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. Some of the topics we’ve covered recently, include: the results of the Canadian Federal election — a minority Liberal government — and Canada’s new Prime Minister-elect Mark Carney. Also, Pierre Poilievre, leader of the Conservative party, who lost his seat in the Ottawa riding of Carleton but also boosted Conservative popular vote share. Meanwhile, NDP leader Jagmeet Singh, who also lost his seat, has resigned following historically low results for his party, which lost official party status in the House. Bloc Québécois leader Yves-François Blanchet kept his seat in Beloeil–Chambly, but lost about a third of its seats. Elizabeth May’s Green Party held on to her seat but she also lost her co-leader Jonathan Pedneault. Also on our radar: Heather McPherson, the NDP’s re-elected MP for Edmonton Strathcona, who some observers are saying could be the NDP’s next leader. What Conservatives are thinking now about their leader Pierre Poilievre and the path forward for their party. And how Liberal Leader Mark Carney will govern for all Canadians in a politically divided country facing threats from U.S. President Donald Trump. We’re still keeping an eye on: annexation and “51st state” threats, tariffs impacting Canadian jobs, especially farmers, truckers, auto workers, energy sector workers, construction workers and steel and aluminum workers; raising the cost of living, inflation, and unemployment in Canada; straining cross-border relationships, including the historic friendship between Windsor and Detroit. We also discuss “Team Canada,” interprovincial trade, and the rise of “elbows up” Canadian patriotism; Canadian sovereignty and backlash to ‘51st state’ threats; on the world stage, including our relationship with China, Ukraine, India; security and our status in the Five Eyes spy network, NATO and NORAD, and shifting global alliances in general. Other recent topics include: Filipino community reeling after Lapu Lapu street festival killings; “Grey divorce” and the rise of separation in late life; Canadians’ top vacation spots; migrants affected by Trump’s deportation push; the death of Pope Francis; landmark antitrust trials against Meta and Google; the sexual assault trial of five ex-world junior hockey players; the liquidation of Hudson’s Bay; the surge in measles cases, hair loss drug finasteride, extremist network 764, protests against Elon Musk and Tesla; Starlink and the rural internet; the turmoil around Israel and Gaza’s ceasefire; more adults with ADHD, Blue Ghost on the moon, genetically modified pig organs; aging well, wellness, dementia and long term care, as well as cancer and “commonsense oncology,” Greenland and Arctic sovereignty, cuts to USAID; Canada’s critical minerals; inflation; mortgages; opioids and Fentanyl, parenting, Canada’s best vacation spots, teens ditching social media; crypto power brokers in the White House; NASA’s new telescope and the making of a 3D map of the universe. 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

Genres:

Public Radio

Podcasts

Interviews

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. Some of the topics we’ve covered recently, include: the results of the Canadian Federal election — a minority Liberal government — and Canada’s new Prime Minister-elect Mark Carney. Also, Pierre Poilievre, leader of the Conservative party, who lost his seat in the Ottawa riding of Carleton but also boosted Conservative popular vote share. Meanwhile, NDP leader Jagmeet Singh, who also lost his seat, has resigned following historically low results for his party, which lost official party status in the House. Bloc Québécois leader Yves-François Blanchet kept his seat in Beloeil–Chambly, but lost about a third of its seats. Elizabeth May’s Green Party held on to her seat but she also lost her co-leader Jonathan Pedneault. Also on our radar: Heather McPherson, the NDP’s re-elected MP for Edmonton Strathcona, who some observers are saying could be the NDP’s next leader. What Conservatives are thinking now about their leader Pierre Poilievre and the path forward for their party. And how Liberal Leader Mark Carney will govern for all Canadians in a politically divided country facing threats from U.S. President Donald Trump. We’re still keeping an eye on: annexation and “51st state” threats, tariffs impacting Canadian jobs, especially farmers, truckers, auto workers, energy sector workers, construction workers and steel and aluminum workers; raising the cost of living, inflation, and unemployment in Canada; straining cross-border relationships, including the historic friendship between Windsor and Detroit. We also discuss “Team Canada,” interprovincial trade, and the rise of “elbows up” Canadian patriotism; Canadian sovereignty and backlash to ‘51st state’ threats; on the world stage, including our relationship with China, Ukraine, India; security and our status in the Five Eyes spy network, NATO and NORAD, and shifting global alliances in general. Other recent topics include: Filipino community reeling after Lapu Lapu street festival killings; “Grey divorce” and the rise of separation in late life; Canadians’ top vacation spots; migrants affected by Trump’s deportation push; the death of Pope Francis; landmark antitrust trials against Meta and Google; the sexual assault trial of five ex-world junior hockey players; the liquidation of Hudson’s Bay; the surge in measles cases, hair loss drug finasteride, extremist network 764, protests against Elon Musk and Tesla; Starlink and the rural internet; the turmoil around Israel and Gaza’s ceasefire; more adults with ADHD, Blue Ghost on the moon, genetically modified pig organs; aging well, wellness, dementia and long term care, as well as cancer and “commonsense oncology,” Greenland and Arctic sovereignty, cuts to USAID; Canada’s critical minerals; inflation; mortgages; opioids and Fentanyl, parenting, Canada’s best vacation spots, teens ditching social media; crypto power brokers in the White House; NASA’s new telescope and the making of a 3D map of the universe. 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

Website:

http://www.cbc.ca/radio/thecurrent

Email:

thecurrent@cbc.ca

Episodes

Fluoride set to flow again in Calgary Water

6/27/2025

Fluoride is returning to Calgary’s drinking water. The city removed it more than a decade ago, but after a public vote and years of planning, it's back. A city councilor who once voted against fluoride explains why he’s changed his mind.

Duration:00:07:44

Venetians protest Bezos’ billionaire wedding

6/27/2025

Jeff Bezos is getting married in Venice, but not everyone is celebrating. As A-list guests gather, activists and locals are protesting what they see as a city being rented out to the ultra-wealthy. We hear from a protester with “No Space for Bezos,” and from a former luxury wedding planner who now writes about class and culture.

Duration:00:19:19

How Police Busted a Lululemon Theft Ring

6/27/2025

Yoga pants and stolen goods. Court documents obtained by CBC reveal a suspected organized crime ring behind a wave of high-value thefts from Lululemon stores across British Columbia. CBC journalist Jason Proctor breaks down how police tracked down the suspects.

Duration:00:16:29

Where does Iran’s nuclear program stand now?

6/26/2025

A fragile ceasefire is in place between Israel and Iran — but where does this leave Iran’s nuclear program? U.S. President Donald Trump is confident the program is destroyed but some intelligence reports suggest only setbacks. We speak with nuclear policy expert James Acton about what happens now.

Duration:00:19:13

The hippie trail trip that changed Rick Steve’s life

6/26/2025

Rick Steves had his first puff of a joint in Afghanistan while he was travelling the Hippie Trail in 1978, the overland route from Istanbul to Kathmandu. The travel writer and entrepreneur talks to Matt Galloway about how that trip made him think about the world differently — and why he says others should seek out mind-expanding travel, too.

Duration:00:24:09

Boosting Canada’s military will take “sustained and stable” preparation: Defence chief

6/25/2025

Defending Canada will require new strategies, investments in new equipment, and more recruits, according to Gen. Jennie Carignan, chief of the defence staff of the Canadian Armed Forces. The country’s top soldier tells guest host Susan Ormiston about her priorities for the military, and what a new five per cent NATO defence spending target would mean for Canada.

Duration:00:18:51

How to protect yourself against tick-borne illnesses

6/25/2025

As the climate warms, ticks are finding more places to call home within Canada — and spreading more diseases to people wherever they go. A doctor talks about why Lyme disease isn’t the only infection you can catch from ticks, and how to protect yourself against the bugs.

Duration:00:16:46

Delayed ferry leaves store shelves empty in Labrador

6/25/2025

The Kamutik W ferry, which delivers critical items like food and toilet paper to remote communities in Labrador, has finally set sail after being delayed for more than a week. The delay has left people in those communities running low on supplies, and some advocates calling for a better solution.

Duration:00:08:13

Do sanctions actually work?

6/24/2025

Sanctions have become the go-to tool in global politics — used to punish rogue states, and signal international condemnation. But are they effective? With sanctions piling up against Russia, Iran, and two Israeli cabinet ministers, we ask whether economic punishment actually shapes behavior — or just creates diplomatic noise.

Duration:00:24:03

What’s on the agenda at the NATO summit?

6/24/2025

NATO leaders are meeting for a historic summit. The gathering comes as conflicts continue in Ukraine and Gaza, and as a ceasefire between Iran and Israel remains fragile. We talk to former Canadian ambassador Kerry Buck, and former U.S. ambassador to NATO, Douglas Lute, about what’s on the agenda – and what’s at stake. And what Prime Minister Mark Carney needs to do to call the meeting a success.

Duration:00:19:05

A crisis in men’s health

6/23/2025

Men are struggling – according to a new study on men’s health. New data from the Movember Institute of Men’s Health shows that nearly half of Canadian men will die prematurely – before the age of 75 – from largely preventable causes. Men also account for three out of every four suicides in the country. Former Health Minister Mark Holland and study author and UBC professor Dr. John Oliffe, discuss the systemic, social, and psychological factors behind these outcomes, and call for a national men’s health strategy.

Duration:00:24:12

The US bombed Iran. What happens now?

6/23/2025

With the US inserting itself into the Iran-Israel war, dropping bombs on three nuclear sites in Iran, the CBC's Chris Brown reports from Jerusalem on the latest diplomatic efforts and what we know about Iran's nuclear capacity. We also talk to Esfandyar Batmanghelidj, founder of the Bourse & Bazaar Foundation think tank, on how the war is shaping sentiments inside Iran. Plus, we talk to The Atlantic journalist Isaac Stanley-Becker about the debate inside MAGA about US involvement.

Duration:00:19:49

Canadian politics heats up for the summer!

6/20/2025

It’s the first day of summer and Canadian politics is already heating up. Prime Minister Mark Carney is hoping to pass Bill C-5 before the House breaks, but the legislation is drawing serious pushback from Indigenous leaders and others. Meanwhile, the G7 has wrapped — was there any progress on tariffs? Plus, a Conservative Party leadership review and by-elections in Alberta. It all makes for a busy summer in Canadian politics. Our national affairs panel — Rosemary Barton, Stephanie Levitz and Kathleen Petty — join us to break it all down.

Duration:00:19:42

45 years later, Terry Fox’s brother is riding across Canada

6/20/2025

45 years ago, Terry Fox set out to run across Canada to raise money for cancer research. He made it more than 5,000 kilometres before cancer forced him to stop. This summer, his brother Darrell Fox is cycling coast to coast to honour that journey and raise funds through the Ride of Hope. We speak with Fred Fox, Terry's older brother, about what it means to see that legacy continue.

Duration:00:16:37

Go dancing and still get to bed early — the rise of daytime parties

6/20/2025

If staying out dancing until 3 a.m. doesn’t appeal to you like it used to, you’re not alone. Across Canada, daytime dance parties are making space for people who want to move, socialize and still be in bed before midnight. We talk to two daytime party organizers about what it means to dance in the daytime and how it's reshaping nightlife.

Duration:00:21:29

'Aging is not for the meek' — what we don’t talk about about aging

6/19/2025

Then, in the conclusion of our series As We Age, we bring together a panel of guests navigating emotional and complex conversations — from how to care for their aging parents, negotiating moves into retirement homes, to what it means to grow old yourself while caring for someone else. It’s an intimate look at the realities many Canadians are quietly managing behind closed doors.

Duration:00:24:26

Without final exams, are students really learning?

6/19/2025

Across Canada, final exams are disappearing from high schools. Since the pandemic, some school boards have dropped or reworked them entirely. Supporters say the shift reduces student stress and allows for more meaningful assessments. But critics worry we’re sending teens into adulthood without learning how to cope with pressure. We speak with two educators on opposite sides of the debate: What are we really testing for — and what happens when those tests disappear?

Duration:00:19:23

She was abused by her stepfather — and her mother stayed with him

6/19/2025

A powerful documentary about a woman breaking the silence around sexual abuse in her family. Robin Heald was abused for years by her stepfather — and her mother stayed with him - even after he pleaded guilty. In It Ends With Me, CBC producer John Chipman follows Robin’s journey back into that past — and how she’s working to stop the cycle for future generations.

Duration:00:26:24

A Canadian family's desperate quest to flee Iran as missiles fall

6/18/2025

As tensions rise between Israel and Iran, a Canadian citizen and her family trapped in Tehran are trying to find a way out — with fuel scarce and borders uncertain. We speak with one family preparing to flee, and hear what it's like on the ground in Jerusalem with CBC’s Margaret Evans.

Duration:00:15:47

How MRNA vaccines went from scientific darlings to a political football

6/18/2025

mRNA vaccines saved millions of lives during the pandemic. But now, that science is under political attack in the United States. Funding is being pulled, approvals are being delayed, and the science questioned by politicians. Science journalist Elie Dolgin joins us to explain how a technology once hailed as revolutionary is now facing an existential threat — and what that could cost in the fight against diseases.

Duration:00:24:38