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In recent weeks, some police unions in the U.S. have been pushing back hard against criticism from the public. And as governments across North America are responding to calls to defund the police, there’s been heightened focus on how powerful these unions really are, how they’ve been an obstacle to reform in the past, and how they might stand in the way this time around. Today, we’re joined by Global News reporter Brian Hill to talk about his new story on the role of police unions.

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If you’re lucky enough to still have a job, chances are it has changed pretty drastically if you’re working from home because of the pandemic. And if you’re having to back to your workplace, you might be wondering what you can do if you feel it’s unsafe. Today, we’ve got employment lawyer Lindsay Scott on the show to answer your top work-related legal questions.

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There have been renewed efforts to take down statues of historical figures whose legacy includes upholding white supremacy through systems like slavery and colonization. In Canada, there have also been growing calls to rename streets like Dundas Street due to Henry Dundas’ push to delay abolishing slavery. Today, we’re talking about the debate around toppling racist statues and renaming public spaces, and how these efforts may actually help us better learn about our history.

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In recent weeks, K-pop fans have come out in droves online to mobilize against anti-Black racism and police brutality, causing a Dallas Police Department app to crash, and overwhelming the #WhiteLivesMatter hashtag with content of their favourite Korean pop idols to drown out white supremacists. This weekend, they even managed to sabotage a Trump rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Today, we’re joined by Billboard’s K-pop correspondent Tamar Herman and fandom writer Stitch to talk about what’s behind these efforts and why they’re so successful.

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A lot us have been distracted by things like the pandemic and anti-Black racism, but the Conservative Party leadership campaign has been in full swing. And now we’re reaching the end. Today, we’re joined by Global News’ Chief Political Correspondent David Akin to give you a primer on the remaining four candidates and where they stand on issues like systemic racism and climate change.

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In the wake of a number of deaths of Indigenous people during encounters with police in Canada, the RCMP and other police services are being called out, again, for systemic racism. Today, we’re joined by Erick Laming, a  PhD in criminology at the University of Toronto… and Tanya Talaga, an Anishnaabe journalist and author to discuss how Indigenous people are policed and whether defunding is the answer.

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Last month, British Columbia had the highest number of overdose deaths it has ever seen in a single month. The overdose death rate for the month of May is higher than the overall number of COVID-19 deaths in the province. Today, we’re joined by Donald MacPherson, executive director of the Canadian Drug Policy Coalition, to talk about how the pandemic is putting people who use drugs at greater risk, and what he thinks needs to change.

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On Monday, renowned Filipino journalist Maria Ressa was convicted of cyber libel and faces six years in prison. Ressa and press freedom advocates say her case represents an effort to silence her and other journalists who’ve been critical of Rodrigo Duterte, the president of the Philippines. It also points to the ways Facebook has been used to undermine democratic institutions. Today, we’re joined by Fatima Syed, a reporter at The Logic, to talk about the significance of the case and how it has ripple effects beyond the Philippines.

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There are a ton of viral videos showing wild animals roaming around big cities, with captions that say “nature is healing.” We’re driving less, flying less, and getting on our bikes and walking more. So, it may feel like the silver lining to this pandemic is that we’re saving the planet… But are we? Today, we’re joined by Global News’ Jeff Semple to talk about whether the lockdown measures mean we’re making progress in the fight against climate change.

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While the vast majority of the anti-police brutality protests in recent weeks in the U.S. have been peaceful, a lot of attention has been focused on a small number of people who have resorted to looting and property damage. Though some have pointed to the violence as a reason to dismiss the protests altogether, others argue that the violence is understandable and is the product of genuine rage at the system. Today, we’re joined by Omar Wasow, a professor in politics at Princeton University to talk about his research into the efficacy of non-violent and violent protests.

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