The Decibel

Food affordability remains a priority for many Canadians. This week, Prime Minister Mark Carney’s government unveiled the spring economic update. It included some already announced measures aimed to make groceries more affordable.

But some people are considering others measures to make food cheaper: public grocery stores. Federal NDP leader, Avi Lewis, has been talking about establishing a network of public grocery stores across Canada and municipalities like Toronto, Ottawa and Vancouver are also considering the concept.

Mike von Massow is a food economist at the University of Guelph. He joins us today to stress-test the concept of public grocery stores and whether they could make food more affordable in Canada.

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Once scammers successfully steal someone’s money, they need a place to stash it. So they are buying verified Canadian bank accounts in order to launder money. In the last 12 months, a Canadian cybercrime research firm identified 4,337 social media posts offering to purchase accounts.

The people who allow scammers to use their accounts are known as “money mules”. Many become implicated in the crime, even if they are recruited without knowing they are being used to launder money.

Alexandra Podazki is the Globe’s financial and cybercrime reporter. Today, she joins the show to explain what exactly is happening with this black market for verified bank accounts and why the demand for money mules seems to be growing.

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The Liberals’ spring economic update lays out $54-billion in new spending over six years, including $6-billion towards boosting employment in the trades and more money for sports. The update also shows an estimated deficit of $66.9-billion for the 2025-26 fiscal year, an $11.5-billion improvement over what the government had projected in the Nov. 4 budget.

Campbell Clark, The Globe’s chief political writer, joins the show to break down what the Carney government’s first piece of fiscal policy as a majority government tells us about how they’re wielding their newfound power.

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Only 10 HIV patients worldwide are known to have achieved the milestone of being in prolonged remission. Soon, a Toronto patient will be part of the historic achievement, becoming the 11th patient and first Canadian to be effectively cured of HIV. Doctors at the Canadian Conference on HIV/AIDS Research revealed that a patient underwent a stem cell transplant that is creating a natural immunity against the virus.

Jennifer Yang, health science reporter for The Globe, delves into the complicated procedure and advancements in HIV treatments, speaks to the doctors leading the medical research and explains why there’s still a long road ahead for breakthroughs.

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It began with a whistle-blower alleging government interference in Alberta Health Services’ contracting process and its connections to a medical supply company, MHCare Medical. Alberta’s government denies the allegations. But soon, the whistle-blower and others – and a Globe reporter who dug into the case – were subject to a campaign of harassment, threats and surveillance. Who was behind it all?

Carrie Tait, a Globe reporter in Alberta, explains what it was like for her to be targeted. And Tu Thanh Ha, a long-time Globe staff reporter, explains how he went about reporting on who was involved in the intimidation campaign.

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Globe columnist Andrew Coyne interviews former U.S. ambassador and national security adviser John Bolton at The Globe and Mail’s INTERSECT/26 forum of government officials, industry leaders and policymakers. 

Coyne and Bolton discuss the spectre of Trump as a threat to Canada’s sovereignty, the tense relationship between the two countries and what Canada needs to do to bolster its defence in a time of potential conflict.

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The Alberta government is drawing controversy over electoral politics. They’re being accused of gerrymandering – the practice of redrawing voting districts to boost prospects in elections. Instead of approving a new electoral map provided by a commission, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith voted to appoint a new commission to appoint a panel that will create a new map.

Matthew Scace is a reporter from the Globe’s Calgary bureau. He joins us today to break down what this decision will mean for the Alberta government and why it’s causing such a stir.

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Robotics and drones are now leading the charge in modern warfare, reshaping battlefields in Ukraine and on the Strait of Hormuz. The Canadian military, with renewed funding and targets, is focusing on developing drones – and defence companies want to be part of production and investment.

Pippa Norman covers the defence industry and Canada’s military strategy for The Globe. She explains why unmanned vehicles are gaining popularity with military and government leaders, how its development is meant to reduce reliance on the U.S. and whether military, government and business can adapt to the moment.

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The big sell is on. Prime Minister Mark Carney’s government has promised to raise $500-billion dollars of private investment over the next five years to reposition Canada as an important player in international business. The goal is to capture billions in foreign investments by selling, in Carney’s words, “what the world wants” – energy, critical minerals and an educated workforce. And a government-led summit this year to bring wealthy investors to Canadian soil will be the site of their biggest sales pitches yet.

James Bradshaw, The Globe’s Institutional Investing reporter, explains why Canada craves foreign investment, how those funds could help the economy and whether Carney and other Canadian leaders can woo billions in business.

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Last week, Ontario introduced new legislation proposing sweeping changes to education in the province – from how school boards are managed, to having attendance make up part of final grades for high school students. This is the latest in a string of changes that serve to centralize oversight over Canada’s largest education system.

The Globe’s education reporter, Dave McGinn, joins the show to talk about why Ontario says it’s introducing these changes, and what parents and teachers want to see going forward.

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