The Current

The comedian Phil Hanley remembers his school teachers calling him lazy and stupid when, in truth, he was struggling with dyslexia. In his new memoir Spellbound: My Life as a Dyslexic Wordsmith, Hanley writes about how his mother defended him in an unsympathetic education system, and why he doesn't want dyslexic kids today to feel the shame he did.

A deadline for a trade deal with the U.S. is looming, Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre is trying to find a path back to the House of Commons, and the push to get big new nation-building projects going is hitting a sour note with some First Nations leaders. Our guest host Catherine Cullen unpacks it all with our national affairs panel: Stephanie Levitz from the Globe and Mail, Niigaan Sinclair from the Winnipeg Free Press, and CBC's Kathleen Petty.

Do you think a baby can tell good and bad behaviours apart? And if they can, do you think they would have a preference between moral and immoral beaviours? We have some insight. A new study from a Sicilian hospital looked into exactly that, and one of the leads on the study is UBC professor Kiley Hamlin. She joins us to give us a peek into a newborn's mind.

Not guilty on all charges, that's the judge's decision for the five former Junior World Hockey players who have been on trial for sexual assault. This has been a case that shook the hockey world, and ignited conversations across Canada. The judge said that she did not find, E.M., the complainant's evidence "credible or reliable.” We speak to law professor Daphne Gilbert, about the judges' ruling and how the courts handle sexual assault allegations.

For some, soccer is just a sport, but for these refugees and asylum seekers it is much more than that. The Refugee Soccer Cup is an initiative that started five years ago, and its goal is to help newcomers to Canada find a way to connect. The Current's producer Niza Nondo takes us to the field to hear their stories from this year's Refugee Soccer Cup.

Jula inherited 10,000 vinyl records from her dad when he died. Now, she's listening through them to make sense of her grief — and sharing that connection to her father with millions of people on her social media account @soundwavesoffwax.

Canada's 13 Premiers, and Prime Minister Mark Carney, met in Ontario's cottage country this week. Not to have a relaxing summer break, but to discuss big issues that face this country. The most pressing one; the looming deadline for a new trade agreement with the United States. Susan Holt is the Premier of New Brunswick, she tells us what was accomplished in that room, and how a deal can be reached with the U.S. President Donald Trump.

Everyone knows about the O.J. Simpson Trial, but do you know about the Scopes Monkey Trial?' It was a case about evolution, education, religion, and law that happened 100 years ago, and resonates in today's America. We discuss how the issues of a 1925 trial are once again at the forefront of American education, and why the lessons from that trial are worth revisiting.

If you're 16, that means you're old enough to drive a car and get a job — but should you also be able to cast a vote? The U.K. says yes. The country is lowering the voting age to 16, and advocates in Canada say we should do the same. Our guests make the case and explain how a decision like this can reshape our democracy.

When Jaws came out 50 years ago, the movie instilled an epic fear of sharks to a whole generation of people, then some more — a fear that still continues to this day. But those who know the animals well say that sharks are not out to get humans. Our experts explain why sharks are misunderstood and why it matters to shift our perspective on these animals.

A year after the devastating wildfires in Jasper, Alberta, the community is continuing to rebuild and making its way back into town. We speak with a business owner who's reopening her restaurant — and discuss what the recovery looks like for the residents of Jasper, as well as how the community can thrive again.

Artificial general intelligence, or AGI, refers to computers that possess consciousness, much like humans. Some tech experts argue that this is a massive step beyond A.I., but we're not that far from achieving it, while others contend that it's a fictional concept that we're nowhere near. Guest host Piya Chattopadhyay talks to two experts about what AGI entails, and what risks having computers more intelligent than humans bring.

“We're in a lot of trouble,” says Stephen Marche, the host of the new podcast Gloves Off, and the author of the book The Next Civil War, as Canada puts in the work to separate itself from the U.S. after a decades-long integrated relationship. We discuss the role U.S. President Donald Trump plays in this, and whether Canada has what it takes to go it alone.

When seven fishermen disappeared off Newfoundland's coast this summer, everyone feared the worst. But as hours turned into days and hope dwindled, the men were found — alive. The ‘Lucky 7' share their harrowing brush with death in our documentary Lost at Sea.

Two young siblings, Lilly and Jack Sullivan, went missing in rural Nova Scotia in May, and the case has shaken the country. Two months later, police are still looking for answers — and the siblings. CBC's Kayla Hounsell brings us updates from their family members' retelling of what happened that day, and the police.

Canada's chief science adviser is recommending that the federal government start tracking information about bizarre sightings in the sky, whether they're Chinese balloons or even UFOs. Proponents, such as researcher Chris Rutkowski, believe that keeping track will allow us to gain a better understanding of what is happening in the upper atmosphere.

During his campaign, U.S. President Donald Trump promised supporters he would finally reveal all the information about the life and death of Jeffrey Epstein. The convicted child sex offender and former financier died in jail in 2019. But now that Trump is denying he has any secrets to share, NYT's writer David French explains why it's tearing the MAGA movement apart.

Ted Nolan started his hockey career by servicing his childhood ice rink in Garden River First Nation. Decades later, he's being honoured by an appointment to the Order of Canada for his time as a hockey player and a coach. He explains how a life devoted to hockey and teaching others has shaped him into the person he is today.

As the wildfires burn across Canada and the smoke blurs out skylines, a group of Republican members of Congress is complaining that the suffocating air quality from Canadian wildfires is ruining the summer for Americans. Ed Struzik, author of The Future of Fire, explains what we are getting right and wrong when it comes to managing our forests and whether more could be done to prevent wildfires.

Omar Omar is one of many Gazan Canadians with family in Gaza, and his family is desperately waiting to get out through Canada's temporary resident visa program. A program many, including the former Immigration Minister Marc Miller, now call a failure. We'll discuss why only a fraction of the people promised have been able to come to Canada, and what reforms are needed to improve the program.

Ronald Bourgeois is known for his champion-ing of Acadian culture for the past five decades. Now, the musician and producer is acknowledged for his contributions and has received Canada's highest honour, being named to the Order of Canada. He tells guest host Megan Williams what this means for him and the Acadian culture.

Have you ever wondered what the food from Ancient Rome might have tasted like, how they created those iconic Roman hairstyles or how you can mummify a person today? These archaeologists have. They're called experimental archaeologists, and they work to bring the past alive. Sam Kean has written about them in his new book: Dinner with King Tut: How Rogue Archaeologists Are Re-creating the Sights, Sounds, Smells, and Tastes of Lost Civilizations.

A new robot delivery vehicle pilot project in Toronto ignites conversations about driverless cars in Canada and where this country stands in terms of innovation. Our two experts tell guest host Megan Williams what opportunities the autonomous vehicles bring to Canada, and what to look out for.

Bonny Reichert grew up hearing her father's stories of the Holocaust, and finding comfort in sharing traditional recipes with him. The Canadian journalist-turned-chef shares her dad's story, and the trauma she herself carries, in the new memoir How To Share An Egg.

Canada's small-town ERs are in crisis, facing routine closures and severe staffing shortages. Globe and Mail health columnist André Picard argues some of those ERs might need to close, so scarce resources can be used more effectively.

As the Dalai Lama turns 90, the question of who will succeed him is reigniting tensions between Tibet and China. We speak with Sherap Therchin of the Canada-Tibet Committee about why this could lead to two rival Dalai Lamas—and what that means for Tibetan identity, faith, and global politics.

The Calgary Stampede is making history. For the first time in 45 years, a new event has been added: ladies breakaway roping. We speak with world champion Shelby Boisjoli-Meged about what it means to compete on her home turf, and why equal pay and representation in rodeo matter more than ever.

When wildfires rip through towns, the smoke may eventually clear, but the trauma lingers. This morning, we hear from two women whose lives were upended by wildfires. Brooke Kindel lost her home in Denare Beach, Saskatchewan just weeks before giving birth. Meghan Fandrich lived through the fire that destroyed most of Lytton, B.C. in 2021 including her small business. Together, they reflect on loss, survival, and what comes after disaster.

Two members of the Canadian Armed Forces are among four men facing charges over a plot to violently seize land in Quebec. The RCMP has laid terrorism-related charges alleging that the men amassed a large cache of weapons, motivated by anti-government ideology. We speak to Jessica Davis, a former CSIS analyst, about what we know so far — and what questions remain. Then, researcher Amarnath Amarasingam discusses what this case reveals about ideological extremism in Canada's military, and how experts say the Armed Forces should respond.

Two long-serving Canadian diplomats — Don Campbell and Alex Bugailiskis — have been named to the Order of Canada. Campbell helped negotiate the first North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), while Bugailiskis served as ambassador to countries including Syria, Cuba and Italy, and played a key role in the resettlement of Syrian refugees. They reflect on their decades of diplomatic service — and how Canada's role in the world has changed.

As calls for Alberta to separate from Canada get louder, pro-Canada forces are pushing back. Former Alberta Deputy Premier Thomas Lukaszuk has launched a referendum campaign against separatism – asking Albertans: “Do you agree Alberta should remain in Canada?” We speak with him about why Alberta should stay part of Canada. Then, political scientist Barry Cooper explains why he thinks Alberta would be better off going it alone.

Tuberculosis is entirely curable and yet also the deadliest infectious disease in the world. That paradox has fascinated John Green, the popular YouTuber and author of The Fault in Our Stars, ever since he met a boy called Henry at a TB hospital in Sierra Leone. Green's new book, Everything is Tuberculosis, tells Henry's story and asks why this disease still kills more people every year than homicide, war, and malaria combined.

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.

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.

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.

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 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.