The Rundown

The TVO series "Crossroads: Beyond Boom and Bust" focuses on Ontario communities that have moved away from their own origin stories. Sturgeon Falls is one such town with a rich French-language heritage. We welcome James Hyslop, executive producer, and Michel Gervais, Sturgeon Falls resident and performer to talk about why it's important to stay focused on bilingual roots and how the community has...

Ontario minister of energy and mines Stephen Lecce oversees portfolios the government says will drive economic growth in the province in the years ahead. And he's got some big jobs ahead of him. His office is laying the groundwork to meet what the Independent Electricity System Operator says will be a 75 percent increase in electricity demand by 2050. But the plan is not without controversy. See o...

With Pride month underway, The Agenda looks back at how conversations around 2SLGBTQIA issues have changed since the show first began in 2006. Has Canada become a more tolerant or more accepting place for Queer communities? Callie Metler, Executive Director of Capital Pride Ottawa; Derrick Biso, Director of Education and Operations at Trans Wellness Ontario; Maurice Tomlinson, activist and consult...

In 1957, Richard Nixon ventured to Prince Edward County for a "boys weekend" of fishing and golfing. Steve Paikin catches up with author Thomas Harrison in Picton's Royal Hotel to discuss his book, "Searching for Richard Nixon: Finding Refuge and Making a Home in Prince Edward County ," which documents his movements in the region. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

40 years ago, something quite extraordinary happened at Queen's Park. The opposition parties combined forces to defeat the Progressive Conservative government of the day, thus, bringing to an end, 42 straight years of Tory rule. The previous time a government had changed hands on a lost confidence vote? 1871! So this was rare. And even a few months earlier, there was little indication any of that...

Wildfires are increasing in number and intensity around the world. Why is that? And how can Canadians better prepare for wildfire season? We discuss with Anabela Bonada, Managing Director of Climate Science at the University of Waterloo's Intact Centre on Climate Adaptation. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

19 years after The Agenda began, the conversation around climate change has shifted dramatically. What has gone well in terms of Canadian efforts to fight climate change, and what are we struggling with? We discuss with Tim Gray, Executive Director of Environmental Defence; Jessica Green, Professor in the department of political science and the school of the environment at the University of Toront...

With global trade being the focus of this month's G7 summit, can Canada reach an agreement with the U.S. to resolve their trade dispute? For more about the policy implications of the G7, Paul Samson, president of CIGI, the Centre for International Governance Innovation joins Steve Paikin to discuss. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Relations between Canada and Indigenous Peoples have certainly evolved since The Agenda first began covering these issues in 2006. There was Stephen Harper's historic apology to former students of Residential Schools in 2008. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission that followed, led by the late Senator Murray Sinclair. The Idle No More movement of the early 2010s. And much more. As we mark Nation...

As part of the Community Safety and Policing Act, Ontario appointed Ryan Teschner as the first Inspector General of Policing. A year into his role, he has released the organization's first spotlight report highlighting the complexities of policing protests and major events across the province. The Agenda invites Teschner to discuss how he will help create a safer Ontario. See omnystudio.com/listen...

The Agenda's week in review looks at whether inequality has gotten worse since the Great Recession; and what the future of populism might look like in Canada. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The world may be changing rapidly, but one thing is not – its demand for natural resources, many of which Canada has supplied for generations. Oil, natural gas, metals and timber. And our new Liberal government seems to be embracing this country's past as a provider of raw materials, as well as increasing numbers of Canadians. But how can the government boost development while also balancing impor...

Housing affordability and lagging productivity in Canada. The economic rise of China and the global south. The surge of the tech economy in the U.S. According to our panel, the beginnings of all of these can be traced back to the Great Financial Crisis of 2008. There's an argument to be made that the world is still living in the shadow of that bank-led global financial meltdown. See omnystudio.com...

The annual deer harvest at Short Hills Provincial Park is a traditional Haudenosaunee practice that manages the overpopulation of deer, protects the ecosystem, and honors Indigenous cultural traditions and Treaty Rights. Since it began in 2023 it has faced both support and controversy. Field producer Jeyan Jeganathan explores how this harvest helps manage the park's deer population and preserves I...

Has the level of toxicity in Ontario politics today gotten out of hand? Does Premier Doug Ford ever come across the floor and talk to the opposition members? And how big of a problem is it for the Ontario Liberals that their leader, Bonnie Crombie couldn't win a seat in the last election? Parliamentary leader for the Ontario Liberals and the MPP for Ottawa South, John Fraser, joins host Steve Paik...

Canada's relationship with the U.S. may go back a long way, but our relationship with the United Kingdom goes back even further. And, with Canada-U.S. relations being as contentious as they now are, can or should Britain fill the role America used to play and become our number one ally once again? Host Steve Paikin asks: Mel Cappe, Canada's Former High Commissioner to the United Kingdom and Distin...

In 2022, the Freedom Convoy brought the nation's capital to standstill. In 2025, so-called technocrat Mark Carney and the Liberals triumphed in the federal election. How have populist movements and impulses changed - and in what ways could they shape our politics going forward? To discuss, we're joined by Lawrence? LeDuc, political-science professor at the University of Toronto; Bessma Momani, pol...

Members of the Canadian chapter of Patriotic Millionaires believe the wealthy should contribute more in taxes - and they're hoping they can help change minds and policies. How would their approach change conditions in this country, and can they actually convince other well-heeled Canadians to follow their lead? To discuss, we're joined by Emma Davis, member of Patriotic Millionaires Canada; Sabina...

The first episode of The Agenda aired in September of 2006. Two years later we were in the midst of the Great Financial Crisis. From there, the Occupy movement put the concept of the 1% and the issue of inequality front-and-centre. In the nearly two decades we've been having conversations about the economy and politics here on The Agenda, have we become a more or less equal society? Have we become...

After more than three years, is there an end in sight to Russia's war on Ukraine? Is Vladimir Putin serious about peace negotiations? And how has Donald Trump's second term changed Russia's place and power in the world? Bill Browder, CEO of Hermitage Capital, Head of the Global Magnitsky Justice campaign, and author of "Red Notice" and "Freezing Order," talks with Steve Paikin. See omnystudio.com/...

Over recent months, unpredictable U.S. tariffs have thrown Canada's food supply chain into disarray, sparking vital debates on diversifying trade partnerships and strengthening domestic production. Jeyan Jeganathan looks at what it takes to secure a resilient future for Canadian food and farming-and whether that vision can evolve without relying on the U.S., Canada's biggest trading partner. See o...

The Agenda's week in review looks at how Canada can stay united amidst regional tensions, and why Indigenous leaders oppose the Ontario government's Bill 5. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Canadian Wildlife Service reports that there are approximately seven million Canada geese across North America, making their presence more noticeable than ever. The Canada goose is often hailed as a national symbol for Canada. However, many Canadians and Americans have had frustrating encounters with Canada geese, from their loud calls to their tendency to congregate in urban areas. The Agenda...

One of the most widely debated issues in Toronto in the last two decades has been transit. A plan called Transit City launched 18 years ago. In the intervening years, the City of Toronto and its transit funding partners have had many plans, and stops and starts on infrastructure building to move people around the GTHA. For a look back, and forward, we welcome: David Miller, former mayor of Toronto...

Viola MacMillan, owner of Windfall Oils and Mines, was a rare woman in the Canadian mining industry. In 1964, after three decades in the business, she became the central figure in a Timmins mining scandal that led to regulatory changes at the Toronto Stock Exchange and the Ontario Securities Commission. Author Tim Falconer tells her compelling story in his new book, "Windfall: Viola MacMillan and...