The Rundown

While headlines about migration might make it seem like a relatively new phenomenon, the movement of people spans hundreds of thousands of years, and according to our guest, has been essential to the survival of the human species. Ian Goldin is professor of globalization and development at the University of Oxford, and author of "The Shortest History of Migration: When, Why, and How Humans Move-From the Prehistoric Peopling of the Planet to Today and Tomorrow's Migrants".

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Prime Minister Mark Carney went to Washington to try and reset relations with Donald Trump. Should he do the same with China and India? Ties with them have been strained in recent years, so can the new PM find a way to work with the world's two most populous countries? Host Steve Paikin asks: Rohinton Medhora, Professor of Practice at McGill University, and a Distinguished Fellow at CIGI, the Centre for International Governance Innovation; Vina Nadjibulla, Vice-President of Research & Strategy at the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada; And Jeff Mahon, Director of Geopolitical & International Business Advisory at StrategyCorp and Executive in Residence at the Canada West Foundation.

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Public Health Ontario's measles report has been rapidly rising since the outbreak began in October. With this highly contagious disease spanning to new parts of the country, why are some parents still reluctant to get their children vaccinated? The Agenda invites André Picard, health reporter and columnist for The Globe and Mail; Dr. Jeffrey Pernica, pediatrics infectious disease position at McMaster Children's Hospital; Dr. Dawn Bowdish, professor of medicine at McMaster University and Jill Promoli, public health advocate to discuss.

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Robert Francis Prevost – now Pope Leo XIV – is the first American elected to lead 1.4 billion Catholics around the world. He spent much of his time in Peru as a missionary before Pope Francis in 2023 made him a Cardinal, and therefore eligible to become Pope. To help us learn more about the new Pontiff and the direction he may lead the Catholic Church, we welcome: Megan Armstrong, professor of history at McMaster University in Hamilton, and a specialist on Early Modern Catholicism; and Michael Higgins, Basilian Distinguished Fellow of Contemporary Catholic Thought at the University of St. Michael's College, and author of "The Jesuit Disruptor: A Personal Portrait of Pope Francis."

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From mommy bloggers and hyper-organized TikTok moms, to feminist manifestos on the value of domestic labour, motherhood is a hot topic. And in her new book, "Story of Your Mother," – partially written directly to her first-born son – Chantal Braganza looks for fresh ways to define the life-altering experience, both intellectually and very personally. She's also a senior editor at Chatelaine Magazine.

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It's been 80 years since Allied forces defeated Nazi Germany in World War II. Why is it still important to recognize Victory in Europe, or VE Day? Three historians discuss the significance of this anniversary, not just to help us understand the past, but to comprehend the present. Margaret MacMillan, emeritus professor of International History at Oxford University and the University of Toronto and author of "War: How Conflict Shaped Us"; Tim Cook, chief historian and director of research at the Canadian War Museum and author of "The Good Allies: How Canada and the United States Fought Together to Defeat Fascism during the Second World War"; and Jeff Noakes, historian at the Canadian War Museum and author of "Forged in Fire: Canada and the Second World War" join Steve Paikin to discuss.

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In his debut novel "The Riveter," author Jack Wang tells the story of two star-crossed lovers set amidst the backdrop of anti-Chinese racism in Canada that lasted decades before and well through the Second World War. And while the story may be fiction, there is an element of truth in this tale of love and war. Jack Wang joins Jeyan Jeganathan to discuss.

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For years, fighting was on the decline in the National Hockey League and traditional enforcers lost their place on the roster. But is fighting coming back? It certainly was in that Four Nations Canada/USA game in Montreal, where there were three fights in nine seconds. Is that moment a turning point for fighting in the game? We've also seen our share of brutal headshots in the Stanley Cup Playoffs so far. Is the league succeeding at all in cutting down on those? Guests include: Ryan Pinder, co-host of Barn Burner Podcast at Flames Nation; Sean McIndoe, Senior NHL writer at The Athletic and co-host of two podcasts: Puck Soup and The Athletic Hockey Show; Mary Ormsby, Toronto Star journalist for 35 years; and Ken Campbell, Freelance hockey writer and a long-time writer at The Hockey News.

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History is easy in the rearview. When you look back things are a lot neater and tidier - you can say this is authoritarianism, this is fascism, this is the obvious threshold or signpost for crossing into it. History though may not be as obvious when you are living it. Has the United States crossed the threshold into authoritarianism? Or fascism? The Atlantic's Tom Nichols weighs in.

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In 2017, Tom Nichols wrote, "The Death of Expertise: The Campaign Against Established Knowledge and Why it Matters". The book has been translated into 14 languages and has proved to be, unfortunately, quite prescient. Nichols has recently come out with a second edition of the book. He joins to discuss the on-going attack on expertise, why Elon Musk is cutting thousands of government jobs, and why authoritarians always go after the experts.

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