Front Burner
CBC
Front Burner is a daily news podcast that takes you deep into the stories shaping Canada and the world. Each morning, from Monday to Friday, host Jayme Poisson talks with the smartest people covering the biggest stories to help you understand what’s going on.We’re Canada’s number one news podcast and a trusted source of Canadian news. We cover Canadian news and Canadian politics, Prime Minister Mark Carney, Pierre Poilievre, the Donald Trump administration, provincial politics from Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario, and politicians Danielle Smith, David Eby and Doug Ford.We cover Toronto, Vancouver, and Calgary as well as other municipalities across Canada. In this Canadian election year, Front Burner will be focusing more on Canadian politics. We will take a close look at Mark Carney’s first few weeks as Prime Minister, the Conservatives and Pierre Poilievre as well as the future of the NDP and Quebec’s Yves-François Blanchet from the Bloc Québécois during the 2025 Canadian federal election.The podcast goes beyond Ottawa and digs deeper into major issues like U.S.-Canada relations, jobs, the economy, immigration, cost of living, housing and rental costs, taxes and tariffs, democracy and technology. The Front Burner daily podcast covers Canadian news from every province and territory: Alberta, British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Ontario, Quebec, Manitoba, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Nunavut, Northwest Territories and Yukon.We cover news from major cities like Ottawa, Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary and Edmonton. When U.S. President Donald Trump declares he wants to make Canada the 51st state and decides to implement tariffs, Front Burner has an analysis into what is happening. We cover Elon Musk’s DOGE. We cover the latest in technology from the rise of bitcoin and crypto, the future of TikTok, Meta, artificial intelligence, influencers, and more. Look to our archives to see fact-checked stories about infrastructure, fascism, border security, immigration, Pierre Poilievre, the Republican Party, American politics, Canadian politics, India, China, Trump’s tariffs, Mark Carney, Elon Musk, Toronto, technology, artificial intelligence, international students, healthcare, and inflation. We cover global news like the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, the ceasefire, the Ukraine-Russia war, the India-Pakistan conflict, and the U.S. economy and U.S. politics. Front Burner is a part of your morning news routine. Whether you’re in Toronto or Vancouver or Washington, this is the news that matters to Canadians. We take a look at the economy and break it down from the budget to interest rate hikes to inflation to recessions to jobs to the cost of living. We look at the policy around housing, Canadian housing supply, and what this means for first-time home buyers, renters, and those with a mortgage. We look at technology, from AI to the manosphere to social media like Meta, Twitter, Facebook, and more. We look at influential newsmakers like Elon Musk and influential technology industries like crypto and AI.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Aug 20, 2024 • 27min
Inside a CIA agent's mission to infiltrate Al-Qaeda
Zach Dorfman, a journalist specializing in intelligence and national security, dives into the CIA's covert operations post-9/11. He reveals a chilling plan to use a white American man as an undercover agent in Al-Qaeda, examining the agency’s transformative shift towards counterterrorism. The discussion touches on ethical dilemmas, the psychological toll on agents, and the broader implications of such espionage tactics. Dorfman highlights the complexities of navigating a false identity while wrestling with the intense demands of national security.
Aug 19, 2024 • 25min
Will Ukraine's attack inside Russia pay off?
Tim Mak, a Kyiv-based journalist and author of The Counteroffensive, discusses Ukraine's audacious military incursion into the Kursk region. He explains the strategic importance of this bold move, which diverts Russian troops from critical battlegrounds. Mak dives into the risks and rewards of attacking within Russian territory, the effect on morale in Ukraine, and how the shifting political landscape in the U.S. influences support. He examines Russia's challenges, including declining troop morale and misinformation tactics amidst Ukrainian advances.
Aug 16, 2024 • 24min
Cracks in Canada’s temporary foreign worker program
Randy Boissonnault, the Liberal Employment Minister, discusses the pressing issues surrounding Canada's temporary foreign worker program. He considers reforms in response to concerns about exploitation and wage suppression. The program's expansion since the pandemic has led to significant labor market impacts, particularly in food and retail sectors. Economist Armine Yalnizyan highlights the struggles faced by migrant workers, including rights violations and threats to job security for Canadian youth, emphasizing the urgent need for policy changes.
Aug 15, 2024 • 27min
Israel accused of turning prisons into ‘torture camps’
Israeli prisons are at the center of a heated debate amidst shocking allegations of systemic abuse. Reports detail harrowing testimonies of torture, neglect, and psychological cruelty faced by Palestinian detainees. Activists claim prisons have transformed into 'torture camps,' following a disturbing incident involving an alleged sexual assault on a prisoner. The discussion also emphasizes the dire need for international accountability and highlights the troubling normalization of violence within society, prompting urgent questions about human rights.
Aug 14, 2024 • 24min
Why is ISIS seeing a resurgence?
Recent arrests in Canada highlight a concerning trend of ISIS's resurgence. The group has adapted, moving from territorial control to a decentralized network, using funding through taxation and extortion. Youth radicalization is on the rise, with plots targeting large events like concerts being foiled. Additionally, ISIS employs cutting-edge digital propaganda, leveraging social media to reach potential recruits. This evolving landscape poses significant challenges in countering their influence and ideology.
Aug 13, 2024 • 29min
Canada's news outlets are struggling. Should Ottawa save them?
In this engaging discussion, journalists Justin Ling, a contributing columnist for the Toronto Star, and Paul Wells, a seasoned writer with a long history in Canadian publications, dive into the struggles of Canadian news outlets. They dissect the impact of Meta's news ban, leading to layoffs and news deserts. The duo also critiques government efforts, including the controversial Google-Canada news deal, questioning whether financial support is a boon or a curse for public trust in journalism. The future of reporting in the digital age hangs in the balance.
5 snips
Aug 12, 2024 • 30min
Is AI a bubble that's about to burst?
Paris Marx, an author and host known for exploring the intersection of technology and society, delves into the current state of generative AI. He discusses the initial hype around tools like ChatGPT and contrasts it with a sobering reality of stagnation and profitability concerns. The conversation highlights trust issues due to inaccuracies in AI outputs, the environmental cost of data demands, and echoes of past tech bubbles. Marx urges a deeper consideration of AI's actual value amid shifting corporate priorities, warning of the potential fallout from a bubble burst.
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Aug 10, 2024 • 23min
Weekend Listen: Putin's Murders from Tortoise
Giles Whittell, a journalist investigating the deaths of Putin's opponents, joins Alexei Navalny, a once-notable rival allegedly murdered in an Arctic labor camp. They delve into the chilling trend of political murders during Putin's regime, exploring why so many dissenters have met tragic ends. The conversation sheds light on the perils surrounding those who oppose power in Russia, the shadowy tactics of the KGB, and the unsettling culture of repression that has gripped the nation under Putin's rule.
Aug 9, 2024 • 28min
How anti-migration riots swept the UK
Freelance journalist Zoë Grünewald, known for her insights on social issues, discusses the alarming rise of anti-immigrant riots in the UK. She highlights how a tragic stabbing incident sparked chaos and fueled far-right sentiments. Misinformation played a crucial role in escalating tensions, as social media became a tool for mob violence against asylum seekers. Zoë also delves into government responses and community resilience, contrasting the riots with vibrant anti-racism protests that celebrated diversity amidst this turmoil.
Aug 8, 2024 • 21min
Why are so many Toronto condos sitting empty?
John Palaslis, president of Realosophy, dives deep into Toronto's beleaguered condo market, highlighting the perplexing trend of empty units amid a housing crisis. He discusses the significant plunge in sales, driven by high prices and investor behavior. Palaslis also explores the challenges of high inventory and stagnant prices, stressing the need for government solutions to bridge the gap between population growth and housing availability. His insights shed light on the shifting motivations of buyers and the complexities facing first-time homeowners.
