The Current
CBC Podcasts & Radio On-Demand
Three stories to expand your worldview, delivered daily. Matt Galloway cuts through a sea of choice to bring you stories that transcend the news cycle. Conversations with big thinkers, household names, and people living the news. An antidote to algorithms that cater to what you already know — and a meeting place for diverse perspectives. In its 20 years, the Current has become a go-to place for stories that shape and entertain us. Released daily, Monday to Friday.
The Current is produced in Toronto, Ontario, Canada — and has recently recorded live shows about the Canadian election in Surrey and Burnaby BC. And shows to come in Oshawa and the 905, Red Deer, Alberta, Quebec City and Halifax.
Location:
Canada, ON
Networks:
CBC Podcasts & Radio On-Demand
Description:
Three stories to expand your worldview, delivered daily. Matt Galloway cuts through a sea of choice to bring you stories that transcend the news cycle. Conversations with big thinkers, household names, and people living the news. An antidote to algorithms that cater to what you already know — and a meeting place for diverse perspectives. In its 20 years, the Current has become a go-to place for stories that shape and entertain us. Released daily, Monday to Friday. The Current is produced in Toronto, Ontario, Canada — and has recently recorded live shows about the Canadian election in Surrey and Burnaby BC. And shows to come in Oshawa and the 905, Red Deer, Alberta, Quebec City and Halifax.
Twitter:
@TheCurrentCBC
Language:
English
Contact:
The Current CBC Radio P.O. Box 500 Station A Toronto, ON Canada, M5W 1E6 (877) 287-7366
Email:
thecurrent@cbc.ca
Episodes
Should 16-year-olds be allowed to vote?
7/23/2025
If you’re 16, that means you’re old enough to drive a car and get a job — but should you also be able to cast a vote? The U.K. says yes. The country is lowering the voting age to 16, and advocates in Canada say we should do the same. Our guests make the case and explain how a decision like this can reshape our democracy.
Duration:00:20:17
Why the Scopes ‘Monkey Trial still matters 100 years on
7/23/2025
Everyone knows about the O.J. Simpson Trial, but do you know about the Scopes Monkey Trial?’ It was a case about evolution, education, religion, and law that happened 100 years ago, and resonates in today’s America. We discuss how the issues of a 1925 trial are once again at the forefront of American education, and why the lessons from that trial are worth revisiting.
Duration:00:23:42
How Jaws ruined the reputation of sharks
7/22/2025
When Jaws came out 50 years ago, the movie instilled an epic fear of sharks to a whole generation of people, then some more — a fear that still continues to this day. But those who know the animals well say that sharks are not out to get humans. Our experts explain why sharks are misunderstood and why it matters to shift our perspective on these animals.
Duration:00:21:39
Rebuilding Jasper: A year after the devastating wildfires
7/22/2025
A year after the devastating wildfires in Jasper, Alberta, the community is continuing to rebuild and making its way back into town. We speak with a business owner who’s reopening her restaurant — and discuss what the recovery looks like for the residents of Jasper, as well as how the community can thrive again.
Duration:00:19:16
Elbows up, gloves off: Can Canada disentangle from the U.S?
7/21/2025
“We’re in a lot of trouble,” says Stephen Marche, the host of the new podcast Gloves Off, and the author of the book The Next Civil War, as Canada puts in the work to separate itself from the U.S. after a decades-long integrated relationship. We discuss the role U.S. President Donald Trump plays in this, and whether Canada has what it takes to go it alone.
Duration:00:19:20
What is AGI, and will it harm humanity?
7/21/2025
Artificial general intelligence, or AGI, refers to computers that possess consciousness, much like humans. Some tech experts argue that this is a massive step beyond A.I., but we’re not that far from achieving it, while others contend that it’s a fictional concept that we’re nowhere near. Guest host Piya Chattopadhyay talks to two experts about what AGI entails, and what risks having computers more intelligent than humans bring.
Duration:00:24:13
Family pleads for missing siblings Lilly and Jack Sullivan
7/18/2025
Two young siblings, Lilly and Jack Sullivan, went missing in rural Nova Scotia in May, and the case has shaken the country. Two months later, police are still looking for answers — and the siblings. CBC’s Kayla Hounsell brings us updates from their family members’ retelling of what happened that day, and the police.
Duration:00:19:26
Lost at sea for 52 hours: How seven fishermen survived
7/18/2025
When seven fishermen disappeared off Newfoundland’s coast this summer, everyone feared the worst. But as hours turned into days and hope dwindled, the men were found — alive. The ‘Lucky 7’ share their harrowing brush with death in our documentary Lost at Sea.
Duration:00:24:35
MAGA implodes over Jeffrey Epstein case
7/17/2025
During his campaign, U.S. President Donald Trump promised supporters he would finally reveal all the information about the life and death of Jeffrey Epstein. The convicted child sex offender and former financier died in jail in 2019. But now that Trump is denying he has any secrets to share, NYT’s writer David French explains why it’s tearing the MAGA movement apart.
Duration:00:12:25
Chief Science Advisor recommends Canada start monitoring for UFOs.
7/17/2025
Canada’s chief science advisor is recommending that the federal government start tracking information about bizarre sightings in the sky, whether they’re Chinese balloons or even UFOs. Proponents, such as researcher Chris Rutkowski, believe that keeping track will allow us to gain a better understanding of what is happening in the upper atmosphere.
Duration:00:19:27
Storied Indigenous hockey coach receives Order of Canada.
7/17/2025
Ted Nolan started his hockey career by servicing his childhood ice rink in Garden River First Nation. Decades later, he’s being honoured by an appointment to the Order of Canada for his time as a hockey player and a coach. He explains how a life devoted to hockey and teaching others has shaped him into the person he is today.
Duration:00:12:57
Acadian musician gets appointed to the Order of Canada
7/16/2025
Ronald Bourgeois is known for his champion-ing of Acadian culture for the past five decades. Now, the musician and producer is acknowledged for his contributions and has received Canada’s highest honour, being named to the Order of Canada. He tells guest host Megan Williams what this means for him and the Acadian culture.
Duration:00:11:25
Republicans say Canadian wildfire smoke is ruining summer
7/16/2025
As the wildfires burn across Canada and the smoke blurs out skylines, a group of Republican members of Congress is complaining that the suffocating air quality from Canadian wildfires is ruining the summer for Americans. Ed Struzik, author of The Future of Fire, explains what we are getting right and wrong when it comes to managing our forests and whether more could be done to prevent wildfires.
Duration:00:10:52
Canada’s Gaza visa program failing Palestinian-Canadians
7/16/2025
Omar Omar is one of many Gazan Canadians with family in Gaza, and his family is desperately waiting to get out through Canada’s temporary resident visa program. A program many, including the former Immigration Minister Marc Miller, now call a failure. We’ll discuss why only a fraction of the people promised have been able to come to Canada, and what reforms are needed to improve the program.
Duration:00:19:23
Is Canada ready for driverless cars?
7/15/2025
A new robot delivery vehicle pilot project in Toronto ignites conversations about driverless cars in Canada and where this country stands in terms of innovation. Our two experts tell guest host Megan Williams what opportunities the autonomous vehicles bring to Canada, and what to look out for.
Duration:00:19:38
How does experimental archaeology bring the past alive?
7/15/2025
Have you ever wondered what the food from Ancient Rome might have tasted like, how they created those iconic Roman hairstyles or how you can mummify a person today? These archaeologists have. They’re called experimental archaeologists, and they work to bring the past alive. Sam Kean has written about them in his new book: Dinner with King Tut: How Rogue Archaeologists Are Re-creating the Sights, Sounds, Smells, and Tastes of Lost Civilizations.
Duration:00:24:49
How a bowl of borscht helped a writer confront the Holocaust
7/14/2025
Bonny Reichert grew up hearing her father’s stories of the Holocaust, and finding comfort in sharing traditional recipes with him. The Canadian journalist-turned-chef shares her dad’s story, and the trauma she herself carries, in the new memoir How To Share An Egg.
Duration:00:24:11
Should some rural ERs be closed permanently?
7/14/2025
Canada’s small-town ERs are in crisis, facing routine closures and severe staffing shortages. Globe and Mail health columnist André Picard argues some of those ERs might need to close, so scarce resources can be used more effectively.
Duration:00:20:05
Two moms, two wild fires, one shared grief
7/11/2025
When wildfires rip through towns, the smoke may eventually clear, but the trauma lingers. This morning, we hear from two women whose lives were upended by wildfires. Brooke Kindel lost her home in Denare Beach, Saskatchewan just weeks before giving birth. Meghan Fandrich lived through the fire that destroyed most of Lytton, B.C. in 2021 including her small business. Together, they reflect on loss, survival, and what comes after disaster.
Duration:00:18:02
History at the Calgary Stampede: Women rope their way in
7/11/2025
The Calgary Stampede is making history. For the first time in 45 years, a new event has been added: ladies breakaway roping. We speak with world champion Shelby Boisjoli-Meged about what it means to compete on her home turf, and why equal pay and representation in rodeo matter more than ever.
Duration:00:10:50