The Rundown

After tariffs, policies around crypto currency appear to be a domestic priority for the Trump Administration. As a presidential candidate, Trump vowed to make the U.S. the crypto capital of the world. But some of his moves in crypto – and those of his family – have left even ardent supporters of the sector recoiling. So, what does the U.S. gain from Trump's crypto policies.

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Canada's middle class is being squeezed out of housing markets in Ontario's largest cities, harming not only those people but local economies, too. But the federal Liberals say they have a plan to build hundreds of thousands of affordable units, even creating a new crown corporation for the task. But a lot needs to happen before those homes can be built at the scale and speed needed to get the middle class into homes they can afford. To discuss we welcome Mike Moffatt, Director of the University of Ottawa's Missing Middle Initiative and Leslie Woo, CEO of CivicAction.

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The Toronto Tempo will begin playing in the WNBA in 2026. How do you build a brand new team? And what does this team mean for Canadian basketball? We're joined by the team's president and general manager, Teresa Resch and Monica Wright Rogers.

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As ticket prices soar and ads for sports betting increase, are business interests taking some of the magic out of sporting events? We welcome Cheri Bradish, David Macfarlane, and Morgan Campbell to explore.

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Michael Coren and Irshad Manji are back in studio to rehash the old days, as they once did on a segment called "Friendly Fire." The two went head-to-head weekly, debating hot topics on 'Studio 2,' The Agenda's predecessor. With career changes and political lines crossed, what has this dynamic duo learned over the last 30 years?

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In their February report, the Committee to Protect Journalists revealed that 2024 was the deadliest year for press in CPJ history, with almost 70 per cent killed by Israel. In honour of World Press Freedom Day on May 3, The Agenda invites Jessica Jerreat, press freedom editor; Jodie Ginsberg, CEO of the Committee to Protect Journalists; Heather Bakken, president of World Press Freedom Canada and Anna Romandash, Ukrainian freelance journalist to discuss what happens when the right to independent information is taken away.

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It seems nobody ever loses a bet forecasting that things can only get worse in the Middle East. And the last year-and-a-half has been particularly awful. The Hamas attack and hostage taking in Israel on October 7, 2023. The ensuing Israeli response which has killed so many in Gaza. Does it always have to be this way? Angela Mattar is a Palestinian activist and medical student. Itamar Avneri is an Israeli city councillor for the municipality of Tel Aviv/Jaffa. They are both part of a group called Standing Together, which dares to imagine a future that is very different from the past.

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In the world of international affairs, more than 130 countries have diplomatic missions in Canada. But the German ambassador to Canada is a bit different. That's because there are two of them who split the job. They are the husband-and-wife team of Tjorven Bellman and Matthias Lüttenberg. They join host Steve Paikin for a wide-ranging discussion on this unique ambassadorship, Canada-Germany relations in the era of Donald Trump, NATO, Germany's place in the world, and more.

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With the federal election campaign over and Mark Carney's Liberals securing a new mandate from Canadians, what relationships should the government prioritize going forward in its trade war with the Trump Administration? One country we might look to is Mexico. Given its close geographic proximity and strained relationship with the U.S., what opportunities might exist for Canada and Mexico to team up against Trump? Host Steve Paikin asks: José Luis Granados Ceja, co-host of the Soberanía Mexican Politics podcast and presenter of Sin Muros on Mexico's Channel 11; Solange Márquez Espinoza, Geopolitical analyst and Editor of "Mexico & Canada: Two Nations in a North American Partnership," and Alejandro García Magos, Lecturer of Political Science at the University of Toronto.

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For 15 years, the satirical news outlet has been skewering Canadian politics and culture, amassing a loyal following. How does the country's "most trusted, least accurate news source" manage to find the humour in grim times, and what serious lessons can we learn from comedy? We discuss with co-founder and editor-in-chief Luke Gordon Field and contributing writer Clare Blackwood.

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