The Current
CBC
Three stories to expand your worldview, delivered daily. Matt Galloway cuts through a sea of choice to bring you stories that transcend the news cycle. Conversations with big thinkers, household names, and people living the news. An antidote to algorithms that cater to what you already know — and a meeting place for diverse perspectives. In its 20 years, the Current has become a go-to place for stories that shape and entertain us. Released daily, Monday to Friday.The Current is produced in Toronto, Ontario, Canada — and has recently recorded live shows about the Canadian election in Surrey and Burnaby BC. And shows to come in Oshawa and the 905, Red Deer, Alberta, Quebec City and Halifax.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Jul 29, 2025 • 22min
Can you grow avocados in Canada? You might be able to now
Palm trees, citrus trees, pomegranates, and avocados; those might not be the first things that pop into your mind when you think of the Canadian growing season. But with a changing climate, all sorts of new varieties of fruits and vegetables are possibilities for gardeners in Canada. We discuss the opportunities and challenges that warming temperatures can bring to your backyard.
Jul 29, 2025 • 20min
Gaza on brink of famine, says UN body.
Some aid is being allowed into Gaza, but humanitarian agencies say it’s not enough. The World Health Organization says the people in Gaza are suffering from man-made starvation. We discuss what further actions the Canadian government can take, and the latest developments in the conversation about Palestinian statehood.
Jul 28, 2025 • 24min
Dyslexia made Phil Hanley feel lazy and stupid as a kid
The comedian Phil Hanley remembers his school teachers calling him lazy and stupid when, in truth, he was struggling with dyslexia. In his new memoir Spellbound: My Life as a Dyslexic Wordsmith, Hanley writes about how his mother defended him in an unsympathetic education system, and why he doesn’t want dyslexic kids today to feel the shame he did.
Jul 28, 2025 • 20min
Pierre Poilievre is facing a must-win by-election.
A deadline for a trade deal with the U.S. is looming, Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre is trying to find a path back to the House of Commons, and the push to get big new nation-building projects going is hitting a sour note with some First Nations leaders. Our guest host Catherine Cullen unpacks it all with our national affairs panel: Stephanie Levitz from the Globe and Mail, Niigaan Sinclair from the Winnipeg Free Press, and CBC’s Kathleen Petty.
Jul 25, 2025 • 20min
Why five players were acquitted at the Hockey Canada trial
Not guilty on all charges, that’s the judge’s decision for the five former Junior World Hockey players who have been on trial for sexual assault. This has been a case that shook the hockey world, and ignited conversations across Canada. The judge said that she did not find the complainant E.M.'s evidence "credible or reliable." We speak to law professor Daphne Gilbert, about the judge's ruling and how the courts handle sexual assault allegations.
Jul 25, 2025 • 9min
Do newborn babies prefer morality or immorality?
Do you think a baby can tell good and bad behaviours apart? And if they can, do you think they would have a preference between moral and immoral beaviours? We have some insight. A new study from a Sicilian hospital looked into exactly that, and one of the leads on the study is UBC professor Kiley Hamlin. She joins us to give us a peek into a newborn's mind.
Jul 25, 2025 • 16min
Mini “World Cup” a soccer lifeline for refugees
For some, soccer is just a sport, but for these refugees and asylum seekers it is much more than that. The Refugee Soccer Cup is an initiative that started five years ago, and its goal is to help newcomers to Canada find a way to connect. The Current's producer Niza Nondo takes us to the field to hear their stories from this year's Refugee Soccer Cup.
Jul 24, 2025 • 22min
Her dad’s 10 000 record collection helped her grieve his death
Jula inherited 10,000 vinyl records from her dad when he died. Now, she’s listening through them to make sense of her grief — and sharing that connection to her father with millions of people on her social media account @soundwavesoffwax.
Jul 24, 2025 • 20min
Premiers meet with the PM to discuss Trump’s tariffs
Canada’s 13 Premiers, and Prime Minister Mark Carney, met in Ontario’s cottage country this week. Not to have a relaxing summer break, but to discuss big issues that face this country. The most pressing one; the looming deadline for a new trade agreement with the United States. Susan Holt is the Premier of New Brunswick, she tells us what was accomplished in that room, and how a deal can be reached with the U.S. President Donald Trump.
11 snips
Jul 23, 2025 • 20min
Should 16-year-olds be allowed to vote?
Andrew Mycock, a political scientist and Chief Policy Fellow at the University of Leeds, joins Mary Lou McFedrin, an independent senator from Manitoba, to discuss the push for 16-year-olds to vote. They argue that young people are deeply affected by crucial issues like education and climate change. Mycock references successful voting age reforms in the U.K., while McFedrin advocates for youth involvement to foster a more representative democracy. The conversation highlights how engaging younger voters could reshape political landscapes in Canada and beyond.
