2021. A new drug, Trikafta, is keeping patients out of hospitals and off of transplant lists. The Globe’s health reporter Kelly Grant explains why doctors are now talking about cystic fibrosis as a disease in transition and the hope of a new future for thousands of patients.
Mar 2, 2023 · 22 min
Why police are rarely charged after killing or injuring someone
Canada has a high rate of police killings compared to similar countries like England, Germany and Japan. Officers are rarely charged when they kill someone, and they don’t even have to participate in the investigations into their conduct. The Globe’s Nancy Macdonald spent months looking into hundreds of investigations into police officers, how often officers co-operate and the consequences of their silence.
Mar 1, 2023 · 16 min
How Canada’s biggest bookshop got hacked
On February 8, Indigo’s website went down and customers couldn’t buy products in-store either. After scrambling to launch a new website with limited e-commerce abilities, the company announced a major breach of personal and financial information of employees. The Globe and Mail’s technology reporter, Temur Durrani, has been speaking to employees about the life-long impacts of this breach, what is being done about it and why ransomware attackers are taking aim at Canadian companies and public in
Feb 28, 2023 · 20 min
ChatGPT isn’t as smart as we think
Artificial Intelligence and chatbots are having a mainstream moment. In November, the public was introduced to ChatGPT – a chatbot that can have seemingly human-like conversations with users. And after a “creepy” conversation between a New York Times tech columnist and Microsoft’s new Bing chatbot (which called itself “Sydney”) the debate around AI sentience has re-ignited. But, behind all the awe, argues AI researcher, author and data journalist, Meredith Broussard, is a model that’s simply re
Feb 27, 2023 · 22 min
CSIS documents reveal a web of Chinese influence in Canada
Documents from Canada’s spy agency CSIS – viewed by The Globe and Mail – show how China was influencing Canada’s 2021 federal election by promoting candidates favourable to the regime, how it warned “friendly” Canadians about investigations and targeted Canadians with tactics like cyberattacks, bribery and sexual seduction. These documents highlight a troubling web of China’s interference in Canadian political, financial and academic institutions. Robert Fife, The Globe’s Ottawa bureau chief, e
Feb 25, 2023 · 36 min
BONUS - In Ukraine with the Globe’s reporters on the ground
In a special bonus episode, The Globe and Mail’s Senior International Correspondent Mark MacKinnon and Europe Correspondent Paul Waldie join The Decibel host Menaka Raman-Wilms for an in-depth conversation on the first anniversary of the war in Ukraine. Mark and Paul share their perspectives, personal stories and insights in a year of covering the war. This episode was recorded as a live streamed broadcast on theglobeandmail.com and YouTube on February 24, 2023
Feb 24, 2023 · 22 min
One year later: The stories of Ukrainian refugees
Since Russia invaded one year ago, eight million people have left Ukraine. Olena Tsebenko, Sonya and Oliver Hawes and George Fedorov all left behind their homes on February 24, 2022. From births to deaths and marriages, they share their stories of how their lives have carried on in the wake of the war.
Feb 23, 2023 · 19 min
The growing crisis at the unofficial Roxham Road border crossing
An unofficial border crossing between Southern Quebec and New York state is at the center of a heated political debate. In December, almost 5,000 people entered Canada through Roxham Road, a stretch of road between the two countries that has seen an influx of migrants seeking to claim refugee status in Canada. Both official opposition leader Pierre Poilievre and Quebec Premier Francois Legault are calling on Ottawa to close the unofficial border. On Tuesday Prime Minister Trudeau said he’s in t
Feb 22, 2023 · 17 min
How people are being cheated out of their new homes
Title fraud happens when someone poses as a homeowner to sell real estate they don’t own to an unsuspecting buyer – and while still rare, it’s on the rise in Canada. For victims, whether the buyer or the legitimate homeowner, the anguish of learning you’ve been defrauded almost always comes with a lengthy legal process to straighten things out. And without title insurance, the buyer may be out the cost of the house. Salmaan Farooqui is the Globe’s personal finance reporter, and he’s explored wh
Feb 21, 2023 · 20 min
Why the Emergencies Act Inquiry says Trudeau was right
Just over a year after the federal government invoked the Emergencies Act, an inquiry has found that the Liberals acted appropriately, even though the Act gave them sweeping powers. This report – by Justice Paul Rouleau – marks the end of a commission that investigated the trucker convoy protest, the breakdown in policing and governing that lead to the Emergency Act being invoked. Political columnist John Ibbitson discusses the importance of this report for our democracy, the political winners
Feb 17, 2023 · 20 min
Inside Canada Soccer’s equal pay fight
Canada’s national women’s soccer team is protesting unequal treatment by the sport’s governing body. The players say Canada Soccer is not transparent with its finances, and that they won’t agree to be paid less than the men. The men’s team supports them. On Thursday, the team was forced to play in the SheBelieves cup under threat of legal action. Federal MPs have noticed, and called for Canada Soccer to explain itself at a parliamentary committee. Rachel Brady is The Globe’s sports reporter, a
Feb 16, 2023 · 19 min
How to invest when the economy is on the rocks
Investing your money can grow your wealth faster than just saving it— or shrink it, if you put your money in stocks that fail, or have to withdraw your money from the market while it’s down. Erica Alini, the Globe’s personal finance reporter and author of the newsletter MoneySmart Bootcamp, shares her tips for how to think about investing wisely.
Feb 15, 2023 · 16 min
Why mushroom dispensaries are sprouting up across Canada
On Tuesday, Green Party Leader Elizabeth May and NDP MP Alistair MacGregor held a news conference about medical access to psilocybin – better known as magic mushrooms. The psychedelic is illegal in Canada but there’s increased interest in the potential therapeutic benefits of the drug. This is happening while still-illegal magic mushroom dispensaries have begun to pop up in Vancouver, Toronto and Ottawa. The Globe’s Mike Hager went to one, and explores the business behind magic mushrooms.
Feb 14, 2023 · 19 min
The flying objects being shot down over North America
In the span of nine days, we’ve seen the takedown of four flying objects over North America by U.S. fighter jets. It has both Canada and the U.S. on high alert with speculation of Chinese spying. The White House has had to tamp down questions of whether aliens could be involved. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Trudeau says the search for debris in Yukon, where one of the objects was taken down is currently under way. The Globe’s senior parliamentary reporter, Steven Chase is on the show to tell us wh
Feb 13, 2023 · 18 min
Everything you need to know about fusion energy
Fusion – the act of deriving energy by smashing atoms together – has long been the stuff of science fiction. But thanks to a recent scientific breakthrough, there has been an increase in public excitement that one day, we might be able to use this as a continuous, clean source of energy. The catch? We might not get the technology before our 2050 net-zero climate goals arrive. Science Reporter Ivan Semeniuk explains exactly how fusion works and the Canadian efforts that are working to take this
Feb 10, 2023 · 19 min
An impossible offer for Canadian children detained in Syria
The federal government has offered to bring some Canadian children being held in detention camps in Syria to Canada – but their mothers can’t come with them. This is part of an ongoing issue for the government over what to do about men and women who are suspected of joining the Islamic State terrorist organization — and what to do with their children. The Globe’s Janice Dickson has been covering this issue since the Islamic State fell in 2019 and has spoken to one of the mothers facing this dif
Feb 9, 2023 · 20 min
Is $200 billion enough to fix health care?
Ottawa announced Tuesday a proposed $46.2-billion injection in new federal health care funding for the provinces and territories. For years, there have been calls to reform Canada’s health care system. People have died in emergency rooms waiting for care, 15 percent of Canadians don’t have a regular health care provider and there are ongoing issues facing long term care. Will this new money help fix these systemic problems? Health reporter Kelly Grant asked leaders in health care what they ma
Feb 8, 2023 · 17 min
China’s long reach into Canada’s battery minerals industry
Canada is facing increasing calls to grow its critical mineral industry as the world pivots toward its net-zero goals and batteries are becoming increasingly important. But at the moment, Canada only has one functioning lithium mine and no refineries. Compare that to China, which dominates the entire critical mineral industry globally and has extensive reach into Canada’s current operations. So what can Canada do to get going? Mining reporter Niall McGee explains how Canada has found itself in
Feb 7, 2023 · 19 min
A Canadian sniper on the battle for Bakhmut, Ukraine
A Canadian sniper, whose codename is Teflon, was set up in an apartment building in the destroyed city of Bakhmut, Ukraine, shooting waves of Russian soldiers. He says it was almost too easy: “I actually got to a point where I was like, can you stop? I’m tired of killing people ... I shouldn’t be killing people this easily.” Bakhmut, in eastern Ukraine, has seen heavy fighting for months because invading Russian forces see it as strategically important. The Globe’s Mark MacKinnon spoke with the
Feb 6, 2023 · 20 min
Why investors are flocking to the daycare business
The federal government’s $30-billion pledge to bring daycare costs down to $10/day and to create 250,000 new spaces by 2026 isn’t only attracting families, it’s also getting attention from investors. As the government seeks to make more spaces, for-profit centres are quickly expanding to meet targets. The Globe’s Dave McGinn, and The Globe’s independent business reporter, Chris Hannay, explain the appeal and why child care advocates are concerned. Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at thedecib