Cross Country Checkup

You may be watching the bike lane debate unfold in your local council chambers, your provincial legislature or right outside your front door. Lately, provincial governments in Ontario, Alberta and Nova Scotia have been veering into what has always been a municipal issue. Bike lanes have become a lightning rod for urban planning, for safety for who gets space on our roads. Some see them as an important part of making cities livable. Others see them as an expensive nuisance that disrupts traffic and hurts local retailers. But whether you're behind the wheel, on two wheels or just crossing the street -- the pressure is on to pick a lane and fix it -- whichever one you're in. Our question: When it comes to bike lanes, do your streets have too many or too few? 

Raghu Venugopal, an emergency physician from Toronto, shares alarming statistics about the surge in e-scooter injuries, highlighting head trauma and emergency visits. Larry Wartels, an urban planner, discusses the integration of e-scooters into city infrastructure. They explore the dual nature of e-scooters as eco-friendly transport while addressing safety concerns, the need for better regulations, and the challenges posed by speeding riders. Together, they ponder whether e-scooters are a revolutionary transport option or a growing public safety menace.

There was an awkward "KissCam" moment at a Coldplay concert on Wednesday night. Two concertgoers, one with his arms around the other, and suddenly they were on the big screens in the stadium. Their shocked reaction was posted on social media and went viral. The online sleuthing escalated quickly, they were identified as a tech company CEO and the head of HR. There were allegations of an office affair, and ultimately a resignation. It's a soap opera that's gripped millions online, raising questions about what's public, what's private and the line between social media scrutiny and online bullying. Is this an example of accountability, transparency and holding people to high standards? Or, is it a worrying case of viral overreach, where personal privacy is being eroded by algorithms?Our question: What's your reaction to the viral Coldplay couple controversy?

Mark Carney hasn't been on the job for long, but a lot has already happened during his time in office. The trade dispute with the U.S. continues. Donald Trump announced new tariffs on Thursday. He ended the consumer carbon tax, passed Bill C-5 - aimed at fast-tracking 'nation-building' projects, and he has made pledges to end barriers to interprovincial trade by Canada Day and to boost military spending to 5 per cent of GDP by 2035, an increase that could cost $150 billion per year.Our question: What grade are you giving Prime Minister Mark Carney, so far?

Political differences can be a minefield among family and friends, trade tensions. new tariff threats from Donald Trump. "Elbows Up' and calls to “Buy Canadian", there's a shift happening —not just policy, but how many Canadians relate to their neighbours south of the border. It's changing what many people buy, where we travel - even how we talk to American family, friends and coworkers.Our question: What conversations are you having with Americans? How are the Canada-US relationships going in your life?

The job picture is bleak for young people right now. Canadian youth between the ages of 15 to 24 are facing the highest unemployment rate since the mid-90's, the only exception —the pandemic years. According to numbers from the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, the jobless rate for young people has been rising faster here in the past two years than any other major economy. How are you seeing this play out in your own life, or with your friends and family?Our question: How are you affected by youth unemployment? What’s your summer job search story?

According to a survey, four out of ten people said they were planning to leave their jobs earlier this year. So whether you decided to quit your job to follow your passion, left the corporate world for a more quiet life, or maybe you're weighing the decision to quit right now, how did you know it was the right time to leave your job? How did that decision change your path?

This summer millions of Canadians will trek, hike, camp in our great outdoors like never before, which means more human encounters with Canadian wildlife. Have you come face to face with a moose, beaver or caribou? One of those frozen-in-time moments you'll never forget?Our question: What was your unexpected encounter with a wild animal?

In many schools across the country, this was, among other things, the year of the cell phone ban. Six Canadian provinces restricted cell phone use in the classroom. In May, the province of Quebec announced a full ban —zero phone use from the first to the last bell— starting next September. We wanted to hear from students, teachers, administrators, parents, anyone with first hand experience in the classroom.Our question: How did your school's cell phone ban go this year? What impact did it have?

On Saturday, US bombers attacked 3 nuclear sites inside Iran, including the Fordo uranium enrichment plant - a site which is vital to Iran's nuclear capabilities. Israel has said they were in "full coordination" with these attacks. The next morning, US Defence Secretary said the US has "devastated the Iranian nuclear program". It is an ominous escalation in the Iran-Israel War - one that has implications for civilians in Iran, Israel and across the Middle East and anyone who has friends or family in the region.Our question: What questions do you have about the Israel-Iran war? How does it affect you?