The Current

The Harvard professor Steven Pinker is the author of "When Everyone Knows That Everyone Knows," a new book on common knowledge. He believes that awareness of what others know, or lack of it, is key to figuring out how humans coordinate to form everything from personal relationships to our shared belief in money or power or national borders.

Stellantis has announced plans to expand production in the U.S., while pulling back on production in Canada and the union representing the autoworkers is calling on the government to pressure the company to honour its commitments in this country. But, Christopher Worswick, an economics professor at Carleton University makes the case that Canada should consider following Australia's lead and phasing out the domestic car industry in the face of Trump's tariffs, rather than spending billions on support and subsidies

When Dr. Balfour Mount — the physician who pioneered palliative care in Canada — passed away, it sparked a question: how far have we come in caring for patients with serious illness? We look at what a “good death” means today, why access to palliative care is still so uneven across the country, and how the rise of MAID has changed the conversation.

Should all autistic people share one diagnosis? Right now, there's only one diagnosis, Autism Spectrum Disorder, and some people want to change that. We speak with Alison Singer, the President of the Autism Science Foundation and the Autism Science Foundation of Canada. She says having one diagnosis hurts people like her daughter who is non-verbal and needs a lot of support — and that there should be a diagnosis of profound autism to help unlock research and support.

Our national affairs panel weighs in on the biggest political stories of the day. We assess the fallout from Mark Carney's latest visit to Washington D.C., and why an abandoned pipeline project may be back on the table. Plus, by the Grey Cup weekend we are expecting a federal budget, and another round of "nation-building" projects. Will one of them be the pipeline Alberta is pushing for and that coastal First Nations say is a non-starter? And when was the last time the Grey Cup was such a big deal on the political calendar? We break it all down with Stephanie Levitz of the Globe and Mail, Rob Shaw of CHEK News in B.C., and Jason Markusoff of CBC Calgary.

One Canadian dies every two days waiting for an organ. Stephanie Azzarello feared she'd be one of them. For people waiting for a liver, like Azzarello, there's an option to find a living donor. Usually it comes from a family member or close friend… but not always. The woman who offered to help Azzarello after seeing her social media post was a stranger who lived in another country, had never met her. In her documentary, Because of Her, Liz Hoath brings us their story — and how their lives were brought together.

U.S. President Donald Trump has signed his Middle East peace deal, but the future for Palestinians and Israelis remains uncertain. Palestinian politician Mustafa Barghouti wants guarantees so there will be no backsliding into war and self-determination for Palestinians. Political expert Shira Efron explains the sands have shifted in Israel and that a new relationship with Palestinians will have to be forged, even though Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will resist it.

Some of the most major changes and inventions in history started with someone being told they were wrong, and them not taking “no” for an answer. And for Terry O'Reilly, those are the most captivating stories. In his new book, Against the Grain: Defiant Giants Who Change the World, the host of CBC's Under the Influence, explores what we can learn from these mavericks, including Taylor Swift — and why in a world where we always need new ideas to grow, our first instinct is to reject them?

He's one of the world's most influential entrepreneurs and is behind companies like X, Tesla and Space X. But what role is Elon Musk playing in the tech industry's shift to the right, and how did growing up in apartheid South Africa shape his worldview? Jacob Silverman is the host of the new CBC podcast Understood: The Making of Musk and the author of “Gilded Rage: Elon Musk and the radicalization of Silicon Valley.”

All 20 remaining living hostages kidnapped on October 7, 2023 have now returned to Israel. 250 Palestinian prisoners and 1700 detainees are also freed today. After two years of war, a historic peace process is unfolding in the Middle East. We speak with CBC's senior international correspondent Margaret Evans in Jerusalem, Amir Tibon, journalist for the Israeli newspaper, Ha'aretz and the author of "The Gates of Gaza: A Story of Betrayal and Hope in Israel's Borderlands,” and Omar Omar, the founder of the Gazan Canadian Families League who has been trying to get his family out of Gaza and bring them to Canada about what's next as part of the U.S. President Donald Trump's peace deal — and will this lead to lasting peace in the Middle East?

For decades, CBC's foreign correspondent Brian Stewart covered events that changed the world, from the famine in Ethiopia to brutal regimes in Latin America, to the fall of the Berlin Wall. But it was his reports from Ethiopia that galvanized Canadians to send humanitarian aid to the region, and led to Live Aid, one of the biggest charity concerts in history. Brian Stewart reflects on his remarkable career on the front lines of history.

She was the first marine biologist to film a giant squid in its habitat. Edie Widder is a pioneering marine biologist who believes the light in the dark ocean may actually be a form of communication. She has dedicated her life to understanding the phenomenon known as bioluminescence. And she is one of the few people in the world who has been to the deepest 'twilight zone' of the ocean using tiny submersibles. We talk to Widder about her quest to capture the bioluminescence on video, along with Tasha Van Zandt, director of a documentary about Widder's life and work “A Life Illuminated.”

Imagine having your data stolen at your work, and your most sensitive information ending up for sale on the dark web. A Fifth Estate investigation reveals that's what happened to thousands of employees at B.C.'s Interior Health. A data breach has exposed the information of healthcare workers, leaving some to have their identity stolen repeatedly, while the agency denies the breach ever happened.

This week, Prime Minister Mark Carney raised the prospect of reviving the Keystone XL pipeline with Donald Trump, while Alberta Premier Danielle Smith and BC Premier David Eby sparred over her proposal to build a new bitumen oil pipeline through B.C. to its northern coastline. We speak with a First Nations chief, a small town mayor on BC's coast, and a retired pipeline executive in Calgary.

Whether it's your best friend riding a unicorn, Michael Jackson teaching math, or Martin Luther King Junior dreaming about selling vacation packages — it's now easier and faster to turn those ideas into realistic videos, using the new AI app, Sora. The company behind it, OpenAI, promises guardrails to prevent against violence, and fraud — but many critics worry that the app could push misinformation into overdrive… and pollute society with even more "AI slop."

Once hailed as the more empathetic approach to raising children, gentle parenting is now facing pushback from exhausted parents who say the expectations are unrealistic. We're joined by Kayla Huszar, a mother who says gentle parenting “broke” her. Then, child psychiatrist Dr. Ashley Miller explores the potential benefits and drawbacks of gentle parenting and how to find a balanced approach that supports both a child's development and a parent's well-being.

U.S. president Donald Trump announced Israel and Hamas have agreed to the first phase of a Gaza peace deal. The details of the full peace agreement are still to be sorted out in the next phases of the deal — but this phase would mean the release of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners, a ceasefire, and aid entry into Gaza. We talk to Gregg Carlstrom, the Middle East correspondent for The Economist, CBC's Adrienne Arsenault who was in Hostages Square in Tel Aviv, and Zaha Hassan, a human rights lawyer and senior fellow in the Middle East Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace about what this ‘“first phase” means — and what will follow.

Donald Trump met with Prime Minister Mark Carney in Washington — and called the Canada-U.S. trade relationship a “natural conflict.” From cars and steel to the future of the USMCA, we break down what was said, what wasn't, and what it means for Canada going forward. CBC's Washington correspondent Katie Simpson joins us to explain.

51,000 teachers in Alberta are on strike, demanding solutions to what they say is an overcrowded and underfunded education system. We hear from teachers and experts on the state of education in Alberta today, and what needs to happen to give students the best learning environment possible.

After making a fortune in tech, Zita Cobb went home to her home community in Newfoundland hoping to revive its economy. She believes the success she's had could be a model for other Canadian communities — especially ones that are threatened by Donald Trump's trade war. We talk to her about how leaning into Canadian values, and the things that make local communities special, is the key to global success as part of our ongoing series Taking Care of Business. If you liked this interview, you might also want to hear our conversation with Murad al-Katib, CEO of AGT — also known as the Lentil King of Saskatchewan. At a time when many Canadian businesses are trying to diversify products and reach new markets, he has actually done it.

The Toronto Blue Jays are leading the playoffs 2-1, but did this road to the World Series start in Vancouver? The Jays' minor league team, The Vancouver Canadians have a lot of alumni on this current roster. The team's broadcaster, Tyler Zickel tells us about stars like Davis Schneider and Trey Yesavage and why don't get it twisted, Vancouver is indeed a baseball town.

A domestic car brand is an idea that's been kicking around, especially in this time of uncertainty in the Canadian automotive sector. Flavio Volpe, the president of Canada's Automotive Parts Manufacturers' Association believes the answer is to take back control of its car manufacturing sector and launch a local brand, but some experts say it's not that easy.

Mark Carney heads to the Oval Office to meet the U.S. president today. Almost six months after he was elected to fix Canada's Trump problem, there's still no relief on tariffs. Former Conservative leader Erin O'Toole says Canada can get a deal with the Americans by finding a way to give the president a win on defence or energy.

Youth unemployment in Canada is at its highest rate in over a decade, over 14%. How a weakening Canadian economy and fewer entry-level job jobs have left Canadian young people at loose ends. We hear from two young grads on their frustrating job hunt — and Mikal Skuterud, professor of economics at the University of Waterloo about what it will take to turn it around.

When Charlie Kirk was killed, graphic videos of his death went viral. Many kids opened up their social media and saw the gruesome footage. Experts estimate that by the time children reach middle school they've watched as many as 8,000 murders and 100,000 other acts of virtual violence online. What impact does this have on kids? And what does the exposure to these violent acts mean for their worldview? We're joined by New Yorker staff writer, and father, Jay Kang, who wrote an article titled "What the Video of Charlie Kirk's Murder Might Do?"

Hamas and Israel have agreed to some parts of the 20-point US peace plan and talks continue today in Egypt. We talk to Janice Stein, the founding director of the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy, and Zaha Hassan, human rights lawyer and a Senior Fellow in the Middle East program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace about what this peace plan means for the region — and what happens next.

Caitlind Brown and Wayne Garrett don't just create public art. They involve people in its creation and invite them to interact with it. That might mean picking up a colourful phone in an Edmonton park and talking to a stranger on the other side. Or peering through a spyglass into a glass globe to see a scene from a book that meant something to one of their neighbours.

Liron Gertsman's award winning photo was years in the making. Then he got on a plane and took a boat to get it but it earned him the title of Bird Photographer of the Year out of 33 thousand other photos.

The men who wrote the American constitution included its goals right there in the preamble: Establish justice. Ensure tranquility. Secure the blessings of liberty. Lately, there have been plenty of reasons to question whether that document is living up to those goals — and there's real talk of a constitutional crisis. At a moment like this, when the future looks uncertain, Harvard historian and law professor Jill Lepore is an expert at explaining why history matters. We talk to her about her latest book, "We the People: A History of the U.S. Constitution."

Maddie Cholette, from Oakville, Ont. and Debbie Rafuse, from Chester, N.S, tell us how they're preparing to watch their team go for baseball glory this weekend, why this year's edition of the Jays was so darn lovable — and why both of them have a special soft spot for George Springer.

There's a growing call for mandatory national service in Canada — asking 18- to 30-year-olds to spend a year in public health, the environment, youth services, civil protection, or the military. Esprit de Corps editor Scott Taylor says it could strengthen citizenship and even help the Armed Forces. Policy expert David McLaughlin argues it's a way to build unity but warns it won't come cheap. Seventeen-year-old Jaden Braves pushes back, saying young people need to shape the program themselves.

Jane Goodall's research into chimpanzees changed our understanding of the natural world. She died yesterday at the age of 91. So we're bringing back our conversation with Jane Gooddall from October 2023, where she told Matt Galloway how her youthful curiosity sparked a ground-breaking career — and why her hope for curbing climate change lied with young people

Marineland wanted to ship their 30 captive beluga whales to an amusement park in China — but the federal government stopped them. And with the once iconic amusement park shutting its doors, the question of what to do with whales, and whose responsibility they should be, remains unclear. W

Comedians playing at a festival in Riyadh are being skewered by fellow comics for ignoring the country's human rights abuses. But former Canadian ambassador Dennis Horak says this isn't simply Saudi whitewashing. It's part of a move towards limited reforms — and that's good for both Saudis and regional stability.

Farmer Paul Brooks is ringing the alarm over a surge in apple thefts on his farm in Uxbridge, Ontario. He is one of many other farmers across Ontario experiencing this and it's threatening the cultural-favourite activity of apple picking altogether.

A new survey shows that younger generations are watching TV with the subtitles way more than older people. Gen Z journalist Isabel Brooks says she gets why. Young people are watching in a noisy, distracted, TikTok-ified world. But that doesn't mean she likes it.

For the last three months Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has been hosting “Alberta Next” town halls. On the agenda — how to get a better deal from Ottawa...and more autonomyThe final town hall happens online tonight. But separatist and pro-Canada groups are also criss-crossing the province with their campaigns. The CBC's Allison Dempster speaks with host Matt Galloway about what's next for the province.

Gen Z is reshaping debate culture. Online, millions tune in to fiery clashes over politics, identity, and health. It's raw, awkward, sometimes uncomfortable — and wildly popular.But is this about finding common ground, or just turning polarization into entertainment? We talk to Atlantic writer Spencer Kornhaber about why these debates resonate with Gen Z and what they reveal about how young people have discussions today. Then, physician and YouTube creator Dr. Mike Varshavski joins us to share why he stepped into one of these debates himself — and whether conversations like these can actually change minds.

The minimum wage is going up in some provinces today — for the second time this year in some cases. What does this actually mean for poverty in Canada? And is this meant to tackle the cost of living crisis?

10 years after the report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, three members of the family of the late Murray Sinclair, the chair of the commission, reflect on his legacy. Stephanie and Sara Sinclair are the co-editors of two new collections of writing, "A Steady Brightness of Being" and "You Were Made for this World." They talk about their own family history, and the importance of sharing stories, knowledge and culture — as a path to a better future. And Niigaan Sinclair, Murray's son, and columnist and university professor, reflects on his Dad's lessons of love, and the time he spent at his father's bedside before he died.

Intimidation, extortion, and murder. After months of calls by political leaders, the Bishnoi Gang has been designated a terrorist organization by the federal government. But they're a group without a clear political ideology.

The Louvre is the world's biggest, most visited museum in the world - about nine million visitors a year — and it's getting a makeover. Our conversation with the first woman to lead the Louvre, President-Director Laurence des Cars about the challenges of overtourism, their ambitious billion-dollar plan to modernize the venerable institution, the role of art and culture in 2025, and the future of museums.