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
Oct 20, 2025 • 12min
Meet the 58-year-old who made his college football team
Meet Tom Cillo, a retiree who made waves by earning a spot on the Lycoming College football team at 58. He shares his inspiring journey, fueled by a long-held passion for football and encouragement from friends. Tom opens up about returning to college after 41 years, navigating life with much younger classmates, and his rigorous training regimen. He reflects on the joy of earning his roster spot and the emotional connections he made with teammates, while encouraging others over 50 to chase their dreams despite fears.
Oct 20, 2025 • 12min
Move over pickleball: have you tried walking soccer?
Kerrin Hands, player-coach of the Canadian men's over-50 walking soccer team, shares her journey into this low-impact sport. She explains the no-running rule designed for older players and how it emphasizes enjoyment and safety. Kerrin highlights the growth of walking soccer in Canada, with players embracing it into their 80s. The conversation also covers Team Canada's exciting preparations for the World Nations Cup in Spain, reflecting on the pride and camaraderie of representing the nation.
Oct 20, 2025 • 24min
Parents are saying 'no' to smartphones for kids, here's why
Maddy Freeman, the founder of NoSo, discusses the growing trend of parents delaying smartphones for kids amidst concerns over social media's impact. They explore the challenges of navigating social connections without smartphones, with insights from parents and teens alike. Maddy shares her personal journey with early smartphone use and its impact on mental health, emphasizing the need for digital literacy. The conversation highlights ways to foster healthier habits and the role of advocacy in creating awareness around technology's effects on youth.
Oct 17, 2025 • 11min
Why you should toss the teflon and grab a cast-iron pan
TV personality, chef and author Andrew Zimmern is on a quest to convince North Americans to ditch their teflon pans for cast-iron skillets, amid growing scientific and public concern over the chemicals that make pans non-stick. PFAS, or forever chemicals have been linked to some cancers and health problems affecting the liver, kidney and immune-system. He says cast-iron pans are not only safer, but they're better to cook with.
Oct 17, 2025 • 11min
How Gen Z protests are toppling governments
Around the world, young people are rising up and in some places, they're actually bringing down their governments. From Nepal to Madagascar, Gen Z protesters are fed up with corruption, inequality, and leaders who seem completely out of touch. They're organizing online, inspired by movements half a world away and somehow even united by a pirate flag from the anime One Piece. We talk to Meenakshi Ganguly, Deputy Asia Director at Human Rights Watch, about why this generation is taking to the streets, how these movements are learning from each other, and what their success could mean for democracy in the years ahead.
Oct 17, 2025 • 20min
The Eyes of Gaza: Palestinian journalist Plestia Al Aqad
In the early days of the war, Plestia Al Aqad's very popular Instagram account was one of the ways people outside Gaza learned about what was going on inside, and the harrowing impact on Palestinians, day to day. We talk to her about her new book, "The Eyes of Gaza: A Diary of Resilience," a collection of her diary entries from that time — and talks about her hopes for the future of Gaza in light of this week's fragile ceasefire.
Oct 17, 2025 • 19min
Will tougher laws make Canadians feel safer?
Prime Minister Mark Carney’s government is rolling out sweeping new crime measures — tougher bail laws, longer sentences, and 1,000 new RCMP officers. British Columbia’s Attorney General Niki Sharma reacts to what she calls a long-awaited step toward safer streets. While Kent Roach, professor of law at The University of Toronto questions whether the forthcoming legislation will actually improve public safety.
Oct 16, 2025 • 20min
Should Canada give up on the auto sector?
Stellantis has announced plans to expand production in the U.S., while pulling back on production in Canada and the union representing the autoworkers is calling on the government to pressure the company to honour its commitments in this country. But, Christopher Worswick, an economics professor at Carleton University makes the case that Canada should consider following Australia's lead and phasing out the domestic car industry in the face of Trump’s tariffs, rather than spending billions on support and subsidies
Oct 16, 2025 • 24min
Steven Pinker: When everyone knows that everyone knows
The Harvard professor Steven Pinker is the author of "When Everyone Knows That Everyone Knows," a new book on common knowledge. He believes that awareness of what others know, or lack of it, is key to figuring out how humans coordinate to form everything from personal relationships to our shared belief in money or power or national borders.
Oct 16, 2025 • 25min
What does it mean to die well in Canada?
When Dr. Balfour Mount — the physician who pioneered palliative care in Canada — passed away, it sparked a question: how far have we come in caring for patients with serious illness? We look at what a “good death” means today, why access to palliative care is still so uneven across the country, and how the rise of MAID has changed the conversation.
