

Cross Country Checkup
CBC
Cross Country Checkup is Canada's only national phone-in show, broadcasting live from coast to coast to coast. Checkup is Canada's weekly town hall — a place for raw, honest perspectives on the most pressing issues of the week. For over 55 years, it's where Canadians gather to listen to each other every Sunday afternoon. Call us: 1-888-416-8333.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Aug 31, 2025 • 54min
Has AI use in the classroom gone too far or not far enough
Students and teachers will be trying to navigate a new technology this year. Artificial intelligence is here to stay. And students have access to tools that can replace research and writing they should be doing. You could ban students using AI, but then how do we prepare kids for a future where they might very well need to use it?Our question: Has AI use in the classroom gone too far or not far enough? Is AI creating a generation of cheaters or achievers?

Aug 31, 2025 • 58min
How is AI changing your life?
A recent online poll by Leger found that 85 per cent of people asked said that the government should regulate artificial intelligence. But 57 per cent of people asked said they’d used some kind of AI tool. That's one online poll, but it points to where many Canadians are with AI right now: they are using this technology, but have questions. Are you using AI to transform your daily life? Has it helped you overcome barriers? Or maybe you have questions about how it all works.Our question: How is AI changing your life? What questions do you have?

Aug 24, 2025 • 56min
Are you rethinking how much unpaid work you’re doing for your employer?
Our show on the Air Canada strike generated hundreds of comments at cbc.ca/aircheck, including stories about the unpaid hours you're working. It appears many of you are rethinking your own relationship with "unpaid work". A study by the Institute for Work & Health in Toronto found that about half of the study participants reported working either moderate or excessive unpaid overtime.Our question: Are you rethinking how much unpaid work you’re doing for your employer? What questions do you have?

Aug 24, 2025 • 55min
Is the Prime Minister playing it smart or selling Canada short?
Prime Minister Mark Carney announced he will match the United States by removing Canadian tariffs on US goods covered by CUSMA, starting September 1st. Following the announcement, U.S. President Donald Trump responded to the move, saying it was "nice" and that he wanted to "be good to Canada." But, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said Carney's trade decision was weak and that his elbows "have mysteriously gone missing". So, was this sudden turn in trade negotiations with Donald Trump -- elbow's up, elbow's down or elbows gone?Our question: What grade are you giving Mark Carney on negotiations with Donald Trump? Is he playing it smart or selling Canada short?

Aug 17, 2025 • 50min
How’s the fight to cut screen time going this summer?
It's the dog days of summer, and for many families that means a tug-of-war between the iPad and the park. But who's really struggling more to unplug, is it the kids or the parents? How to set boundaries and reclaim real-world connection, the kind that replays as warm summertime memories with your family in the years to come.Our question: How’s the fight to cut screen time going this summer? Are we expecting too much from kids or not enough from parents?

Aug 17, 2025 • 1h 3min
Should the government be forcing Air Canada flight attendants back to work?
The Carney government has forced the airline and its flight attendants into binding arbitration just hours into a work stoppage. But flight attendants say their rights have been taken away, arguing the feds caved to Air Canada. And they are staying on strike despite action from the government. It's one of the busiest times of the year for travel, and many passengers still don't know when or how they'll get home.Our question: Should the government be forcing Air Canada flight attendants back to work? How have you been affected by the strike?

Aug 10, 2025 • 53min
How is Trump’s trade fight with Canada affecting you?
The US Ambassador to Canada, Pete Hoekstra, says it's not personal but don't tell that to Ontario Premier Doug Ford. He told CNN that Trump is "probably the most disliked politician in the world." The same week Trump fired his Labour Statistics chief after weak job numbers, then posted on Truth Social that his tariffs are "boosting the stock market". Doug Ford says Canada will "outlast the Trump administration", but for many Canadians, the damage is already done.Our question: How is Trump’s trade fight with Canada affecting you? What matters to you about the Canada-US relationship?

Aug 10, 2025 • 58min
What’s the biggest misconception about your generation?
There’s a war of words playing out at dinner tables, in the office kitchenette, on Instagram, TikTok and yes, Facebook too. Each generation armed with punchlines are poking at one another. Boomers with accusations of 'entitlement'. Millennials rolling their eyes #OKBoomer. Gen X wallowing in "middle child" syndrome. And have you been on the receiving end of the Gen Z stare?But the banter can cut deeper than it first appears: accusations of laziness, a lack of commitment, or even narcissism. But what if those stereotypes are just noise drowning out deeper conversations about work, values, economic fairness and resilience?Our question: What’s the biggest misconception about your generation? How do generational stereotypes affect how you’re seen and heard?

Aug 3, 2025 • 44min
Why does the Pierre Poilievre byelection matter to you?
Two hundred and ten names, and one of them is Pierre Poilievre. The Battle River-Crowfoot byelection in Alberta isn't just about who wins one seat. It's about what kind of democracy Canadians want.The Conservative leader is trying to return to Parliament after losing his longtime seat in the Ottawa riding of Carleton. But he's facing a record-breaking protest —hundreds of candidates, most are backed by an electoral reform group, trying to make a point about how our system works, or doesn't. Some call it a mockery. Others say it's a wake up call. Either way it's testing the rules, the voters, and the future of Canadian politics.Our question: Why does the Pierre Poilievre byelection matter to you? What does it say about Canadian politics?

Aug 3, 2025 • 1h 9min
What challenges are you facing while buying Canadian?
"Buy Canadian", it's a patriotic pledge, and for many of us, a personal one. But, in the middle of a trade war with Donald Trump that pledge is getting harder to keep. Prices are rising. Grocery labels are confusing. And depending on what you're looking for, it can be almost impossible to find a purely Canadian-made product.What challenges are you facing while buying Canadian? What questions do you have about Donald Trump’s tariffs?