The Doc Project

Julia Pagel hostingWhen a Whitehorse resident wrote a letter to the mayor of a little Alaska border town to say she's boycotting the US and that she's "breaking up with America," it captured a feeling many Canadians have right now.  But breakups hurt. And this one cuts deep, upending a tradition of connection between these two northern towns.In the small port town of Skagway, about two hours from Whitehorse, locals are feeling the loss of their northern neighbors. Some residents are handing out Canadian flags, while Alaska state representatives push resolutions affirming Canada's sovereignty. CBC's Julia Pagel travels to Skagway to hear from business owners, tourism officials, and local politicians about their attempts to heal this division.Produced by Julia Pagel and Joan Webber / original aired on The Current Storylines is part of the CBC Audio Doc Unit 

Howard Goldenthal hostingIn the countryside across Cambodia, mass graves known as the killing fields, haunt the landscape. They are reminders of the reign of Pol Pot, one of the 20th century's most violent political leaders. He was the leader of the Khmer Rouge. When they seized power they undertook a radical experiment to create a pure Communist utopia.The plan was called "Year Zero."Pol Pot's communist utopia led to the murder of approximately two million Cambodians. Cities were emptied and citizens were forced into rural labour camps. Only the lucky survived. In Howard Goldenthal's documentary, Year Zero Plus 50, he follows the stories of survivors of that era. For them, the quest for justice remains. Produced by Howard Goldenthal and Joan Webber, originally aired on Sunday Magazine.Storylines is part of the CBC Audio Doc Unit

In the small Innu community of Sheshatshiu, Labrador, 27 people have died from drug-related causes in just two years — a staggering number for a population of only 2,000. At the centre of this crisis is an alarming surge in cocaine, now deadlier than before.Police and drug experts say the situation on this Innu reserve is a consequence of a booming cocaine trade that's unleashed high-purity cocaine into even remote corners of the country. In his documentary, Pure Hell, CBC investigative journalist Ryan Cooke goes on a quest to find out why this is happening. His journey takes him from the high-stakes pursuit of smugglers aboard a Canadian Navy vessel in the Caribbean, to Sheshatshiu Innu First Nation, where former federal cabinet minister Peter Penashue was so desperate to save his community that he attacked a suspected drug dealer's car with a crowbar.Produced by Ryan Cooke and Joan Webber with help from Katie Breen / originally aired on The Current. Storylines is part of the CBC Audio Doc Unit

As election signs crowd our streets, leaders hold rallies and our airwaves are full of political advertising, we seldom consider the candidates who run knowing they have almost no chance of winning. These are people who put their names on ballots in ridings dominated by political heavyweights or party strongholds. In the documentary, "The Longshots", CBC producer Joan Webber introduces us to four former longshot candidates from elections past who ran despite impossible odds. There is Kyle Warwick, a then 22-year-old political science student who campaigned while studying for his finals. Then there is Yvon Vadnais, who decided to run against Justin Trudeau in his Papineau riding and Matt Master Bergener, a musician who rode horseback through Calgary while challenging then PM Stephen Harper. Finally there is Beatrice Ghettuba, an immigrant from Kenya who wanted to run to counter people's expectations of an immigrant. In the doc, you'll discover why these candidates take on the grueling work of running for office when the chance of winning is close to impossible. The doc was produced by Joan Webber and originally aired on The Current. Storylines is part of the CBC Audio Doc Unit

Some people struggling with opioid addiction are turning to a powerful psychedelic called ibogaine. The drug is derived from the bark of an African rainforest shrub, and its proponents believe it sends people on a transformative journey that can free them from addiction. In countries like Mexico, ibogaine use is unregulated, so resort-like clinics are offering what they consider treatment for addiction, by sending people on powerful psychedelic trips. In her documentary "Ibogaine: The Last Trip?", senior CBC reporter Karen Pauls introduces us to Rocky Dhillon. He's one of a growing number of Canadians who are seeking out this treatment in Mexico. We'll also meet a Winnipeg businessman who is trying to get Health Canada approval for clinical trials of ibogaine, with the goal of offering it as a treatment for addiction in Canada. Some say the drug has changed their lives but there have also been tragic consequences, like the Canadian man who died on an ibogaine trip in South Africa. Produced by Karen Pauls and Joan Webber / originally aired on The Current. Storylines is part of the CBC Audio Doc Unit

In Surrey, B.C., a bird renowned for its beauty became the centre of an ugly dispute. In the quiet Sullivan Hights neighbourhood, a group of peafowl divided a community for over a decade. The story began when Ryan Craig and his wife bought a home and quickly noticed three peacocks roosting nearby. At first they were charmed, but soon became overwhelmed as this population exploded to some 100 birds. They and their fellow residents soon faced damaged property and a messy, noisy battle with the animals. In his documentary, A Foul Feud, CBC Vancouver journalist Rafferty Baker takes us into this divided community where neighbours were no longer speaking to each other, a tree was illegally felled and bylaw officers called in to deal with the peacocks — and the residents. The documentary was produced by Rafferty Baker and Joan Webber and originally aired on The Current in 2018.Storylines is part of the CBC Audio Doc Unit

A black-and-white photograph shows 11 young Chinese boys in untucked shirts standing in a row, with a middle-aged Western man in a suit smiling behind them.This image would lead Fang Sheng on a journey to uncover his father's musical past and the identity of the mysterious "Mr. Adler," — a Jewish refugee who fled to Shanghai during World War II to escape the Nazis.In Finding Adler, we follow Fang as he pieces together how an orphaned Chinese child became one of the founding members of China's National Symphony Orchestra with the help of an Austrian violinist named Ferdinand Adler. Produced by Sharon Wu and Liz Hoath / this documentary first aired on The Current back in 2018.Storylines is part of the CBC Audio Doc Unit

In central Mississippi the poultry industry dominates, with massive processing facilities operating around the clock. Employing tens of thousands of workers, these chicken plants are the economic backbone of the region. But on August 7, 2019, officers with Immigration and Customs Enforcement conducted one of the largest workplace raids in U.S. history, detaining 680 undocumented workers across seven poultry facilities. In his documentary, “Practically Mexico Now,” CBC doc producer John Chipman takes us to the heart of this community to document the ongoing impact of the immigration raids all these years later. What he finds is a community where fears are rising as Trump promises mass deportations. The doc was produced by John Chipman and Jodie Martinson with help from Liz Hoath. The doc originally aired on The Current.Storylines is part of the CBC Audio Doc Unit

It's a little money saving trick Canadians who live near a provincial border know well. They drive to another province to save a bit because products are cheaper there. It's the kind of thing you'd do without giving it a second thought. However, for Gerard Comeau, driving from New Brunswick to Quebec to buy a case of beer resulted in a ticket and a constitutional challenge that made it all the way to the Supreme Court.  In her documentary, “A Case of Beer …. and Borders,” CBC producer Jodie Martinson explores how Comeau's beer run became a high-stakes legal battle over interprovincial trade barriers in Canada. The case pittled those who wanted to maintain provincial control of some industries against others pushing for free trade.  The documentary was produced by Jodie Martinson, Liz Hoath, and Joan Webber, with assistance from Mary-Catherine McIntosh. The doc originally aired on The Sunday Magazine. Storylines is part of the CBC Audio Doc Unit

Over the past near-century, Academy Award categories have come and gone. In the silent film era there was an award for Best Title Writing. You know, the written cards that summarized the “dialogue”? Oscar worthy. This year's 96th Academy Awards broadcast saw Oscars handed out in a whopping 23 different categories, from the big wins like Best Picture, to awards for behind-the-scenes expertise in costuming and score. But one group of people thinks there should be yet another added to that list: best stunts. Stunt actors are real life action heroes behind the biggest movies, but it's unlikely we know their names and faces, at least not if they're doing their jobs right. They risk life and limb to bring films to life. The chariot race in Ben-Hur? The entire Fast and Furious franchise? None of them would be possible without stunt coordinators and performers. On this week's Storylines, Joan Webber tells the story of a decades-long effort to get stunt workers their Oscar due.Produced by Joan Webber. Story editing by Julia Pagel.  This documentary first aired on Storylines back in April of 2024.Storylines is part of the CBC Audio Doc Unit

The Chinook salmon of the Yukon River are on the brink of extinction. This cultural keystone species has  the longest salmon migration in the world, up to 3,200 kilometres. But warming waters caused by climate change, along with other stresses, have decimated their numbers, forcing a seven-year fishing ban. For Indigenous communities in the region, this is not only an environmental tragedy but also a loss for their culture. In her documentary Ghosts in Their Nets, Laura Lynch takes us to Whitehorse, Yukon, where she meets First Nations leaders and advocates who are leading the charge to protect the species and demanding that the irreplaceable Chinook salmon be better taken care of. The doc was produced by Laura Lynch and  Rachel Sanders, with help from Molly Segal, Mathias Wolfsohn, Catherine Rolfsen and Joan Webber with the CBC Audio Documentary Unit / The doc originally aired on What on Earth. Storylines is part of the CBC Audio Doc Unit

In July 2024, seven fishermen from around New-Wes-Valley, Newfoundland set out on their fishing boat in search of turbot.  While at sea that day a fire broke out near the engine room, before long the bunkroom was full of smoke. The seven sailors had no choice but to abandon ship and before long they were  sitting in a small life-raft. What followed was a 52-hour ordeal that tested not just their will to survive, but the bonds between them. The situation could not have been more dire, two of the men couldn't swim, supplies were dwindling and a thick fog hampered rescue efforts.  In this documentary, 52 Hours Lost at Sea, find out what it was like to spend more than two days adrift in the North Atlantic. Produced by Mary-Catherine McIntosh and the Audio documentary unit / the doc originally aired on The Current. Storylines is part of the CBC Audio Doc Unit 

The stories of undocumented people living in the United States are well known, especially since President Donald Trump began a major immigration crackdown. However, there is also a sizable population of undocumented people in Canada. According to the federal government, there could be as many as 500,000 people living here without legal status. Many of them work in jobs that make them like "ghosts" in our society, such as farmwork, cleaning homes, or working late shifts in grocery stores.In this episode of Storylines, a documentary by Lyndsay Duncombe called, Living in the Shadows, that brings us the stories of people living in Canada without legal status. Many of them live in fear of deportation and without access to healthcare. Her documentary reveals the human impact of living in the shadows of Canadian society.Undocumented was produced by Lyndsay Duncombe with help from Liz Hoath and Marnie Luke / originally aired on The Current. Storylines is part of the CBC Audio Doc Unit

Early one August morning, the cameras outside Jas Arora's house in Abbotsford, B.C., recorded someone throwing glass bottles at his home. When Jas stepped outside to investigate, he found broken glass and smelled gasoline. He then got a call from a man speaking Punjabi, demanding millions of dollars.Jas is among many South Asian Canadians targeted by people who, the RCMP says, have connections to Indian gangs and the Indian government. They demand millions of dollars over the phone, and have targeted both homes and businesses.  Many of the victims are scared to report what is happening to the police. This week on Storylines is CBC journalist Sohrab Sandhu's documentary Our House. His doc will delve into the threats and extortion targeting members of the South Asian community in Canada, and what Canadian law enforcement is trying to do about it. Produced by Sohrab Sandhu with help from Liz Hoath / originally aired on The CurrentStorylines is part of the CBC Audio Doc Unit

A rogue wave is defined as being at least 2.2 times as high as the average waves which have come before. They are described as coming out of nowhere and their consequences can be deadly. In her documentary, The Wave, Joan Webber chronicles swimmers struck by these potentially deadly maritime phenomena. Though rogue waves themselves are not infrequent, it's considered rare that a person is hit by one. But rare .… is not never.We also bring you another story about the sea titled, When I Came to Canada. It's Hon Lou's harrowing account of fleeing Vietnam by boat as a child following the end of the Vietnam war. The Wave was produced by Joan Webber with help from Liz Hoath and originally aired on The Current. When I Came to Canada first aired on Living Out Loud and was produced by Steve Wadhams.Storylines is part of the CBC Audio Doc Unit

In Vancouver's Lower Mainland, a dealer known only as "Jay" sold drugs to teens, making drop-offs right next to their high schools and homes, offering free "goodie bags" of Xanax and other drugs. When Julie Nystrom discovered her 17-year-old daughter was hooked on counterfeit pills from Jay, she went to the police. The cops told her that they needed names, details, so she decided to take matters into her own hands and hired a private investigator. On this episode of Storylines, the documentary Everybody Loves Jay, which tells the story about the lengths one mother went to protect her daughter from a drug dealer.Produced by Enza Uda and Joan Webber / originally aired on The Current. Storylines is part of the CBC Audio Doc Unit

In an empty parking lot somewhere in northern California, Andrew Song and Luke Iseman inflate a balloon the size of a small car, full of sulfur dioxide. They will then launch the balloon high up into the stratosphere where it will pop, releasing its sulfur dioxide contents. Song and Iseman are the co-founders of Make Sunsets, a geoengineering startup that sells cooling credits. For a price, you can purchase a bit of the sulfur dioxide they're pumping into these balloons and launching into the stratosphere, with the belief it will offset the warming effects of CO2. Because if you send enough sulfur dioxide into the stratosphere --- we're talking a million tonnes a year --- it'll significantly cool our warming planet. But the idea raises scores of complicated scientific and moral dilemmas. In this documentary, John Chipman goes to California to learn about the potential risks and benefits of solar geoengineering. Reported and produced by John Chipman, with assistance from Joan Webber and Catherine Rolfsen. Mixed by Michelle Parise . It originally aired on What on Earth. Storylines is part of the CBC Audio Doc Unit

Despite being our national sport, and that most Canadians agree it should be for everyone, hockey remains surprisingly exclusive, especially when it comes to ice time. For some, the barriers to access the game are significant, and the sport can feel unwelcoming. In his documentary, “Hockey for All,” CBC journalist Douglas Gelevan uncovers how the complex system of ice time allocation often favours elite male players, while pushing others to the margins. Reported by Douglas Gelevan and produced by Michelle Parise / originally aired on The Current

Sethu Ramaswamy grew up in a cultured Indian family and it rubbed off on her. She loved books and ideas. By the age of 10 Sethu had read all of Charles Dickens' novels, but her emerging interest in books and ideas would have to be put on hold. When she was the same age, she was forced to leave school, get married, and become a mother at 15. As an adult, she raised a family and for the most part, lived in the shadow of her husband — who was a successful journalist in India. But that wasn't the end of her story. When she was 80-years-old a new chapter in her life opened up. She wrote a book called Autobiography of an Unknown Indian Woman, and it was met with fanfare and acclaim in India. It told the story of a child bride whose husband was both her true love and her captor. On this week's episode, Sarmish Subramanian brings us the story of her remarkable grandmother. Produced by Sarmishta Subramanian and story edited by Karen Levine. The doc originally aired on The Sunday Edition in 2009. Storylines is part of the CBC Audio Doc Unit

Every day, in Hamburg, Germany, Annette Venebrügge wakes up to a single word emailed from her friend Tina Oehmsen-Clark in Toronto. And every evening, she sends one back. No sentences, no stories — just one carefully chosen word, and always in German. What started as a simple pandemic project between two art school friends has grown into an archive of over 3,000 words.In her documentary "One Word," CBC producer Alisa Siegel explores how this linguistic game has transformed a friendship one word at a time. The game is part time capsule, part diary and part art project. Because as Annette says, each word makes her a witness to her friend's existence.Produced by Alisa Siegel and story edited by Joan Webber / originally aired on The Current. Storylines is part of the CBC Audio Doc Unit 

In Washington state, a law known as Ricky's Law, allows authorities to force people with addiction into treatment. The law is named after Ricky Garcia, whose struggles with drugs and alcohol inspired him and his friend Lauren Davis to push for change.From emergency room visits to suicide attempts, Davis watched as Garcia went through more than 75 emergency visits in just two years. Davis helped spearhead the state's involuntary treatment law and later went on to become a state lawmaker.But does forcing someone into treatment actually work?CBC journalist Julia Wong went to Washington state to find out how the law has been working in practice. In her documentary, Ricky's Law, she speaks to doctors and pa tients who've been through this system. It's a timely conversation as provinces in Canada are considering similar laws.Plus, a look at how New Brunswick ended up making a two-seater sports car in the 1970s called the Bricklin SV-1.Reported by Julia Wong. Produced by Kory Siegers and Liz Hoath / Originally aired on The Current.Storylines is part of the CBC Audio Doc Unit

They needed certainty. They got chaos. For over a decade, countless people from at least five different countries put their trust in a company offering prenatal paternity tests. It promised clients “99.9% accuracy” — but then routinely, identified the wrong biological fathers.In the six-part investigative podcast Uncover: Bad Results from CBC News, journalists Rachel Houlihan and Jorge Barrera track down the people whose lives were torn apart by these bad results, and reveal the story behind the company that continues to stand by its testing today. This week on Storylines, the first episode of Uncover: Bad Results.  In 2015, a 20-something American named John learns he might be a father. A prenatal paternity test confirms it, and he quickly pivots from college student to family man. But eight months into the baby's life, a second test reveals John is not the father, shattering his new reality. More episodes of Bad Results available at: https://lnk.to/R7TfV6hP Storylines is part of the CBC Audio Doc Unit

On this week's show, an investigation into land, money and power that has gripped the Piapot First Nation in Saskatchewan. For decades, a small group of band members has been leasing huge swaths of land owned by the community and personally pocketing millions in rental fees When a new band council decided to fix the issue, there was a pushback that included threats and confrontations with farmers. In his documentary, Land of Promise, investigative journalist Geoff Leo traces this complex story back to 1992. That's when federal and provincial governments laid the groundwork for this situation with a land deal they thought would correct an injustice done to First Nations — which lead instead to accusations of injustice amongst band members themselves.Reported by Geoff Leo, produced by Joan Webber and story edited by Liz Hoath. The documentary originally aired on The Current. Storylines is part of the CBC Audio Doc Unit

This week on Storylines, the story of Vince Carter, the Toronto Raptors legend who transformed basketball in Canada. From the high of “Vinsanity” to the low of his bitter departure from The Raptors, Carter's career left a permanent mark on Canadian sports fans. Carter's story is told by Adrian Ma, a Toronto journalist and professor. As a kid growing up in Ancaster, Ontario, Adrian spent hours shooting hoops at the local schoolyard imagining he was Carter. Speaking with fans, former players and cultural commentators, Ma revisits the rise of the Toronto Raptors and how Carter inspired a new generation of Canadian basketball fans. Reported and produced by Adrian Ma and edited and mixed by Michelle Parise. This documentary originally aired on The Sunday Magazine.Storylines is part of the CBC Audio Doc Unit

For 28 days after her husband's death, poet Molly Peacock woke up and cried. It was, in her words, a “full moon cycle" of tears.Then, on the 29th day, the tears subsided. The feelings that followed surprised her, they were of a wider spectrum than she expected — she likened it to a “widow's crayon box”.In the documentary What Can a Widow Be?, Molly takes us with her on her journey as a widow. She discovered the cliché of the widow — the perpetual mourner — does not tell the full story. Being a widow, she discovered, is full of emotions she never saw coming, from hysterical yelling to moments of joy sitting in bed alone in the morning. As she grieved, she also wrote a collection of poems called, The Widow's Crayon Box that she read excerpts from in the documentary. Produced by Alisa Siegel and edited by Liz Hoath / originally aired on The Current.The Widow's Crayon Box by Molly Peacock. Copyright (c) 2024 by Molly Peacock. With permission of the publisher, W. W. Norton & Company, Inc. All rights reserved.Storylines is part of the CBC Audio Doc Unit

This week on Storylines, the voices of Canadian World War One soldiers, sharing their stories of the front lines. You'll hear these veterans talk about poison gas attacks, shellfire, the mud, the air war, and even the food.   The stories come from interviews with World War One veterans done for the CBC program Flanders Fields which first aired on November 11, 1964. Also, a story from Montreal about a century-old Catholic church that faced a dilemma over what to do with its bells.After the bell tower was damaged, the church faced the prospect of losing bells that had rung out for generations during worship services, weddings, and funerals. Instead, the choir director at Sacré-Coeur-de-Jésus found a way to preserve them, ensuring they will continue to resonate with the congregation and community for years to come.Produced and reported by Simon Nakonechny and originally aired on The Sunday Magazine. Hear the Soldiers of WW1 Speak was produced by Craig DessonStorylines is part of the CBC Audio Doc Unit

In 2013, American psychologist James Hardt made a promise to Indigenous kids in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan. He said his brainwave training would transform their lives by increasing IQ, curing mental health issues and potentially giving them superpowers like levitation. Perhaps the most surprising thing — he convinced the Prince Albert School Board and the research ethics board at the University of Regina — to approve this proposal, allowing him to experiment on these children.   On this week's Storylines, investigative journalist Geoff Leo uncovers the disturbing details of what went on during this brainwave training that targeted vulnerable children.Reported by Geoff Leo and produced by Joan Webber & originally aired on The Current in June 2024. Storylines is part of the CBC Audio Doc Unit

On this week's Storylines, we start on January 6, 2021, when the U.S. Capitol was overrun by riotersA few blocks away, as the dramatic scenes unfolded, CBC journalist Katie Nicholson was confronted by a group of angry Trump supporters who heckled her and said she should get out of their country. One woman accused her of “spewing BS” and said that she and her crew should run. Ever since that day Katie has been thinking about who those people were, and what compelled them to join the crowd marching to the Capitol. Now, with the U.S. in the midst of a volatile election campaign, she also wondered if their thinking has changedSo she decided to track down the women who told her to run. It turns out the woman's name is Tracey Danka and she lives in North Carolina. Tracey invited Katie to her home to talk about what happened that day and the deepening political divide in America.In Katie's documentary we learn surprising information about Tracey, including the fact she's married to a Democrat.Also, the story of Robert Miniaci, a master of the lost art of projector repair. While most cinemas use digital projectors, museums and film devotees still depend on the analogue ones. That's where Robert comes in: from his garage in Montreal he repairs projectors that are used around the world. Katie Nicholson's doc was produced by Liz Hoath and originally aired on The Current.  The documentary on Robert Miniaci was produced by Craig Desson and Julia Pagel and originally aired last April on The Sunday Magazine. Storylines is part of the CBC Audio Doc Unit

Some twenty five years ago, in a small, nondescript building in downtown Tokyo, children gather to look at a suitcase displayed behind glass. They write poems and draw pictures about the suitcase because of the tragedy it represents. The suitcase came from Auschwitz. This suitcase belonged to Hana Brady, who was born in the Czech Republic, and whose life was brutally cut short by the Holocaust. She was first deported to the Theresienstadt concentration camp in 1942, and then to Auschwitz in 1944 where she died at the age of 13. A Holocaust education center in Tokyo acquired the suitcase with no further information about Hana. So, its director, Fumiko Ishioka, made it her mission to find out more of Hana's story.Her search brought her to Toronto and George Brady. He is Hana's older brother, the only member of their immediate family to survive. For him, the reappearance of the suitcase in Japan, 57 years after Hana's death, was absolutely astonishing.  Produced by Karen Levine/originally aired in 2001 on The Sunday Edition Storylines is part of the CBC Audio Doc Unit

Tiny forests are taking root around the world. These dense forests, often the size of a tennis court, are jam-packed with trees. The density means the forest grows faster, which has made them popular in communities who want to grow forest canopy, making them a popular trend in urban and suburban areas.But do tiny forests live up to the hype?Join CBC climate reporter Ben Shingler as he explores this forest phenomenon. Ben takes us on a journey that goes to a tiny forest college students are planting in Montreal, and to Japan to hear the origin story of this movement. On the way we'll hear from experts about what they think about tiny forests. Plus, a replay of a CBC Radio classic documentary: The Change in Farming. This doc is about Adam Goddard, a young Toronto composer, and his 90-year-old grandfather, Henry Haws, a lifelong farmer. Adam isn't a farmer but wants to honour his family's farming past by doing what he does best, so he records his grandfather talking about farming and puts it to music. Tiny Forests was reported by Ben Shingler and produced by Craig Desson and Catherine Rolfsen. Originally aired on What on Earth. Storylines is part of the CBC Audio Doc Unit 

In 2015, Yasser El Tahan picked up a stranger while off roading in Newfoundland. Days later, Yasser learned that the man he'd taken into the woods was a missing person named Jonathan Hannaford. Jonathan would be found a few days later, but this chance encounter on a country road haunted Yasser. So he decided to find Jonathan and talk to him about what happened that day. In this documentary, Yasser and Jonathan reconnect to retrace their steps. Together, they dig into what led to Jonathan's disappearance and what happened after Yasser dropped him off. Reported by Yasser El Tahan and produced by Caroline Hillier / Originally aired on Atlantic Voice Storylines is part of the CBC Audio Doc Unit 

She pretended to be a nurse in Colorado, Ontario, Alberta and B.C., posed as a teacher in Alberta and Quebec and worked as a hairstylist in multiple cities.And no matter how many times this serial imposter ends up behind bars, Brigitte Cleroux just keeps returning to her life of deception.In the documentary, “The Professional,” Bethany Lindsay follows Cleroux as she zig-zags across North America, racking up criminal convictions along the way. Disturbed patients, a bullied former student and a whistleblowing nurse all share their experiences — and talk about the pain Cleroux caused them.Every person who's crossed paths with Cleroux has a very different story to tell, but they've all been left with the same question: Why does she keep doing this?Reported by Bethany Lindsay and produced by Joan Webber / Originally aired on The Current Storylines is part of the CBC Audio Doc Unit

Every day, hundreds of people cross the border from Sudan into Chad, searching for safety. They're escaping a brutal civil war in Sudan which has been raging since April of 2023. In the conflict, men have routinely been rounded up and killed. Women have been raped. Homes and villages have been raided and destroyed. The conflict has forced 10.5 million people from their homes. More than 600,000 of those refugees have ended up in Eastern Chad. For many, their first stop is an area of open desert near the town of Adre. More than 200,000 people are living there right now. Shelters are made of sticks covered with scarves or plastic. Aid groups are distributing meager food and water but it's nowhere near the standard set for an official camp. In this documentary, producer Elizabeth Hoath introduces you to a few of the people who are living in these terrible conditions. You'll hear about what they escaped, and what they're planning for the future. Then we travel to an official camp to meet women who are survivors of gender based violence. Sexual violence has been used as a tool in the war in Sudan but the women who managed to escape, are still not safe.Produced by Elizabeth Hoath with help from Joan Webber/Originally aired on The Current. Storylines is part of the CBC Audio Doc Unit

In this episode, we step inside a Toronto classroom where some 30 students from diverse backgrounds lift their voices and sing as part of the University of Toronto's first-ever Black gospel choir class. Led by Professor Darren Hamiliton, the students, many with no background in gospel music, learn that there is more to this musical tradition than they imagined. In this documentary, Let it Shine, CBC doc producer Alisa Siegel follows these students over the course of the academic year as they discover a deeper understanding of Black musical tradition and its message of faith, freedom and joy.  Produced by Alisa Siegel, with thanks to Julia Pagel and Greg Kelly and originally aired on The CurrentStorylines is part of the CBC Audio Doc Unit

Dylan Bullock, a former firefighter with the BC Wildfire Service, has heard about close calls. Like the time a colleague lost sight of the vehicle ahead and ended up in the path of a forest fire. They had to abandon their truck after it got stuck on a tree stump and escape on foot. Another time Dylan was hospitalised after his clothes caught fire during a controlled burn, caused by improperly mixed fuel. Talk to people like Dylan, and they'll tell you fire seasons are getting hotter, harder, and more dangerous. They'll share stories of exhaustion and near-misses. But, for some experienced workers, the mounting fatigue and risks are forcing them to quit.In Joan Webber's documentary The Burn, former wildfire fighters in B.C. speak about how that burnout is making conditions more perilous.Produced by Joan Webber with help from Julia Pagel, this documentary originally aired on The Current. Storylines is part of the CBC Audio Doc Unit

Early in the morning in Winnipeg, outside a grocery store, Dmytro is about to start his shift. Dmytro, who is in their mid-20s and identifies as non-binary, has only been in Canada for 18 months. They fled Ukraine when the Russian invasion was looming and could only leave the country because of a medical condition.  However, Ukraine amended its medical military exemptions, and Dmytro now fears they would be considered fit for duty. Plus, under Ukraine's new conscription laws, they is required to return to Ukraine and register with a military enrollment office. Dmytro, though, wants to stay in Canada.A version of this story is happening across many Ukrainian diaspora communities, as the Ukrainian government wants Ukrainian men living in countries like Canada to return and fight.But many, like Dmytro, wish to remain where they are, as going home and putting on a uniform can mean being sent to the front and fighting in a war where there is a very real possibility of being killed.However, for the Ukrainian government and for many who chose to go fight, this war is an existential fight for survival, and they need all the soldiers they can get.In his documentary "Flight or Fight," John Chipman goes to Winnipeg, where the new conscription laws are sparking tensions among Ukrainians who fled the war, and those who stayed behind to fight. It's a conflict over what it means to be loyal to your country. Reported by John Chipman. Story Editing by Julia Pagel. The documentary originally aired on Sunday Magazine Storylines is part of the CBC Audio Doc Unit

30 years ago, the Stanley Cup playoffs ignited a rumour that has been messing with Jane Macdougall's life ever since. It was June 14, 1994, and the Vancouver Canucks had made it all the way to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals against the New York Rangers. The Canucks were magic on ice, so when they lost by just one goal, fans expected the team to come back blazing the next year. Instead,1995 was a total letdown. The team seemed to have lost its chemistry and when a popular defenceman was abruptly traded, stories started swirling. The rumour became that the defenceman was having an affair with the goalie's wife, destroying team morale and leaving the franchise flailing. For nearly 30 years, Jane Macdougall (the goalie's now ex-wife) has been dealing with the fallout of that rumour. She says she's harangued about it constantly from all directions—strangers at parties, kids at her son's school, even her accountant—they all have something to say about her “affair”. But not only is the rumour false, it's not even possible. On this week's Storylines, Acey Rowe tracks the Canucks rumour from locker rooms to chat rooms to NHL legends to figure out how a story like this snowballs, how it survived for 30 years, what really happened to the Canucks way back when, and what it is about sports fandom that makes rumours like this so common—because Jane Macdougall is far from alone. Reported and produced by Acey Rowe. Story Editing by Willa Paskin and Evan Chung from the podcast Decoder Ring by Slate Magazine. Storylines is part of the CBC Audio Doc Unit.

At a union hall in Detroit's industrial River Rouge neighborhood, workers have come together to vote for a new leader. The event feels festive, with a fire pit, a tent, and even 'walking tacos,' which are taco meat mixed into a bag of Doritos. But there are dark clouds on the horizon for the future of their industry.Many of these workers are employed by the Great Lakes Steel Works, a massive steel mill that provides raw materials for the U.S. automotive industry.These workers have a lot on their minds. The company that runs their plant, U.S. Steel, might merge with the Japanese steel company Nippon Steel. Then there's the rise of EVs, which will potentially disrupt the U.S. automotive sector. Layoffs have already been happening. Four years ago, the steel mill shut its blast furnace, and more than a 1000 workers lost their jobs.People are worried about their futures, and how they see that future might impact the U.S. election.. Michigan's 15 electoral college votes are critical for Biden's path if he hopes to get re-elected. Michigan is a swing state, which Biden won in the last election, but Trump took the first time he ran.To understand what's on these Michigan workers' minds, Pete Mitton traveled to Detroit to better understand the dynamics of the upcoming election and the economic realities of the blue-collar workers there for this documentary 'Detroit Takes the Wheel'.Reported by Pete Mitton. Story Editing by John Chipman. This documentary originally aired on The Sunday Magazine.Storylines is part of the CBC Audio Doc Unit

In January, some New Hampshire voters thought they had gotten a robo call from Joe Biden, telling them to skip voting in the state primary. The robocall voice at the other end of the phone wasn't Biden at all. In fact it was a deepfake, created by a political consultant working for a longshot democratic challenger to Biden. The audio itself was made by a magician in Texas, using a simple website that created the deepfake using text-to- speech audio using AI. The fake Biden robocall shows how easy it could become to use AI to disrupt an election but that isn't the whole story.In this episode of Storylines, producer Craig Desson takes us around the world to see how election officials, politicians and academics are grappling with how AI might impact our elections as hundreds of millions go to the polls this year. The situation is troubling, but there are also ways AI brings new possibilities to democracies around the world. Reported and Produced by Craig Desson. Story Editing by Joan Webber. Originally aired on Sunday Magazine. Storylines is part of the CBC Audio Doc Unit 

Claire Hafner at 47, is among the top women boxers in the world. She's just about ready for retirement but wants to win the Canadian title before hanging up her gloves. However, a question hangs over the timing of when retirement will come. Claire is also among a small group of women athletes who are participating in a landmark study on the effects of trauma in mostly combat sports. Every year she gets tested for signs of head trauma to see if all those hits are leading to a long-term degenerative brain condition, known as CTE or chronic traumatic encephalopathy.In this documentary we follow Claire to Las Vegas where she's undergoing a new round of tests, and if they show a sign of decline, she's going to retire before attempting to win that last Canadian title. At the end of the show we'll hear another documentary about boxing, but this one with a surprising twist. We're going to drop you into a chess boxing match in London,UK. You can win by a KO or by checkmate. That documentary was reported by Laura Lynch back in 2011 for Dispatches.Reported and produced by Katie Nicholson. Story Editing by Acey Rowe with help from Liz Hoath.Storylines is part of the CBC Audio Doc Unit

CBC producer Naheed Mustafa, then a freelance writer and broadcaster, landed at the Kabul airport on a blistering hot summer day back in 2008. She'd come to report on how the country had been transformed by the U.S. led war. By that point a lot had changed. In Kabul Afghans felt free to come and go as they pleased, women wore burkas but they also wore jeans, tunics and pretty headscarves. There had been an election too, but at the same time, a violent Taliban resurgence was underway.Mustafa didn't know it at the time, but that resurgence would continue until the Taliban recaptured the country. It's been 10 years since Canada officially ended its mission in Afghanistan. Now, Mustafa is looking back at the documentaries she made, and listening to the voices of everyday Afghans living through a key moment in their country's history.Reported by Naheed Mustafa. Produced by Julia Pagel. Original Dispatches doc produced by Donna Cressman. Storylines is part of the CBC Audio Doc Unit 

When Julia Pagel was seven months pregnant, she and her husband faced all the usual new parent decisions: making a birth plan, deciding which stroller to buy and whether to use reusable or disposable diapers. However, there was one choice that was extra tricky for the two of them. What would their child's last name be? Should they just go along with standard practice of giving the baby the father's last name? The tradition of giving the dad's name to the child didn't sit right with Julia, but her husband had come to Canada from Serbia as a 9-year-old, and his last name meant a lot to him. So Julia set out on a mission, to see how others had managed this last name quandary.The documentary was reported by Julia Pagel and story editing by Karen Levine. Storylines is part of the CBC Audio Doc Unit