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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    • Jul 8, 2025 LATEST EPISODE
    • daily NEW EPISODES
    • 19m AVG DURATION
    • 3,687 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from The Current

    How close is a ceasefire in Gaza?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 8, 2025 19:25


    Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is in Washington this week and U.S. President Donald Trump says a Gaza ceasefire could be just days away. Meanwhile on the ground, aid workers say urgent action is needed to address the humanitarian crisis. We hear from Akram Saeed, a father living in a refugee camp in Khan Younis, who says every day is a struggle to survive. And Shaima Al-Obaidi with Save the Children says people in Gaza are being forced to risk their lives just to eat. And from Tel Aviv, political analyst Dahlia Scheindlin explains the political pressure the Israeli Prime Minister is facing at home and abroad to end the war.

    Meet the newest members of the Order of Canada

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 8, 2025 25:15


    Two Canadians honoured for a lifetime of service. Cheryl Forchuk is a mental health nurse and researcher whose work has changed how Canada understands homelessness, tracing its roots to system failures and pushing for solutions grounded in dignity and data. Mike Stevens is a renowned harmonica player whose music has taken him to remote Indigenous communities, where he's spent decades helping young people find hope and healing through the power of song. Both have been named to the Order of Canada.

    Why Farmers Are Nervous About Canada's Next Trade Move

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 7, 2025 19:13


    Farmers on both sides of the border are watching closely as Canada and the U.S. continue trade talks. With Canada backing off its digital services tax, some are asking: is supply management next? That's the system that controls how much milk, eggs and poultry Canadian farmers can produce and guarantees a set price for what they sell. We hear from a dairy farmer in New York who says U.S. producers still don't have the access they were promised under USMCA, and an egg farmer in B.C. who says supply management helped her farm survive. Plus, a food economist walks us through how the system works — and what might happen if it's put back on the table.

    Why isn't ‘enough' spelled ‘enuf'? The absurdity of English spelling

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 7, 2025 24:32


    Everyone has certain words they struggle to spell, whether it's stumbling on silent letters in words like “doubt,” or words like “fuchsia,” that just look very different from how they sound. In his new book Enough is Enuf: Our Failed Attempts to Make English Eezier to Spell, Gabe Henry looks at how spelling reformers have long tried — and failed — to simplify English spelling.

    It's complicated for Canadian-US dual citizens right now

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 4, 2025 19:18


    It's the Fourth of July, but for some people with ties to both Canada and the U.S., the day feels more conflicted than celebratory. As relations between the two countries sour, dual citizens and cross-border families are finding it harder to navigate their identities. We speak to three people who share what it's like to live between two countries that no longer feel so friendly. Sarah Doué grew up in Texas and now lives in Nova Scotia and has considered giving up her U.S. citizenship. Bryce McNeil says being Canadian in America has never felt more complicated. And Georganne Burke is planning on moving back to Florida, saying a rise in anti-American sentiment has made her feel unwelcome in Canada.

    52 countries in 52 weeks? What one man saw on a whirlwind trip

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 4, 2025 24:13


    In the depths of the pandemic, CBC reporter Justin McElroy hatched a plan to see as much of the world as possible. He ended up visiting 52 countries in 52 weeks, and now he's back to share some of the amazing things he saw — and ate! — and what he learned by stepping out of his comfort zone.

    Summer's here and the time is right for… “kidrotting”?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 3, 2025 24:26


    This summer, some parents are opting out of the packed schedules, the summer camps, and little leagues and instead are saying yes to slower days at home. Amil Niazi, a columnist for The Cut, shares how she's embracing an unscheduled, unstructured summer — sometimes called “kidrotting.” And child psychologist Janine Hubbard explains why letting kids be bored might actually be good for them.

    Squad up! Is interprovincial trade happening ?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 3, 2025 19:03


    Ottawa says it's done its part in removing federal exceptions to make interprovincial trade easier. But with most of the barriers still in provincial hands, we speak to Ryan Mallough from the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, about the federal government's actions and whether they're enough and Ryan Manucha, a research fellow at the CD Howe Institute, on why reducing interprovincial trade barriers remains complicated and what Canada can learn from other countries that have tackled similar challenges.

    What's a divorce registry and why are more people using them?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 2, 2025 23:50


    Divorce is costly — legally, emotionally, and financially. That's why more people are using divorce registries – a list of things your friends and families can buy to help you start your post-divorce life. We talk to a woman who turned to friends and family to furnish a new life after splitting with her partner, and hear from the co-founder of a divorce registry helping others do the same. Plus, a certified financial divorce specialist lays out the cost of divorce.

    Why Gen Z's jobless rate should matter to everyone

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 2, 2025 19:27


    More young Canadians are out of work than at any point in decades–excluding during the COVID-19 pandemic. The youth unemployment rate is now more than 14 per cent and for students returning to school this fall the anxiety of the world to come after school is daunting. We hear from two Gen Z job seekers about the emotional toll of a stagnant job market, and a labour expert on what this might signal about Canada's economy.

    Bob McDonald: Science, Survival, and Self-Doubt

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 30, 2025 24:14


    Quirks and Quarks host Bob McDonald says people are often surprised to learn he's a university dropout — a fact that's contributed to the impostor syndrome he's felt for a large part of his life. In his memoir Just Say Yes, Bob McDonald charts his path from an unhappy and sometimes abusive home to Canada's foremost explainer of all things scientific.

    Cattle Sold, Crops Failing: Inside Saskatchewan's Drought Crisis

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 30, 2025 19:35


    Farmers' livelihoods are at stake in Saskatchewan in the middle of a historic drought. It's been a while since Saskatchewan saw steady rainfall – and conditions are pushing some farmers to the edge. Ranchers are facing choices about whether to sell off cattle or take on more debt. We hear from two prairie farmers about the impact drought is having on their farms, and how they're coping amidst climate extremes. We also speak to an expert on what it will take to make farming more resilient in the face of climate change.

    Fluoride set to flow again in Calgary Water

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 27, 2025 7:44


    Fluoride is returning to Calgary's drinking water. The city removed it more than a decade ago, but after a public vote and years of planning, it's back. A city councilor who once voted against fluoride explains why he's changed his mind.

    Venetians protest Bezos' billionaire wedding

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 27, 2025 19:19


    Jeff Bezos is getting married in Venice, but not everyone is celebrating. As A-list guests gather, activists and locals are protesting what they see as a city being rented out to the ultra-wealthy. We hear from a protester with “No Space for Bezos,” and from a former luxury wedding planner who now writes about class and culture.

    How Police Busted a Lululemon Theft Ring

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 27, 2025 16:29


    Yoga pants and stolen goods. Court documents obtained by CBC reveal a suspected organized crime ring behind a wave of high-value thefts from Lululemon stores across British Columbia. CBC journalist Jason Proctor breaks down how police tracked down the suspects.

    The hippie trail trip that changed Rick Steve's life

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 26, 2025 24:09


    Rick Steves had his first puff of a joint in Afghanistan while he was travelling the Hippie Trail in 1978, the overland route from Istanbul to Kathmandu. The travel writer and entrepreneur talks to Matt Galloway about how that trip made him think about the world differently — and why he says others should seek out mind-expanding travel, too.

    Where does Iran's nuclear program stand now?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 26, 2025 19:13


    A fragile ceasefire is in place between Israel and Iran — but where does this leave Iran's nuclear program? U.S. President Donald Trump is confident the program is destroyed but some intelligence reports suggest only setbacks. We speak with nuclear policy expert James Acton about what happens now.

    Boosting Canada's military will take 'sustained and stable' preparation: Defence chief

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 25, 2025 18:51


    Defending Canada will require new strategies, investments in new equipment, and more recruits, according to Gen. Jennie Carignan, chief of the defence staff of the Canadian Armed Forces. The country's top soldier tells guest host Susan Ormiston about her priorities for the military, and what a new five per cent NATO defence spending target would mean for Canada.

    How to protect yourself against tick-borne illnesses

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 25, 2025 16:46


    As the climate warms, ticks are finding more places to call home within Canada — and spreading more diseases to people wherever they go. A doctor talks about why Lyme disease isn't the only infection you can catch from ticks, and how to protect yourself against the bugs.

    Delayed ferry leaves store shelves empty in Labrador

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 25, 2025 8:13


    The Kamutik W ferry, which delivers critical items like food and toilet paper to remote communities in Labrador, has finally set sail after being delayed for more than a week. The delay has left people in those communities running low on supplies, and some advocates calling for a better solution.

    What's on the agenda at the NATO summit?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 24, 2025 19:05


    NATO leaders are meeting for a historic summit. The gathering comes as conflicts continue in Ukraine and Gaza, and as a ceasefire between Iran and Israel remains fragile. We talk to former Canadian ambassador Kerry Buck, and former U.S. ambassador to NATO, Douglas Lute, about what's on the agenda – and what's at stake. And what Prime Minister Mark Carney needs to do to call the meeting a success.

    Do sanctions actually work?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 24, 2025 24:03


    Sanctions have become the go-to tool in global politics — used to punish rogue states, and signal international condemnation. But are they effective? With sanctions piling up against Russia, Iran, and two Israeli cabinet ministers, we ask whether economic punishment actually shapes behavior — or just creates diplomatic noise.

    The US bombed Iran. What happens now?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 23, 2025 19:49


    With the US inserting itself into the Iran-Israel war, dropping bombs on three nuclear sites in Iran, the CBC's Chris Brown reports from Jerusalem on the latest diplomatic efforts and what we know about Iran's nuclear capacity. We also talk to Esfandyar Batmanghelidj, founder of the Bourse & Bazaar Foundation think tank, on how the war is shaping sentiments inside Iran. Plus, we talk to The Atlantic journalist Isaac Stanley-Becker about the debate inside MAGA about US involvement.

    A crisis in men's health

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 23, 2025 24:12


    Men are struggling – according to a new study on men's health. New data from the Movember Institute of Men's Health shows that nearly half of Canadian men will die prematurely – before the age of 75 – from largely preventable causes. Men also account for three out of every four suicides in the country. Former Health Minister Mark Holland and study author and UBC professor Dr. John Oliffe, discuss the systemic, social, and psychological factors behind these outcomes, and call for a national men's health strategy.

    Go dancing and still get to bed early — the rise of daytime parties

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 20, 2025 21:29


    If staying out dancing until 3 a.m. doesn't appeal to you like it used to, you're not alone. Across Canada, daytime dance parties are making space for people who want to move, socialize and still be in bed before midnight. We talk to two daytime party organizers about what it means to dance in the daytime and how it's reshaping nightlife.

    45 years later, Terry Fox's brother is riding across Canada

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 20, 2025 16:37


    45 years ago, Terry Fox set out to run across Canada to raise money for cancer research. He made it more than 5,000 kilometres before cancer forced him to stop. This summer, his brother Darrell Fox is cycling coast to coast to honour that journey and raise funds through the Ride of Hope. We speak with Fred Fox, Terry's older brother, about what it means to see that legacy continue.

    Canadian politics heats up for the summer!

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 20, 2025 19:42


    It's the first day of summer and Canadian politics is already heating up. Prime Minister Mark Carney is hoping to pass Bill C-5 before the House breaks, but the legislation is drawing serious pushback from Indigenous leaders and others. Meanwhile, the G7 has wrapped — was there any progress on tariffs? Plus, a Conservative Party leadership review and by-elections in Alberta. It all makes for a busy summer in Canadian politics. Our national affairs panel — Rosemary Barton, Stephanie Levitz and Kathleen Petty — join us to break it all down.

    She was abused by her stepfather — and her mother stayed with him

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 19, 2025 26:24


    A powerful documentary about a woman breaking the silence around sexual abuse in her family. Robin Heald was abused for years by her stepfather — and her mother stayed with him - even after he pleaded guilty. In It Ends With Me, CBC producer John Chipman follows Robin's journey back into that past — and how she's working to stop the cycle for future generations.

    Without final exams, are students really learning?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 19, 2025 19:23


    Across Canada, final exams are disappearing from high schools. Since the pandemic, some school boards have dropped or reworked them entirely. Supporters say the shift reduces student stress and allows for more meaningful assessments. But critics worry we're sending teens into adulthood without learning how to cope with pressure. We speak with two educators on opposite sides of the debate: What are we really testing for — and what happens when those tests disappear?

    'Aging is not for the meek' — what we don't say about aging

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 19, 2025 24:26


    In the conclusion of our series As We Age, we bring together a panel of guests navigating emotional and complex conversations — from how to care for their aging parents, negotiating moves into retirement homes, to what it means to grow old yourself while caring for someone else. It's an intimate look at the realities many Canadians are quietly managing behind closed doors.

    Remembering the victims of the Air India bombing, Canada's worst terrorism attack

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 18, 2025 19:38


    Forty years ago, a bomb tore through Air India Flight 182, killing all 329 people on board — the majority of them Canadian. Despite being the worst mass murder in this country's history, many Canadians still don't know the story. In a new CBC documentary, families of the victims reflect on the trauma, the justice they feel they never received, and the memories of their loved ones.

    How MRNA vaccines went from scientific darlings to a political football

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 18, 2025 24:38


    mRNA vaccines saved millions of lives during the pandemic. But now, that science is under political attack in the United States. Funding is being pulled, approvals are being delayed, and the science questioned by politicians. Science journalist Elie Dolgin joins us to explain how a technology once hailed as revolutionary is now facing an existential threat — and what that could cost in the fight against diseases.

    Nike taps Toronto duo for historic collaboration with Indian designers

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 18, 2025 9:23


    Nike's latest collection is making waves — not just for the fashion, but for who's behind it. The brand has teamed up with the Toronto-born label NorBlack NorWhite in what's being celebrated as a landmark collaboration. For many in the South Asian community, it's a rare moment of representation in an industry that often borrows from their culture without credit.

    A Canadian family's desperate quest to flee Iran as missiles fall

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 18, 2025 15:47


    As tensions rise between Israel and Iran, a Canadian citizen and her family trapped in Tehran are trying to find a way out — with fuel scarce and borders uncertain. We speak with one family preparing to flee, and hear what it's like on the ground in Jerusalem with CBC's Margaret Evans.

    The greatest artist of the 20th century? AI's answer and why it matters

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 17, 2025 15:06


    AI is exploding. It's everywhere. And almost everyone is using it. From writing emails to generating lifelike videos, to booking appointments, artificial intelligence is moving beyond simple prompts and into what experts call “agentic AI” — systems that can act on our behalf. CBC's Nora Young joins Matt Galloway to talk about this moment in AI. She's been testing some of the newest tools, including Google's Veo 3 video generator and OpenAI's latest web-browsing agents.

    He started his degree in 1976. Last week, he graduated

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 17, 2025 10:06


    Dave Burnett started his degree in 1976. Now 49 years later, he is graduating. He talks to Matt Galloway about that moment crossing the stage nearly half a century in the making. The 68-year-old just completed his agriculture degree — and reflects on the long road to graduation — a story of addiction, recovery and achieving long-held dreams.

    U of T's president on what a university education is really for

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 17, 2025 24:05


    As thousands of graduates toss their caps in the air, the president of Canada's largest university is stepping down. Meric Gertler reflects on 12 years at the helm of the University of Toronto — and the future of education and life after the classroom in the age of AI and fewer jobs.

    What to do about the high cost of hospital parking?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 17, 2025 19:33


    Hospital parking is expensive. Add that to the already high cost of being sick. Cancer patients, parents and caregivers can spend thousands on parking and are calling for fees to be reduced or eliminated. But hospitals say they need the money to help pay for healthcare in a stretched system. We hear from one patient about the cost, and why when Nova Scotia recently made parking at hospitals free, it didn't exactly go as planned.

    Drama plagued Canada's last G7 summit. Can Carney avoid repeating it?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 16, 2025 19:35


    A lot is at stake at this week's G7 summit in Alberta. Prime Minister Mark Carney will be looking for a deal on tariffs, and avoiding the kind of drama that roiled the meeting last time Canada hosted it. CBC journalist JP Tasker walks us through the challenges Carney faces at this meeting, while Peter MacKay and Bessma Momani assess whether world leaders can stay focused on economic issues while the Israel-Iran conflict continues to escalate.

    How this conductor is bringing Powell River, B.C. together with music

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 16, 2025 26:49


    Many small communities across the country are struggling to survive, as people age and their children chase big city life. Powell River, B.C. is trying to keep its own numbers up with the help of a conductor who's worked with some of the world's biggest orchestras. In her documentary War and Peace, the CBC's Liz Hoath hears from locals who say Arthur Arnold is bringing a lot more than music to their town of 13,000 people.

    What will it take to get more people into the trades?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 16, 2025 24:00


    As the prime minister eyes a number of “nation-building” projects, the country is in need of tens of thousands more tradespeople to make them happen. We hear from high school students planning to pursue jobs in the trades, while economists Simon Gaudreault and Jim Stanford debate whether lowering standards and encouraging greater immigration could get this country the skilled workers it needs.

    Iran and Israel conflict could escalate quickly after Israeli strikes: expert

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 13, 2025 19:30


    Israel targeted nuclear facilities inside Iran in a major attack against the country, killing top military brass and civilians alike. Iran is already retaliating against what it calls a “declaration of war” by Israel with drone strikes of its own. We hear from a journalist and an Iranian political expert about why the escalation is coming right now, and what it will take to de-escalate from here.

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