The Sunday Magazine

Cory Doctorow, a tech activist and author focused on digital rights, dives into the concept of 'enshittification'—how major tech platforms intentionally undermine user experience for profit. He discusses the troubling trajectory of Canada's AI strategy and highlights the risks of unstable AI models. Doctorow critiques government optimism about AI job creation and emphasizes the need for transparency in AI procurement. He advocates for user empowerment through legislative changes and stresses the importance of civic engagement in battling platform dominance.

Host Piya Chattopadhyay speaks with the Toronto Star's Robert Benzie, Lisa Johnson from The Canadian Press and CBC British Columbia's Katie DeRosa about how regional headwinds are challenging the "Team Canada" approach to the U.S. trade war, curler and comedian John Cullen debunks stereotypes about the sport he loves, tech activist and writer Cory Doctorow charts Canada's digital future as the AI race heats up, and fantasy author Katherine Rundell reflects on the value of cultivating wonder in a chaotic world.Discover more at https://www.cbc.ca/sunday

Whether through her bestselling cookbook, Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat, or the Netflix series by the same name, Samin Nosrat has a way of making cooking feel less like a chore and more like a celebration — of flavour, of curiosity, and most of all, of each other. Samin sat down with Piya Chattopadhyay in front of a live audience at Toronto’s Massey Hall to talk about her immigrant upbringing, her relentless drive to succeed and the ways she is re-inventing herself, outlined in her new book, Good Things.

Guest host David Common speaks to the CBC's Margaret Evans and The Economist’s Gregg Carlstrom for updates and analysis on ceasefire negotiations in Gaza, author Nancy Matsumoto explains how alternative supply chains work, and celebrity chef Samin Nosrat sits down with Piya Chattopadhyay in front of a live audience at Toronto’s Massey Hall to talk about her immigrant upbringing, her relentless drive to succeed and the ways she is re-inventing herself, outlined in her new book, Good Things.Discover more at https://www.cbc.ca/sunday

In our monthly challenge That's Puzzling!, Piya Chattopadhyay competes against one familiar voice and one clever listener in a battle of brain games devised by puzzle master Peter Brown. Playing this week are Ann Pornel, host of The Great Canadian Baking Show and listener Victor Boyko from Ottawa.

Host Piya Chattopadhyay speaks with Rabbi Louis Sachs about the issues facing Jewish communities two years after the October 7th attacks in Israel, Palestinian-Canadian author Saeed Teebi grapples with what it means to be Palestinian in this moment, journalists Molly Ball and Toluse Olorunnipa discuss how U.S. President Donald Trump is mixing the military and politics, legendary Blue Jays slugger Joe Carter gives his thoughts on the 2025 Blue Jays team, and our monthly challenge That’s Puzzling! is back for October.Discover more at https://www.cbc.ca/sunday

Justin Gregg studies and teaches about animal behaviour and cognition at St. Francis Xavier University. His new book, Humanish, breaks down the science behind the uniquely human habit of anthropomorphization, and brings a new lens to our evolving relationships with animals rights, tech, and even war.

Host Piya Chattopadhyay speaks with journalists Rob Russo and Tonda MacCharles to discuss the tricky politics facing the Carney government amid the Canada Post strike, adjunct professor at St. Francis Xavier University Justin Gregg breaks down the science behind the uniquely human habit of anthropomorphization, senior fellow with the Australian Strategic Policy Institute Elizabeth Buchanan explains why Greenland’s future remains an open question, and Nobel Peace Prize-winning journalist Maria Ressa warns about the threats posed to democracy -- and ways to combat -- disinformation.Discover more at https://www.cbc.ca/sunday

True crime stories dominate our screens and feeds. But John J. Lennon wants us to question how much truth they're telling – and whose. He reflects on those ideas in his book The Tragedy of True Crime: Four Guilty Men and the Stories That Define Us. And one of the guilty men he writes about is himself. Lennon is serving a 28-years-to-life sentence in New York state for murder, drug sales and gun possession, and has become a professional writer while in prison. He joins Piya Chattopadhyay to talk about his approach to telling crime stories, and the search for meaning, growth and identity inside the system.

Host Piya Chattopadhyay speaks with McGill University's Max Bell School of Public Policy director Jennifer Welsh about the stakes of this week's United Nations General Assembly talks, "Traveling Nanas" Eleanor Hamby and Sandra Hazelip share the life lessons they've learned from their world adventures, University of Toronto scholar Jason Stanley reflects on the state of speech and democratic institutions in the United States, and incarcerated journalist John J. Lennon explores the value of telling crime stories from the inside.Discover more at https://www.cbc.ca/sunday