The Sunday Magazine

Quebecers will choose their next provincial government on Monday. Polls have consistently shown the Parti Québécois leading, with a potential majority government in sight. A victory could bring their separation referendum promise to life – but is it what Quebecers want? La Presse Ottawa bureau chief Joël-Denis Bellavanceand Le Devoir columnist Emilie Nicolas break down the stakes of the race ahead of voting day.

Plus: The Atlantic Council'sVictoria Taylorand The Economist's Gregg Carlstrom unpack what this past week's U.S. withdrawal from Iraq could mean for the country and the region at large.

Laugh, cry, and play along as Piya squares off against Alberta country music star Brett Kisseland Redcliff, Alta. listener Gail Thompson in our monthly battle of brain games devised by Edmonton-based puzzle master, Peter Brown.

Piya heads to the prairies in the run-up to October's referendum to hear how neighbors on either side of the separation question are bridging their divide, discover how Banff National Park serves as an example of just how messy a potential provincial breakup would be, and unpacks the potential stakes of immigration questions with affected communities and Alberta's minister in charge of that file

Our understanding of common phrases doesn’t always line up with what they originally meant. Writer and humourist Eli Burnstein helps us discover the true origins behind "carpe diem," "you are what you eat," and "ignorance is bliss"... and reflects on what we can learn by putting their historical, literary and philosophical contexts back in place.

Plus: David Suzuki says he has done everything he could to protect the Earth, but fears he has fallen short. The environmental activist and broadcaster reflects on his nine decades on the planet he loves, and what he envisions for its future.

MPs head back to the House of Commons on Monday, with Canada embroiled in a trade war with the U.S. and a curious bond forming between our country and Europe. The Toronto Star's Tonda MacCharles, Politico's Nick Taylor-Vaisey and journalist and author Paul Wellsbreak down the politics at play, both at home and abroad.

Plus: After 30 years, the WNBA is making headlines. Is it for the right reasons? Veteran WNBA journalist Tamryn Spruillreflects on how far the league has come, and what conversations surrounding players Caitlin Clark and Sophie Cunningham say about its place in culture today.

The 20th century fascism you know is over – and a decidedly modern version is taking its place. So say Naomi Klein and Astra Taylor. The writers and activists discuss how they see today's far right defined by tech billionaires, religious fundamentalists, and ethnonationalists, and their prescription for fighting the threat this movement poses to democracies.

Plus: University of Toronto English professor Randy Boyagoda considers the future of civil discourse in higher education amid fraught campus politics.

It's been a big week in the trenches of the Canada-U.S. trade war. And Canada's former ambassador to the United Nations wants us to take a step back to reflect on what Canadians are fighting for.Bob Rae talks about how he thinks our country can best defend itself in this moment, and why Canada's values – including humanitarian assistance and Indigenous rights – should be central to that effort.

Plus: As Prime Minister Mark Carney courts the world in an effort to expand beyond the American market, The Economist's Rob Russo, The Toronto Star's Adam Radwanski and Bloomberg's Nojoud Al Mallees discuss whether the bet will pay off.

For more than 30 years, the show has been an unlikely cultural institution in the province. Its unique dubbed version, featuring local dialect and cultural references, was set to be axed last year. The Sunday Magazine's Pete Mitton meets the players who brought it back, and explores the bigger story that its rise, fall and rebirth tells.

Plus: In their eighties, Sandra Hazelip and Eleanor Hamby set out on a world tour... and went viral along the journey. The "Traveling Nanas" reflect on their adventures, and offer insights into longevity, lasting friendships and staying curious.

Harvard Kennedy School political economy professor Ricardo Hausmann discusses the potential and pitfalls of Venezuela's oil reserves, and the politics that could play into the deal's viability. Then, Macdonald-Laurier Institute energy expert Heather Exner-Pirotand Grant Sprague, a consultant and former Alberta deputy energy minister, explore how much it could really threaten Canada's oil industry, and how it factors into our push to diversify trading partners.

Plus: Afghan-Canadian writerJamaluddin Aram reflects on the personal and collective legacy of war for Afghanistan, and why he believes his country can overcome the upheaval that conflict has wrought.

This week marks two years since Gisèle Pelicot became known as the victim in one of the most notorious rape trials in France's history. Her ex-husband, Dominique Pelicot, was found guilty of drugging and raping his then-wife – and recruiting scores of men online to abuse her while she was unconscious, over the course of a decade. Fifty other men were also found guilty, most on rape charges.

What made the trial all the more remarkable is that Gisèle Pelicot waived her right to anonymity, inviting the world into the courtroom. In a rare interview, she tells Piya about the shocking crimes, the ripple effects within her family, and how going public made her a feminist hero.

Prime Minister Mark Carney has received praise globally for walking away from trade talks with the United States. Will the world follow his show of defiance? Political economist John Rapley and Politico finance reporter Kathryn Carlsondiscuss how different countries are responding, and whether this saga could breathe new life into Carney's middle powers pitch to the world.

Plus: CBC's Briar Stewartshares the latest on the aftermath of catastrophic flooding in Nepal and Tibet. And literary scholar Florence Hazrat explores the surprising power of punctuation.

His hobby list is long. His social calendar’s full. And while his mind and body aren’t immune to the effects of aging, the veteran journalist sees fragility as a kind of “enhanced humanity”. Ian Brown reflects on joining the ranks of Canada's "super-aged" society while that society changes rapidly around us.

Plus: Sanna Marin steered Finland through the pandemic and neighbouring Russia's invasion of Ukraine as the country's prime minister. But her life outside work, having fun with friends, tended to catch the press's attention. She reflects on the double standard she sees for women in politics, and how to ensure they're not discouraged from getting involved.

Canada-U.S. trade negotiations fell apart on Friday night, leading to new American tariffs being imposed on tens of billions of dollars worth of Canadian goods. Piya Chattopadhyay explores the implications for Canadian industry. Then, The Economist's Canada correspondent Rob Russo and Inu Manak, a global trade law expert at the Peterson Institute for International Economics, discuss the political reverberations on both sides of the border.

Nobel Prize-winning economist Daron Acemoglu argues liberalism has lost touch with the working people it once championed. He makes the case for what it will take to rebuild a politics of shared prosperity and defeat anti-democratic forces. 

Plus: Sportscaster Hazel Mae on her journey from convincing her immigrant parents her career choice would work out to being inducted into Canada's baseball hall of fame -- and how she really feels about all those Gatorade showers from the Blue Jays.

The narrow defeat of democratic socialist Francesca Hong in the primary for Wisconsin governor is the latest flashpoint in a divisive election season, pitting the Democrats' left flank against its centre. NPR's Tamara Keith and The Nation's John Nichols discuss the factions seeking to define the party's future.

Plus: The clock is ticking on a trade deal with the U.S. The Globe and Mail's Marieke Walsh and the New York Times' Ian Austen discuss the latest from the negotiating table and what the relationship could look like after the Wednesday deadline for more tariffs. 

Carlos Barragán's mother fell victim to a fraudster she met on a dating app. So he set off to find the truth behind the fake persona. The Spanish journalist shares his journey to Lagos, Nigeria, and what he learned from the men perpetrating these scams about loneliness and lack on both sides of the equation.

Plus: She's been studying ancient history for more than half a century... and it still gives her "tingles". Renowned classicist Mary Beard reflects on how worlds both familiar and alien still have the power to shock today.

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You've seen The Odyssey. Now meet the woman whose translation inspired it

British Columbia has declared a state of emergency as more than 21,000 residents flee ferocious wildfires. Forest ecologist Lori Daniels explains how the government declaration could unlock additional tools in the battle against the flames. She also describes the enormous and dangerous task firefighters are facing in battling these expanding infernos and gives advice on how to prepare for the possibility of being ordered to evacuate your home.

Plus: The RCMP's institutional problems are becoming as well known as its iconography. University of Toronto law professorKent Roach considers the future of Canada's national police service, as provinces and territories ramp up calls to re-examine its role in our communities.

Roopika Risam says human history has been a story of data. And in today’s world, where states partner with tech giants, she says it’s less clear – and more important than ever – to understand what’s happening to our information. The author of Data Empire traces how we got here.

Plus: Need some inspiration for your summer road trip? Longtime travel writer Will Ferguson shares the Canadian hidden gems you need to check out, and explores why now is the perfect time to meet your neighbours.

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Uncovering the stories that paved the Trans-Canada Highway

The Guardian's Europe environment correspondent Ajit Niranjan explains how a wet winter and extremely hot summer have turned much of the region into a tinderbox, leading to fires that have displaced hundreds of thousands of people. Then, University of Alberta wildland fire expert Jen Beverlyshares the latest on the state of Canada's wildfire season.

Plus: Our producer Andrea Hoang explores how huge waitlists and a rival court sport are putting tennis in a pickle.

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Bianca Andreescu on rising to the top of the tennis world, and how she stays grounded

Emily Wilson is the first woman to translate the epic Greek poem into English. She takes us inside her approach to bringing modern clarity to ancient text, and shares what she thinks of Christopher Nolan's smash adaptation, which her work helped shape.

Plus: Salman Rushdiesuffered life-altering injuries after being stabbed on stage before a lecture. The Booker Prize-winning author opens up about confronting life's fragility, finding humour in survival, and reflecting on mortality with his latest story collection.

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Stephen Fry says Odysseus is a hero for our times

Why Mary Beard still gets 'tingles' when she confronts the Classics

The opening of the Gordie Howe International Bridge was meant to celebrate Canada-U.S. trade, but it comes as tensions between the two countries reach a new high. The Economist's Rob Russo and The Globe and Mail's Marieke Walsh break down U.S. President Donald Trump’s latest tariff threat and what's next for the Canada-U.S. relationship.

Plus: The risks of excess sun exposure are well established. But sunlight also offers health benefits. Rowan Jacobsen argues that we should make more space for the good, without tossing out the bad. The science journalist makes his case and responds to concerns and critiques some have raised about it.

We tend to think of cities as places where nature has been pushed aside. But Dan Werb says wildlife is thriving alongside us. The epidemiologist explores how that's reshaping our understanding of nature, coexistence and the future of urban life.

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Rethinking why we villainize rats, raccoons and squirrels

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 Galerexplains 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’sSimon 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.

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.

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 Hoangexplores how this legacy still touches lives today, and why some veterans feel the government is investing in the future without reckoning with the past.

The FIFA World Cup kicks off in North America this week. And whatever happens on the field, Darragh McGeesays 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 Tewksburyand 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.

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.

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.  

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

Discover more at https://www.cbc.ca/sunday

In 2024, Gisèle Pelicot was the victim in one of the most notorious rape trials in France's history. Her ex-husband, Dominique Pelicot, was found guilty of drugging and raping his then-wife – and recruiting scores of men online to abuse her while she was unconscious, over the course of a decade. Fifty other men were also found guilty, most on rape charges. What made the trial all the more remarkable is that Gisèle Pelicot waived her right to anonymity, inviting the world into the courtroom. In a Canadian broadcast exclusive interview, Gisèle Pelicot speaks with Piya Chattopadhyay about the shocking crimes, the ripple effects within her family, and how going public made her a feminist hero, as explored in her memoir, A Hymn to Life.

In January, Russian authorities officially labeled the anti-Kremlin activist art group Pussy Riot an "extremist organization," a move that makes even sharing their music or images a potential crime. The group's co-founder Nadya Tolokonnikova joins Piya Chattopadhyayto discuss what that designation means for dissidents both inside and outside Russia, the message she's sending with her latest work, Police State, and how art can confront authoritarian power at a moment when repression is spreading far beyond Russia.

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 former speed skater and the co-host of CBC's primetime coverage of the Milan-Cortina Olympics, Anastasia Bucsis, and Vancouver listener Jonathan Waller.

Discover more at https://www.cbc.ca/sunday

Nursing is a tough job in normal conditions. Seasonal viruses, an aging population and staff shortages only compound that stress. In their book The Handover, retired nurse Tilda Shalof and emerging nurse Lisa Mochrie share wisdom, hopes and fears about their profession amid these challenges. They join Piya Chattopadhyay to discuss their mission to foster more positive conversations in the field, in the hopes it will lead to better outcomes for patients and nurses alike.

Discover more at https://www.cbc.ca/sunday

As multilateralism gives way to a more authoritarian world order, Mary Robinson says the fight for human rights needs to focus on the grassroots. The former Irish president and United Nations human rights commissioner joins Piya Chattopadhyay to discuss what her time as a lawyer and politician fighting for women's rights in Ireland taught her, the importance of holding on to visions for a better world, and why smaller countries need to band together to take politics out of human rights.

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 Andi Petrillo, host of CBC's daytime coverage of the Milan-Cortina Olympics, and Annapolis Royal, N.S. listener Jennifer Goddard.

To kick off a new year of Word Processing, our ongoing look at language, Piya Chattopadhyay speaks with lexicographer Susie Dent about the old words you didn't know you needed to sum up our modern times, and her pitch to get "recombobulation" – the opposite of discombobulation – properly in the dictionary.

So, nevermind the "snollygosters," just gather round your "copemates" and head on a "coddiwomple" with us as we ring in 2026.

In October, the legendary naturalist Jane Goodall died at age 91. During her life, Goodall not only saw a lot of change in the world, but made a lot of it too.

Her field work with chimpanzees transformed how both science and the general public view our fellow primates. In later years, as an activist and conservationist, she inspired countless young people to follow her lead and change the world. And despite political leaders recently seeming to prioritize the economy over the environment, Goodall always found reasons to remain hopeful.

In September, Piya Chattopadhyay spoke with Goodall about her journey and her desire to keep sparking positive change.

Did you replace your chocolate orange with Dubai chocolate this year? Spike your eggnog with matcha? According to Ruby Tandoh, algorithms and search engine optimization are the hidden ingredients in the food we crave. The baker and writer joins Piya Chattopadhyay to explain how frothy adjectives came to dominate recipes, why we can't get enough of the colour green, and what today's top trends say about our global appetite.

Host Piya Chattopadhyay speaks with The Atlantic's Toluse "Tolu" Olorunnipa and Politico's Hailey Fuchs about the revelations in Friday's partial release of the Epstein files – and how they intersect with U.S. politics, baker and writer Ruby Tandoh explains how virality shapes our appetites, Dr. Siddhartha Mukherjeediscusses breakthroughs in cancer research, and novelist Gary Shteyngart explores the parallels between his dystopian new novel and life in the U.S. today.

This past week, Time magazine named "The Architects of AI" its 2025 Person of the Year, even as the stock market wobbled with fears of an artificial intelligence-fuelled bubble. One way to help make sense of this moment is a tech industry concept known as the "hype cycle." As The Sunday Magazine’s Pete Mitton explains, the time-tested idea suggests that, as with other new technologies before it, a crash of expectations – and markets – will likely arrive long before we truly understand how to live with AI. Until then, it’s important to understand how the cycle works – and some of the unique dangers AI hype presents.

Host Piya Chattopadhyay speaks with journalists Shannon Proudfoot and Rob Russoabout the year in Canadian politics, The Sunday Magazine’s Pete Mitton explains how the "hype cycle" concept can help us understand where we stand with artificial intelligence, Russian-American journalist Julia Ioffe explores the feminist history that shaped modern Russia, and journalist Stefan Fatsis shares what the words of the year reveal about how dictionaries are evolving.

Discover more at https://www.cbc.ca/sunday

In our monthly challenge That's Puzzling!, Piya Chattopadhyay competes against familiar voices and clever listeners in a battle of brain games devised by puzzle master Peter Brown. In this special edition, recorded live in Toronto as part of CBC's national holiday campaign Make the Season Kind, Bookends host Mattea Roach, actress and comedian Jennifer Whalen and a whip smart audience member enter the puzzledome to duke it out for glory.

Host Piya Chattopadhyay speaks with journalist Ana Vanessa Herrero and Latin America expert Rebecca Hanson about U.S. President Donald Trump's growing threats to Venezuela and his administration's strikes in the broader region, Ali Kharsa shares his experience fleeing Syria's civil war for Canada a decade ago and University of Ottawa professor Christina Clark-Kazak discusses the current state of Canada's refugee programs, and our monthly challenge That's Puzzling! returns for a special edition recorded live in Toronto with Bookends host Mattea Roach and actress and comedian Jennifer Whalen.

Discover more at cbc.ca/sunday.

When she became prime minister of Finland at age 34, Sanna Marin was the youngest government leader in the world. During the day, she steered her country through crises including the pandemic and neighbouring Russia's invasion of Ukraine. But her life off-the-job, having fun with friends, tended to catch the attention of the global press and led to scandals at home. Marin joins Piya Chattopadhyay to reflect on that experience, and the changes she wants to see, to ensure women aren't discouraged from stepping up and getting involved.

Host Piya Chattopadhyay speaks with The Hub's Alberta bureau chief Falice Chin,Calgary-based CBC News journalist Jason Markusoff and The Logic's Ottawa correspondent Laura Osmanabout Ottawa's energy deal with Alberta, psychologist Robert Coplan explores the virtues of being alone, former Finnish prime minister Sanna Marin reflects on the challenges she faced in office, and forester Peter Kuitenbrouwer traces how maple syrup became a cornerstone of Canadian identity, independence and pride.

In his hit 2003 pop science book, A Short History of Nearly Everything, writer Bill Bryson took readers on a journey from the birth of the universe to the inner workings of a cell, and had them laughing along the way. Over 20 years on, Bryson joins Piya Chattopadhyay to explain why he's now updating his seminal work to explore what’s changed, what hasn’t, and what still amazes him, even in times of existential dread.

Host Piya Chattopadhyay speaks with The Globe and Mail's Tony Keller about how Canada's desire for immigrants gave way to debate, writer Bill Bryson brings wonder to science in a refresh of his seminal work A Short History of Nearly Everything, former national security analyst and policy advisor Dennis Molinaro explores the complicated history of Canada-China relations, and comedian Charles Demers finds the funny in Canadianisms that define us – from goose poop to butter chicken.

Discover more at https://www.cbc.ca/sunday

Do you ever peer into your pet's face and wonder... what's going on in there? Jay Ingram has been wondering, too. The science writer and broadcaster joins David Common to discuss his new book, The Science of Pets, and delve into what scientific research says about the bond between humans and non-human animals, the ways we try to understand our fellow creatures, and how pets and their ilk have reshaped humanity in ways great and small.

Guest Host David Common speaks to The Toronto Star's Susan Delacourt and Rob Russo from The Economist about the week in politics, science writer and broadcaster Jay Ingramdelves into the bond between humans and non-human animals, the CBC's John Chipman considers whether double-crested cormorants should be purged or preserved in our Sunday Documentary, The Cormorant Conundrum, and essayist and travel writer Pico Iyer explains what solitude can teach us about how to live, love and lose.

Discover more at https://www.cbc.ca/sunday