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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May 25, 2022 · 22 min
How learning platforms tracked kids during online school
A new report from Human Rights Watch found that some online learning platforms are tracking children in ways they say actively or passively infringe on a child’s privacy rights. The trackers buried in a website or an app can monitor a kid’s keystrokes, searches and doodles, as well as their physical location using GPS. Hye Jung Han is a children’s rights and technology researcher, an advocate with Human Rights Watch, and lead researcher on this report. She’ll explain how the report on 164 online
May 24, 2022 · 21 min
Connie Walker’s latest investigation: Her own family's history
Journalist Connie Walker has been reporting on Indigenous stories for most of her career. From missing and murdered women to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, she has covered on some of the biggest stories in Canada in the last few decades. But it wasn’t until last year that she decided to look into her own family’s past. The urge to dig into her deceased father’s past appeared after her brother shared a story in the wake of the discovery of 215 unmarked graves at the former Kamloops In
May 23, 2022 · 29 min
Stress Test: Is the middle class dead for millennials and Gen Z?
As a bonus episode today, we're bringing you an episode of Stress Test, a podcast about personal finance from The Globe and Mail, hosted by Rob Carrick and Roma Luciw. Many millennials and Gen Z’s have done everything “right” - they’ve graduated, found good jobs, are paying off their debt and saving money. So why is it so hard to live the middle class lifestyle their parents and older peers had at their age? In this episode, we hear from Cody, a 33-year-old living in Hamilton, Ont., who is frus
May 20, 2022 · 19 min
Why is it so hard to unite the right in Alberta?
Alberta Premier Jason Kenney says he will resign as leader of the United Conservative Party following the results of his leadership review. He received support from 51.4 per cent of party members. Carrie Tait, a Calgary-based reporter in The Globe’s Alberta bureau, explains that while a few frontrunners have emerged to replace Kenney, uniting the right in the province remains a difficult road.
May 19, 2022 · 20 min
A journalist’s death and rising tensions in the West Bank
On May 11, a prominent Palestinian-American journalist was shot and killed in the West Bank while reporting for Al Jazeera. Her name was Shireen Abu Akleh. She was widely respected for her work and had over 25 years of experience covering the region. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas blames Israel for her killing. Israel initially said Palestinian gunmen may have been responsible but now say it could have been errant Israeli fire. They are now calling for an investigation. Some fear a conclusi
May 18, 2022 · 18 min
Why this year’s avian flu is much deadlier than usual
As this year’s deadly avian flu spreads from poultry to wild animals, there are reports of birds suffering from neurological symptoms, dropping dead from trees and twitching uncontrollably. Nearly two million birds have already died from the avian flu this year in Canada alone. Wildlife pathologist Dr. Brian Stevens joins us to explain how this strain is different, what experts are watching out for, and how to prevent further spread.
May 17, 2022 · 18 min
The stock market is tumbling. A recession is probably next
Global markets are not doing well. And people are losing a lot of money. Even big technology companies like Netflix are starting to suffer. Their stock is down by nearly 70 per cent this year. And that has some wondering … is the market bubble bursting (a pandemic pop) for real this time? Report on Business reporter and columnist Tim Kiladze is on the show to explain why there’s so much uncertainty, how inflation and interest rates are playing into it and why investors should prepare for more t
May 16, 2022 · 21 min
Why getting in to see a doctor is so hard in Canada
Universal health care is a point of pride for many Canadians, but the system has had flaws for decades. One big issue is getting in to see a doctor. The Commonwealth Fund estimated that 56 per cent of Canadians waited more than a month to see a specialist in 2016 or simply to get an appointment with a family doctor – if they even have one. Dr. Robert Bell has worked in healthcare for over 40 years, as an orthopedic surgeon, former CEO of University Health Network and as a former deputy health m
May 13, 2022 · 16 min
The fight to end forced sterilization of Indigenous women
Indigenous women are still being forcibly sterilized in Canada. That’s one thing that Sen. Yvonne Boyer wants Canadians to know. The senator, who is Métis herself and was formerly a nurse and a lawyer, has been fighting to raise awareness of this issue. She is also a part of the Standing Senate Committee on Human Rights that is currently examining the issue. Sen. Boyer discusses how her background inspired her to devote her life to ending forced sterilization procedures, how it’s part of the sys
May 12, 2022 · 19 min
Resilience, inherited trauma and living with the Holocaust
Even 75 years after the Holocaust, anti-Semitic crimes are still happening in Canada. And their presence highlights why education is still important, and uncovering family history is a powerful way to learn about the past. The Globe’s western arts correspondent, Marsha Lederman, joins us to talk about her new book Kiss the Red Stairs and the responsibility she feels to share her family’s stories as the child of Holocaust survivors.
May 11, 2022 · 21 min
The Russian mercenary group accused of atrocities in Ukraine
Several of the atrocities happening in the Ukraine war are being linked to a mercenary organization called the Wagner Group. The Kremlin-linked mercenaries have operated in countries in the Middle East and in Africa as well, and are often trailed by allegations of human rights abuses. Sean McFate, former mercenary and now senior fellow at the Atlantic Council think tank, explains how this group operates, why mercenaries might become more common in the future and how Wagner members he speaks to
May 10, 2022 · 28 min
One year of The Decibel: Updates on our biggest stories
The podcast turns one year old today! And in our first year, a lot happened: Russia started a war in Ukraine, thousands of unmarked graves were found at some residential school sites in Canada, Justin Trudeau won another federal election, inflation became a very hot topic and the COVID-19 pandemic continued to spread, especially with the arrival of the Omicron variant. In today’s episode, we look back at some of the biggest stories from the last 365 days and give you updates on what’s happened
May 9, 2022 · 17 min
What’s causing the massive delays at Canada’s international airports?
Canada’s international airports have experienced major delays getting passengers on and off their flights, as people begin returning to air travel in numbers not seen since before the pandemic. The staff that get travellers through all those lines at the airport – security screening, customs, baggage drop-off – have not returned to the airport in enough numbers to stave off long lines. Transportation reporter Eric Atkins explains why you won’t want to cut it fine if you’re boarding a plane in th
May 6, 2022 · 19 min
Mark MacKinnon isn’t celebrating his ban from Russia
A couple weeks ago, The Globe and Mail’s senior foreign correspondent Mark MacKinnon found out he’s now banned from entering Russia. He joins a long list of Canadians who can no longer enter the country, like our Prime Minister, basically every member of Parliament, and some Canadian mayors. This is part of a tit-for-tat between Russia and Western countries like Canada, after the West imposed sanctions on hundreds of Kremlin-affiliated people and organizations. Many of the Canadians who are par
May 5, 2022 · 19 min
How getting an abortion in Canada differs from the U.S.
In the wake of the news that the U.S. Supreme Court has drafted a ruling that would reverse Roe v. Wade, effectively ending safe and legal abortion in some states, some abortion advocates in Canada are sounding the alarm. But just how accessible are abortion services in Canada? Martha Paynter is the author of Abortion to Abolition: Reproductive Health and Justice in Canada, and a registered nurse working in Nova Scotia. She explains what changes have occurred recently when it comes to abortions
May 4, 2022 · 18 min
Buck-a-ride, new highways and other Ontario election promises
The Ontario provincial election campaign is officially underway and election day is June 2nd. The campaign promises have been coming in thick: $1 per ride transportation from the Ontario Liberals, new highways from the Progressive Conservatives, and hiring more nurses and personal support workers from the NDP, to name a few. Queen’s Park reporter Jeff Gray sets the scene for this month’s campaign, telling us what the major parties are offering voters.
May 3, 2022 · 17 min
The carbon footprint of an electric vehicle’s battery
One billion dollars was promised towards building electric vehicles in Ontario on Monday – just the latest investment from government into the industry that hopes to do away with gas-powered engines, and replace them with batteries. People have long talked about electric vehicles, or EVs, as being a crucial element in getting emissions down to net-zero; but, as the Globe’s mining reporter Niall McGee points out, an electric vehicle’s carbon footprint is more than just a pinky toe. While actuall
May 2, 2022 · 20 min
The toll shooting war takes on photojournalists
Making a career out of holding a camera lens up to the frontlines of conflict, photojournalists can find themselves in tough - if not precarious - situations. The Globe’s new documentary, Shooting War, features nine photographers known for their work in conflict zones. Santiago Lyon, featured in the documentary, worked with the Associated Press for 25 years covering conflicts around the world. He talks about the physical and mental toll capturing wartime images can take and the work he is doing
Apr 29, 2022 · 16 min
A family flees Kabul, then Kyiv
Jawed Haqmal risked his life for the Canadian military. Now, he is waiting for the Canadian government to let him know if he can move to the country he once helped. Jawed is one of many Afghan nationals fleeing the Taliban who have been battling government bureaucracy to get to Canada for over six months now. Janice Dickson, a parliamentary reporter for The Globe, provides an update on Jawed’s journey and some context on the different challenges Afghan refugees face compared to people fleeing th
Apr 28, 2022 · 20 min
Canada’s first count of trans and non-binary people
New data from the 2021 census has been released. For the first time, the Census has counted Canada’s transgender and non-binary populations after making some controversial changes to its questions about sex and gender. Dr. El Chenier, a history professor at Simon Fraser University and founder of Boldly Nonbinary, talks about why this data is important and how it could be miscontrued.