The Decibel

Former health reporter Carly Weeks discusses the importance of midwives in Canada's healthcare system, their role in childbirth, challenges they face with recognition and pay equity, and innovative programs to integrate midwives into the healthcare system to address staff shortages and improve access to care.

Exploring Canada's transition to green energy, the crucial role of hydroelectric power, challenges in maintaining hydro dams, advantages of hydroelectricity, costs of upkeep, comparison with nuclear facilities, and the political implications of energy supply decisions.

Canadian parliamentarians are accused of collaborating with foreign agents for personal benefits, sparking concerns about foreign interference in Canada. The report suggests parliamentarians may have interacted with foreign diplomats, accepted benefits, and influenced colleagues for foreign interests. The government's response to the report and the introduction of Bill C-70 to combat foreign interference are discussed in detail.

Canada’s cultural institutions are coming up against serious economic challenges. Theatre companies say they’re facing a crisis as they struggle to recover from pandemic closures. The Montreal-based ‘Just For Laughs’, one of the world’s biggest comedy festivals, has canceled their 2024 festival and filed for creditor protection. In May, Hot Docs, an international documentary festival, announced they would temporarily close their theatre due to financial constraints.Globe business reporter Josh O’Kane has reported on a number of arts organizations cancelling shows, closing their doors, and announcing they’re on the brink of collapse. He joins the show to break down what factors lead up to this moment and what hope the arts industry can look towards.Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at thedecibel@globeandmail.com

Journalist Mark Rendell discusses the Bank of Canada's interest rate cut, its impact on individuals and the economy, and potential future rate cuts. Realtors hope for a housing market boost. Insights into the art and science of rate cuts and the central bank's future moves.

Last week, former U.S. president Donald Trump was found guilty on 34 felony counts. In speeches and interviews following the decision, he used religiously-charged language and called on supporters to get revenge at the polls. This isn’t the first time Trump has utilized evangelical references, but his 2024 election campaign is increasingly relying on apocalyptic rhetoric.U.S. political analyst and author Jared Yates Sexton is on the show to explain the wide appeal of the religious right’s messaging, the intersection of evangelicalism and the Make America Great Again Movement and how a loss of faith in democratic institutions underlies the appeal of religious narratives.Questions? Comments? Ideas? E-mail us at thedecibel@globeandmail.com

It’s been more than a month now since the pro-Palestinian protests started up at campuses across Canada, protesting the war in Gaza and calling for the universities to make changes. There’s been a wide range of responses to these protests.So today, The Globe’s postsecondary education reporter Joe Friesen is here to explain where the campus protests are now, what the students are asking for, and how the universities have responded.Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at thedecibel@globeandmail.com

Ontario Premier Doug Ford recently announced that beer and wine will soon be available for purchase in convenience stores and big-box stores across the province, fulfilling an election promise from 2018. The controversy? This deal means that people will have greater access to alcohol — for better or worse — and it will cost taxpayers $225-million.Jeff Gray, one of The Globe’s Ontario politics reporter, outlines the policy, explains the cost, and what federal politics might have to do with it.Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at thedecibel@globeandmail.com

Open banking could eventually be available to Canadians, which would change how we access our personal finances. This style of banking is consumer-driven and would bring transparency to a customer’s information. but despite the talk, Canada is lagging behind other Western countries when it comes to implementing open banking.The Globe’s personal finance reporter, Salmaan Farooqui, breaks down the inner workings of open banking – its benefits and concerns, why it doesn’t exist in Canada yet, and how this new development will affect the way Canadians manage their finances in the future.Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at thedecibel@globeandmail.com

Caroline Alphonso, education reporter for The Globe, discusses how schools are suing social media companies for harming students, implementing creative methods to engage students in class, and the challenges of cell phone use in Canadian classrooms. The podcast also explores the effects of the pandemic on student phone habits and the importance of digital literacy in education.