As someone living anywhere in this country, you have rights to request records directly from your government. Most people have no idea how this works. 

Our guests got you covered. Robyn Doolittle is a staff reporter at The Globe and Mail, where she investigates freedom of information systems across the country. Cecil Rosner is an investigative journalist and managing editor of the Investigative Journalism Foundation. 

Critics warn of AI-induced cognitive decline, a flood of 'slop' and 'dross' dulling the human mind. But is brain rot inevitable? And in a world of instant answers, how do we build the future of education?

We are joined by two guests. Surya Ganguli is a professor of applied physics at Stanford University working on both neuroscience and AI. Tracey Burns is chief of global strategy and research at the National Centre on Education and the Economy.

Ecologists are worried about how much road salt is ending up in our lakes. 

Salt is also corrosive to infrastructure, tough on doggy paws and unsightly on our winter boots. 

Shelley Arnott is a professor in the department of biology at Queen’s University and the director of the Queen’s University Biological Station. Joe Salemi is an executive director with Landscape Ontario.

They answered our questions about the popularity of road salt, its impact on the environment, and other alternatives to de-ice winter roads. 

The U.S. and Israel-Iran war has triggered an unprecedented disruption in the global energy market. Our guests break down how we got here, what the near future could look like, and the impact of rising oil prices on Canadian consumers. 

Joe Calnan is vice-president of Energy and Calgary Operations at the Canadian Global Affairs Institute. Rosemary Kelanic is director of the Middle East program at Defense Priorities.

Studies show that working women globally are burning out at a higher rate than men. On the eve of International Women’s Day, we’re fielding your questions about modern womanhood and the pressure to do it all. 

Tamu Thomas is a speaker, writer, and author of the book, Women Who Work Too Much: Break Free from Toxic Productivity and Find Your Joy.

Amelia Nagoski is a conductor and co-author of Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle.”

Experts take your questions about where U.S. domestic and international law stand on President Donald Trump’s attacks on Iran.

Sabine is Canada’s Former Ambassador to the Netherlands and Specialist in International Law. She joins Just Asking alongside Quinta Jurecic, who is a staff writer at The Atlantic covering the courts, democracy and the rule of law. 

Two experts joined Just Asking to take your questions about Saturday’s joint U.S.-Israel attacks on Iran, and what could come next for the region. 

Kamran Bokhari is a senior director at the New Lines Institute for Strategy and Policy in Washington. Negar Mojtahedi is a reporter and host at Iran International English.

There’s little awareness about Tourette Syndrome and the many ways it manifests itself. This week on Just Asking, we have two guests to field your questions about Tourette Syndrome and what it’s like living with it. 

Rena Zito is a professor of sociology at Elon University, where she studies stigmatization and Tourette syndrome. She has Tourette Syndrome. Dr. Daniel Gorman is a staff psychiatrist at the Hospital for Sick Children. He’s also an associate professor of psychiatry at the University of Toronto, where he researches Tourette syndrome.

What questions do you have about social media addiction? What do you want to know about holding tech giants accountable for the design of social media platforms? 

Two experts are on the show to field your questions. Emma Duerden is Canada Research Chair in Neuroscience and Learning Disorders, and associate professor in the faculty of education at Western University. Josh Tabish is senior director for Canada at Chamber of Progress, a tech policy advocacy group. 

This week on Just Asking, we’re taking your questions about Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) and endometriosis. What do you want to know about advocating for yourself in the doctor’s office?

Dr. Olga Bougie is an associate professor of obstetrics and gynaecology at the University of Toronto. She also works in Mount Sinai Health System as an endometriosis and gynecologic surgeon. She’ll be taking your questions alongside Nam Kiwanuka, journalist and the host of TVO’s (MIS)Treated, a podcast on women's health.