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

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April 16 · 22 min
Who are the people hacking hackers?
Ransomware attacks have become more prominent in recent years, with major breaches of hospitals, like Toronto’s Hospital for Sick Children in 2022, and companies like Indigo in 2023. In 2025, damages from ransomware attacks were expected to reach US$57-billion dollars worldwide. Alongside the rise of ransomware attacks came the emergence of a new kind of industry: ransomware negotiators. They communicate with attackers to try to convince them to lower the ransom fee. Today, the Globe’s financia
April 15 · 27 min
Mark Carney’s majority moment
More than a year after 2025’s federal election, the Liberal Party now has a majority government. Monday’s federal by-elections – a clean sweep for Liberal candidates – plus a steady flow of floor crossings ensure Mark Carney’s government now has a slim majority with 174 seats in the House of Commons. But how will Carney and the Liberals now use this power? And how will the dynamics in Parliament change? Today, a political panel of Stephanie Leviz, senior reporter in The Globe’s Ottawa bureau an
April 14 · 25 min
The future of free trade in North America
The deadline to renew the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement – the agreement that governs free trade in North America, also known as the USMCA – is less than three months away. Canada and Mexico are coming to these trade talks from very different positions: Mexico has been deep in technical discussions for some time, whereas Canada’s talks with the U.S. only resumed over the last few months after stalling out back in October. The Globe’s economics reporter, Mark Rendell, joins us today to br
April 13 · 21 min
What you need to know about taxes as the CRA aims to improve
It’s tax season again, an often tedious time dreaded by many Canadians. But this tax season could be different. After ongoing concerns around slow and inaccurate responses, the CRA is trying to improve by implementing AI and digital services, for instance. The Globe’s personal economics reporter Erica Alini has been looking into how effective these changes have been, and what this means for Canadians.
April 10 · 22 min
Iran’s power grows ahead of peace talks as Gulf remains on edge
On Friday, negotiators from the U.S., Israel and Iran are set to talk in Pakistan about the future of the war. The Gulf Arab states, who have been attacked during the conflict, will not be party to the talks. But they have a lot depending on the outcome. Today, the Globe’s international affairs columnist Doug Saunders joins the show from Dubai, where he is witnessing the impact of the ceasefire in the region. He breaks down what this agreement – and any future long-term deal – means for Iran, t
April 9 · 18 min
Groceries, airfare and EVs: the war is changing how we spend
After the U.S., Israel and Iran agreed to a ceasefire on Tuesday night, oil prices eased on Wednesday. Many details of the ceasefire remain unclear – including when and how the Strait of Hormuz will become passable again. Since the effective closure of the Strait, the rising cost of oil has been impacting prices across a number of industries – from airfare, to delivery, to groceries. In some cases, fuel surcharges are as high as 45 per cent. Today, the Globe’s consumer affairs reporter, Mariya
April 8 · 23 min
Another crucial strait that could strangle the global economy
A lot of attention has been given to the Strait of Hormuz amid Iran’s closure in response to attacks by the U.S. and Israel. But another key strait in the region, the Bab el-Mandeb Strait off the coast of Yemen, has also been threatened with a shutdown, and it’s similarly vital to trade. Thomas Juneau is a professor at the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs at the University of Ottawa. As an expert on Yemen and the Houthis, Juneau discusses the importance of the strait, the rel
April 7 · 24 min
Saskatchewan’s new massive ‘pink gold’ mine
Australian mining company BHP has made the largest investment in the company’s history in Saskatchewan, opening the province’s biggest potash mine. The potassium compound, known as “pink gold,” is key to growing food and is an essential part of Canada’s economy. Thirty per cent of the global supply comes from Saskatchewan alone. The Globe’s agricultural and food policy reporter, Kate Helmore, got to see the mining project first-hand. She joins the show to talk about the development, whether it
April 6 · 29 min
Navigating Canada's fertility industry
A growing number of Canadians are struggling with fertility, and the business helping people make babies is booming. The global fertility services market was valued at over $21-billion in 2021 and is projected to more than quadruple by 2031. As more hopeful parents turn toward services like in-vitro fertilization – or IVF – and surrogacy to conceive, Globe investigative journalist Kathryn Blaze Baum worries they may not know exactly what they’re signing up for. Today, Blaze Baum shares her firs
April 2 · 22 min
Why some doctors are critical of B.C.’s new health care regulations
April 1 marked the start of a new regime to regulate health care in B.C. – the first overhaul of the system in 30 years. The Globe’s health reporter and columnist André Picard describes it as the biggest change in the regulation of health professionals the country has ever seen. Today, André explains the changes now implemented – including amalgamation, disciplinary changes and punishment for misinformation – why the B.C. government says they’re necessary, and why some of them have caused contr
April 1 · 28 min
Artemis II: A Canadian heads to the far side of the moon
April 1st marks the earliest possible date that lunar mission Artemis II could lift off. Decades have passed since humans last visited the moon. After launch, four astronauts – including Canadian Jeremy Hansen – will travel all the way around the celestial body. If all goes according to plan, he’ll become the first Canadian – and non-American – to go to the moon. Decibel producer Madeleine White takes us on a journey along with The Globe’s science reporter, Ivan Semeniuk, They explore how Jerem
March 31 · 25 min
Can Avi Lewis bring the NDP back to life?
On Sunday, the New Democratic Party elected Avi Lewis as its new leader. He takes the reins of a political party still reeling from losses in last year’s federal election, which cost them official party status and left them with only seven seats. Another blow came earlier this month, when Nunavut MP Lori Idlout defected to the Liberals. Without a seat in Parliament and overseeing a party with minimal resources, how Lewis will rebuild the party and what it will look like remain big questions. So
March 30 · 21 min
Prediction trading is coming to Canada
Prediction trading is exploding in popularity, with the industry set to rake in about US$2 billion in revenue this year alone. Companies like Kalshi and Polymarket have popularized the practice, which lets you bet on nearly anything – from Taylor Swift’s marriage status to election outcomes. This past week, Canadian company Wealthsimple cleared hurdles to offer Canadians something similar, but the rules will be different here and a fragmented system makes regulation tricky. The Globe’s retireme
March 27 · 28 min
To ban or not to ban: Canadian teens weigh in on social media
This week, decisions in two landmark trials in the U.S. found social media companies responsible for harms to youth on their platforms. They follow years of growing concern about the dangers that social media poses to young people. Now those concerns are starting to show up in policy decisions. Back in December, Australia banned those under 16 years old from creating accounts on platforms like YouTube and TikTok. Other countries are considering similar legislation – including Canada. But what do
March 26 · 21 min
How the war in Iran exposes the limits of China’s influence
Since the U.S. and Israel first attacked Iran almost a month ago, the ripple effects of the war have been felt globally. The closure of the Strait of Hormuz has affected oil prices worldwide, but energy shocks are especially felt across the rest of Asia, which is heavily dependent on energy from the Gulf states. The 35 million migrant workers living in the Gulf – the bulk of whom come from South and Southeast Asia – are in a particularly precarious position. And China, a strategic partner of Ira
March 25 · 22 min
How sweeping cuts could impact Canada’s public sector
The federal government is hoping to make room for the new spending outlined in last year’s budget by making cuts across the public sector. The goal is to save $60 billion over the next 5 years. Departments like Library and Archives Canada and the Correctional Service of Canada are reducing their workforces, while some programs, like one for public transit, are seeing funding cuts. The Globe’s deputy Ottawa bureau chief, Bill Curry, explains what we know so far about the cuts and the potential i
March 24 · 25 min
The trouble with enforcing Canadian food labels
Amid threats of annexation and U.S.-imposed tariffs, Canadians are using their dollars to purchase Canadian goods. However, consumer complaints about products mislabelled as Canadian have spiked since the Buy Canadian movement began. Some in the food and beverage industry say cracking down too hard on mistaken labelling could backfire, dissuading retailers from promoting Canadian foods. Susan Krashinsky Robertson and Kate Helmore, both journalists for The Globe’s Report on Business, join The De
March 23 · 24 min
The landmark case over rights and freedoms at the Supreme Court
Today, a case involving Quebec’s use of the notwithstanding clause is going before the Supreme Court of Canada. In the last decade, many provinces have used the clause to override federal powers to pass controversial laws. While cases involving the notwithstanding clause have been taken to the Supreme Court before, none have had the magnitude of being precedent-setting that could have major implications for the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The hearing will be one of the longest at the country
March 20 · 24 min
How much AI music is in your playlist?
What does it mean to create music? Would you be able to tell if the sounds you were listening to weren’t made or sung by a human? Artists and supporters of the music industry are asking some of these existential questions, as technology in consumer generative AI has grown in leaps and bounds and record companies are settling legal battles with AI companies. Josh O’Kane, Globe reporter on arts and business, joins The Decibel to talk about the friction between musicians and AI tools, how AI slop
March 19 · 25 min
What war in Iran means for Canadian oil
Since the U.S. and Israel started a war with Iran, the price of oil has spiked. That’s largely because oil tankers are no longer travelling through the Strait of Hormuz, meaning roughly one fifth of the world’s oil and gas supply remains stranded in the Gulf region. This is having an effect in Canada, even though Canada is the world’s fourth-largest oil producer and exporter. Jeffrey Jones is a journalist in The Globe’s Report on Business, who has been covering the global oil market for decades