The Current

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CBC Radio's The Current is a meeting place of perspectives with a fresh take on issues that affect Canadians today.

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    • May 20, 2026 LATEST EPISODE
    • daily NEW EPISODES
    • 19m AVG DURATION
    • 4,431 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from The Current

    Scott Galloway's operating manual for being a man today

    Play Episode Listen Later May 20, 2026 23:48


    Podcaster, professor and entrepreneur Scott Galloway believes young men are struggling with feelings of alienation, loneliness, and failure. And that's a danger to all of us, especially when they buy into the dangerous rhetoric they hear online. We talk to him about his book, Notes on Being a Man, what he's learned from his own life, and why this is such a passionate mission for him.

    Why this Ebola is different

    Play Episode Listen Later May 20, 2026 20:25


    On Sunday, the World Health Organization declared the ebola outbreak in Congo and Uganda "a public health emergency of international concern". We speak with infectious disease correspondent, Helen Branswell with Stat News, and Dr. Joanne Liu, a physician and professor at McGIll University's School of Population and Global Health, and former International President Médecins Sans Frontières, who led the international response to the West African Ebola epidemic from 2014-2016.

    Canadians are facing a debt crisis

    Play Episode Listen Later May 20, 2026 19:21


    In the first three months of this year, more than 37,000 people filed for insolvency in Canada — the highest number of consumer insolvencies since during the financial downturn in 2009. We hear from a Canadian on how he fixed his own personal financial crisis.

    Tick season is here: what to know

    Play Episode Listen Later May 19, 2026 20:06


    Scientists are warning Canadians to get ready for a U.S. tick invasion this year. We hear from Patty O'Brien-Carrier from Maine who developed a severe meat allergy after being bitten by a lone star tick and Nicoletta Faraone, the director of the Canadian Tick Research and Innovation Centre, about the ticks to watch out for and how to protect yourself.

    Do you still have a friend group?

    Play Episode Listen Later May 19, 2026 15:33


    Turns out, Canadians are spending less and less time with their friends and many don't have a friend group. What does it mean if we don't have a close friend group — and how can we approach making new friends? We'll explore that with Philip Howlett, a friendship researcher and lecturer at the University of Bath.

    Dawson City grieves the loss of historic bar

    Play Episode Listen Later May 19, 2026 8:49


    Dawson City, Yukon's iconic tavern, the Westminster Hotel, aka “The Pit,” was destroyed in a fire. The building dates back to 1898 and was a beloved community hub. One of the bar's longtime managers Heidi Bliedung, on what The Pit meant to Dawson City and how they will move forward following the fire.

    Do we still need zoos?

    Play Episode Listen Later May 19, 2026 24:00


    The London Zoo will open a hospital where people can watch vets treat animals — from checkups to post-mortems. Zoo consultant Sarah Spooner says that kind of public engagement helps boost conservation and helps zoos stay relevant. But environmental author Emma Marris says zoos can't justify the harm they do to animals and we've outgrown them, even if we don't realize it yet.

    What early wildfires mean for the summer months ahead

    Play Episode Listen Later May 18, 2026 19:42


    Wildfire season has started in some parts of the country. We speak with David Noyes, the mayor of Sandy Beach, Alberta, where a wildfire destroyed three homes earlier this month; Chief Ken McMullen, the President of the Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs and Mike Flannigan, a wildfire researcher, about what to expect from this year's wildfire season

    Are you reading?

    Play Episode Listen Later May 18, 2026 24:22


    Everywhere you turn, there's a distraction, and the evidence suggests we're all reading fewer books. Some have described it as a "crisis". We speak to one young Canadian who's turning that around, BookTok and podcast host, Morgann Book. We'll also speak with Gregor Campbell, a long-time English professor at the University of Guelph on what he has observed in the classroom, and Jonathan Jarry, a science communicator with McGill University's Office for Society and Science who puts the "reading crisis" in perspective.

    Will the U.K. Prime Minister resign?

    Play Episode Listen Later May 15, 2026 10:29


    The U.K. has shuffled through several Prime Ministers in the last ten years before finally landing on Keir Starmer in 2024, but after his Labour Party suffered a major local election loss last week, some in his own party are trying to push him out. Piya Chattodpadhyay speaks to the host of the BBC podcast, Newscast, about where this leaves the island nation.

    Risks and rewards: What the Alberta MOU may bring

    Play Episode Listen Later May 15, 2026 20:04


    Three energy watchers dig into what's expected out of today's anticipated carbon policy agreement between Ottawa and Alberta: Martha Hall Findlay, director of the University of Calgary's School of Public Policy and former climate officer at Suncor Energy; Sonya Savage, former energy minister under Jason Kenney and former environment minister under Danielle Smith; and Rachel Doran, executive director of Clean Energy Canada.

    Superagers reveal the key to aging well

    Play Episode Listen Later May 15, 2026 16:08


    Scientists with the SuperAging Research Initiative are studying a group of superagers - people 80 and up who have the memory of people half their age - to understand what helps them stay sharp. We speak with Morry Kernerman, a lifelong violinist who's 101 years old, and still hiking, travelling and teaching music, and with Angela Roberts at Western University in London, Ont., who's leading the study in Canada, about how biology and lifestyle contribute to aging well.

    Dr. Alika Lafontaine on overcoming anger and outrage

    Play Episode Listen Later May 15, 2026 24:35


    In an increasingly polarized world, Dr. Lafontaine says the best time to work through our outrage was yesterday. A close second, however, is right now. His new book, "The Outrage Cure," is about what happens when we let unresolved anger metastasize — and how we can best confront it. If you've had a falling out with someone you love that you're struggling to make sense of, this conversation is for you.

    Boys falling behind in Canadian schools

    Play Episode Listen Later May 14, 2026 19:33


    A new report out of Quebec is raising the alarm about a boy “crisis” in schools. Matt Galloway speaks with a mom of a six year old boy, elementary school teacher Jason Ashmore, and University of Montreal professor Catherine Haeck on what's going on in classrooms and what the long-term consequences could be.

    A Canadian team is taking home the Walter Cup!

    Play Episode Listen Later May 14, 2026 10:49


    The Montreal Victoire and The Ottawa Charge will be competing for the PWHL championship. It is the first time two Canadians teams will face off in the finals and a significant moment for women's hockey in Canada. Former hockey player and two-time Olympic Champion with Team Canada, Cassie Campbell-Pascall on why the country is embracing women's hockey and what it took to get here.

    The early "voice notes" that give us a window into the past

    Play Episode Listen Later May 14, 2026 23:12


    Princeton professor Thomas Levin has collected the world's only collection of 'voice letters' -- small records that could be recorded on-the-spot in the 1930s, 40s and 50s, and then sent through the mail to friends and loved ones. From passionate love notes, to messages home from soldiers, to tourist diaries from world travellers...these notes allowed many people to record their voices for the first time ever. Levin explains how he searches through online auctions and flea markets to uncover these ghostly voices from the past, and what we can learn from them.

    Judge quashes Alberta separation petition

    Play Episode Listen Later May 14, 2026 10:45


    An Alberta judge struck down a separatist petition after several First Nations challenged it in court. The petition would have put the question of succession to a referendum. Host of the CBC podcast West of Centre and the radio show Alberta at Noon, Kathleen Petty on what could come next for Alberta and why Danielle Smith has taken issue with the decision.

    Unpacking the hype around peptides

    Play Episode Listen Later May 13, 2026 13:48


    Health influencers are selling peptides as a cure-all for everything from building muscle to losing weight and even boosting your libido. While Health Canada warns consumers they pose serious risks, in the U.S., government regulators are talking about loosening restrictions. Jonathan Jarry with McGill's Office for Science and Society on the potential risks and why they've become so popular in spite of a lack of evidence-based research.

    How worried should you be about hantavirus?

    Play Episode Listen Later May 13, 2026 19:50


    Dr Kamran Khan was warning clients in December 2025 that the epidemiology of hantavirus was changing. It was showing up in places it had never been seen before, and fatality rates were higher too. Khan's company, Blue Dot, tracks and analyzes infectious disease data from around the world. Plus, Steven Taylor, professor of psychiatry at the University of British Columbia about how COVID and other public health emergencies are influencing how people are reacting to hantavirus.

    President Trump's goes to China

    Play Episode Listen Later May 13, 2026 10:42


    Canada will be watching the U.S.-China summit closely, as it re-thinks and re-works its relationship with the two largest economies in the face of rising inflation and energy costs, the ongoing war in Iran and imperceptibility out of the Whitehouse. Phelim Kine is a Washington-based China correspondent for Politico on what could come from the summit and why more countries are happy to do business with China.

    A horseback journey the length of the Americas

    Play Episode Listen Later May 13, 2026 22:04


    30 year-old Olivia Cazes, from the small town of Armagh, Quebec, started her 26,000 journey from the southern tip of Argentina, to Alaska. She is traveling along the Pan-American highway with her four horses; Caciqué. Bonsaï, Milo and Bigoté. Olivia shares her experience so far, traveling from the "Fin del Mundo", the southern tip of South America, to Buenos Aires.

    Could solar power from space actually work?

    Play Episode Listen Later May 12, 2026 24:03


    It sounds like something straight out of science fiction: giant solar panels floating in space, beaming energy back down to Earth. Companies like Meta and space agencies in Japan are taking the idea seriously, hoping it could help power growing energy demands. Supporters say space-based solar could deliver constant, around-the-clock clean energy because the sun never stops shining. Critics say the technology is wildly expensive and still far from reality. Matt Galloway speaks with former NASA physicist John C. Mankins and former NASA technology policy chief Charity Weeden about whether this is the future of energy or a very expensive fantasy.

    Vaping is taking over school washrooms

    Play Episode Listen Later May 12, 2026 23:59


    With more students vaping, high school administrators are rethinking the role of the washroom, from completely redesigning the space to implementing tools like vape sensors to curb the addictive habit, and help students feel safer at school.

    Unemployment is up: who is hiring, firing and how to find work

    Play Episode Listen Later May 12, 2026 19:48


    Canadian unemployment has reached a six month high, 18,000 jobs were lost in April alone. A look at the realities of trying to find work in the face of economic uncertainty, upcoming CUSMA negotiations, and the war in Iran.

    What drives people towards impossible goals

    Play Episode Listen Later May 11, 2026 20:06


    From hunting for a mythical treasure to solving the mystery of life in the universe -- why some people are driven to dedicate their lives to unachievable goals, and what that commitment to optimism means to the rest of us.

    Why the census matters more than you think

    Play Episode Listen Later May 11, 2026 7:45


    From housing costs and commuting habits to language, identity and family life, Canadians are once again being asked detailed questions in this year's census. So what is Statistics Canada trying to learn from all of it? And how does that information shape everything from political representation to schools, transit and public policy? Matt Galloway speaks with Geoff Bowlby, Assistant Chief Statistician at Statistics Canada.

    The Iran war: a “high-stakes game of chicken.”

    Play Episode Listen Later May 11, 2026 21:20


    The Iran war has shifted power to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, creating a much more militarized state. Ali Vaez, the Iran Project Director for the Crisis Group, who was part of the negotiating team for the 2015 Iran Nuclear Deal, explains how this, coupled with US President Donald Trump's rhetoric, is complicating this “high-stakes game of chicken.”

    Can Mark Carney keep the provinces happy?

    Play Episode Listen Later May 11, 2026 19:53


    It's a busy time for the Prime Minister. Alberta and Ottawa are inching closer to a pipeline deal, and the federal government wants to speed up the review process for major projects. Is it possible to keep everyone happy? Our national affairs panel weighs in.

    22 Minutes' Mary Walsh on life's highs and lows

    Play Episode Listen Later May 8, 2026 24:24


    Most Canadians know comedian Mary Walsh from her iconic characters on the CBC TV show, This Hour has 22 Minutes.But the story of Mary Walsh's life goes far beyond her comedic and acting triumphs. She tells those stories in her new book, a collection of essays about the highs, and the lows. We talk to Mary Walsh about her life and her new

    Canada's first WNBA team is about to take to the court

    Play Episode Listen Later May 8, 2026 6:38


    Toronto Tempo begin their inaugural season as Canada's first WNBA team. Freelance sports journalist covering the WNBA and the host of the women's sports podcast Cinderella Stories on Savanna Hamilton why this is an exciting time to be a sports fan.

    Former U.S. congresswoman wants to “fix” Canada/US relationship

    Play Episode Listen Later May 8, 2026 17:22


    Former Democrat Congresswoman Jane Harman is the newly-appointed co-chair of a Commission for the Second Century of Canada-U.S. relations, an attempt to revive the bilateral relationship between the two countries. While she believes it can eventually be repaired, she says she's "heartbroken" about the way things have disintegrated under President Donald Trump, and believes Prime Minister Mark Carney is navigating the rupture "adroitly."

    MAID for mental illness: Ottawa continues the debate

    Play Episode Listen Later May 8, 2026 20:01


    Claire Brosseau says after decades of mental illness and treatment, she wants to die by MAID. Ottawa will soon decide whether to allow medically-assisted death for those whose sole condition is mental illness or to postpone access, perhaps indefinitely.

    Is the oil crisis irreversible?

    Play Episode Listen Later May 7, 2026 19:49


    Dr. Fatih Birol, the Executive Director of the International Energy Agency, has been advising world leaders through this historic crisis, but he recently said that this one will have "permanent consequences."

    This cholesterol test could save your life

    Play Episode Listen Later May 7, 2026 21:28


    Darren Ali was a healthy 45 year old when he had a massive heart attack that could have killed him. He wants everyone to learn from his experience and get tested for the cholesterol Lipoprotein(a) because it could save their lives. And we'll hear from a doctor about how this cholesterol can cause unexpected heart attacks among younger and otherwise healthy people -- and why new guidance recommends getting tested.

    Pilot, volunteer firefighter, student... scholarship winner!

    Play Episode Listen Later May 7, 2026 8:13


    Emily Gustus was shocked to be one of this year's $100,000 Loran Scholarship winners. Now she can keep up with her school work and keep working as a volunteer firefighter and flying with the air cadets in her hometown of Tisdale, Saskatchewan.

    Could damming the Bering Strait help save the climate?

    Play Episode Listen Later May 7, 2026 18:18


    A new study is exploring a radical idea: building a dam across the Bering Strait. The goal is to try to stabilize a massive ocean current, which helps regulate the planet's climate and is already slowing down. CBC science reporter Nicole Mortillaro walks us through what's happening to the system, why scientists are concerned, and what a slowdown could mean for rising sea levels to shifting weather and where people can live. Then, climate researcher Jelle Soons explains the thinking behind the dam. It's a proof of concept, not a real-world plan, and one that comes with significant risks and unknowns.

    What it's like to be stuck on a cruise ship with a deadly virus

    Play Episode Listen Later May 6, 2026 19:31


    As passengers aboard the MV Hondius deal with the spread of a rare strain of hantavirus, we look at what it's like to be stuck on a cruise ship and what can be done to prevent the spread of hantavirus in Canada.

    Are the Habs Canada's team?

    Play Episode Listen Later May 6, 2026 8:23


    The Montreal Canadiens will be facing the Buffalo Sabres on Wednesday night. This game comes from their win against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Alex Rougas is confident that his team will succeed in Round 2 of the Stanley Cup playoffs.

    From toys to medical gloves: how the Iran war is hiking prices

    Play Episode Listen Later May 6, 2026 16:15


    Oil shock has been synonymous with the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, but the oil byproducts that make plastics aren't making it through the strait either, and as Beth Gardiner, author of the book, "Plastic Inc.: The Secret History and Shocking Future of Big Oil's Biggest Bet," explains it could start impacting the cost of goods here at home, from toys and clothes to the supply of medical gloves.

    Tracking Telegram

    Play Episode Listen Later May 6, 2026 23:22


    When the Canadian Centre for Child Protection found what is says are images of child sexual abuse on the messaging app Telegram they took that allegation to Britain's online safety watchdog Ofcom. That is because Canada doesn't have a regulator to look at how online platforms deal with this type of illegal content.

    Are the tides changing for the North Atlantic right whales?

    Play Episode Listen Later May 5, 2026 8:59


    This spring, scientists have documented 23 North Atlantic right whale calves born off the U.S. coast, the highest number since 2009. It's hopeful news for the critically endangered species, whose population has fallen to fewer than 400 in recent years. We speak with Amy Warren, the scientific program officer for the Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life who has been tracking the whales.

    How “Bailey's Law” could change laws around intimate partner violence

    Play Episode Listen Later May 5, 2026 19:48


    A Conservative private member's bill named after Bailey McCourt, a 32-year-old mother of two killed in a Kelowna parking lot in July 2025 is making its way through the Senate. Her estranged husband has been charged with first-degree murder. The legislation proposes changes to the criminal code; making the killing of an intimate partner an automatic first-degree murder charge; empowering courts to hold individuals charged with domestic assault for up to seven days for a risk assessment if there are red flags; and changing bail rules for those with a previous domestic violence conviction.

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