The Sunday Magazine

Wildfire season is back, prompting evacuations and compromised air quality in several parts of Canada. Forest ecologist and Koerner Chair in wildfire coexistence at the University of British Columbia, Lori Daniels, explains how she thinks we need to transform our approach to preparing for and managing our future with fire.Plus: MVP sports watchers Shireen Ahmed and Noah Eliot Vanderhoeven chat about the stories that will endure from the men's World Cup as the tournament reaches full-time.And later: Dania Thafer from the Gulf International Forum explores how Gulf countries are reckoning with being on the front line of Middle East war.

From war and nationalism to emigration patterns – there are many reasons languages go extinct. Author and journalist Sophia Smith Galer explains how so-called linguicide happens – and why it's not too late to bring languages that have been killed back to life, as discussed in her book, How to Kill a Language: Power, Resistance, and the Race to Save Our Words.Plus: From the World Cup to Eurovision, Canada has been doing a lot lately to make a bigger mark on the world stage, but what it means to be Canadian remains an open question. Comedian Charles Demers shares the language, symbols and quirks that he thinks define us – and why talking about identity together may be the most Canadian thing of all.

Fresh off a NATO summit that saw U.S. President Donald Trump offering assistance to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Ukraine's allies are meeting Monday to talk about next steps. This as drone attacks, gas shortages and public dissent are rocking Russia. The Atlantic's Simon Shuster says the Trump meeting may have marked a turning point in the conflict.Plus: As Canada looks to strengthen ties with Saudi Arabia, Prime Minister Mark Carney's visit marks a new chapter in the relationship. University of Ottawa professor Thomas Juneau discusses what Canada stands to gain from closer ties with the kingdom, while former Pentagon advisor Jasmine El-Gamal examines how the latest violence between the U.S. and Iran is reshaping security across the Gulf.

Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Jill Lepore says the United States is out of step with its history. She discusses how the country's tendency to look back to its origins when making legal decisions today is unique – and can be detrimental – to Americans.Plus: Want a soundtrack to America 250? Spin some jazz. Musicians Christian McBride and Terri Lyne Carrington, and musicologist Tammy Kernodle, reflect on hearing America's history – its promise, pain and highest ideals – in one of the country's top homegrown artforms.

He's reshaped the United States federal government, executive power and foreign policy... and that's just in his first year-and-a-half back in the White House. Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan from The New York Times take us inside Donald Trump's second term through years of reporting and extraordinary access to the president and his inner circle.Plus: The Hub's Falice Chin unpacks Alberta's pipeline proposal, what fans and critics are saying, and the broader tensions and symbolism the project holds.

Most people spend their lives trying to avoid garbage, but Simon Paré-Poupart has spent the last 20 years immersed in it. The Montreal garbage collector and sociologist joins Piya Chattopadhyay to discuss his memoir, Trash!: A Garbageman's Story, and why he believes our waste reveals a lot about what we value and what we would rather throw away.

Host Piya Chattopadhyay speaks with The Economist's Rob Russo and The Globe and Mail's Shannon Proudfoot about the imminent CUSMA joint review, and other top stories in Canadian politicsZoologist Jo Wimpenny explores the lesser-known merits of animals we often loatheMontreal garbage collector and sociologist Simon Paré-Poupart reflects on what his career as a garbage collector has taught him about what and who we valueDiane Foley reflects on meeting one of the ISIS members who killed her journalist son, James Foley

Every year around this time, a new crop of graduates grapples with a familiar question: "How do I find my life's work?" But with the work world being upended by AI and mounting economic uncertainties, answering it today may be harder than ever. The New York Times investigative journalist Jodi Kantor, best known for helping expose Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein's abuse of women, has been applying her tenacious mind to it lately. She joins Piya Chattopadhyay to share advice from her new book, How to Start.

Host Piya Chattopadhyay speaks with Aaron David Miller, from the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, and national security analyst Joseph Cirincione about the initial agreement between the United States and Iran.University of Alberta professor Crystal Gail Fraser and anthropologist Sara Komarnisky discuss the evolution of treaties and how they're playing into a range of issues today.The Guardian's Brussels correspondent, Jennifer Rankin, unpacks the relationship between the EU and UK, 10 years post-Brexit. Then, former British Conservative MP Andrew Percy and political scientist Ian Cooper discuss the lessons Canada can take from the UK's experience as Alberta considers separation.The New York Times investigative journalist Jodi Kantor shares advice for new grads and finding your life's work.

This week marks 60 years since the United States military first tested Agent Orange and other toxic herbicides at Canadian Forces Base Gagetown in New Brunswick. The base is an economic lifeline for the area, and the federal government is spending more than a billion dollars to modernize it. But some Canadian veterans say the chemicals sprayed there have contributed to long-lasting illnesses. The Sunday Magazine's Andrea Hoang explores how this legacy still touches lives today, and why some veterans feel the government is investing in the future without reckoning with the past.

Host Piya Chattopadhyay speaks with The Economist's Middle East correspondent Gregg Carlstrom about the latest in the United States and Israel-Iran war. Then, journalist and historian Linda Kinstler explores why this war and other enduring conflicts have become so difficult to end.Journalist Katherine Dunn traces the evolution of GPS, why it's under threat today, and what lessons its adoption might hold as we face a future infused with AI.Psychiatrist Dr. Shimi Kang and University of Toronto digital media professor Sara Grimes assess Ottawa's long-awaited online harms bill, and whether big tech will just scroll on by Canada's threats.Andrea Hoang looks back on the history of the United States military's testing of Agent Orange and other chemicals at Canadian Forces Base Gagetown, and how this legacy still touches lives today.

The FIFA World Cup kicks off in North America this week. And whatever happens on the field, Darragh McGee says you can bet this tournament will shatter records as the biggest gambling event in history. The author, sociologist and former University of Toronto soccer team captain joins Piya Chattopadhyay to lay out why he believes legal online betting is "hijacking" sports, and why he thinks there's still time to save the beautiful game.

Host Piya Chattopadhyay speaks with University of Ottawa's Michael Geist, tech critic and journalist Paris Marx and Benjamin Bergen from the Canadian Venture Capital and Private Equity Association about whether Canada's new artificial intelligence strategy hits the mark.Fay Bound-Alberti, a historian and founder of King's College London's Centre for Technology and the Body, explains how technology has long shaped our relationship with our face.Author, sociologist and former University of Toronto soccer team captain, Darragh McGee, lays out why he believes legal online betting is "hijacking" sports.Our monthly challenge That's Puzzling! returns with Chris Glover, the new host of CBC Toronto's morning radio show Metro Morning, and Denman Island, B.C. listener Nairn Stewart.

You've probably heard the phrase, "There are no winners in a trade war." But that doesn't mean we don't all have to fight one these days. That's according to Financial Times columnist Soumaya Keynes and former White House economic advisor Chad P. Bown. They join Piya Chattopadhyay to talk about their new guidebook to the new normal of economic battle, How to Win a Trade War, and offer advice to Canada on taking on the world – and Washington – especially as the CUSMA joint review approaches.

Host Piya Chattopadhyay speaks with Kelley Lee, Canada Research Chair in global health governance at Simon Fraser University, about Canada's travel restrictions amid the Ebola outbreak, and what past events can tell us about how and when to use travel measures to mitigate health risksCriminologist Michael Kempa unpacks what recent shoplifting data says about who's stealing and why, and culture critic Rachel Shteir explores the story that shoplifting has told about society over timeEconomists Soumaya Keynes and Chad P. Bown discuss their guidebook to the new normal of economic battle, How to Win a Trade War, and offer advice to Canada about taking on the worldNavigator founder Jaime Watt sheds light on how crisis management works, and how it's changed in today's fast-paced and politically polarized information environment

Her brother was the captain of Iran's national soccer team. But being a woman meant she wasn't allowed to watch him play in their home country. Maryam Shojaei spent years fighting to overturn Iran's ban on women in soccer stadiums – and faced arrest and intimidation along the way. The Iranian-Canadian activist joins Piya Chattopadhyay to share her journey, and what it's like to see Iran scheduled to play in the FIFA World Cup while at war with one of the host countries.

Host Piya Chattopadhyay breaks down the politics and context of Alberta Premier Danielle Smith's separation referendum question with The Economist's Rob Russo and CBC's Kathleen PettyActivist Maryam Shojaei shares her fight to overturn Iran's ban on women in Iran's soccer stadiumsThe Guardian's Ruaridh Nicoll and Canada's former ambassador to Cuba, Mark Entwistle, discuss rising U.S.-Cuba tensions and the stakes for people in the countryThe Logic's Murad Hemmadi and Sustainable AI Group's Boris Gamazaychikov explore sustainability concerns around AI data centres

After more than 50 years as a scholar of the ancient Greek and Roman worlds, Mary Beard is looking back on her career and considering why studying the Classics is still worthwhile today. She says they may not give us answers to modern questions, but believes they can offer crucial ways of seeing ourselves differently. She joins Piya Chattopadhyay to explore why this history still has the power to shock.

Host Piya Chattopadhyay speaks with The Hub's Falice Chin, The Globe and Mail's Marieke Walsh and Max Fawcett from Canada's National Observer about the politics of Ottawa and Alberta's energy dealTravel journalist Will Ferguson shares his favourite Canadian hidden travel gemsFarmers Carl Stewart and Morgan Charlton, and agriculture economist Stuart Smyth, discuss how rising fuel and fertilizer costs are affecting the industryClassicist Mary Beard considers why studying the ancient Greek and Roman worlds is still worthwhile today

From grades and rankings to follower counts and performance metrics, our lives are constantly being measured, compared and optimized. But at what cost? Piya Chattopadhyay speaks with philosopher C. Thi Nguyen about how the systems we use to measure success can reshape our goals – and even change who we become.

Host Piya Chattopadhyay speaks with Yeganeh Torbati, The New York Times' Iran correspondent, about how sentiment in Iran has changed over the course of the war in the Middle East. Then, Iranian-Canadian author and activist Marina Nemat discusses how diaspora communities view the country's future.Biologist David George Haskell makes the case that flowering plants are critical architects of life on Earth.NPR's Emily Feng and The Economist's Simon Rabinovitch set up U.S. President Donald Trump's meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, and explore how China is positioning itself on the world stage.Philosopher C. Thi Nguyen reflects on how the systems we use to measure success can reshape our goals – and even change who we become.

In our monthly challenge, That's Puzzling!, Piya Chattopadhyay competes against one familiar voice and one clever listener in a battle of brain games devised by puzzle master Peter Brown. Playing this week are retired Olympic gold medal-winning swimmer Mark Tewksbury and Winnipeg listener Nancy Voth.

Host Piya Chattopadhyay speaks with political science professor Amy Verdun and The Economist's Canada correspondent Rob Russo about Prime Minister Mark Carney's courting of Europe, and how the federal government's spring economic update is landing at homePhilosopher Vincent Delecroix discusses his novel Small Boat, which fictionalizes a real-life migrant boat disaster in the English Channel to probe questions of apathy and complicity in tragedyThe Atlantic's David A. Graham surveys the state of American democracy and the fight over the integrity of the U.S. midterm electionsOur monthly challenge That's Puzzling! returns with Olympic gold medal-winning swimmer Mark Tewksbury and Winnipeg listener Nancy Voth

Winnie-the-Pooh first appeared in book form in 1926, and the fictional teddy bear has only grown more beloved in the century since. Author Gyles Brandreth joins Piya Chattopadhyay to explore how the "pure happiness" and childhood innocence that Pooh and his friends represent help explain the enduring appeal, and why creator A.A. Milne and his son – the real-life Christopher Robin – had a love-hate relationship with Winnie-the-Pooh.

Host Piya Chattopadhyay speaks with economists Randall Bartlett and Jim Stanford about Canada's financial future and how to weather the economic challenges we faceLexicographer Kory Stamper explores the rich history of how Merriam-Webster dictionaries have defined colours, and what it reveals about the craft of definition itselfJournalist Tyler Dawson breaks down the history of Alberta's separatist sentiments, and why they're different todayAuthor Gyles Brandreth reflects on why Winnie-the-Pooh endures, 100 years after the fictional teddy bear made his book debut

Former U.S. poet laureate Ada Limón says poetry can be an antidote in trying times, because it reminds us how to feel, celebrate, connect, and grieve.She joins Piya Chattopadhyay to talk about why we should embrace the form even if it feels intimidating, her mission to connect people with nature by putting poems in parks, and the message she sent to the Library of Congress in the early days of U.S. President Donald Trump's second term.

Host Piya Chattopadhyay speaks with The Economist's Gregg Carlstrom and David Sanger from The New York Times about the latest developments in the Middle East and the stakes for U.S. President Donald TrumpFormer U.S. poet laureate Ada Limón reflects on the power of poetry in challenging timesThe National Catholic Reporter's Michael J. O'Loughlin explores what the rift between Pope Leo and Donald Trump reveals about the changing Catholic Church404 Media's Matthew Gault unpacks how memes are shaping the narrative of warFormer CBC reporter Whit Fraser looks back on his career covering Canada's North

Longtime Toronto Blue Jays fans know Hazel Mae well. The on-field reporter for Sportsnet is beloved by the players she covers and admired by her broadcast colleagues. And when the team made its historic World Series run last year, millions more Canadians got to know her too.Piya Chattopadhyay speaks with Mae about how her family's immigration to Canada shaped her, being a trailblazing woman of colour in her industry, the recent honours she's received for her body of work... and, yes, the Gatorade showers.

Host Piya Chattopadhyay speaks with The Economist's Canada correspondent Rob Russo and The Toronto Star's Ottawa bureau chief Tonda MacCharles about what a potential Liberal majority government could mean for the countryToronto Blue Jays on-field reporter Hazel Mae looks back on her career in sports broadcasting and her tenure with Canada's teamThe Economist's Middle East correspondent Gregg Carlstrom unpacks the latest on the shaky U.S.-Iran ceasefire, and Iranian historian Arash Azizi explores what might lie ahead for the Iranian regime and peopleOur monthly challenge That's Puzzling! returns with actor Paul Sun-Hyung Lee and Ottawa listener Ryan Porter.Discover more at https://www.cbc.ca/sunday

Gas. Groceries. Rent. The stock market. As economic forces swirl all around, it can be tough to figure out what it all means for your life. For almost 20 years, the folks at the NPR podcast Planet Money have worked to demystify that world. And now they're bringing their signature style to the printed page. David Common speaks with Alex Mayyasi, a longtime contributor to the show, about making economics accessible, and his new book, Planet Money: A Guide to the Economic Forces That Shape Your Life.

Guest host David Common speaks with Stanford economist Ryan Cummings and Macdonald-Laurier Institute energy expert Heather Exner-Pirot about how today's oil shock compares to past crises, and how Canada may fare as war in the Middle East continuesArchitect and author John Ota traces the cultural history of dining rooms, and why they're disappearingBusiness Insider's Amanda Hoover and York University's Natasha Tusikov break down the issues shaping conversations around youth social media bansPlanet Money contributor Alex Mayyasi helps us understand the economic forces shaping our lives.

At the University of Montreal's Dream Engineering Lab, scientist Michelle Carr works through the night trying to better understand why we dream – and especially why we experience nightmares. She says we too often dismiss bad dreams as "just dreams," when they're actually real experiences with real effects. Carr joins Piya Chattopadhyay to discuss the latest developments in sleep science, and how we have more control over our dreams than we may think.

Host Piya Chattopadhyay speaks with political strategists Jordan Leichnitz and Zain Velji, along with pollster James Valcke, about what the federal NDP needs to do to rebound as the party picks a new leaderThe Washington Post data reporter Jeremy Merrill and linguist Naomi Baron explore how artificial intelligence is creeping into our written worldThe Economist's Middle East correspondent Gregg Carlstrom and the International Crisis Group's Ali Vaez unpack the latest news and state of negotiations in the United States and Israel-Iran warMichelle Carr from the University of Montreal's Dream Engineering Lab shares developments in dream and nightmare science and tips on how we can influence our sleeping mind

As he celebrates his 90th birthday, David Suzuki is reflecting on the lessons he's learned from his decades of science communication and environmental activism. The former host of CBC's The Nature of Things joins Piya Chattopadhyay to talk about what made him the orator he is today, the current state of the environmental movement, and how he's changing his approach to climate action as science indicates we have failed to heed past warnings

Host Piya Chattopadhyay speaks with Semafor White House reporter David Weigel and Fawaz Gerges, an international relations professor at the London School of Economics and Political Science, about past and present U.S. intervention in the Middle EastNovelist Mark Haddon reflects on the nature of memory and narrative with his new memoirDavid Suzuki celebrates his 90th birthday with a look back on his decades of science communication and environmental activismCBC producer Julia Pagel explores Canada's long-lasting relationship with Cuba, and efforts among some Canadians to bolster aid to the country amid the humanitarian crisis

For years, governments and tech companies told students that learning to code would provide a pathway to stability and high-earning salaries. But with AI reshaping the tech industry and jobs disappearing, there are questions about whether "learn to code" campaigns were oversold as a silver bullet. University of Waterloo associate professor Troy Vasiga and New York Times technology reporter Natasha Singer join Nora Young to discuss the promise and payoff of coding, and whether today's "learn AI" message is taking a page from that old Big Tech playbook.

Guest host Nora Young speaks with Reuters national security reporter Phillip Stewart about Washington's military objectives as the United States and Israel-Iran war intensifies, and Iranian-Canadian journalist Maziar Bahari discusses the situation inside IranFinancial Times columnist and author Simon Kuper discusses how the World Cup reflects global politics, culture and powerToronto Star national columnist Susan Delacourt and The Economist's Canada correspondent Rob Russo take stock of Mark Carney's first year as prime ministerUniversity of Waterloo associate professor Troy Vasiga and New York Times technology reporter Natasha Singer look back on "learn to code" campaigns and whether they delivered on their promise as AI disrupts tech

It used to be the source of great skepticism. But now, many consider Wikipedia a public good… and even, the last best place on the internet. As the crowdsourced encyclopedia marks its 25th anniversary, Nora Young speaks with co-founder Jimmy Wales about Wikipedia's early days, criticisms and controversies it's faced around bias, and why it continues to endure in today's digital age of misinformation, disinformation and artificial intelligence.

Guest host Nora Young speaks with University of Ottawa public and international affairs professor Thomas Juneau, and Jasmine El-Gamal, a Middle East policy analyst and former Pentagon advisor, about how the latest developments in the U.S. and Israel-Iran warAuthor and journalist Simon Winchester explores how wind carries the story of our history and futureThe New York Times global economy reporter Peter S. Goodman explains the global cost of conflict in the Middle EastWikipedia co-founder Jimmy Wales reflects on the site's early days, criticisms and controversies it's faced, and why it continues to endure in today's digital age

In our monthly challenge, That's Puzzling!, Piya Chattopadhyay competes against one familiar voice and one clever listener in a battle of brain games devised by puzzle master Peter Brown. Playing this week are actor and comedian Shaun Majumder and Melfort, Sask. listener Susan Plant.

Host Piya Chattopadhyay speaks with The Economist's Gregg Carlstrom, historian Arash Azizi, foreign policy expert Barbara Slavin and international human rights lawyer Payam Akhavan about the U.S.-Israel strikes on Iran and what may come nextWriter and activist Rebecca Solnit reflects on what history can reveal about our turbulent times today, and why what looks like collapse may also be the messy birth of something newOur monthly challenge That's Puzzling! returns with actor and comedian Shaun Majumder, and Melfort, Sask. listener Susan Plant

Fifteen years ago, Dr. Brian Goldman gave us a front-line account of life in the emergency room with his book The Night Shift. Now, the ER physician and host of CBC's White Coat, Black Art and The Dose is revisiting that setting with his new book The Casino Shift. He joins Piya Chattopadhyay to discuss what's changed for the better and worse at ERs across our country in the last 15 years, and what treatments for our ailing system may look like.