The Decibel

On Thursday, five members of Canada’s 2018 world junior hockey team were found not guilty of sexually assaulting a woman in a hotel room after a Hockey Canada gala. The men — Michael McLeod, Carter Hart, Alex Formenton, Dillon Dubé and Cal Foote — were acquitted of all charges by Justice Maria Carroccia .  The Hockey Canada case has captivated the country — raising complex questions about consent,...

The population of undocumented migrants living and working in Canada is substantial. And while most of them initially entered the country legally, on visas or work permits, many migrants feel that it is worth it to stay in Canada after their status expires, even if they are not legally allowed to work or live in Canada and risk being deported. Globe journalist Sarah Efron and freelance photographe...

Earlier this month, U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to impose 35-per-cent tariffs on imports from Canada starting on Aug. 1. And when it comes to trade negotiations, Canadian dairy – and the supply management system that oversees the industry – is treated like a “sacred cow.” Trump has repeatedly aired frustrations over U.S. dairy farmers’ limited access to Canada’s market . Despite this, O...

Ottawa’s pledge to spend $150-billion annually on defence-related priorities by 2035 is creating big opportunities for the private sector. Several Canadian companies are preparing to compete for lucrative contracts as Canada aligns its defence spending with NATO allies.    Pippa Norman , who covers innovation for The Globe, explains the state of Canada’s defence sector, what industry leaders hope...

A new report has found that 19 of Ontario’s 24 publicly-funded colleges have cut more than 8,000 jobs since January 2024, when the new limits on international students came into effect. It’s the fullest picture yet of the consequences of the government’s changing immigration policy.  Joe Friesen covers post-secondary education in Canada. He explains the details of the report, the reputational dama...

A connection to a bank is an important financial relationship – between chequing and savings accounts, mortgages and loans, they are crucial for paying off bills and long-term planning. But what happens when your bank dumps you? The practice is known as ‘debanking,’ and Canadian banks are turning to it more often when they suspect a customer is involved in criminal activity. Erica Alini , The Glob...

Canadians have been spending a lot of time thinking about identity and their relationship to Canada. As U.S. President Donald Trump’s trade war drags on , taking an ‘Elbows Up’ approach isn’t just about economics – it’s also cultural. Many of the songs and albums that make up the soundtrack to your life are written and performed by Canadian artists – and they’ve helped shape what this country soun...

In May, a Canadian man, 49-year-old Johnny Noviello, was arrested by U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) at a probation office in Florida. He came to the U.S. legally in 1988, and had been a permanent resident. Later, on June 23, he died while in ICE custody . Noviello was one of dozens of Canadians currently in immigration-related detention in the United States, as the Trump adminstra...

On July 8, Quebec RCMP arrested four men connected to the Canadian Armed Forces . They are accused of trying to create an extremist militia and planning to forcibly take a plot of land north of Quebec City. Two of the four men are active members of the military, three have been charged with terrorism facilitation. The case adds to the growing concerns of extremism in Canada’s military , just weeks...

The problem of ticks, and the diseases they carry are well known. But as the climate becomes warmer, ticks are no longer exclusively found in densely wooded areas. The arachnids are spreading and bringing Lyme disease with them to more communities. The Globe’s health and science reporter Jennifer Yang spoke to residents of Nova Scotia’s South Shore, which has some of the densest tick populations i...

Influencer profiles often have recognizable hallmarks: their feeds are highly stylized, filled with aspirational content and product placement. One of the reasons that brands work with influencers is because they can speak to their audience from a place of authenticity. So how does that change when the influencer is not a real person? Samantha Edwards is the Globe’s online culture reporter. She’s...

The 113th Calgary Stampede is in full swing. But the 10-day festival wouldn’t be complete without the biggest names in Canadian politics and business walking the grounds in cowboy cosplay . Politicians are flipping pancakes, corporate parties are packed, and with Prime Minister Mark Carney pledging to make Canada an energy superpower, oil patch optimism is on full display. But tensions between Alb...

The threat and realities of climate change are real and visceral – punishing heat waves , families displaced, towns destroyed by wildfires , dangerous smoke hanging over communities and flash floods that can be deadly and unpredictable. But how do you talk to kids to prepare them for the reality, without overwhelming or scaring them? Amberly McAteer is a contributing columnist for The Globe, who o...

On June 1, Hudson’s Bay – the iconic department store brand whose operation predates the founding of Canada – sold its last striped blanket. Struggling under $1.1 billion in debt , the company was granted court protection from its creditors in the spring. Since then, it’s cleared the shelves in liquidation sales, sold its brand identity and laid off more than 8300 people . Now, the courts are sell...

Ever since the pandemic, emergency-room closures have become more common in Canada , especially in rural communities. This can leave people in dangerous situations that can require them to drive an hour or more to access emergency medical care. When time is of the essence, emergency-room closures can be deadly. Because there’s no centralized data on how common closures are across Canada, it’s chal...

Cowgirls love the rodeo just as much as cowboys, but for the better part of the past century, there’s only been one event for women – until now. Breakaway roping , dubbed the fastest event in rodeo, has swept competitions across North America, and is corralling more space for cowgirls in the process. The Globe’s Jana Pruden was at the 50th Canadian Finals Rodeo this fall, where the second-ever wom...

Prime Minister Mark Carney set a deadline of July 21 to reach an economic and security deal with the United States after last month’s G7 summit. But negotiations were derailed last week when U.S. President Donald Trump called off talks , blaming Canada’s digital services tax, which was set to come into effect on June 30. Two days later, Carney rescinded that tax , and talks were back on . Adrian M...

School is out for summer but this year some educators are wondering how much their students really learned. A KPMG survey found that over half of Canadians over 18 years-old now use generative AI to complete their school work. Professors and students are concerned that growing reliance on tools like ChatGPT and Gemini could be weakening critical thinking skills . And now, recent research is giving...

The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation has said it is no longer possible to return Canada to 2004 levels of housing affordability. We cannot build enough new housing supply to hit that target. So it’s changing its benchmark . Rachelle Younglai covers housing and real estate for The Globe. She explains the CMHC’s new approach to affordability, what they say needs to happen to improve the cost...

For months, the “buy Canadian” movement has inspired Canadians to shift their shopping habits away from American goods. While this has mostly been a patriotic move, some experts say recent cuts at the Food and Drug Administration , the agency responsible for inspecting 80 per cent of American food, might give Canadians another reason to think twice about buying American products at the grocery sto...

In the social media age, it’s challenging to know what’s ‘normal’ for your finances. How are others able to afford lavish trips and expensive dinners? Are your friends getting ahead while you’re left behind? Will you be able to afford your long-term goals? This confusion has inspired a new term – money dysmorphia . And for some, this disconnect can mean worry, low self-esteem and a you-only-live-o...

This week, Prime Minister Mark Carney has been in Europe for a series of meetings that are focused on strengthening ties. On Monday, he was in Brussels, Belgium, to sign a new defence partnership with the European Union . Mr. Carney then went to The Hague, in The Netherlands, to attend the NATO summit . Between the war in Ukraine and U.S. involvement in the conflict between Israel and Iran, a lot...

On Friday, the Liberals’ controversial Bill C-5 was passed by the House of Commons — it’s the only legislation to pass, ahead of Parliament rising for the summer. Bill C-5, the One Canadian Economy Act , aims to remove barriers to interprovincial trade, fulfilling Prime Minister Mark Carney’s promise to do so by Canada Day. But the legislation would also give Carney’s cabinet the power to quickly...

This weekend, the U.S. struck three Iranian nuclear facilities , as it warned Iran about its nuclear capabilities and attacks against Israel. U.S. President Donald Trump called the bombing mission “a spectacular military success” and threatened “future attacks” if a nuclear peace deal was not made. The Globe’s international affairs columnist, Doug Saunders , joins The Decibel. He explains how the...

Sage Morin’s life changed on May 19, 2013. A tragedy altered her family forever, and Sage was left to pick up the pieces, all while navigating her own deep grief and a complicated legal system. More than a decade later, the trauma of her loss has become a badge of resilience and healing. Sage’s transformation is literal : She enters a wrestling ring, donning the character of a proud Cree fighter,...