The Current

Provincial politics in Quebec have been in turmoil for months. Now the premier Francois Legault has announced that he is resigning, as soon as his party finds a leader to replace him. We speak with Emilie Nicolas, a columnist for Le Devoir in Montreal about what this means for the province, and the rest of Canada.

We speak to Laura LeBleu, the founding editor of GEEZER. It is a print-only magazine focused on the Gen X aging experience. LeBleu reflects on reaching midlife and realizing the stories we're told about aging do not quite match how it actually feels. She talks about uncertainty. About pressure. About humour. And about what it means to reach this stage of life without a clear script.

While it's easy to find a hops-forward IPA or a crisp lager that fools even the best beer connoisseur… de-alcoholized wines leave something to be desired. They are often too bitter, too sweet, or too watery, tasting more like something you would serve at a kids' party than an adult beverage. So we speak with Wes Pearson, a senior research scientist and sensory group manager at the Australian Wine Research Institute about why that is, and how we can change that.

We speak with 25-year-old Abhishek Parmar, who has his work permit expiring in March, and is working hard to ensure he can stay in Canada. We also speak with Mireille Paquet, director of the Concordia University Institute for Research on Migration and Society, and economist Mikal Skuterud on Canada's changing policies and views on immigration.

New research has found the amount of glacier ice lost in western Canada just in 2025 was 30 gigatonnes. That loss of ice isn't just changing what the mountains look like, it's also changing how dangerous they are. Professional mountain guides see the changes first-hand. We speak with Mike Adolph, the Technical Director of the Association of Canadian Mountain Guides, and Tim Ricci, the Director of Operations for Yamnuska Mountain Adventures about what the future of their jobs with warming climate looks like.

Amid reports of a bloody crackdown on protests in Iran, the White House says many options are on the table -- from air strikes to diplomacy. An Iranian exile tells us what she's hearing from inside the country about the deaths of protesters. And we get an expert view on Donald Trump's options and what might come next.

Canadian historian Margaret MacMillan talks about what's at stake when power rules. As the US intervenes in foreign states, and starts alienating long-trusted allies, what message does it send about what could happen in Ukraine, Taiwan and Greenland. MacMillan says warnings from history show we may be on the cusp of a new world order.

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.

We check in with the National Affairs Panel on the eve of the Prime Minister's visit to China. After a dramatic week when the U.S. captured the leader of Venezuela and made a series of threats against countries across the Western Hemisphere, should Canada risk warmer ties with authoritarian regimes?

When the Taliban banned girls from attending school beyond Grade 6, Hazrat Wahriz knew what was coming and quietly began preparing. A former Afghan diplomat and educator now living in Canada, Wahriz helped launch Daricha, a network of underground schools run from homes and supported by local communities across Afghanistan. In this conversation, he talks about teaching under constant risk, why real change has to come from within a society, and what keeps him hopeful even as he knows he may never see the full results of his work.

Research shows most people give up on their resolution four months into the year -- but experts say, it doesn't have to be like that. We speak with two people who study the science behind setting goals and changing behavior about how we can make our new years resolutions stick. And what's so special about January 1st, anyway?

A cocktail bar with what must be the world's smallest dance floor. A locavore restaurant inside the proprietors' farmhouse. An experimental Chinese dining room tucked inside another restaurant. Their owners have embraced tiny because it brings them and their customers joy.

Amid threats to take over Greenland by force, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio plans to meet with Danish officials next week. He says President Trump wants to buy the Arctic territory. That rattled people in both Greenland and Denmark.

With Ontario considering getting rid of elected trustees and school boards, questions are being raised about the role of boards. Across Canada, there isn't a clear answer with some provinces moving to eliminate boards, and others fighting to keep them. We look at the options, and what the research says is the best approach to help kids learn.

Grip strength might seem like a small thing, but researchers say it can reveal a lot about how we age. Health and fitness journalist Alyssa Ages explains why grip strength is linked to longevity, what it actually reflects about the body, and how to maintain strength in realistic, everyday ways.

The hit Canadian TV show that follows the secret relationship between hockey players Shane Hollander and Ilya Rosanov is everywhere right now. It's prompting conversations online about LGBTQ love and hockey culture. We speak with Matt Kenny, a former competitive hockey player, who had a similar experience to the fictional characters about why the show is striking such a chord with people. Plus Brock McGillis, one of the first male professional hockey players to come out as gay, talks about why he thinks there's still more work to do in making hockey a more inclusive sport.

Calgary is dealing with a busted water main… again. One of the city's major water lines recently burst for the second time in 18 months. Crews are scrambling to fix it but it's shone a spotlight on the city's infrastructure issues. Plus Calgary is not alone, other Canadian cities use similar pipes and could be on a clock for a burst of their own.

Christian Weedbrook's company Xanadu has announced major breakthroughs in quantum computing and just received $23 million in funding from the federal government to advance their technology. As part of The Current's series speaking to Canadian business leaders, he joins us to discuss the significance of quantum technology for Canada's economic future and why he wanted to build his company here in Canada.

And prediction markets, where people bet real money on real-world events are moving into the news itself. CNN and CNBC have struck deals with a company called Kalshi, bringing betting odds into their coverage of politics, the economy, and even war. Reporter Danny Funt explains why this alarms journalists and ethicists, the risks of conflicts of interest and insider trading, and what happens to public trust when news becomes something you can wager on.

Nearly four years into the war in Ukraine peace is still elusive. What would it take to get there? Matt Galloway speaks with Yevhen Matvienko and Tim Mak about the current state of the war, Zelenskyy's popularity and could Russia end up with part of Ukraine?

With the Winter Olympics just weeks away, Canadian athletes are speaking out about the rising cost of representing their country. Luger Trinity Ellis says she's cutting pennies just to stay competitive. Speed skater Hayden Mayeur says even athletes at the top of the funding scale are struggling to cover rent, food, travel, and equipment. We hear from Hayden Mayeur about working part-time and why he believes future athletes may depend more on private sponsorship than public support. Then, David Shoemaker, CEO of the Canadian Olympic Committee on why funding hasn't increased and what he's asking Ottawa to do now.

Dr. Paul Parks is an ER doctor in Medicine Hat, and President-elect of the section of Emergency physicians of the Alberta Medical Association. He describes ERs that simply cannot cope with the number of patients needing care, and says the Smith government's efforts to reform the healthcare system are only creating more chaos.

A year-long Guardian investigation has uncovered dozens of baby deaths around the world - including Canada - linked to mothers influenced by Free Birth Society, or FBS. We speak with Sirin Kale, one of the journalists behind the investigation of the multi-million dollar business run by two influencers promoting the idea of giving birth with no medical assistance,

Last year was a bit of a whirlwind when it came to the news. From ongoing atrocities around the world in places like Gaza, Ukraine and Sudan to stories closer to home like the catastrophic fires that ripped across Canada this summer and the ongoing fallout of the U.S. trade war. Matt Galloway talks to Angus Hervy, the editor of Fix the News, about the good news we might have overlooked and why these stories are so important.

After the US raid on Venezuela and arrest of its de facto leader Nicolas Maduro, Donald Trump warned a number of other countries that they could be next. Matt Galloway speaks to Janice Stein, founding director of the Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy at the University of Toronto and Jorge Heine, former Chilean cabinet minister and co-author of The Non-Aligned World: Striking Out in an Era of Great Power Competition.

After a months-long pressure campaign, the U.S. military stormed into Caracas this weekend, capturing Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores. We look at what this means for the future of Venezuela—with Phil Gunson, a senior analyst for the Andes region of the International Crisis Group and Luis Duno-Gottberg, a Venezuelan scholar, and the Lee Hage Jamail Professor of Latin American Studies at Rice University.

As Canada moves into 2026, a lot of people are feeling unsure about the economy. After a year of trade tensions, job worries, and high living costs, many Canadians are asking: what happens next? And how does it affect my money? We break down what's shaping Canada's economy in 2026, from uncertainty in trade with the U.S. to longer-term challenges around growth and productivity. We're joined by Pedro Antunes, Chief Economist at the Conference Board of Canada and Shannon Lee Simmons, financial planner and founder of the New School of Finance.

Joe MacInnis has spent his life going where very few people ever have — beneath the ice at the North Pole, down to the wreck of the Titanic, and into the deep waters of Lake Superior to visit the Edmund Fitzgerald. Now 88, the Canadian physician and deep-sea explorer looks back on a lifetime of high-risk exploration. He talks about the moment he caught “sea fever” as a teenager, what those extreme environments taught him about fear and teamwork, and why leadership — not technology is what really matters when survival is on the line.

When seven fishermen disappeared off Newfoundland's coast last 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.

Tensions between grocery suppliers and retailers came to a head during the pandemic. Karen Proud will oversee a new code of conduct meant to solve disputes and name and shame bad actors. But critics say she needs a bigger stick, like the ability to issue fines.

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 new book, Notes on Being a Man, what he's learned from his own life, and why this is such a passionate mission for him.

CBC host of Locals Welcome Suresh Doss talks about the new show -- and why visiting diaspora establishment restaurants paint a vibrant picture of families' journeys to make Canada their home.

It had been a century since Texada Island had seen a grizzly bear. So when one swam 5 kilometres from the mainland over to the community off the B.C. coast, it created curiosity, panic and division about how to live with a giant predator — a giant predator they named, Tex. Molly Segal brings the story of that island community, and the bear, in her documentary, A Bear Called Tex.

Artificial Intelligence exploded in 2025. This year saw big promises -- that AI would usher in an age of unprecedented abundance, solve intractable problems, and touch every corner of our lives. At the same time, we saw growing anxiety around AI taking jobs, worries there's an AI bubble, and warnings around the dangers of AI. So, between the hype and the anxiety, what was AI's impact in 2025? And what can we expect from AI in 2026? Sinead Bovell, a Canadian futurist, and Jaxson Khan, CEO of Aperture AI and a former federal policy advisor, join us to help answer the big questions.

Fewer Canadians are donating and volunteering. The economy, the pandemic, age are all factors -- but longtime leaders in the charitable sector say we've also lost some shared values. We speak with a lifelong volunteer about why she volunteers and what it means to them. We also talk to Megan Conway from Volunteer Canada and Bruce MacDonald from Imagine Canada about why Canadians have less to give, how we can start to bring back values of service and participation -- and what happens to our communities if we can't.

Longtime Nashville Predator Jordin TooToo is the subject of a new documentary, highlighting life in the North, his struggle with substance abuse and how the serenity he felt on the land in Rankin Inlet was matched only by the peace he felt playing hockey.

Jad Abumrad's new podcast, Fela Kuti: Fear No Man, digs into Fela Kuti's life, the good and the bad because he not only pioneered Afrobeat and pushed against the impacts of colonialism but he was also a deeply complicated and flawed man who left a wake of inspiration and trauma.

Many small communities across the country are struggling to survive as people age and their children choose 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.

As 2025 comes to a close, Canadian politics looks very different than it did a year ago. Prime Minister Mark Carney wraps up his first year in office leading a minority government. It was a year that saw Justin Trudeau step aside, a surprise election, and a tariff war. Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre lost his seat and now faces tough questions about his leadership. All of this has unfolded as Donald Trump's second presidency continues to reshape Canada's political and economic reality. To take stock of the year, and to look ahead to what 2026 might bring, we convene our year-end national affairs panel with Rosemary Barton, Ryan Tumilty, and Rob Shaw.

Some of the biggest inventions in history started with someone being told they were wrong, and then not taking “no” for an answer. 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 mavericks, including Taylor Swift — and why in a world where we always need new ideas to grow, our first instinct is to reject them.

Writing has shaped Margaret Atwood's life, from childhood poems about rhyming cats to watching The Handmaid's Tale become “an approaching reality” in Trump's America. The Queen of CanLit sat down with Matt Galloway to discuss her new memoir, Book of Lives — and ended up giving Galloway an impromptu palm reading.

Shachi Kurl, the President of the Angus Reid Institute, a polling firm, join us to give us an insight into how Canadians are feeling about the economy and politics after a turbulent year for the country.