The Current

As Alberta prepares for its referendum on October 19th, new research shows that foreign players are paying attention and trying to affect the vote. Brian McQuinn with the Centre for Artificial Intelligence, Data and Conflict at the University of Regina tells us what his research has found. And Patrick Lennox, security consultant and a former director of intelligence with the RCMP and Liberal MP candidate, tells us why that's important. 

For 25 years, residents of St. Mary's, N.L., have lived with the smell of an abandoned fish sauce plant that never got cleaned up after it closed. Now, that could finally change, as plans are underway to haul the remaining waste to a landfill. CBC’s  Mary-Catherine McIntosh looks into where those loads are headed, how the sauce came to be in her documentary: Fish Sauce.

The White House is days away from implementing 50 per cent tariffs on a range of Canadian goods. As Canadian and American negotiators have ramped up meetings, and as officials get closer to presenting President Trump and Prime Minister Carney with options, what do next steps look like? Former acting U.S. Trade Representative Stephen Vaughn and Laura Dawson of the Canada-U.S. Future Borders Coalition weigh in.

E-scooter injuries are on the rise in Canada -- and they're becoming increasingly common among kids under 18. A new survey released by the Canadian Pediatric Association found ten children died in the last year after an e-scooter collision, and the number of severe injuries has also increased. We speak with Dr. Daniel Rosenfield, a pediatric emergency physician at SickKids hospital in Toronto, about why these injuries are becoming more common year after year, what he's seen in his own ER, and what can be done to prevent more collisions. 

UK Reform leader Nigel Farage beat an independent candidate who wears a garbage can on his head in a by-election. While it is a win for Farage, support for his party has been waning. We have a conversation with Adam Fleming, host of the BBC podcast Newscast, about the political future of one of the UK's most divisive figures.

Through yoga nights, karaoke and affordable dinners, Legion branches across the country are making a big play to welcome new members in its 100th year — not only to fill needs in the community and provide third spaces for a younger generation, but also to ensure they can continue surviving.

The federal government is mapping out news deserts across Canada to find the gaps in local news coverage. We speak to a panel of journalists from across the country who are working hard to deliver community news to discuss the challenge of delivering high quality content in a time of algorithms and misinformation. 

Calling all Canadian singles! Netflix has just announced casting is now open for Love is Blind Canada. The hit reality dating TV sees singles date -- and some, even go on to get engaged -- all without ever knowing what the other person looks like. We speak with the Globe and Mail's television critic, J. Kelly Nestruck, about what the upcoming Canadian spin-off means following the success of Heated Rivalry, whether Canada is having a pop culture moment, and why this isn't necessarily a good thing for the Canadian film and TV industry.  

Ontario has been dealing with record rainfall over the past few weeks, flooding homes and businesses and wreaking havoc on local farms. We check in with a local vegetable farmer just south of Ottawa and a winegrower in Niagara about what the floods have meant for their crops and what can be salvaged.

The Mile Zero Murders investigates the baffling wave of disappearances and murders in the small town of Dawson Creek, B.C., a community struggling with a deadly local drug trade. Host Timothy Sawa explores missing person cases like that of Cole Hosack and Renee Didier, pursuing leads from grieving families, reluctant authorities and the drug dealers themselves. The question that drives this series is the same one that haunts this community: where is the justice?

About UNCOVER: Crime. Investigation. Revelation. Uncover brings you explosive, high-caliber true crime year-round. From CIA mind control to serial abuse, mysterious disappearances to wrongful imprisonment. Each season features a new host who is deeply connected to the story, committed to tracking down the truth. With over 30 seasons to choose from, Uncover represents the best in true crime.

More episodes of The Mile Zero Murders are available wherever you get your podcasts, and here: https://link.mgln.ai/MZMxTheCurrent

With the legalization of sports betting in Canada, and much of the United States, watching your favourite team has changed. If you don't partake, you're bombarded with ads, and if you do, it's likely to change the way you view and cheer on your team. But it's changed the game for players, officials, and sports journalists too. Author Danny Funt on his new book Everyone Loses, The Tumultuous Rise of American Sports Gambling. 

Punishing American tariffs will kick in on August 19, unless Prime Minister Mark Carney's team strikes a trade compromise with Washington. Our National Affairs Panel -- The Globe and Mail's Stephanie Levitz and the Toronto Star's Ryan Tumilty -- on what's at stake.

Canadians may not want to drink American booze, but some say bringing it back to Canadian shelves could be the bargaining chip needed in negotiations with the U.S. over tariffs. 

Erin Carlson, her family and farm workers escaped the Bald Range fire -- some by helicopter. She says the tightknit Summerland community will band together to rebuild. But she worries that if climate change fuels more intense blazes, there will be more disasters to come. Plus, with clear skies in the weather forecast, wildfire expert Mathieu Bourbonnais says rain is needed to help control the fires.

The small northern BC town of Dawson Creek is hijacked by a wave of drug-fuelled violence - 15 murders in five years. The CBC's Fifth Estate Estate and CBC Podcasts spent two years digging into this story, speaking with the loved-ones of the missing and murdered, and cultivating relationships with key figures in the drug trade. We speak with investigative journalist and host, Timothy Sawa, about his new podcast, "The Mile Zero Murders", a series that explores who's behind the violence and why it was so hard to make arrests.

15 months after her children, Jack and Lilly Sullivan, vanished in rural Nova Scotia, Malehya Brooks-Murray is breaking her silence. In an interview with CBC’s Angela MacIvor, she discusses the  challenge of processing her grief and why she is determined to keep the case in the spotlight. 

More than 20,000 people have been evacuated from the Okanagan in B.C., including the entire town of Summerland. We speak to one man who had to leave behind his animals, along with the mayor of Summerland to see how residents are coping on the ground in neighbouring Penticton. 

Michigan candidate Abdul El-Sayed's primary win shows anti-establishment sentiment is strong within the party. Two political reporters explain what it means as Democrats try to regain control of Congress in November.

Surfers are flocking to a special surf spot on the Bow River in Calgary. The Current Producer Allison Dempster learns about river surfing and how this unlikely spot in the Canadian prairies has become a beloved sport for surfers.

Retired couple Simon Lanoix and Julie Chatelain from Vancouver Island have been walking the length of the Trans Canada Trail in stages over the past 8 years. They talk about how it has changed their perspective on the country they live in and why they think more people should take up long walks

Canadian consumers are being hit with skyrocketing prices on oil and gas as a result of the US-Iran war. At the same time, oil and gas companies in Canada and around the world are recording record-breaking profits because of the surge in demand, sparking debate on whether they should be taxed more. We hear from both sides of the debate and explore what regulations are currently in place in Canada to protect consumers from price shocks.

Deepfake expert Hany Farid says if you think you can still spot AI-generated images and video, you're kidding yourself. Even he has to work harder than ever before to suss them out. He worries it's eroding our common bonds and democracy, but he believes we can still fight back.

Five months on, America and Iran can't even agree on whether they are negotiating or not. The Economist's Gregg Carlstrom brings us the latest on the effort to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Iran expert Ali Vaez says President Donald Trump is stuck between an unwinnable war and an unpalatable peace.

A five tonne rocket launched into space by Elon Musk’s SpaceX last year is expected to have collided with the Moon overnight leaving a huge crater. Nathalie Ouellette, Deputy Director of the Trottier Institute for Research on Exoplanets at the Université de Montréal, takes us through what happened, what we can learn from the collision and what precautions should be considered for future lunar exploration.

There's a new trend that's taking social media by storm, Gen Z is "fake" shopping. They are called dopamine sites, and you can buy anything from a new phone, clothes, shoes, even order a pizza.  But what's the catch? They're not real. These sites are there to simulate the experience of shopping to scratch that itch. You can put in an order, and even track it coming to you without paying, or getting the actual product. We speak with Rhia Catapano, an Assistant Professor of Marketing at Rotman at the University of Toronto, with a focus on consumer behaviour and psychology.

Thousands of residents have been evacuated from the Okanagan region after strong winds made a bad situation even worse. We'll find out how their faring and what specialists think needs to happen to be better prepared.

Alberta is now allowing people to get an MRI, CT scan and other tests in the private system without a doctor ordering one. We look at who wants to self-refer and what impact the change might have on the province's medical system.

More than 4,000 WestJet flight attendants went on strike yesterday, leaving thousands of passengers stranded. This morning a tentative deal has been reached between flight attendants and West Jet. John Gradek, a faculty lecturer in aviation management at McGill University, brings us the latest.

At a time when the overall economy is sluggish, the Canadian tourism sector is bucking the trend and projected to grow by 6% in 2026. We hear from some innovative Canadian travel businesses that are cashing in and from tourism and hospitality professor Wayne Smith about what is driving the growth — and what it would take to build on it.

Actor and writer Andrew McCarthy talked to former police officers, oil rig workers, cowboys and record store owners. And he found a common thread: men who weren't great at their friendships with other men. He chronicles his road trip to explore male friendship in his new book "Who Needs Friends: An Unscientific Examination of Male Friendship Across America."

Across the country, families are dealing with households full of stuff that no one wants to inherit. This is causing stress between generations as young people often don’t have room for that full dining room set, the silverware, or antique hutch, to the chagrin of older generations. We dig into how to cope with all that inherited stuff and make a plan.

While we focus on success or fulfillment as the path to happiness, author Ian Bogost thinks we are overlooking a whole category of life experiences — delightful, small moments of sensory gratification — that can make our lives better. In his new book, The Small Stuff, Bogost says modern life, including our work life, has disconnected us from the physical world, but we'd all feel better if we found a way to rediscover that connection.

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky struck a positive tone after his meeting this week with U.S. President Donald Trump. Francis Farrell, a senior reporter at the Kyiv Independent, talks about why Ukraine's gains on the battlefield could be behind the shift in the leaders' relationship, and Maria Popova, Associate Professor of Political Science at McGill University, discusses what Zelensky's request to reinvigorate the diplomatic process could look like.

Fewer adults and kids are reading for pleasure, prompting some experts to say we’re in the midst of a literacy crisis. But what do we lose if we’re not reading? And what you can do to get kids to pick up a book.

More Republicans in the US have joined President Donald Trump in criticizing and threatening Canada, with a barrage of insults after wildfire smoke moved south of the border.

Robert C. Rowland, professor of rhetoric and political communication at the University of Kansas, tells us what's behind it, and Maryscott Greenwood, founder of Ottawa Street Strategy, on how Canada can fight back.

U.S. President Donald Trump hosted the Israeli Prime Minister at the White House on Tuesday for the first time in five months. We'll talk to Politico's diplomatic correspondent, Felicia Schwartz, about the recent signs of strain in what has always been a close relationship between the two countries — and how U.S. public opinion on support for Israel and its policies has shifted recently.

.Out of control wildfires in southeastern B.C. have forced hundreds of people to evacuate, with some losing everything they have in the blaze. We hear from Lori Daniels, the co-director of the Centre for Wildfire Coexistence at the University of British Columbia, on how this summer's wildfires compare to fires in the past, and how now more than ever, more investment is needed from the province to make communities, homes, and eco-systems more fire-resilient.

When children with disabilities become adults, they often lose the services they've come to rely on. A decade ago, two young people in Manitoba decided to try to change the system. Now the province has completed a pilot project that improved access. But will it create lasting results?

In Canada, France, Spain and elsewhere, people are fleeing from wildfires. As climate emergencies increase, prediction markets are taking wagers on fires, smoke, hurricanes and heatwaves. Is it desensitizing people? Or could it help raise engagement with the climate crisis?

While being in an ER is tough for patients and their families, it's no easier for doctors. A new study reveals that Canadian ER doctors are at their limits with burn out, stress, and fatigue.  Many are leaving the profession altogether. We speak with three doctors who have worked in ER, including the lead author of the study, to hear what they're experiencing and what needs to change.

The Pear Lake and Fiftynine Creek fires were already roaring out of control near Clinton, British Columbia. But over the weekend, they merged, threatening communities northwest of Kamloops.We speak with Bernice Weihs-Anderson, a longtime resident of Clinton, B.C., and a former member of the village's volunteer fire department about her evacuation on Friday, and what her community needs right now.

A multi-billion dollar bridge between Canada and the U.S. was supposed to strengthen North American supply chains and ease bottlenecks on the nearby Ambassador Bridge and Detroit-Windsor tunnel. We hear from mayors on both sides of the Detroit River about whether tariffs are putting that investment at risk.

Natural bodies of water are embedded in many Canadian cities, but are we taking full advantage of them? We speak with Neil Egsgard, President of the Alberta Surfing Association, about a proposed redevelopment at Calgary's Bow River, and Larissa Holman, Director of Science and Policy with Ottawa Riverkeepers, about the importance of swimmable waters in our cities.  And Ian Young, an associate professor at Toronto Metropolitan University, about what municipalities have been getting right when it comes to urban beaches.

Tens of thousands of young people in India are on the streets protesting as part of the country’s  “cockroach” movement. They’re calling for education reform, and a bigger system change after recent university entrance exam leaks forced millions of students into rewrites — and led to several suicides. We talk to Shourya Kumar, who’s been at the protests every day this week in Delhi, and Amrit Dhillon, a freelance journalist based in New Delhi, explains what this moment means for the country.

More and more adults are heading back to summer camp, hoping to disconnect from their phones and responsibilities and recreate childhood summer magic. These camps come in all shapes and sizes, from a retreat in a chateau in the south of France to a book club camp in Maine. Shelby Sanford, the co-founder of Camp Rewind in the East Kootenays, B.C, talks about why she thinks people are increasingly searching for this kind of childhood fun.

Longer, warmer summers mean those tiny, blood-sucking arachnids are spreading throughout southern Canada, hitting Ontario and Nova Scotia especially hard. We hear about emerging illnesses, and speak with emergency physician Dr. Raghu Venugopal about the symptoms to look out for and how to protect yourself.

Iran-aligned Houthis have threatened to blockade the Red Sea, raising concerns about global oil supply and a broadening of the Iran War. Gregg Carlstrom, The Economist's Middle East Correspondent, talks about how we got to this point. Thomas Juneau, an Associate Professor at the University of Ottawa's Graduate School of Public and International Affairs, discusses why the Houthis are engaging in this maritime blockade.

New Brunswick Premier Susan Holt joins us from PEI where provincial and territorial leaders have put aside their annual meeting agenda to focus on the threat of new 50 per cent tariffs from the US. She tells us how this could impact her province and what leaders will ask of the Prime Minister as they set to meet with him later today.

More and more young Canadians want to play soccer after watching the 2026 FIFA World Cup. But is there enough room on the field for all of them? Soccer was already the fastest growing youth sport in the country, and local club organizers say interest has only grown since hosting the World Cup — and in some cases, resources were already stretched thin. We speak with two Canadians who organize local soccer clubs about how the World Cup is transforming their communities, and then take a look at the future of the sport on a national level with Mark Cohon, the Board Chair of the Northern Super League .

As almost 2,000 people in Ontario flee wildfires, the U.S. president repeated his tariff threat against Canada. Ontario Premier Doug Ford called Trump’s comments “rubbish.” Wildfire experts say the U.S. criticism is unfair, but some are urging leaders here to mitigate wildfires.

With youth unemployment on the rise in Canada, is a national service year the answer to get young people working? A growing number of Canadians say yes, but what does that look like in practice and who will pay for it?

Monday afternoon, Donald Trump announced a long list of Canadian goods that will be slapped with a 50 percent tariff as of August 19th. We talk to Katie Simpson, CBC’s foreign correspondent based in Washington, DC, about what’s going on.

US and Mexican trade officials are meeting this week in Mexico City, and Canadian negotiators are not at the table. We hear from Mexican journalist Eduardo Garcia about what’s at stake for Mexico, and from Goldy Hyder of the Business Council of Canada about how to approach negotiations now that the US says it does not want to extend the agreement as it is now. 

Hundreds of residents have been evacuated from over a dozen communities in northern Ontario over the past week, as nearly 200 wildfires continue to burn. We speak with Chief Lawrence Wanakamik of the Whitesand First Nation about what support his community needs, and why some say the Ontario government hasn't done enough to help.

The Royal Canadian Geographic Society along with a crew of researchers have been on a voyage in the Labrador Sea to investigate two shipwrecks of the last Antarctic explorers dating back 100 years. CBC's Peter Cowan has been on board the research ship for the last few weeks and tells us about what they found.

In a primetime address, the U.S. president claims the American voting system is deeply flawed. CBC Washington correspondent Paul Hunter and Atlantic magazine writer David Graham discuss why Trump keeps hammering that message and how it might play as the U.S. midterms loom.

The Odyssey hits theatres today and we’ve got you covered. Christopher Nolan’s widely anticipated adaptation of the 3000 year old text is selling out cinemas. Guest host Piya Chattopadhyay gets the Odyssey 101 from Thom Roach, a professor of History and Literature, and hears why the epic story’s themes resonate today.

Canada is on track for a historic tornado season, both when it comes to funnel clouds making land fall, and the number of warnings sent out to Canadians. Dave Sills of the Northern Tornado Project explains what's causing the summer storms, and what needs to change to make tracking them more accurate.

Parts of southern Ontario are blanketed in thick wildfire smoke with air quality warnings in place. In the northwest of the province, dozens of wildfires are burning forcing many people to evacuate. Courtney Howard, an emergency physician and Chair of the Global Climate and Health Alliance, talks about how to stay safe from the smoke. Ed Struzik, a fellow at the Institute for Energy and Environmental Policy at Queen's University, talks about what the rest of the wildfire season could look like.

Christopher Nolan’s highly anticipated adaptation of The Odyssey is expected to bring audiences to movie theatres this weekend. We revisit a conversation with The Current Producer Meli Gumus on the magic of cinema and what we should be watching together.

There are calls for accountability after men in Florida, Texas and Maine were killed during incidents with Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agents. Peter Mina, a former lawyer at ICE and a former deputy officer for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties at the Department of Homeland Security, discusses concerns about ICE becoming the highest law enforcement agency in the country.

All around the world, the official Panini FIFA World Cup 2026 stickers are flying off the shelves as fans race to trade and buy more stickers than ever before - over 900 - to complete their albums. Greg Lansdowne, a collectibles expert and the author of "Stuck on You: The Rise & Fall...& Rise of Panini Stickers," talks about what's driving the craze and why this is such an enduring FIFA tradition

If you wake up wanting to smother your partner with a pillow because their snoring or unconscious acrobatic routine kept you awake all night, experts say you might want to consider a sleep divorce -- sleeping separately from your partner so you can get a better night's sleep. Guest host Piya Chattopadhyay talks to two people who've had sleep divorces -- and hears why it's actually helped their marriages. And we hear from a sleep expert about why sleeping apart can be good for your health. We'll hear from some of them about their experience, and speak to a sleep expert about what a sleep divorce is, what it means for your relationship (don't worry, it isn't all doom and gloom), and how to know if you might need one.

Who controls the Strait of Hormuz? Escalation continues between the US and Iran with attacks launched on both sides. President Donald Trump says the US will be the "guardians" of the strait and charge tolls. Iran says the US has no role in how the strait is run. Gregg Carlstrom, Middle East correspondent for the Economist takes us through the latest. Behrouz Bakhtiari, assistant professor of operations management at the DeGroote School of Business at McMaster University, explains the impact on supply chains, and the potential price increases on energy and goods.

The Seal Island lighthouse sits on a remote island of the southwestern tip of Nova Scotia. The lighthouse has served as both a welcome and a warning to mariners who travel along the coastline since 1831. But now its future is uncertain, as a new steel tower is being built to replace it. Chris Mills is a former Seal Island lighthouse keeper. He talks to guest host Piya Chattopadhyay about the fight to save the Seal Island lighthouse.

Do you remember when you first saw Jurassic Park? Actor Sam Neill played the role of paleontologist Dr. Alan Grant – and inspired a generation of dinosaur lovers. Guest host Piya Chattopadhyay talks to François Therrien, a paleontologist and curator at the Royal Tyrrell Museum in Drumheller, Alberta, about the legacy of Sam Neill, who died this week.

Toronto's Salsa on St. Clair festival came to an abrupt end on Saturday night, after a shooting that left two people dead and several others injured. Police say there was an "exchange of gunfire" between two suspects. We get the latest from CBC reporter Lorenda Reddekopp who was enjoying the festival on her day off when the chaos erupted.

Canada is planning to spend close to half a trillion dollars on weapons and defence infrastructure over the next decade. So where should that investment go? Former Conservative leader Erin O'Toole warns the government may still be stuck in the old way of thinking -- and should be learning lessons from the Ukraine war fast. We also hear from the former Deputy Minister of Defence Jody Thomas about what years leading the bureaucracy taught her about what's wrong with how Canada buys military equipment.

Scientists at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre are using an emerging blood test technology to look for small traces of cancer in a patient's bloodstream. It will make it easier and faster to detect recurring cancer in its earliest stages but more research needs to be done before it can be used confidently or on people without cancer. Guest host Piya Chattopadhyay speaks with Dr. Lillian Siu is a senior scientist at UHN's Princess Margaret Cancer Centre and a scientific lead at the Peter Gilgan Centre for Early Cancer Detection Research about the potential of this breakthrough research.

Ukraine is hitting key energy targets inside Russia. And US President Donald Trump says the US will give Ukraine licence to make Patriot missiles, saying Volodomyr Zelenskyy has "done an amazing job", praising his recent attacks inside Russia. Tim Mak, a journalist based in Kyiv and the founder of The Counteroffensive, joins guest host Catherine Cullen, for a look at Ukraine's battlefield gains. And Alexander Titov, a Lecturer in Modern European History, at Queen's University Belfast, who specializes in Russian foreign policy and politics, discusses whether attitudes about the war inside Russia are shifting -- and what it could mean for when and how the war ends.

"POV: you live alone, have no friends, this is how you spend a Friday night". These types of videos have taken off on social media. The creators behind them are called 'loneliness influencers'. Guest host Catherine Cullen speaks with content creator Lana Isa aka @LanaSoloLife about why she makes these videos and with Atlantic writer Faith Hill about what their popularity tells us about the moment we are in.

Hamas announced this week it was ready to dissolve its government after being in charge of Gaza for more than a decade. Israel says it's a trick move because the military group will be in charge as long as it stays armed. Guest host Catherine Cullen speaks with Diana Buttu, Palestinian Canadian lawyer, who tells us what this means for Palestinians. And  Aaron David Miller, breaks down the role of the Board of Peace and if there's a way for the stalled peace plan to move forward.

It's been a wild ride so far this World Cup. With the quarterfinals underway we’ve got your World Cup roundup. The highs, the lows, the final games to come. And the controversy – Could US President Donald Trump's call to Gianni Infantino cost the FIFA head his job? And has VAR (Video Assistant Referee) contributed to questionable calls? Guest host Catherine Cullen speaks with Laurent Dubois, author of Soccer Empire and The Language of the Game and Tim Elcombe, Professor of Kinesiology at Wilfred Laurier University, who is currently writing a book on FIFA and its role as a geopolitical body.

Politicians of all stripes are out in full force at the Calgary Stampede, squeezing into jeans and cowboy boots. This year's focus: The upcoming referendum on Alberta separatism. Federal politicians are there in droves making their case for national unity. Independent pollster Janet Brown and CBC writer and producer Jason Markusoff join guest host Catherine Cullen to talk Stampede politics. And we'll hear what some Albertans are thinking when it comes to their province's future in the federation.

U.S. President Donald Trump says the interim agreement to end the war in Iran is over after Tehran carried out attacks on U.S. bases in the Gulf. The U.S. meanwhile launched military strikes against Iran in response to earlier attacks on tankers in the Strait of Hormuz. Middle East correspondent for The Economist Gregg Carlstrom speaks to guest host Catherine Cullen about the escalation of the war.

Why do we procrastinate? Joseph Ferrari, a Professor of Psychology at DePaul University, has spent his career studying why we put things off, and says while some of us do it once in a while, 20 per cent of the population has a problem with serious, chronic procrastination. The good news: his research shows it's not genetic, or "natural" -- and Joseph Ferrari says there are steps you can take to turn things around and start getting stuff done.

When you’re sitting in the dentist’s chair – it can sometimes be hard to know for sure if the treatment being recommended is really the right one. Dr. Brandon Doucet, from the Coalition for Dentalcare, joins guest host Catherine Cullen to talk about why he's worried about dental overtreatment in Canada, and what patients should look out for. And while he says most dentists are caring professionals, health lawyer and former dentist, Gary Srebrolow, joins us to explain when overtreatment crosses the line.

 NATO members are gathering in Ankara, Turkey at a fraught time. The wars in Ukraine and Iran are ongoing and there are questions about how the alliance will reimagine itself as the US reduces support. Guest host Catherin Cullen speaks with Kerry Buck, Canada's ambassador to NATO from 2015 to 2019, Gönül Tol, the founding director of the Middle East Institute's Turkish Program, and Oana Lungescu, NATO's principal spokesperson from 2010 to 2023 about the future of NATO and Canada’s role in the alliance.

The Eurovision Song Contest is famous for bringing us major musical artists, plus healthy doses of kitsch -- and politics.  Now Canada is joining the competition next year. But what does it mean for another non-European nation to take part? And what can Canadians expect from the wildly popular competition? Guest host Catherine Culled talks to Karen Fricker, of Brock University, and William Lee Adams, a culture reporter at the BBC who also runs a Eurovision YouTube channel.

Is your job at risk, can you afford your home and when will things stop being so expensive? Guest host Catherine Cullen speaks to Deloitte’s Chief Economist Dawn Desjardins about the risks to the Canadian economy in the face of rising energy costs, trade tensions and low business and consumer confidence. Plus McGill University business prof Robert Nason has advice for entrepreneurs on how to find opportunity in the midst of an economic storm.

It's being called the 'Flamingo Revolution' – Albanians have taken to the streets in record numbers for more than a month, protesting their government's approval of a mega resort backed by Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump. Freelance reporter Alice Taylor joins guest host Catherine Cullen to explain what flamingos have to do with the protests, what the protestors want, and why the government is digging in.

Yesterday, B.C. Premier David Eby and Prime Minister Mark Carney announced a multi-billion B.C.-Ottawa agreement, including investments in the province's shipping, mining, and forestry industries. Then, Carney and Alberta Premier Danielle Smith announced a formal proposal for a pipeline that would run through southern B.C. We speak with Tyler Dawson and Rob Shaw, two long-time B.C. and Alberta correspondents, about how this deal was made, what each province gets out of it, what they had to give up, and what it means for the future of Alberta's contentious West Coast pipeline.

This 4th July marks a big milestone in U.S. history, with 250th anniversary celebrations taking place across the country. But with political division high in much of America, how are people marking this anniversary and reflecting on their nation's history? We talk to Beverly Gage, a history professor at Yale University, and author of "This Land is Our Land: A Road Trip through U.S. History."

Yesterday, the Trump administration declined to renew the Canada-US-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA). Without an agreement to extend the deal between all three countries, CUSMA is set to expire in 2036, although it can be renewed at any point in the next ten years if all parties reach an agreement. We speak with Stephen Vaughn, a former acting U.S. Trade Representative, about the decision and current U.S. trade policy. Then, we hear from Carlo Dade, the Director of International Policy and the New North America Initiative, at the School of Public Policy at the University of Calgary, about what this means for the Canadian economy.

More people, especially people under 45, are turning to sewing their own clothes. Globally, sewing machine sales are on the rise, expected to double by 2035, representing a nearly 2 billion dollar industry. The Current producer, Amanda Grant, explores the common threads in sewing culture, why people are embracing it, how to find modern patterns, and how sewing is part of slow fashion.

In an increasingly polarized world, Dr. Lafontaine says the best time to work through our outrage was yesterday. A close second, however, is right now. His new book, "The Outrage Cure," is about what happens when we let unresolved anger metastasize — and how we can best confront it. If you've had a falling out with someone you love that you're struggling to make sense of, this conversation is for you.

In honour of Canada Day, we’re highlighting some favourite conversations with prominent Canadians from the last season. Rick Mercer and country music icon Terri Clark talk to us about what it means to be Canadian today.

With today's CUSMA deadline, we speak with three business leaders — one in Canada and two in the US — who give their differing perspectives on why CUSMA needs to be renewed or reworked.

Six days after catastrophic twin earthquakes hit Venezuela, the country's death toll has risen to almost 1,500 – but the actual number is expected to be much higher as nearly 50,000 people are reported missing. Ana Vanessa Herrero, a journalist in Caracas, reports on the situation on the ground, and the rising anger at officials for not doing enough. And we talk to Fanny Villarte-Croce, a Venezuelan-Canadian, who shares what she is doing here in Canada to help. 

The Canadian celebrity investor wants to build a massive data centre in rural Utah. People in the Republican-dominated state, like Rhonda Anderson Lauritzen are fighting back. The clash is emblematic of how AI is scrambling U.S. politics in the leadup to the midterms, says Heatmap News senior reporter Jael Holzman.

Team Canada is making Men's World Cup history. With Sunday’s 1-nil win over South Africa, it’s their first time in the round of 16! We talk to Simon Kuper, a journalist and the author of World Cup Fever: A Soccer Journey in Nine Tournaments, about what’s next in FIFA’s World Cup 2026.

Life in Attawapiskat is undeniably hard. But it's where Juno-nominee Cree musician Adrian Sutherland chooses to live and raise his family, even though he has the means to leave. In his debut memoir, The Work of our Hands, Adrian paints a portrait of his world that headlines about poverty, despair and a decaying water system fail to capture. He talks with guest host Piya Chattopadhyay about how the hard work required to survive in Attawapiskat allows him to find true meaning and freedom.

Until last fall, Canada hadn't had an Arctic Ambassador in nearly twenty years. Now several months into her diplomatic role, Ambassador Virginia Mearns joins us from Iqaluit to discuss what increased global attention means for the region and why she wants more Canadians to cultivate their curiosity of the Arctic.

We push ourselves to optimize our careers, our health and our relationships. But we can't all be the best. So why do we struggle to accept that we're ordinary? The New Yorker staff writer Joshua Rothman and author and broadcaster Amil Niazi have each wrestled with that question. Their advice? Accepting mediocrity might be the best choice you ever make.

Six months ago, Prime Minister Mark Carney laid out a new and pragmatic path for middle powers in the face of an increasingly hostile U.S. and a rising China. In a new season of his podcast "Gloves Off" journalist Stephen Marche considers the opportunities for Canada given the new geopolitical reality.

The search for survivors continues as thousands are feared dead following two massive earthquakes, 7.2 and 7.5 in magnitude, on Wednesday, causing buildings to collapse in the capital city, and devastation throughout the region. We check in with Caracas-based journalist Ana Vanessa Herrero, for the latest on rescue efforts.

Andrew Tate built an empire based on the idea of female subjugation and hyper masculinity. His message to men, particularly young men, is that they are victims of a feminized society. 

Andrew Tate was arrested in Romania in 2022, along with his brother Tristan, for human trafficking. He's also accused of sexual assaulting multiple women — and is facing investigations in Romania, the United Kingdom and the United States. 

Heidi Blake is an investigative reporter at the New Yorker and recently wrote a detailed and deeply reported story titled "Andrew Tate’s Empire of Abuse." She joins us to talk about how Andrew Tate built a business based on abuse, the charges he's facing, and Andrew Tate's influence on the MAGA movement. 

A team of Canadian high school students took the top prize in an international culinary competition in France. We speak with cooking champions, Matea Thiessen-Unger and Avery Van Solkema about their journey from an after-school cooking program in Winnipeg to the Tablée des Chefs' Kitchen Brigades International Final in Paris, and Canadian celebrity chef Ricardo Larrivée about learning cooking skills for life.

We have a tradition at The Current of helping you build your summer reading list. Our panel of book experts is here to help. Penny Warris owns Analog Books with her husband Scott in Lethbridge, Alberta. And Josh Cockerill is a Manager at Type Books in Toronto. They talk through their picks for best beach reads, hidden gems, non-fiction, kids books, and more.