Storylines

For 28 days after her husband’s death, poet Molly Peacock woke up and cried. It was, in her words, a “full moon cycle" of tears.Then, on the 29th day, the tears subsided. The feelings that followed surprised her, they were of a wider spectrum than she expected — she likened it to a “widow’s crayon box”.In the documentary What Can a Widow Be?, Molly takes us with her on her journey as a widow. She discovered the cliché of the widow — the perpetual mourner — does not tell the full story. Being a widow, she discovered, is full of emotions she never saw coming, from hysterical yelling to moments of joy sitting in bed alone in the morning. As she grieved, she also wrote a collection of poems called, The Widow’s Crayon Box that she read excerpts from in the documentary. Produced by Alisa Siegel and edited by Liz Hoath / originally aired on The Current.The Widow’s Crayon Box by Molly Peacock. Copyright (c) 2024 by Molly Peacock. With permission of the publisher, W. W. Norton & Company, Inc. All rights reserved.Storylines is part of the CBC Audio Doc Unit

This week on Storylines, the voices of Canadian World War One soldiers, sharing their stories of the front lines. You’ll hear these veterans talk about poison gas attacks, shellfire, the mud, the air war, and even the food.   The stories come from interviews with World War One veterans done for the CBC program Flanders Fields which first aired on November 11, 1964. Also, a story from Montreal about a century-old Catholic church that faced a dilemma over what to do with its bells.After the bell tower was damaged, the church faced the prospect of losing bells that had rung out for generations during worship services, weddings, and funerals. Instead, the choir director at Sacré-Coeur-de-Jésus found a way to preserve them, ensuring they will continue to resonate with the congregation and community for years to come.Produced and reported by Simon Nakonechny and originally aired on The Sunday Magazine. Hear the Soldiers of WW1 Speak was produced by Craig DessonStorylines is part of the CBC Audio Doc Unit

A psychologist's bold promise to Indigenous kids in Saskatchewan ignites a controversial neurofeedback training saga. Could brainwave training really enhance IQ and alleviate mental health issues? As the program unfolds, unsettling ethical dilemmas come to light, revealing the emotional struggles of vulnerable families. The potential exploitation of these children's minds raises critical questions about the credibility of such research and the accountability of those involved. What lies beneath the surface of claims for extraordinary abilities?

Tracey Danka, a January 6 protester from North Carolina, shares her complex journey from being a liberal Democrat to embracing Trump’s ideology, revealing her perspectives on political division and community service. Meanwhile, Robert Miniaci, a master projector repairman in Montreal, discusses the art of preserving analog film projectors amidst a digital age. The conversation weaves through emotional reflections on love, belief systems, and the challenges of keeping craftsmanship alive in a rapidly changing world.

Some twenty five years ago, in a small, nondescript building in downtown Tokyo, children gather to look at a suitcase displayed behind glass. They write poems and draw pictures about the suitcase because of the tragedy it represents. The suitcase came from Auschwitz. This suitcase belonged to Hana Brady, who was born in the Czech Republic, and whose life was brutally cut short by the Holocaust. She was first deported to the Theresienstadt concentration camp in 1942, and then to Auschwitz in 1944 where she died at the age of 13. A Holocaust education center in Tokyo acquired the suitcase with no further information about Hana. So, its director, Fumiko Ishioka, made it her mission to find out more of Hana's story.Her search brought her to Toronto and George Brady. He is Hana’s older brother, the only member of their immediate family to survive. For him, the reappearance of the suitcase in Japan, 57 years after Hana’s death, was absolutely astonishing.  Produced by Karen Levine/originally aired in 2001 on The Sunday Edition Storylines is part of the CBC Audio Doc Unit

Adam Goddard, a Canadian composer, intertwines his musical talent with the rich farming stories of his 90-year-old grandfather, Henry Haws. They discuss the evolution of farming practices and the nostalgia tied to agricultural heritage. Alongside this, the podcast explores the tiny forest movement, emphasizing how these compact ecosystems are thriving in urban areas and their role in combating climate change. Listeners will discover the profound impact of community-driven environmental initiatives and the blend of art and tradition through family storytelling.

In 2015, Yasser El Tahan picked up a stranger while off roading in Newfoundland. Days later, Yasser learned that the man he’d taken into the woods was a missing person named Jonathan Hannaford. Jonathan would be found a few days later, but this chance encounter on a country road haunted Yasser. So he decided to find Jonathan and talk to him about what happened that day. In this documentary, Yasser and Jonathan reconnect to retrace their steps. Together, they dig into what led to Jonathan’s disappearance and what happened after Yasser dropped him off. Reported by Yasser El Tahan and produced by Caroline Hillier / Originally aired on Atlantic Voice Storylines is part of the CBC Audio Doc Unit 

She pretended to be a nurse in Colorado, Ontario, Alberta and B.C., posed as a teacher in Alberta and Quebec and worked as a hairstylist in multiple cities.And no matter how many times this serial imposter ends up behind bars, Brigitte Cleroux just keeps returning to her life of deception.In the documentary, “The Professional,” Bethany Lindsay follows Cleroux as she zig-zags across North America, racking up criminal convictions along the way. Disturbed patients, a bullied former student and a whistleblowing nurse all share their experiences — and talk about the pain Cleroux caused them.Every person who’s crossed paths with Cleroux has a very different story to tell, but they’ve all been left with the same question: Why does she keep doing this?Reported by Bethany Lindsay and produced by Joan Webber / Originally aired on The Current Storylines is part of the CBC Audio Doc Unit

Every day, hundreds of people cross the border from Sudan into Chad, searching for safety. They’re escaping a brutal civil war in Sudan which has been raging since April of 2023. In the conflict, men have routinely been rounded up and killed. Women have been raped. Homes and villages have been raided and destroyed. The conflict has forced 10.5 million people from their homes. More than 600,000 of those refugees have ended up in Eastern Chad. For many, their first stop is an area of open desert near the town of Adre. More than 200,000 people are living there right now. Shelters are made of sticks covered with scarves or plastic. Aid groups are distributing meager food and water but it’s nowhere near the standard set for an official camp. In this documentary, producer Elizabeth Hoath introduces you to a few of the people who are living in these terrible conditions. You’ll hear about what they escaped, and what they’re planning for the future. Then we travel to an official camp to meet women who are survivors of gender based violence. Sexual violence has been used as a tool in the war in Sudan but the women who managed to escape, are still not safe.Produced by Elizabeth Hoath with help from Joan Webber/Originally aired on The Current. Storylines is part of the CBC Audio Doc Unit

In this episode, we step inside a Toronto classroom where some 30 students from diverse backgrounds lift their voices and sing as part of the University of Toronto’s first-ever Black gospel choir class. Led by Professor Darren Hamiliton, the students, many with no background in gospel music, learn that there is more to this musical tradition than they imagined. In this documentary, Let it Shine, CBC doc producer Alisa Siegel follows these students over the course of the academic year as they discover a deeper understanding of Black musical tradition and its message of faith, freedom and joy.  Produced by Alisa Siegel, with thanks to Julia Pagel and Greg Kelly and originally aired on The CurrentStorylines is part of the CBC Audio Doc Unit