The Decibel

There is a glacier that sits a kilometer below the highest peak within B.C.’s border, called Combatant Col. Scientists have been working on its icy surface to pull out ice cores as quickly as they can. Locked within these smooth cylinders are clues about what the region’s climate was like years ago that could help us understand today’s climate challenges.Justine Hunter is a Globe reporter based in B.C. and she explains how researchers get these precious time capsules off the top of the mountain and what scientific secrets they are looking for once the cores are safely stored in a very cold lab in Edmonton, Alta..Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at thedecibel@globeandmail.com

The reality of Quebec’s law to protect the French language is setting in, especially for the province’s three English language universities. Out-of-province students are facing a tuition hike that could see their fees go up from about $9,000 a year to $17,000… among the highest fees in the country.Joe Friesen, The Globe’s post-secondary education reporter, joins the podcast to explain what’s driving the province’s push and whether Anglophone schools students are headed for financial disaster.Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at thedecibel@globeandmail.com

It can be incredibly frustrating trying to get access to historical records in Canada. There are often lengthy delays and confusing inconsistency. That’s in large part because Canada’s historical records are tied up in our access to information system, which has a lot of problems.The Globe’s investigative reporter Robyn Doolittle has been reporting on the country’s struggling access to information system through the Secret Canada project. Today, she explains why it’s so difficult to access records that are decades – even centuries – old, and why it’s so important that we can see what happened in the past.Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at thedecibel@globeandmail.com

A movement which first gained traction in Republican States in the U.S. is taking root in Canada. “Parents’ rights” is the idea that parents should have more control over what’s being taught and talked about in Canadian schools – particularly when it comes to gender identity and sexual education.Saskatchewan and New Brunswick have recently adopted policies in which students under 16 would need parental consent to change their pronouns at school. Alberta premier, Danielle Smith and Ontario premier, Doug Ford have also mused about the importance of parental rights inside classrooms. At the heart of this are the students, whose voices are often missed in all the noise of this heated debate.Education reporter, Caroline Alphonso and National news reporter, Zosia Bielski spoke to some students about the movement. We hear from some of them and learn about what’s behind this movement in Canada.Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at thedecibel@globeandmail.com

Weather in Canada is becoming more erratic thanks to climate change – we’re seeing cold snaps, severe thunder and hail storms, and wildfires. That’s having a big impact on Canada’s wine industry. Today, The Globe’s wine writer Christopher Waters joins us to explain what’s going on in the industry, how that’s impacting the wines themselves, and why it’s such an important industry to pay attention to – and we even try some wines, for research, of course.Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at thedecibel@globeandmail.com

Canadian immigration minister Marc Miller announced the intentions of the government in its new set of targets: while the number of permanent residents being welcomed has grown annually, starting in 2026, there will be a freeze at 500,000. This update comes at same time as the latest polls indicate that Canadians are souring on immigration. But the change may not actually address the heart of the problem of why pressure is being exerted on the immigration system. Campbell Clark, The Globe’s chief political writer, joins the show to explain how the immigration system works – and why the federal government’s policies are failing current and hopeful Canadians.Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at thedecibel@globeandmail.com

There has been turmoil at the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity, and it recently came to the public’s attention when the Alberta government dismissed the entire board in late October. The whirlwind drama started with the search for a new CEO, which led to arguments of conflict of interest and allegations of bullying and harassment.Today, The Globe’s Alanna Smith and Josh O’Kane, who have been covering this story, explain what led to this moment, and tell us about the battle for the future of the Banff Centre.Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at thedecibel@globeandmail.com

Israeli tanks and troops that entered Gaza on Friday are now focusing on encircling Gaza City – the population hub of the northern part of the strip. This comes after Benjamin Netanyahu’s announcement on Saturday that Israel had entered a “long and difficult” new stage of the war. He stopped short of calling this new phase an all-out invasion, but airstrikes have escalated along with an advancing ground incursion.This strategy could have further implications for the region, and Israel’s allies in the West – including Canada – will be looking to figure out their parts in this ongoing war.Thomas Juneau is on the show to help us understand this next phase of the war and what it could mean geopolitically. He’s an associate professor at the University of Ottawa’s Graduate School of Public and International Affairs whose research focuses on the Middle East as well as Canadian foreign and defence policy.Questions? Comments? Ideas? E-mail us at thedecibel@globeandmail.com

Last week, Justin Trudeau announced an exemption for the carbon price on home-heating oil. The majority of homes that use home-heating oil are in Atlantic Canada. Premiers in other provinces, like Saskatchewan and Alberta, say that’s not fair – and are demanding carve-outs for heating fuel in their provinces too.Marieke Walsh is a senior political reporter for the Globe. She’s on the show to talk about why Trudeau would soften his signature climate policy and what political machinations are at play behind the scenes.Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at thedecibel@globeandmail.com

Over the weekend, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that Israel was entering the “second stage” of the war with Hamas. Since then, the Israeli Defense Forces knocked out communication for people living in Gaza for two days, intensified their airstrikes, and started a sustained ground incursion by sending tanks and infantry into northern Gaza.The escalation has intensified international calls for a ceasefire. Meanwhile, In Israel, families of those taken hostage by Hamas are calling on the Israeli government to bring back their loved ones.In today’s episode, we bring you voices of those surviving inside the Israel-Hamas war and how things have changed in this new phase of the conflict. You’ll hear from civilians in Gaza, emergency workers, aid officials and people in Israel who are mourning their loved ones or pleading for their safe return.Questions? Comments? Ideas? E-mail us at thedecibel@globeandmail.com