

The Decibel
The Globe and Mail
Context is everything. Join us Monday to Friday for a Canadian daily news podcast from The Globe and Mail. Explore a story shaping our world, in conversation with reporters, experts, and the people at the centre of the news.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Jan 23, 2024 • 20min
Invasive Group A Strep infections: what you need to know
Cases of Invasive Group A Strep infections are on the rise in Canada. It’s an illness with potentially fatal outcomes – four children under 10 have died in British Columbia since mid-December, and six people under the age of 18 died in Ontario in the last three months of 2023.Carly Weeks is a health reporter for the Globe. She’s on the show to talk about how to recognize Invasive Group A Strep infections and why experts believe they’re on the rise.Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at thedecibel@globeandmail.com

Jan 22, 2024 • 19min
What happens when a group of hospitals get hacked
On Oct. 23, 2023, five hospitals in southwestern Ontario realized they were under attack. A cybercrime group was hacking them in order to hold patient and employee information hostage. The hack resulted in all of the hospitals shutting down their systems, causing massive delays in care, backlogging tests and requiring some patients to travel for care.Karen Howlett, an investigative reporter at The Globe, has been looking into how hackers were able to get into the hospitals’ shared IT system and steal over 250,000 patient records.Questions? Comments? Ideas? E-mail us at thedecibel@globeandmail.com

Jan 19, 2024 • 22min
Baby boomers mourn a future without grandkids
Canada’s birth rate is at an almost 20-year low. People are deciding not to have kids for a variety of reasons and the pandemic has only intensified this drop. While Millennials and GenZ’s are saying no to kids, the declining birth rate is leaving their parents with an identity crisis: Baby boomers coming to terms with a future without grandkids.The Globe’s Zosia Bielski recently looked into the rising trend of grandchildless boomers. She explains what this new normal means for family dynamics and the pressures that come along with it.Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at thedecibel@globeandmail.com

Jan 18, 2024 • 19min
What’s driving Canada’s ‘population trap’?
Canada's rapid population growth and the strain it puts on the country's living standards and infrastructure. The rise of temporary residents and the economic motives behind it. The concept of Canada's 'population trap' and the need for policy changes. Criticism of Canada's immigration policy and suggestions for improvement. The impact of immigration on affordability, housing, healthcare, and services.

Jan 17, 2024 • 22min
The repercussions and fallout from the Steven Galloway case
The podcast explores the Steven Galloway case, including the allegations and investigation. It also delves into Galloway's defamation suit and the repercussions of the recent ruling. The podcast addresses the underreporting of sexual assault cases and the tragic consequences. Overall, it provides a comprehensive analysis of the case and its impact.

Jan 16, 2024 • 20min
The promise and problems with Ontario’s Ring of Fire
Ontario’s Ring of Fire has long been believed to contain critical minerals like nickel, copper and chromite, purportedly worth tens of billions of dollars. But for more than a decade, there has been no development. This is in part because of a long process of assessments and consultations happening, much of which involve First Nations communities who live on the Ring of Fire land.Niall McGee is the Globe’s mining reporter and he explains how the leader of one First Nation in the area is pushing to allow for the mining of the Ring of Fire and why he sees it as important for reconciliation.Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at thedecibel@globeandmail.com

Jan 15, 2024 • 20min
You’re not wrong, snowy winters aren’t like they used to be
Snowy season in many parts of Canada is off to a slow start. At the end of December, fewer than half of Whistler Blackcomb’s trails in British Columbia were open due to the lack of snow. And the Prairie provinces are expected to have a milder winter, with below-normal snowfall. While the amount of snow varies from year to year, a new study says snowpack – the volume of snow that is present on the landscape – in the Northern Hemisphere is on the decline because of climate change.Ivan Semeniuk is The Globe’s science reporter. He’s on the show to explain how this loss will impact not only ski season but also water supplies and agriculture.Questions? Comments? Ideas? E-mail us at thedecibel@globeandmail.com

Jan 12, 2024 • 21min
Why it feels like everyone is getting sick right now
There seems to be a lot of illness going around right now. Hospitals are struggling with what the Canadian Medical Association called an “avalanche of patients,” and many of you have questions.Today, The Globe’s health reporter Carly Weeks joins us to explain how this year’s respiratory virus season is shaping up, and she answers your questions about COVID, RSV, the flu, and more.Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at thedecibel@globeandmail.com

Jan 11, 2024 • 20min
South Africa takes Israel to UN court
On December 29, South Africa submitted an application with the International Court of Justice claiming that Israel’s offensive in Gaza is “genocidal in character.” The UN’s judicial court is hearing South Africa’s request for provisional measures on Thursday and will hear Israel’s response the next day.Geoffrey York is the Globe’s Africa bureau chief, based in Johannesburg. He explains what was in South Africa’s application and what it means for the war in Gaza.Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at thedecibel@globeandmail.com

Jan 10, 2024 • 22min
Why Taiwan’s election tests China’s authority
Taiwan, the east Asian country of 24 million people, is ramping up to a pivotal presidential election on January 13. Amidst rising tensions with China, voters are being asked whether their country should have a warmer relationship with Beijing or continue a hardline stance for Taiwanese independence.James Griffiths, The Globe’s Asia correspondent, explains why the answer to that question will test China’s strength and why another superpower is watching closely.Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at thedecibel@globeandmail.com