The Decibel

Inflation in Canada has stabilized, but food inflation is continuing to rise. Food prices rose 5 per cent in 2025, and some items saw much larger increases – such as beef and coffee. Prime Minister Mark Carney announced some affordability measures this week – like an increase to the GST credit – aimed at lowering grocery bills.Today, food economist Mike von Massow explains why food prices remain so high, what’s driving the increase of specific items and what can be done about it.Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at thedecibel@globeandmail.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

British Columbia’s drug decriminalization pilot program will end on January 31st. The controversial program was introduced in 2023, but was criticized by advocates and political opponents alike. Parts of the policy had already been rolled back as public pressure mounted. The pilot’s cancellation was met with disappointment, especially from First Nations leaders, over the lack of consultation. What does the ending of this policy signal about the B.C. government’s approach to the toxic drug crisis? And what does it mean for Canadians living with addictions?Andrea Woo, the Globe’s staff reporter covering health and drug policy, gives us a retrospective on what exactly B.C.’s pilot was trying to fix, whether that worked, and what comes next as decriminalization ends in the province.Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at thedecibel@globeandmail.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Some of the 3,000 federal agents in Minnesota are set to leave following the killings of U.S. citizens Renee Nicole Macklin Good and Alex Pretti. ICE and U.S. Border Patrol officers have been in the state enforcing U.S. President Donald Trump’s immigration agenda since December amid growing unrest. Now, Minnesota is suing the federal government, arguing that the Trump administration is breaching people’s rights and acting beyond its powers. And what happens next on the ground and in the courts could set a precedent, as ICE operations continue throughout the U.S.Globe staff reporter Joe Friesen was in Minnesota and he’s on the show today to explain what life is like for people there, how the ongoing fight between the state and federal governments is unfolding, and where the situation could go from here.Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at thedecibel@globeandmail.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Ryan Wedding, former Canadian Olympic snowboarder turned alleged drug lord, is pleading not guilty to U.S. federal charges of leading an international drug trafficking ring and orchestrating the murders of multiple people. Wedding had been on the run for more than a decade and was on the FBI’s Top Ten Most Wanted list. But the sprawling criminal investigation crosses borders and legal experts are now questioning what lawful norms and treaties may be overridden in the race to prosecute Wedding and his associates in the U.S.Colin Freeze, crime and justice reporter for The Globe, talks about the manhunt for Wedding, the laws around extradition and why this case could turn into a test of Canada and Mexico’s legal sovereignty.Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at thedecibel@globeandmail.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

It’s been a busy month abroad for Prime Minister Mark Carney, but now, he’ll have to turn his focus back to domestic issues as Parliament returns on Monday. There’s a lot to catch up on — later this week, the Conservatives will have their leadership review of Pierre Poilievre during their convention in Calgary, and the NDP are in the midst of their leadership race. The issue of national unity remains top of mind as both Alberta and Quebec look towards possible referendums in the coming months.Bill Curry is the Globe’s Deputy Ottawa Bureau Chief. He’ll catch us up on where things left off in Parliament, what legislation is coming down the pike, and what to expect from USMCA negotiations.Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at thedecibel@globeandmail.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Psychedelics, substances like LSD and psilocybin mushrooms that cause altered states of consciousness, often remind people of hippies in the 1960s. But more researchers are looking into their potential benefits for our well-being. Scientists say psychedelics – which are illegal for recreational use in Canada – could have massive implications on how we treat and heal from major mental health disorders like PTSD, depression and anxiety. Garvia speaks with Dr. Monnica Williams, clinical psychologist and professor at the University of Ottawa, where she is the co-director of the new master’s program in psychedelics and consciousness studies. They discuss the latest research and whether psychedelics will, and should, become mainstream. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This week, Prime Minister Mark Carney and U.S. President Donald Trump made waves in Davos, Switzerland as both offered competing visions of a new world order. Government and business leaders were in the Alps for the annual World Economic Forum, where the U.S. struck a ‘deal’ with NATO on Greenland and Trump launched his Board of Peace.The Globe’s international affairs columnist Doug Saunders is here to explain Canada’s place in a changing world order, as long-standing partnerships were tested and the foundation for competing alliances was laid.Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at thedecibel@globeandmail.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

As part of Canada’s new trade deal with China, 49,000 Chinese-manufactured electric vehicles will be allowed to be sold in the Canadian market this year. It’s a big change from our previous 100 per cent tariff on Chinese-made cars. Auto leaders and Ontario Premier Doug Ford have criticized the deal, saying it puts the country’s auto sector at risk when it’s already facing pressure from the U.S. and Donald Trump’s tariffs.Dimitry Anastakis is a professor at the University of Toronto in the Department of History and the Rotman School of Management, and his research focuses on the development of the Canadian auto industry. He analyzes what this deal means for jobs in the auto sector, how it could affect Canadians looking to buy EVs and what it could mean for renegotiating the USMCA.Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at thedecibel@globeandmail.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

As U.S. President Donald Trump has continued to ratchet up threats against Greenland, Canada has weighed plans to send soldiers there as part of a NATO exercise. In a speech at the Davos Conference on Tuesday, Prime Minister Mark Carney expressed support for Greenland, but did not say whether Canada would indeed send troops.Meanwhile, according to senior government officials, the Canadian Armed Forces have modelled a hypothetical U.S. military invasion of Canada, and the country’s potential response. Robert Fife, the Globe’s Ottawa Bureau Chief, joins the show to talk about how Canada’s military is preparing to walk the narrow tightrope between our NATO allies and U.S. military prowess.Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at thedecibel@globeandmail.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Last week, Quebec Premier François Legault announced his resignation amidst plummeting poll numbers, while acknowledging Quebeckers are calling for change. The state of the province’s politics are now in flux, as the Parti Quebecois surge in popularity and a possible referendum on Quebec’s sovereignty is on the horizon.Konrad Yakabuski, Globe columnist and Quebec politics writer, discusses Legault’s legacy, the divide between sovereigntists and federalists and where the province’s parties stand ahead of a fall election.Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at thedecibel@globeandmail.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The flu season hit Canada hard and fast this year, seemingly reaching its peak in late December. But it’s not over yet: one public health official says we’re still in the ‘heavy, middle part’ of flu season.Alanna Smith explains what’s different about this year’s dominant variant of the influenza virus and the impact it’s having on Canada’s health care system.Questions? Comments? Ideas? E-mail us at thedecibel@globeandmail.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What happens when we stop rushing around and pause to take in the vastness of the world around us? In this episode of Happy Enough, we explore awe — the emotion that can make you feel surprisingly small, and, at the same time, happier. To break down the science behind awe and why it makes us feel better, Garvia speaks with Dacher Keltner, professor of psychology at UC Berkeley and the author of ‘Awe: The new science of everyday wonder and how it can transform your life’. They discuss how awe affects our bodies and simple ways to incorporate it into our lives. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In less than a year, U.S. President Donald Trump’s second term has re-shaped the international order. From levying tariffs against much of the world, turning against long-standing allies, capturing Venezuela’s president, and threatening to annex Greenland – the U.S. has flouted international law and ignored the traditional rules-based order.Michael Byers, Canada research chair on global politics and international law at the University of British Columbia, is on the show to explain the legal agreements and treaties that govern the international order and whether it’s possible to hold powerful countries to account when they defy those laws.Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at thedecibel@globeandmail.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

For weeks, U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened to annex Greenland, an autonomous region of Denmark. That led to a meeting on Wednesday between a delegation of Danish and Greenland foreign ministers and U.S. Vice-President J.D. Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The two sides did not seem to come to any kind of conclusion.The Globe’s Europe correspondent, Paul Waldie, is in Greenland to get a sense of how people are feeling on the ground. He was in Denmark earlier this week. He joins the show to tell us what he’s learned, what the potential implications are for NATO, and what concerns this raises for Canada.Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at thedecibel@globeandmail.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Protests in Iran ramped up over the weekend after the Islamic Republic regime – ruled by Ayatollah Ali Khamenei – instituted an internet and phone blackout. But despite this, reports started to come out about a crackdown. On Tuesday, an Iranian official said the death toll, composed of both protesters and security personnel, was over 2,000 people.The protests have garnered some global supporters, including U.S. President Donald Trump, who has issued threats to the Iranian regime over its treatment of the protesters.Today’s guest is Thomas Juneau. He is a professor with the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs at the University of Ottawa. His research focuses on the Middle East, in particular Iran and Yemen, and on the role of intelligence in national security and foreign policy making.He puts this moment of Iranian societal upheaval in context, and explains the calculations Iran’s supreme leader and Trump are making, as they decide on their next steps.Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at thedecibel@globeandmail.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This week, Prime Minister Mark Carney will head to China, marking the first time a Canadian prime minister has gone to China since 2017. Recent interactions between Canada and China have been wracked with tension and international incidents. But there is much at stake in this meeting, with Canada looking for new trade partners as the United States becomes increasingly unreliable.Steven Chase is the Globe’s senior parliamentary reporter. He’s here to talk about what Carney needs to balance in order to strengthen economic ties with China without upsetting the U.S., and what’s next for the Canada-China relationship.Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at thedecibel@globeandmail.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The new year is upon us and for some of us, that means New Year’s resolutions. These goals often involve improving our fitness, or going to the gym more often. But that’s not always cheap with gym membership and classes costing more and more.In today’s episode, host Sherrill Sutherland and The Globe’s healthy living reporter, Graham Isador, try a class at one of Toronto’s luxury gyms, Sweat and Tonic. They share their experiences and Graham discusses why gym prices have risen so drastically and how you can make your fitness resolutions possible.  Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at thedecibel@globeandmail.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Today is Chrystia Freeland’s last day in Canadian politics, but she still plans to work in government – just not this one. On Monday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that he had appointed the former Liberal cabinet minister his new economic adviser. The news sparked a week of backlash in Ottawa, as many raised concerns that a sitting member of parliament working with a foreign government created a conflict of interest.The Globe’s senior reporter, Stephanie Levitz, joins The Decibel from Ottawa. She’ll explain what we know about Freeland’s new role, the questions it’s raised, and the political legacy she leaves behind while Prime Minister Mark Carney’s government teeters on the edge of a majority.Questions? Comments? Ideas? E-mail us at thedecibel@globeandmail.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The new year is a time of goal setting. Culturally, there’s pressure to set resolutions that you are meant to achieve in due course. Think: weight loss, healthy eating, a new hobby. But what if you commit to something you know you can’t achieve? And what if you make that your life’s work?Mark Medley, the Deputy Editor of The Globe’s Opinion section, and author of ‘Live to See the Day: Impossible Goals, Unimaginable Futures and the Pursuit of Things That May Never Be’, profiled people who’ve done just that. He’s on the show to explain what drives them and why you, too, might want to consider an impossible goal.Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at thedecibel@globeandmail.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Following the U.S. attack on Venezuela, President Donald Trump referenced the Monroe Doctrine – a centuries-old ideology that posits American control and dominance in the Western hemisphere. That idea was also cited in the Trump administration’s new National Security Strategy outlining U.S. foreign policy. After campaigning on non-intervention, is this now Trump’s blueprint for dealing with the rest of the world?Vincent Rigby, a professor at McGill University’s Max Bell School for Public Policy and former national security adviser to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, joins The Decibel to parse through the details of Trump’s national security strategy, what it tells us about the U.S. government’s next moves – and the potential threat to Canada.Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at thedecibel@globeandmail.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.