Heated Rivalry has taken the culture by a storm. What does what we're raptly watching tell us about ourselves and where we are as a culture? This week on Just Asking, we get to the bottom of it. We take the temperature of romance on television in 2026 with our guests Mel Woods, a senior editor at Xtra Magazine, and Cassandra Morann, a romance writer and host of the Rational Romantics podcast.  

We answer your questions about the Iran protests, the international response, and what could possibly come next. We’re joined by two guests. Arash Azizi is a lecturer at Yale University and author of the book, What Iranians Want: Women, Life, Freedom. Maral Karimi is faculty lecturer in the department of politics and public administration at Toronto Metropolitan University and author of the book, The Iranian Green Movement of 2009: Reverberating Echoes of Resistance.

Medical advice is clear on the long-term benefits of building muscle mass. But between buzz words like “progressive overload,” the fear of injury, and all the varying advice on protein intake, the whole thing can be intimidating. In this episode, you asked and we did the heavy lifting. Host Saroja Coelho is joined by two guests. Dr. Jordan Metzl is a sports medicine physician and author. Tina McInnes is a women's strength coach and retired doctor.

Canada and the world are scrambling to figure out a new approach for engaging with the U.S. in light of the U.S. military strikes in Venezuela and the White House's refusal to rule out the use of force to control Greenland. We answer your questions about diplomacy in the age of U.S. President Donald Trump with our guest Bob Rae, Canada’s former ambassador to the United Nations. 

We often set ambitious goals for the new year. But how can we make sure we don’t stretch ourselves too thin in the process? The constant chorus of “New Year, New Me” in January amplifies our desire to be productive and optimize our lives. But how much pressure is too much?

On this episode of Just Asking, we answer your questions about the value of doing less not more and how to achieve balance in our work and personal lives. Joseph Jebelli is a neuroscientist and author of the book The Brain at Rest: Why Doing Nothing Can Change Your Life. And Alex Pang is a researcher, consultant and author of Rest: Why You Get More Done When You Work Less.

Do you have a question you want Just Asking to explore? Send us a text or voice note at 226-758-8924. You can also e-mail us at [email protected]

President Donald Trump has said the United States will "run" Venezuela after carrying out attacks on the country on Saturday. The U.S. has captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. Today on Just Asking, we take your questions about the situation in Venezuela and what happens next.

It’s that time of year when we reflect on what’s happened the last 12 months, and dream up changes for the new year. Whether you’re looking for guidance in your career, relationships, or setting personal goals, we could all use a little bit of extra help dealing with the curveballs life brings us.

On this episode of Just Asking, we have two advice columnists ready to share their wisdom and help you strategize for the new year. Gretchen Rubin is a writer who studies happiness and human nature. She also co-hosts the advice podcast, “Since You Asked.” And Steve Almond is a writer and author of the book, “Truth is the Arrow, Mercy is the Bow.” He was also the co-host of the advice podcast, “Dear Sugars,” which wrapped up in 2018.

You’ll also hear from actor Jake Johnson and comedian Gareth Reynolds about what inspired them to start the “We’re Here to Help” podcast where callers share their problems with actors and comedians like Nick Kroll, Roy Wood Jr, D’Arcy Carden and Dakota Fanning. 

Do you have a question you want Just Asking to explore? Send us a text or voice note at 226-758-8924. You can also e-mail us at [email protected]

From Sinners to Severance, and all the memes in between, 2025 was a huge year in pop culture. And as critics argue over which “Best of 2025” is truly canon, the way we consume content is rapidly changing with Netflix's Warner Bros. acquisition and the ongoing debate of whether artists should avoid or embrace AI. 

On this episode of Just Asking, we take all your questions about the movies, music and online trends that broke through in 2025. Richie Assaly is a culture writer who covers music, books and politics. And Kate Lindsay is a culture writer and co-host of “In Case You Missed It" – a podcast from Slate that explores internet culture.

Do you have a question you want Just Asking to explore? Send us a text or voice note at 226-758-8924. You can also e-mail us at [email protected]

2025 has been quite the year on Parliament Hill. The Liberals kicked off the year with Justin Trudeau stepping down, and now Prime Minister Carney is ending the year hoping for another floor-crosser for Christmas. It's also been a year of soul-searching for the opposition parties as Pierre Polileve looks forward toward a leadership review in the new year, and the NDP are in the middle of their own leadership race. 

On this episode of Just Asking, our guests take all your Canadian politics questions about the non-stop news out of Ottawa. Stephanie Taylor is a parliamentary reporter with The National Post. And Phillipe Fournier is the Editor in Chief of polling website 388Canada.

Do you have a question you want Just Asking to explore? Send us a text or voice note at 226-758-8924. You can also e-mail us at [email protected]

When OCD is depicted in pop culture, it often becomes the butt of the joke like on TV shows like Friends or The Big Bang Theory. But According to the International OCD Foundation, over two-thirds of the public cannot accurately identify OCD symptoms and it takes over 7 years on average before a person suffering with OCD starts to get treatment. 

On this episode of Just Asking, our guests take all your questions about OCD-myth busting and how to support friends and family who have it. Justine De Jaegher is an advocate who has OCD herself. And Dr. Marlene Taube-Schiff is a clinical psychologist who works with patients who struggle with OCD.

Do you have a question you want Just Asking to explore? Send us a text or voice note at 226-758-8924. You can also e-mail us at [email protected]