Canada’s first federal housing advocate released her first-ever formal review last week: Housing is a human right and that the federal government is failing people who are unhoused and violating a 2019 law by not providing adequate housing. That has led directly to a poverty and encampment crisis affecting cities and towns across Canada, leaving thousands of people struggling to survive. Marie-Josée Houle, Canada’s Federal Housing Advocate, joins the show to explain the full findings of her report and the pressure on governments to act now. Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at thedecibel@globeandmail.com

The Federal Housing Advocate on the national encampment crisis

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Canada’s cultural institutions are coming up against serious economic challenges. Theatre companies say they’re facing a crisis as they struggle to recover from pandemic closures. The Montreal-based ‘Just For Laughs’, one of the world’s biggest comedy festivals, has canceled their 2024 festival and filed for creditor protection. In May, Hot Docs, an international documentary festival, announced they would temporarily close their theatre due to financial constraints. Globe business reporter Josh O’Kane has reported on a number of arts organizations cancelling shows, closing their doors, and announcing they’re on the brink of collapse. He joins the show to break down what factors lead up to this moment and what hope the arts industry can look towards. Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at thedecibel@globeandmail.com

Funding for the arts in Canada is broken

The Bank of Canada lowered the interest rate to 4.75 per cent on Wednesday – the first rate cut in four years. As the country’s central bank aims to get the inflation rate closer to 2 per cent, further cuts could be on the horizon. Realtors are hoping the rate cut will reignite a stagnant housing market, by possibly allowing more people to qualify for mortgages and increasing the number of potential buyers. Mark Rendell is a journalist with The Globe’s Report on Business. He joins the show to discuss the art and science behind rate cuts, what the current cut means for people and the economy and how the Bank of Canada might move forward. Questions? Comments? Ideas? E-mail us at thedecibel@globeandmail.com

What the Bank of Canada’s interest rate cut means for you

Last week, former U.S. president Donald Trump was found guilty on 34 felony counts. In speeches and interviews following the decision, he used religiously-charged language and called on supporters to get revenge at the polls. This isn’t the first time Trump has utilized evangelical references, but his 2024 election campaign is increasingly relying on apocalyptic rhetoric. U.S. political analyst and author Jared Yates Sexton is on the show to explain the wide appeal of the religious right’s messaging, the intersection of evangelicalism and the Make America Great Again Movement and how a loss of faith in democratic institutions underlies the appeal of religious narratives. Questions? Comments? Ideas? E-mail us at thedecibel@globeandmail.com

Why Trump’s apocalyptic rhetoric has such wide appeal

It’s been more than a month now since the pro-Palestinian protests started up at campuses across Canada, protesting the war in Gaza and calling for the universities to make changes. There’s been a wide range of responses to these protests. So today, The Globe’s postsecondary education reporter Joe Friesen is here to explain where the campus protests are now, what the students are asking for, and how the universities have responded. Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at thedecibel@globeandmail.com

Where do the university campus protests stand now?

Ontario Premier Doug Ford recently announced that beer and wine will soon be available for purchase in convenience stores and big-box stores across the province, fulfilling an election promise from 2018. The controversy? This deal means that people will have greater access to alcohol — for better or worse — and it will cost taxpayers $225-million. Jeff Gray, one of The Globe’s Ontario politics reporter, outlines the policy, explains the cost, and what federal politics might have to do with it. Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at thedecibel@globeandmail.com

The Federal Housing Advocate on the national encampment crisis

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