The Decibel

By The Globe and Mail

What's The Decibel about?

Context is everything. Join us Monday to Friday for a Canadian daily news podcast from The Globe and Mail. Explore a story shaping our world, in conversation with reporters, experts, and the people at the centre of the news.

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The Decibel episodes:

05.03.2024
‘What I eat in a day’ videos and the new diet culture
Diet culture that celebrates thinness, weight loss and supplements, has been around for decades. But the global reach of social media and influencers talking about nutrition trends and advice is something new. And what they’re telling – and selling –...
05.02.2024
How the politics of decriminalization played out in B.C.
Last year, British Columbia’s government began an experiment in drug policy by decriminalizing illicit drug use, up to a certain amount. The pilot program was meant to address the worsening opioid crisis that killed thousands of people in B.C. in...
05.01.2024
Why running is more popular than ever
Distance running, once a relatively niche sport, has exploded in popularity. The trend has been ongoing for at least a decade, but 2024′s running season may be the biggest one yet. Marathon race organizers are expecting record participation in races...
04.30.2024
Sudan and the neglected wars
Sudan is facing a dire humanitarian crisis. Nearly 9 million people are displaced from their homes and millions face severe hunger, all stemming from a conflict that broke out just over a year ago. But there are widespread concerns that...
04.29.2024
The biggest EV investment in Canada yet
By 2030, the federal government is hoping 60 per cent of new car sales will be zero-emission. By 2035, they want that number to be 100 per cent. To help with that goal, Canada and a number of provinces have...
04.26.2024
City Space: Vancouver’s Chinatown fights gentrification
Canada’s largest Chinatown has been under siege for over a century: first by race riots, then by poverty and most recently by the threat of development. We’re telling the story of why Chinatown, Vancouver, is one of Canada’s most resilient...
04.25.2024
The call to disband the Thunder Bay police
This week, a group of First-Nations leaders called for the Thunder Bay Police Service to be disbanded for the second time – following charges against high ranking members of the service and board, and several reports accusing the police service...
04.24.2024
How Hong Kong is cracking down on dissent
The government in Hong Kong recently voted to pass a new national security law, referred to as Article 23. It includes seven new offences related to sedition, treason and state secrets, and is expected to have a chilling effect on...
04.23.2024
As conflict rages in Gaza, a ‘silent war’ in the West Bank
The Israel-Hamas war is continuing in Gaza, but tension extends to another Palestinian territory, the West Bank. Five hundred Palestinians have been killed by Israeli settlers or security forces, according to local authorities, and at least nine Israelis have been...
04.22.2024
The capital gains tax, explained
When the federal government released their 2024 budget last week, they changed the capital gains tax for the first time in a quarter-century. The tax is set to bring in $19.3-billion dollars, and the government says it’ll only impact the...
04.19.2024
ArriveCan and the government’s outsourcing problem
On Wednesday, Kristian Firth became the first person in over a century held in contempt of Parliament and ordered to answer MP questions. It all has to do with the ArriveCan app, which his company, GC Strategies, was awarded millions...
04.18.2024
The stakes of India’s election as Modi seeks third term
With nearly one billion eligible voters, India is the world’s biggest democracy. Beginning April 19, with voting staggered over six weeks, they will decide their leader for the next five years. Narendra Modi aims to consolidate power with his third...
04.17.2024
What the 2024 federal budget means for you
The 2024 Canadian federal budget has been unveiled, with a particular focus on affordability and housing this year. But the 430 page plan covers a wide gamut of other spending details – from defence, tax hikes, generational fairness and much...
04.16.2024
How a new kind of drug could change the future of Alzheimer’s
There are an estimated 650,000 cases of dementia in Canada right now. The last 20 years of research into the treatment of Alzheimer’s have been, as one expert put it, “agonizing.” But a new drug was approved in the United...
04.15.2024
City Space: How Halifax’s unhoused crisis got so bad
The Globe and Mail’s City Space podcast takes on the big issues, questions and stories of urban living. What makes a city function? Why was it built that way? How will it change in a tech-powered society? This episode takes...
04.12.2024
What we’ve learned from the foreign interference inquiry
After a spate of news stories and immense public pressure, the government of Canada established the Public Inquiry into Foreign Interference to examine allegations that foreign countries like China and Russia interfered in our elections. The inquiry has heard from...
04.11.2024
Former health minister Jane Philpott’s plan to save health care
Long wait times and the never ending battle to connect with a healthcare professional is a reality most people know all too well. Especially for the 6.5 million Canadian residents who do not have a family doctor. It’s a problem...
04.10.2024
Why major economies are trying to woo Vietnam
Vietnam is having a moment on the world stage. Last month, Canada sent the largest ever “Team Canada” delegation of business leaders and government officials in a push to strengthen the bond with the country. And Canada isn’t alone –...
04.09.2024
How seafood from North Korean forced labour ends up in Canada
Where does your seafood come from? And who, along the supply chain, handled it? An investigation from the non-profit investigative journalism organization, Outlaw Ocean Project, reveals a network of North Korean labourers at Chinese seafood plants – a violation of...
04.08.2024
The big business bet on psychedelic drugs
In the last few years, there has been an increase in research around using psychedelic drugs, like LSD and magic mushrooms, as treatments for mental health conditions. And recently, two Canadian companies working in the sphere have gotten a special...
04.05.2024
The deadly challenges of getting aid into Gaza
The deaths of seven World Central Kitchen humanitarian aid workers in Gaza has shone a light on the dangerous conditions facing people delivering essential supplies to Gazans. Some aid organizations have either suspended or modified deliveries in order to protect...
04.04.2024
School boards take on social media giants
Educators across Canada are worried about the use of cellphones – and in particular social media – in classrooms, saying it’s disrupting class and causing mental health issues. Four school boards in Ontario are suing the companies behind Facebook, Instagram,...
04.03.2024
Canada’s uncertain AI future
Since 2017, Canada has worked to attract the best artificial intelligence research talent in the world. But it hasn’t been investing in the infrastructure that those researchers need to push the limits of AI and the questions it can potentially...
04.02.2024
Four reasons why you can’t afford housing
Buying and owning a home in Canada is an endless source of frustration. Many have been priced out, while competition is high as a lack of housing stock runs up against a rapidly growing population. While more homes are needed...
04.01.2024
What to know about the upcoming total solar eclipse
On April 8, the moon will block out the sun giving many Canadians a chance to witness a total solar eclipse. Cities and towns falling in the path of totality are getting ready for this special day and are expected...
03.28.2024
How sleep affects our brains
There are few more important habits for human health than the hours we spend asleep every night. Research shows sleep – or lack of it – affects everything from our physical and mental health, decision making and ability to fight...
03.27.2024
Amid a housing crisis, students build tiny homes for teachers
Aspen, Colorado is a picturesque mountain town often called a snowy “playground for the rich”. Real estate is also one of the most expensive in the United States, and for the teachers that live there, that means they’ve been priced...
03.26.2024
What you need to know about your CPP money
For most workers in Canada, there’s a chunk of money deducted from each paycheck that goes toward the Canada Pension Plan. It happens whether you want it to or not. That’s because the CPP was set up to force people...
03.25.2024
Why single parents are struggling in Canada
The number of single parents in Canada has been steadily growing since the 1970s. Today, one in five children grow up in single-parent homes. However, the increasing cost of living and lack of sufficient financial support is pushing many of...
03.22.2024
The political fight over the carbon tax
The federal price on carbon is set to increase on April 1. This tax is being criticized by many provinces including Saskatchewan. At the end of last year, Premier Scott Moe announced that the province will stop collecting a carbon...
03.21.2024
Who’s left to oppose Vladimir Putin?
Russian President Vladimir Putin is one of the longest serving leaders of the country, on track to surpass the rule of Joseph Stalin. Over the years, Putin has cracked down on opposition, as seen with Alexey Navalny and many others...
03.20.2024
Why full parole was granted to a multiple murderer
The man who murdered the parents of a former NHL goalie was recently granted full parole. In 2022, a ruling by the Supreme Court struck down the punishment of life without parole for multiple murders. This case has raised questions...
03.19.2024
The dark side of Bay Street’s hottest finance funds
Private debt funds are one of the hottest commodities in the world of investing. High rates of return and low management fees made them popular among investors. However, some recent redemption freezes and the allegations against Bridging Finance Inc. have...
03.18.2024
The challenge with preparing for wildfires in B.C.
Canada went through its most destructive wildfire season in 2023. Wildfire services rely on data, forestry photography and mapping as a way to proactively control forest fires. However, a recent study in B.C. has found that the data being used...
03.15.2024
Why millennial women are so burnt out
Millennial women are feeling burnt out. The responsibilities and pressures of family, work and caregiving are piling up, amidst the lingering fallout of the pandemic and the economic crisis. But what makes this generation’s burnout unique to generations before it? The Globe...
03.14.2024
Where Haiti could go from here
After months of escalating violence, Haiti has descended into chaos. Criminal gangs have largely taken control of the country’s capital as they attack civilians and police. Haitian prime minister Ariel Henry has agreed to step down to allow for a...
03.13.2024
The ‘invisible’ opioid crisis in small towns
The dangerous effects of the opioid crisis could be distilled in a single afternoon in February: the town of Belleville, Ont., saw 14 overdose cases in just two hours. The scale of the opioid crisis is often associated with big...
03.12.2024
The debate around using hormone therapy for menopause
A new series published by the medical journal, The Lancet says menopause is being “over-medicalized.” It argues that treating aging like an illness does women a disservice. The medical community’s approach to menopause has changed a lot throughout the years...
03.11.2024
Building renewables in Alberta just got a lot harder
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith announced new regulations for renewable power developments that started on March 1st. This comes after the province paused all renewable developments in August. And the rules have some people concerned that it will limit this booming...
03.08.2024
Toxic truths about Agent Orange in Canadian military base
A recent legislative commission in Maine has questioned the 2006 Canadian investigation on the spraying of herbicides that took place in a New Brunswick military base. The latest report says the Canadian government downplayed the effects of Agent Orange on...
03.07.2024
Celebrated Group of Seven sketches revealed to be fakes
In 2015, the Vancouver Art Gallery believed it had made a groundbreaking acquisition. 10 sketches by Group of Seven member J.E.H. MacDonald were unearthed in the mid-1970s and sold off. But experts in the Canadian art world weren’t convinced they...
03.06.2024
Why measles infections are surging again
Measles cases have been popping up all over the world, including in Canada. This highly contagious virus can be devastating – and even deadly – to people who haven’t been vaccinated against it. The Globe and Mail’s health columnist André Picard...
03.05.2024
Documents reveal fired scientists shared information with China
Newly released documents reveal two scientists who worked at a high-security infectious disease lab in Winnipeg provided confidential scientific information to China. Both scientists were fired back in 2021, but for years the exact reasons why had been a mystery....
03.04.2024
What to know about Canada’s new Pharmacare bill
The Liberal-NDP supply-and-confidence deal has passed another test. The two parties managed to table a pharmacare bill before the March 1 deadline. But the compromise legislation is a limited program, supplying universal, single-payer coverage to only two classes of drugs. Marieke...
03.01.2024
Filling Canada’s trades labour shortage with high school students
There are increasing shortages in the skilled trades in Canada, and provinces and territories are desperate to get people to fill them – so, they’re turning to young people. There are programs across the country to get high school students...
02.29.2024
Why discount airlines keep going bust in Canada
On Monday, Calgary-based discount airline Lynx Air, which launched a mere two years ago, ceased operations. For customers, that means they’re likely not getting refunds and will have to find alternate and possibly more expensive tickets to their destinations. This is...
02.28.2024
The rise in exclusive deals between insurers and pharmacies
Exclusive deals struck between insurance companies and pharmacies are increasingly drawing scrutiny from patients, pharmacists and cabinet ministers. The arrangements, known as preferred pharmacy networks (PPNs), are meant to deal with rising prices of pharmaceutical drugs. But detractors say these...
02.27.2024
The Odysseus lunar landing and a new space race
For the first time ever, a spacecraft built by a private company has landed on the moon. The robotic lander, named Odysseus, touched down in the south polar region on Thursday. But not before a nerve-wracking communications blackout and an...
02.26.2024
The landmark decision on white nationalist terrorism
Since the murder of a Muslim family by a self-described white nationalist in London, Ont. in 2021, debate has raged over whether this crime was an act of terrorism under Canadian law. Last week’s Ontario Superior Court ruling has settled...
02.23.2024
On the ground in Kharkiv, two years into the Russian invasion
Two years ago, Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Now, with Russia on the front foot, many towns that have been safe for months are being thrust back onto the frontlines, like Kharkiv in northeastern Ukraine. Today, The Globe’s senior...

What's The Decibel about?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

The Decibel episodes:

‘What I eat in a day’ videos and the new diet culture

How the politics of decriminalization played out in B.C.

Why running is more popular than ever

Sudan and the neglected wars

The biggest EV investment in Canada yet

City Space: Vancouver’s Chinatown fights gentrification

The call to disband the Thunder Bay police

How Hong Kong is cracking down on dissent

As conflict rages in Gaza, a ‘silent war’ in the West Bank

The capital gains tax, explained

ArriveCan and the government’s outsourcing problem

The stakes of India’s election as Modi seeks third term

What the 2024 federal budget means for you

How a new kind of drug could change the future of Alzheimer’s

City Space: How Halifax’s unhoused crisis got so bad

What we’ve learned from the foreign interference inquiry

Former health minister Jane Philpott’s plan to save health care

Why major economies are trying to woo Vietnam

How seafood from North Korean forced labour ends up in Canada

The big business bet on psychedelic drugs

The deadly challenges of getting aid into Gaza

School boards take on social media giants

Canada’s uncertain AI future

Four reasons why you can’t afford housing

What to know about the upcoming total solar eclipse

How sleep affects our brains

Amid a housing crisis, students build tiny homes for teachers

What you need to know about your CPP money

Why single parents are struggling in Canada

The political fight over the carbon tax

Who’s left to oppose Vladimir Putin?

Why full parole was granted to a multiple murderer

The dark side of Bay Street’s hottest finance funds

The challenge with preparing for wildfires in B.C.

Why millennial women are so burnt out

Where Haiti could go from here

The ‘invisible’ opioid crisis in small towns

The debate around using hormone therapy for menopause

Building renewables in Alberta just got a lot harder

Toxic truths about Agent Orange in Canadian military base

Celebrated Group of Seven sketches revealed to be fakes

Why measles infections are surging again

Documents reveal fired scientists shared information with China

What to know about Canada’s new Pharmacare bill

Filling Canada’s trades labour shortage with high school students

Why discount airlines keep going bust in Canada

The rise in exclusive deals between insurers and pharmacies

The Odysseus lunar landing and a new space race

The landmark decision on white nationalist terrorism

On the ground in Kharkiv, two years into the Russian invasion

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