The Decibel

Last week, U.S. President Donald Trump unveiled a 20-point peace plan to end the war in Gaza . He did so alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who called it a “critical step” . Hamas has since responded, and agreed to parts of the plan — notably, the release of all remaining hostages and the relinquishing of its control over Gaza. Negotiations will begin in Egypt on Monday. The Glob...

The education system has been fraught with controversy in Alberta . From the government’s recent attempt to ban certain books in school libraries, to their introduction of several measures affecting transgender students . And now, a major pressure point between teachers and Premier Danielle Smith’s government has come to a head: overcrowding in Alberta’s schools . On Monday, over 50,000 educators...

The great boom of the lobster industry is, in many ways, a story of success. For more than 30 years, Canada’s most valuable seafood export has generated wealth for Canadian fishing communities and created an appetite around the world for the luxury food. But it’s also come at a tremendous cost – Indigenous fishers have been excluded, and scientists have warned warming waters and overfishing are se...

Official estimates from Ukraine’s government say 19,000 Ukrainian children have been taken by Russian forces since the start of the conflict. And many of these kids are living in Russian camps overseen by former soldiers.  Now, a pamphlet from one of the camps has given the world a window into the lives of these children. Janice Dickson , The Globe’s international affairs report, discusses Russia’...

Just two months after ChatGPT was launched in 2022, a survey found 90 per cent of college students were already using it. But students are no longer using artificial intelligence for writing essays – AI is used in generating ideas, conducting research, and summarizing reading. In other words: they’re using it to think for them. What does this mean for higher education? And what are the real costs...

Last Monday, the Trump administration linked Tylenol to autism and warned against pregnant women taking it — Health Canada says there is no conclusive evidence and continues to recommend acetaminophen to treat fever and pain during pregnancy. This is not the first time U.S. President Trump or Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. have made controversial remarks on autism and what causes it. And s...

Canada’s new Major Projects Office is part of Prime Minister Mark Carney’s ambition to fast-track Canada’s major infrastructure projects . And the person leading it – Dawn Farrell – will play a critical role in getting those deals done quickly. But Farrell is no political appointee. So who is she? And what does her appointment to the post say about the federal government’s intentions for a generat...

After months of informal back-and-forth talks about Donald Trump’s tariffs, a new chapter in the U.S.-Canada trade war has begun. Last week, the U.S. officially started the review process of USMCA, the current North American free trade deal. Mark Rendell covers economic issues for The Globe and explains what the U.S. wants and what Prime Minister Mark Carney’s goals are in this crucial trade negot...

Measles is one of the most contagious respiratory viruses in the world. But for decades, it rarely infected Canadians. That’s not true any more. Since October, 2024, North America has seen record case numbers — and most of them seem to lead back to one Canadian family. Today, The Globe’s international correspondent Nathan Vanderklippe joins the show. He’ll tell us the story of his 40,000-kilometre...

A fierce debate about free speech has erupted in the U.S. in the wake of Charlie Kirk’s killing. Government officials have encouraged reporting against Americans in their reaction to Kirk’s death, with some, like talk show host Jimmy Kimmel having his show briefly suspended under government pressure. This debate over what is acceptable speech extends to Canada, as the federal government introduced...

Would you work two full-time jobs and live off of ramen noodles if it meant you could retire at 35? That’s the image many people have of people who follow the FIRE path — that stands for, financial independence, retire early. In early September, Globe retirement reporter Meera Raman and Decibel producer Michal Stein went to a retreat at a camp near Toronto to find out how they make it all work. To...

On May 2, 2025, Lilly and Jack Sullivan were reported missing from the small community of Landsdowne, Nova Scotia. The disappearance of the siblings quickly became a story of national interest. And despite the massive search and police investigation with detection dogs, divers, helicopters, drones and search teams of experts and volunteers, the 6-year-old girl and 4-year-old boy have not been foun...

At the beginning of the week, Prime Minister Mark Carney announced the launch of Build Canada Homes , an agency tasked with building affordable and supportive housing across the country. This marks the first big plank of his government’s efforts to alleviate the housing crisis. But will it work? Nojoud Al Mallees covers economic issues for The Globe and she explains what kind of projects this agen...

After weeks of warnings, Israel has begun a full-scale ground invasion into Gaza City. Hundreds of thousands of people are living under bombardment in the city, with large waves of Palestinians under evacuation order, attempting to move south in the Gaza Strip. Meanwhile, a United Nations Commission of Inquiry has determined that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza. Hamida Ghafour, deputy foreig...

COVID-19 is currently surging again. And it’s not even respiratory illness season yet. While much of the public would like to leave the pandemic behind, the virus isn’t going away and annual infections are becoming common. So, with testing, masking and vaccinations all down, what should be done to stop the spread? The Globe’s health reporter and columnist, André Picard joins the show. He’ll explai...

Between ramping up major infrastructure projects , trying to make a deal with the U.S., and working on strengthening ties with Europe , Prime Minister Mark Carney has had a busy summer . With Parliament resuming for the fall session today – this government’s first full session, save for a brief sitting in the spring – Carney will have to address Canadians’ changing priorities . Today, Shannon Prou...

The movie of the summer wasn’t in theatres this year. It was on Netflix, it’s called KPop Demon Hunters and kids are obsessed with it. It has become the most-streamed movie ever on Netflix . Four of the songs from the movie are on the Billboard Hot 100 chart . The movie is about a K-pop girl group who are also secret protectors of the world, keeping demons at bay. It’s the brainchild of Korean-Can...

China’s Great Firewall blocks social media platforms like Facebook and TikTok, along with certain political topics, streaming platforms, and even Google. For years, we’ve heard about what China’s firewall keeps out — but much less about how it’s achieved. Now, a massive leak is shedding light on how the country’s censorship technology works and which countries it’s being exported to. Today, the Gl...

For months, there has been speculation about what Prime Minister Mark Carney and the federal government might put forward as “nation-building projects” under the Building Canada Act , Bill C-5. But The Globe and Mail has obtained a draft list of 32 major projects, the first glimpse into what kinds of projects the government is considering. Bill Curry , The Globe’s Deputy Ottawa Bureau Chief, is on...

As the Hudson’s Bay Company continues to sell off what it owns to pay back creditors, a historic document has come up for sale . The Bay’s charter is its founding document, dating back to 1670, in which King Charles II gave the company exclusive trading rights over much of what would become Canada. Now the court is grappling with finding a process to sell this one-of-a-kind piece of Canadian histo...

A landmark class action lawsuit is alleging that Manitoba has subjected thousands of incarcerated children to solitary confinement — the province denies it. The case is the first of its kind to head to trial in Canada. Today, Globe reporter Robyn Doolittle joins The Decibel. She’ll describe what segregated confinement looks like, how widespread the practice is, and what the case could mean for you...

The Decibel welcomes Sherrill Sutherland as the host for the coming year, with a special appearance from Menaka Raman-Wilms.  You can get in touch with 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.

When 1.5 million university students return to campus this month, men will be noticeably underrepresented in the student body. In 2025, the ratio is about 60 per cent women to 40 per cent men. The gender gap has existed for more than 20 years, and universities are well aware of the discrepancy. But it doesn’t appear they’re doing much to address it. Joe Friesen is the Globe’s postsecondary reporte...

The Toronto International Film Festival has kicked off, but not without controversy. This year, the premiere of the documentary, “The Road Between Us: The Ultimate Sacrifice” , took a brief turn on centre stage. Artists, programmers and filmmakers are locked in a debate about whether to screen the film about an Israeli family’s story during the October 7 attacks by Hamas. Barry Hertz , the Globe’s...

Artificial intelligence in the workplace is here to stay. But what does that mean for the job market? While many Canadian companies are embracing the technology , in a few notable cases, this has led to mass layoffs . In other workplaces, it has meant a revolution in workflow, company culture and hiring practices. The Globe’s Joe Castaldo , who covers AI, and business reporter Sean Silcoff , spoke...