Front Burner

The back-to-school season is in full swing this week across Canada. But this year, especially in a province like Ontario where in-class learning is completely optional, returning to school looks very different depending on your income and background. While on one end of the income spectrum, some parents are investing in “learning pods,” on the other, many are keeping their kids home to study onlin...

With over 4 million COVID-19 cases, and 70,000 deaths, India is set to surpass Brazil as the second most-affected country in the world by the coronavirus. But that hasn't stopped the country from reopening, because the pandemic has also taken a massive toll on India's economy and workforce. Today on Front Burner, host Josh Bloch talks to the Washington Post's India Bureau Chief, Joanna Slater, abo...

In the spring, Dr. Jean Robert Ngola was singled out as the source of a COVID-19 outbreak in the city of Campbellton, N.B. More than forty cases would later be linked to the outbreak and two people died. But now, an investigation by CBC's The Fifth Estate and Radio-Canada casts increasing doubt on whether he was "patient zero." CBC reporter Judy Trinh tells us more on today's episode of Front Burn...

U.S President Donald Trump visited Kenosha, Wis., this week, following Jacob Blake’s shooting by police, and days of protests. The unrest in the city has become a flashpoint for racial tensions in the U.S. Today on Front Burner, Reggie Jackson tells us how that fits into Wisconsin’s history of segregation. He’s a journalist, educator and co-host of a new podcast called By Every Measure — a series...

While most Canadian students head back to school next week, classes in Quebec have already resumed. But, just a few days in, there are already COVID-19 cases being recorded in schools, and teachers and parents voicing frustrations and fears about the province’s back-to-school plans. All this comes against the backdrop of rising coronavirus cases in the province. Today, host Josh Bloch talks to All...

“No one will be safe in Biden's America.” Donald Trump painted a calamitous picture of a Democrat-led U.S. as he accepted the Republican nomination on Thursday. Speaking for more than an hour, Trump also misrepresented his COVID-19 response before a crowd of around 1,500 people - few wearing masks. As the 2020 election campaign begins in earnest this week, CBC Washington correspondent Paul Hunter...

Fans are grieving the loss of actor Chadwick Boseman, best known as the star of the groundbreaking blockbuster Black Panther. Boseman died on Friday, at the age of 43. According to his family, he was diagnosed with stage 3 colon cancer in 2016. Boseman never spoke about that publicly, and the knowledge now of the diagnosis is giving new meaning to his work. Today on Front Burner, Rolling Stone sen...

On Wednesday, the Milwaukee Bucks refused to come out on the court, protesting the police shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wis. Soon after, other NBA teams followed — and so did other athletes in other leagues, from the WNBA to MLS to Major League Baseball. Subsequently, the NBA postponed games on Thursday, but officials said in a statement that they hope playoffs would resume this weekend. Tod...

Alexei Navalny is the most prominent opposition figure in Russia, an anti-corruption crusader and a frequent Kremlin critic. But right now, Navalny is comatose in a German hospital after a suspected poisoning. Today on Front Burner, Chris Brown from CBC's Moscow bureau explains why Navalny might have been targeted, by whom, and the potential fallout.

The World Health Organization is urging the global community to join a pact by the end of this month, where wealthier countries would commit to sharing potential COVID-19 vaccines with developing countries, and with each other. It’s an attempt to stop countries from engaging in what the WHO calls “vaccine nationalism.” Today, CBC science and health reporter Emily Chung joins us to talk about what...

Over the weekend, German researchers held a concert with over 1500 music fans to study how COVID-19 could spread at big indoor events. Here in Canada, provinces are still capping numbers at indoor shows and many venues are staying closed. Some have permanently shut down. This has been a huge challenge for musicians, and performing artists more widely. Today on Front Burner, we convene a panel with...

Erin O’Toole was elected as the next leader of the Conservative Party of Canada in the early morning, on the third ballot. O’Toole’s victory wraps up an unprecedented race. But despite the obstacles presented by campaigning in a global pandemic, Conservatives participated in record numbers. Today on Front Burner, Power and Politics host Vassy Kapelos on O’Toole’s win and what it means for the futu...

B.C. recently hit its highest daily COVID-19 case count since the start of the pandemic, but the province isn’t going back into lockdown. The CBC’s Tanya Fletcher on why that is and what lessons that could provide for other provinces.

On Wednesday, U.S. president Donald Trump thanked QAnon conspiracy theorists for their support. This follows his move last week to publicly back a QAnon supporter who just won a Republican primary run-off in Georgia. The endorsement drew widespread criticism because QAnon is a baseless conspiracy theory built on an unfounded belief about a deep state group of elites who exploit children and are un...

A global race for a safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine is underway. More than 160 of them are in different stages of testing around the world. Canada is in this race too. A group of scientists at the University of Saskatchewan's VIDO-InterVac - the Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization in Saskatoon - are trying to get through a decade’s worth of testing and approvals as early as next year....

After days of speculation about a deepening rift between Finance Minister Bill Morneau and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Morneau resigned on Monday. CBC Power & Politics host Vassy Kapelos on why it might have happened, and what it could mean for the Trudeau government.

When astronaut Julie Payette was chosen to be Canada’s new Governor General in 2017, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said she’d “...inspire generations of Canadians.” Now, there are multiple allegations of bullying and harassment at Rideau Hall being investigated by the Privy Council’s Office, and reports of unusual spending to meet Payette’s demands for privacy. Today, CBC’s Ashley Burke talks abou...

This week, Lebanon’s prime minister announced his resignation, along with his entire cabinet. The announcement follows massive anti-government demonstrations that erupted in the wake of the explosion that rocked central Beirut last week. But even with the government stepping down, the protests have persisted. Today, reporter Rebecca Collard, who’s been reporting from Beirut for years, joins us to...

Canadian YouTubers Nelk, known for staging controversial pranks, recently threw a so-called “bro-test” to fight for gyms to open back up in California, a state still dealing with thousands of new coronavirus cases every day. The event sparked widespread criticism for drawing a crowd of people who weren’t wearing masks. This “bro-test” is part of a larger trend involving influencers ignoring public...

On Tuesday, Joe Biden named California Senator Kamala Harris as his running mate, making history by choosing the first woman of colour to compete on a major party's presidential ticket. Today on Front Burner, Washington Post political reporter Eugene Scott on what Harris brings to the Democratic Party’s ticket, and what it might mean for Biden’s chances against U.S President Donald Trump come Nove...

Loujain Alhathloul, a Saudi women's rights activist who studied in Canada, has been imprisoned for the past two years. And now, her family, who used to be able to talk to her regularly, hasn't heard from her in seven weeks. Today, the CBC's Michelle Ghoussoub joins us to talk about how Alhathloul became one of the most prominent faces in the struggle for women's rights in Saudi Arabia, what her co...

The city of Melbourne, Australia, is currently under some of the world's strictest pandemic lockdown measures. Residents have to be home by 8 p.m., and anyone who tests positive for COVID-19 can expect frequent, unannounced visits by police to ensure they're staying home. Today, on Front Burner, we speak to Melissa Davey, Australian bureau chief for The Guardian, to find out how a country — one th...

As provinces loosen COVID-19 restrictions, more restaurants are opening back up, in some capacity, all across Canada. Today, we hear from two restaurateurs about what the shutdown meant for their own businesses and how they think the pandemic will change the way we dine-out for years to come. Robert Belcham is the chef and owner of Vancouver’s Campagnolo, Monarch Burger and Popina Canteen. He’s al...

The explosion near Beirut’s port on Tuesday killed 135 people and injured thousands more, according to the Lebanese health ministry. Officials say 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate was the cause. According to public records, the chemicals were held at the port for six years, despite warnings about the danger they posed. Today on Front Burner, we get a first-hand account of the explosion and aftermath...

U.S. President Donald Trump put TikTok on the clock this week. On Monday, Trump said that if Microsoft, or another U.S. company doesn’t take control of the Chinese-owned TikTok by Sept. 15 - he’ll shut down the hugely popular social media app in the U.S. Trump’s administration has expressed concerns about China’s influence and potential to demand data collected from the app - concerns that have al...