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Front Burner is a daily news podcast that takes you deep into the stories shaping Canada and the world. Each morning, from Monday to Friday, host Jayme Poisson talks with the smartest people covering the biggest stories to help you understand what’s going on. We’re Canada’s number one news podcast and a trusted source of Canadian news.
We cover Canadian news and Canadian politics, Pierre Poilievre, Mark Carney, the Donald Trump administration, the upcoming 2025 Canadian election, provincial politics from Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario, and politicians Danielle Smith, David Eby and Doug Ford. We cover Toronto, Vancouver, and Calgary as well as other municipalities across Canada.
In this Canadian election year, Front Burner will be focusing more on Canadian politics. We will take a close look at Mark Carney’s first few weeks as Prime Minister-Designate, the Conservatives and Opposition Leader Pierre Poilievre as well as other leaders like Jagmeet Singh from the NDP and Quebec’s Yves-François Blanchet from the Bloc Québécois during the 2025 Canadian federal election. The podcast goes beyond Ottawa and digs deeper into major election issues like U.S.-Canada relations, jobs, the economy, immigration, cost of living, housing and rental costs, taxes and tariffs, democracy and technology.
The Front Burner daily podcast covers Canadian news from every province and territory: Alberta, British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Ontario, Quebec, Manitoba, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Nunavut, Northwest Territories and Yukon. We cover news from major cities like Ottawa, Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary and Edmonton.
When U.S. President Donald Trump declares he wants to make Canada the 51st state, and decides to implement tariffs, Front Burner has an analysis into what is happening. We cover Elon Musk’s DOGE. We cover the latest in technology from the rise of bitcoin and crypto, the future of TikTok, Meta, artificial intelligence, influencers, and more.
Look to our archives to see fact-checked stories about infrastructure, fascism, border security, immigration, Pierre Poilievre, Justin Trudeau, the Republican Party, American politics, Canadian politics, India, China, Trump’s tariffs, Mark Carney, Elon Musk, Toronto, technology, artificial intelligence, international students, healthcare, and inflation. We cover global news like the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, the ceasefire, the Ukraine-Russia war, and the U.S. economy and U.S. politics.
Front Burner is a part of your morning news routine. Whether you’re in Toronto or Vancouver or Washington, this is the news that matters to Canadians. We take a look at the economy and break it down from the budget to interest rate hikes to inflation to recessions to jobs to the cost of living. We look at the policy around housing, Canadian housing supply, and what this means for first-time home buyers, renters, and those with a mortgage. We look at technology, from AI to the manosphere to social media like Meta, Twitter, Facebook, and more. We look at influential newsmakers like Elon Musk and influential technology industries like crypto and AI.
1776 Episodes
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;Resize=(3000).jpg "Weekend listen: Power & Politics’ campaign wrap")
It's almost election day, and our colleagues at Power and Politics have been putting out a weekly wrap, where political strategists break down what the biggest federal election stories actually mean for the campaign.This week, former Justin Trudeau adviser Laura D'Angelo, former Harper government staffer Michael Solberg and former Alberta NDP strategist Zain Velji talk platforms -- do they matter, at this stage in the campaign game? And especially for a party like the Conservatives, who keep polling behind the Liberals? The strategists also have thoughts on tensions between Pierre Poilievre and conservative premiers, and weigh in with what they think are the most under-the-radar election stories of the week.To hear more of Power and Politics daily: https://link.mgln.ai/8DXaye
;Resize=(3000).jpg "Cuts, spending, spin: The economics of party platforms")
3Within the last week, the Liberals, Conservatives and NDP have all released their costed platforms, detailing their plans for the country and how they will pay for them. While the question of who will be Canada’s next prime minister remains, it’s certain they’ll face a challenging economic outlook, with a Canada-U.S. trade war in full swing and a recession looming. Who’s spending more and on what? How does the confusing math work? Today, we’re breaking down the details with Aaron Wherry, a senior writer with CBC's Ottawa bureau. Make sure to watch our election night livestream on Monday, April 28 starting at 8pm Eastern. You can find it here on the CBC News YouTube channel and on the CBC News TikTok.
;Resize=(3000).jpg "The politics of the toxic drug crisis")
Since 2016, the toxic drug crisis has taken more than 50 thousand Canadian lives.The Conservative party has promised $200-million a year to fund addictions recovery care for 50,000 people, according to the party's platform. Leader Pierre Poilievre has also vowed to “defund drug dens” – imposing strict new rules for overdose prevention sites and supervised consumption sites.Liberal leader Mark Carney has said that his party would review the effectiveness of such sites, while the federal NDP supports them.So given all of that…who’s left fighting the toxic drug crisis? How did harm reduction programs become so politically unviable? And what does that mean for drug users?Front Burner senior producer Elaine Chau brings us this documentary from Vancouver – ground zero of an overdose crisis that’s now wreaked havoc across the country.Make sure to watch our election night livestream on Monday, April 28 starting at 8pm Eastern. You can find it here on the CBC News YouTube channel and on the CBC News TikTok.For transcripts of Front Burner, please visit: https://www.cbc.ca/radio/frontburner/transcripts
;Resize=(3000).jpg "How different are the party platforms?")
The Liberals, Conservatives, and NDP have released their platforms. What exactly are they promising to do on issues like housing, climate change, crime and justice and the cost of living?We’ve gathered a collection of experts to break down all the details and hear from economist Mike Moffatt, climate journalist Arno Kopecky, CBC senior business reporter Anis Heydari, and CBC Senior writer Peter Zimonjic.Make sure to watch our election night livestream on Monday, April 28 starting at 8pm Eastern. You can find it here on the CBC News YouTube channel and on the CBC News TikTok. For transcripts of Front Burner, please visit: https://www.cbc.ca/radio/frontburner/transcripts
;Resize=(3000).jpg "The legacy of Pope Francis")
Pope Francis brought a lot of firsts to the Catholic Church. He was the first from Latin America, and under him, the church became increasingly globalized and diverse. He spoke up for LGBTQ rights, for the people of Gaza, and for migrants and refugees around the world. In 2022, he apologized for the Catholic Church's role in Canada's residential school system.But his death on Monday comes at a complicated time for the church. The Vatican is grappling with the new political direction in the United States, and the college of cardinals is bigger and more diverse than it has ever been.Massimo Faggioli, a professor of historical theology at Villanova University, breaks down the legacy of Pope Francis and what the future of the Catholic Church could look like under his successor.For transcripts of Front Burner, please visit: https://www.cbc.ca/radio/frontburner/transcripts
;Resize=(3000).jpg "Do drugs belong in therapy?")
On Drugs looks through the lenses of history, pop culture and personal experience to understand how drugs have shaped our world. Because even if it’s just caffeine or ibuprofen, there’s a good chance you’re on drugs right now.More episodes of On Drugs are available at: https://link.mgln.ai/Q5X33U
;Resize=(3000).jpg "Recapping the high-stakes leaders' debate")
As the federal election reaches the homestretch, four party leaders squared off in Montreal Thursday evening in the only English-language debate of the campaign. Liberal leader and polling frontrunner Mark Carney took heat from all sides as the Conservatives' Pierre Poilievre, the NDP's Jagmeet Singh and the Bloc's Yves-François Blanchet kept the barbs coming his way all night.Aaron Wherry is a senior writer with CBC's Ottawa bureau. He breaks down how everyone performed and what we learned from them — as well as the controversy surrounding the debate commission itself, and the drama that led to post-debate reporter scrums being canceled.Make sure to watch our election night livestream on Monday, April 28 starting at 8pm Eastern. You can find it here on the CBC News YouTube channel and on the CBC News TikTok.
;Resize=(3000).jpg "A pre-debate state of the race")
With just over a week until election day, Canada's main party leaders go head to head tonight in the only English language debate. So, where does the campaign stand? Is anything shifting? How do people feel about the leaders at the moment? Where are parties drawing their biggest support and losses from? David Coletto, the CEO of the polling firm Abacus Data, joins the show today to tell us what the latest polls are saying.He will rejoin the show as just one of several special guests on our election night livestream, Monday, April 28. Watch it on the CBC News YouTube channel and CBC News on TikTok. For transcripts of Front Burner, please visit: https://www.cbc.ca/radio/frontburner/transcripts
;Resize=(3000).jpg "When China and the U.S. fight, who wins?")
A big part of Donald Trump’s global tariff regime targets the Chinese economy in a bid, he says, to force the country into a deal favorable to the United States. Despite this, officials in China have been undeterred — claiming that tariffs will hurt Americans more than Chinese, and drawing comparison between the actions of Donald Trump and Mao Zedong’s ‘cultural revolution.’Chinese officials have also responded to Donald Trump’s tariff program saying, in part: “if war is what the U.S. wants, be it a tariff war, a trade war or any other type of war, we’re ready to fight till the end." David Rennie is a columnist with The Economist, where he formerly worked as the magazine’s Beijing correspondent. He joins us for a conversation about the China-U.S. relationship, why officials in China view Trump as a ‘revolutionary’ figure, and this as a one of the great moments of opportunity in China’s modern history. For transcripts of Front Burner, please visit: https://www.cbc.ca/radio/frontburner/transcripts
;Resize=(3000).jpg "The Conservative kingmaker behind Poilievre")
Three terms and a decisive majority under Stephen Harper. Erin O'Toole's leadership run — and subsequent castigation. Pierre Poilievre's meteoric ascendency to within striking distance of the country's top office.What do these things all have in common? Jenni Byrne, the longtime Conservative powerbroker running Poilievre's campaign, who has moved in the party's inner circles since first joining the Reform Party at age 16.Simon Lewsen recently profiled Byrne for Maclean's. He takes us through her biggest wins, her most crushing losses, and why her unwavering commitment to populist conservative principles has been her greatest strength — but may now have become one of the campaign's biggest liabilities.For transcripts of Front Burner, please visit: https://www.cbc.ca/radio/frontburner/transcripts
;Resize=(3000).jpg "Election! Rallies, reporters, and tax havens")
Election day in Canada is only two weeks away.All the major parties have been holding rallies across the country, with some Conservative supporters bringing “Do you believe the polls?” signs to a party event.Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre is facing scrutiny over limiting media access, and Liberal leader Mark Carney is facing questions about his time working in the private sector and billion-dollar funds he oversaw in tax havens.Rosemary Barton is the CBC’s chief political correspondent. She’s here to catch us up on the latest developments in the campaign.Plus, we get the story behind how two Liberal party staffers planted ‘stop the steal’ buttons at a conservative conference.For transcripts of Front Burner, please visit: https://www.cbc.ca/radio/frontburner/transcripts
;Resize=(3000).jpg "Weekend Listen: The deadliest attack you’ve forgotten. The investigation you never heard.")
In the wake of 9/11, anthrax-laced letters unleashed a new wave of terror across the nation. But who was behind the attacks — and why has America nearly forgotten this story?As government buildings shut down and law enforcement scrambled to track the perpetrator, the FBI launched one of the largest and most complex investigations in its history. Untangling a web of scientific evidence and false leads, the case took unexpected turns with lasting consequences.From Wolf Entertainment, USG Audio, Dig Studios and CBC, this eight-part series grants unprecedented access to declassified materials and firsthand accounts, revealing how the anthrax attacks reshaped America—and the hidden impact that still lingers today. More episodes of Aftermath: Hunt for the Anthrax Killer are available at: https://link.mgln.ai/nDyBn7
;Resize=(3000).jpg "What did Trump just do to the economy?")
U.S. President Donald Trump announced a 90-day pause on much of what he calls "reciprocal tariffs" barely a week after first imposing them — while also implementing a 10 per cent tariff across the board on most countries, and a whopping 145 per cent tariff on China.Markets first soared at the news, then went back into freefall. Members of Trump's cabinet claimed this was the strategy all along. The chaos even brought the stability of U.S. government bonds into question.Justin Wolfers, a professor of economics at the University of Michigan, unpacks what's really going on here, and why Trump's past dealings with Canada could provide some insight into how it will all shake out.For transcripts of Front Burner, please visit: https://www.cbc.ca/radio/frontburner/transcripts
;Resize=(3000).jpg "The last time the U.S. tariffed the world")
On Wednesday, U.S. President Donald Trump announced a 90-day pause on his sweeping global reciprocal tariffs for all countries, except for China.Trump has long expressed his love of tariffs. Just last week, he spoke about how believes the U.S. was founded on tariffs, and that they could have helped the country avoid the Great Depression. Then, referring to the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act of 1930, the President said: “They tried to bring back tariffs to save our country, but it was gone. It was gone. It was too late. Nothing could have been done — took years and years to get out of that depression.”Today on Front Burner, what lessons do the Smoot-Hawley tariffs offer during this moment of global economic chaos?Asa McKercher is the Hudson Chair in Canada-U.S. relations at the Brian Mulroney Institute of Government. He’s back on Front Burner to talk about that and much more.For transcripts of Front Burner, please visit: https://www.cbc.ca/radio/frontburner/transcripts
;Resize=(3000).jpg "Jason Kenney’s case for a Conservative government")
Today our guest is Jason Kenney, the longtime federal Conservative MP and former United Conservative Party premier of Alberta. Kenney worked closely for many years with now-Conservative party leader Pierre Poilievre, and he has been outspoken on the trade war with U.S. President Donald Trump. So today we’re having him on to talk about tariffs, the Canadian election, and tensions within the Conservative movement.For transcripts of Front Burner, please visit: https://www.cbc.ca/radio/frontburner/transcripts
;Resize=(3000).jpg "Election reignites pipeline politics")
Donald Trump’s trade war has revived calls for the building of east-west pipelines within Canada, as a way for the country to unleash its natural resources and reduce its dependence on the U.S. as its key trading partner.But do the economics of building new pipelines — or the logistics, or the environmental realities — actually make sense here? And what are the parties actually saying about them?Today we’re speaking to Andrew Leach, an energy and environmental economist and an Associate Professor at the Alberta School of Business at the University of Alberta.For transcripts of Front Burner, please visit: https://www.cbc.ca/radio/frontburner/transcripts
;Resize=(3000).jpg "Trump’s global market meltdown, explained")
U.S. President Trump’s latest and most severe tariffs have caused a bloodbath on the global markets and widespread economic anxiety.JP Morgan’s chief economist raised the odds of a global recession by the end of the year to 60 per cent, up from 40 per cent.People are looking at their jobs being eliminated in places like auto plants, and elsewhere in the manufacturing sector.Journalist Joe Weisenthal is the co-host of Bloomberg’s Odd Lots podcast. He’s here to explain the global market meltdown, and what we can expect in the coming days.For transcripts of Front Burner, please visit: https://www.cbc.ca/radio/frontburner/transcripts
;Resize=(3000).jpg "Weekend Listen: Exposing the truth by living a lie")
FBI undercover agent Scott Payne’s job was to infiltrate the most dangerous gangs of our times: outlaw bikers, drug cartels and the international neo-Nazi networks hellbent on inciting a race war. He was taking down these groups from within. And Scott was good at it — people confided in him their most audacious plans for mass violence and domestic terrorism.In the second season of White Hot Hate, host Michelle Shephard gives you an unvarnished view of a life undercover. Because after a 28-year-long career pretending to be somebody else, Agent Payne is ready to tell his side of the story. This series was produced alongside a book co-written by Scott Payne and Michelle Shephard titled Code Name: Pale Horse: How I Went Undercover to Expose America's Nazis.More episodes of White Hot Hate: Agent Pale Horse are available at: https://link.mgln.ai/tNLnXF
;Resize=(3000).jpg "Election! Fallout from Trump’s trade bomb")
Canada may have dodged the worst of Trump’s Liberation Day tariffs, but it didn’t emerge unscathed.U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed that he is going ahead with a 25 per cent tariff on "all foreign-made" automobiles – a devastating blow for the Canadian auto sector, plunging it into uncertainty.Aaron Wherry, a senior writer with the CBC’s parliamentary bureau, joins the show to discuss the fallout from Trump’s latest levies, how Canada’s political leaders are responding and what it all means for the final weeks of the campaign.For transcripts of Front Burner, please visit: https://www.cbc.ca/radio/frontburner/transcripts
;Resize=(3000).jpg "Trump's trade war goes global")
In the culmination of countless speeches, tweets and campaign promises, U.S. president Donald Trump has finally unveiled sweeping tariffs on goods imported into the country — from nearly every country it does business with.He dubbed it "Liberation Day," calling it the start of a new era of economic independence for the United States, saying it will bring jobs and industry back to the country. But some economists say the tariffs will throw international trade into chaos, with unpredictable knock-on effects, and possibly even cause a worldwide recession.Eric Miller is an international trade consultant and president of Rideau Potomac Strategy Group. He breaks down everything we know so far about the tariffs, what they'll mean for Canada and whether the free trade era as we know it is over for good.For transcripts of Front Burner, please visit: https://www.cbc.ca/radio/frontburner/transcripts
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United States
stammers a lot while defending
With the way the American economy is going, MAGA is only going to be able to rent the Libs.
Like Trump said, "I love Teslur"
I was originally rooting for Freeland because of Ukraine, but now that the Americans have gone full crazy-pants chaotic-evil and threaten the world's economy with their insane Nazi garbage, the guy who literally rescued the Bank of England is probably the best choice to deal with these psychos.
us boomers are worried about our health care and CPP if Poilivere wins.
I have no clue how to be a fentynol czar. but I remember studying stuff like Czars at schools and it didnt end well. I believe based on my lack of credentials, I would be a perfect counterpart for the USA border czar eh? which way is that one blowing? let me know ~Weather or Not
Love him or hate him, Justin Trudeau is an amazing public speaker.
Hilarious to think ChatGPT could lose its job to AI.
Yikes, how many times did he unironically use the term "Trudeau pesos"?
I would love to make a suggestion. at the end of each episode it would be imeasurablynmore helpful for the overall experience if you were to mention Jim and his last name and credentials and perhaps even where to find him online or maybe not but knowing his name even though I may have missed the broadcast. it's about 10 seconds of radio that could change the world. this was a wonderful broadcast though Jamie. I only suggest this because it is si doable. peace for 🇨🇦
what an a$$hat. I never voted jt either but he was elected by the majority of Cdns to represent us. just cause this jerk has $$ and connections doesn't mean we want him speaking for us. leary should be charged as a meddling Traitor. he did try to run and didn't have support. take a seat buddy.
After political life, I hope Justin Trudeau can find more time to do the types of activities he enjoys (blackface)
no.
poilivere is OUR warning sign. a vote for pp us a vote for putin/modi
you could at least Try to be less bias. Freeland was asked to shuffle - which is normal in gov - she didn't like it and took it out on the PM. yes he handled things badly - can you truly be the one to throw stones at missteps?? I rather doubt it.
yes. yes they are.
what? you just noticed the genocide in Gaza?
Honestly I feel safer with the shooter at large
the right wingers need to be called out on a LOT more than just vaccines imo.
I'm appalled you could say Poilivere isn't the same as trump. they are both products of the IDU that harper runs. they both dislike Trans ppl (many other similarities with groups of ppl) Mike Roman (up on Rico charges with Guiliani) worked on both campaigns. they are BOTH in bed with foreign governments. I always knew you were bias but this stmt is ridiculous imo.