For decades, scientific research at the Great Lakes has meant close partnership between Canada and the U.S., but President Trump’s latest job cuts may be changing that. In March, the U.S. agencies overseeing the health and conditions of oceans, lakes and rivers became the latest target of the Trump administration’s federal job-cutting spree. Patrick White reports on water issues for The Globe. Today, he explains how the partnership around the Great Lakes is changing, why there are new negotiations about water sharing, and why these conversations about freshwater are not just issues of environmental concern – but also of national security.

In late July, French President Emmanuel Macron said France would recognize a Palestinian state at the United Nations General Assembly in September. The U.K. then said it, too, would recognize a Palestinian state if Israel did not agree to a ceasefire. Canada and then Australia soon committed to recognizing Palestine. Dr. Mira Sucharov is a professor of political science at Carleton University in Ottawa. Much of her work focuses on Israeli-Palestinian relations. Today, she joins us to talk about why we’re seeing this change in policy after 22 months of war in Gaza, what this shift means for people on the ground, and what solution she sees could realistically bring peace and security for Israelis and Palestinians.

The conversation around sleep is shifting. Hustle culture views sleep as a waste of time. But in a culture increasingly focused on health and wellness, sleep is seen as something to be optimized and even perfected. Sleep hygiene trends are taking over social media, but experts warn that fixating on rigid routines and products may do more harm than good. Dr. Rebecca Robillard is a neuropsychologist at the University of Ottawa and co-chair of the Canadian Sleep Research Consortium. Rebecca writes for The Globe’s The Sleep Whisperer, a short series of columns offering advice and insights on sleep health. She’s on the show to talk about the science behind insomnia, explain sleep hygiene trends and the treatments proven to work, and remind sleep perfectionists why keeping a simple bedtime routine is best.

Popeyes Chicken is one of the most well-known fast food franchises in North America. But its reputation could be tested by a lawsuit alleging that some of the chain’s franchise owners purchased meat from an unauthorized seller. The accusations from a former chicken supplier – which Popeyes’ parent company refutes – include “unsafe” and “rotten” meat, according to the statement of claim. Susan Krashinsky Robertson, The Globe’s retail business reporter, breaks down the allegations, recounts the corporate surveillance and explains what it could mean for the chicken you’re eating.

An Afghan family fleeing the Taliban and attempting to join relatives in Canada have been held in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention for months. Their lawyers say they’re stuck in a “legal trap.” Due to the sweeping immigration crackdown and migrant detentions in the U.S., people trying to claim asylum in Canada face a very different reality than they would have a year ago. Sara Mojtahedzadeh is a reporter on the Globe’s investigative team, with a focus on immigration issues. She’ll talk about how this family ended up in this situation, how others are affected by changes to U.S. immigration policy, and the policy changes experts are calling for in Canada. Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at thedecibel@globeandmail.com

At 18 years old, Andean Medjedovic was a math prodigy, finishing his master’s degree in mathematics at the University of Waterloo before most young Canadians can legally drink. Medjedovic was involved in cryptocurrency trading – and according to the U.S. Department of Justice – engaged in “cryptocurrency hacking schemes” that allegedly netted him US$65-million in digital tokens. Now, he’s on the lam. Alexandra Posadzki, The Globe’s financial and cybercrime reporter, is on the show to talk about how Medjedovic allegedly pulled off the trades, the cases against him, and how the controversial philosophy of “Code is Law” in the world of decentralized finance plays into his story. This episode originally aired May 2, 2025. Questions? Comments? Ideas? E-mail us at thedecibel@globeandmail.com

Canada failed to secure a trade deal with the U.S. by the Aug. 1 deadline. In response, U.S. President Donald Trump raised tariffs on certain Canadian goods to 35 per cent. And while other trading partners announced agreements with Trump, Ottawa enters its sixth month of negotiations. But recently, both Prime Minister Mark Carney and Trump have doubted whether a deal can be made without some tariffs in place – or if a deal’s coming at all. Today, Globe columnist Tony Keller joins the show. He’ll share what we know about the negotiations, what Trump wants, where Carney’s “elbows up” mentality has gone, and as more countries accept deals with blanket tariff rates, whether avoiding a deal could be Canada’s best strategy.

Parents seem to be turning to ChatGPT for advice more and more – but what do robots have to offer when it comes to such a core human relationship? What guardrails are necessary when trusting artificial intelligence with shaping the development of our children? Contributing columnist Amberly McAteer weighs in after ChatGPT’s advice actually got one of her daughters to stop stealing from the other.

The Hockey Canada case captivated the country — raising complex questions about consent, hockey culture and even how sports organizations handle accusations of assault. In late July, all five of the accused members of Canada’s 2018 world junior hockey team were found not guilty of sexual assault. After the verdict, a lawyer for one of the players, Megan Savard, said her client, Carter Hart, would have been open to a restorative justice process instead of a trial. Some legal experts say restorative justice is an alternative to the court process that could offer healing for victims and offenders. Jennifer Llewellyn, law professor and chair in restorative justice at Dalhousie’s Schulich School of Law, joins The Decibel today. She’ll explain how restorative justice works and its potential to address issues like the ones raised by the Hockey Canada case.

Canadians are not particularly good at resting. According to Statistics Canada data collected between July 2022 and July 2023, people over the age of 15 spent an average of 17 minutes a day resting, relaxing, or lying down, and an average of 18 minutes a day on relaxing pursuits known as “active leisure” (think: birdwatching, camping, or going to an art gallery). That’s translating into stress – more than a fifth of employed Canadians said their stress levels were high or very high. On top of all that, Expedia’s 2024 Vacation Deprivation Report found that 45 per cent of Canadians left vacation days on the table in 2023. Zosia Bielski is the Globe and Mail’s time use reporter. Today, she’s on the show to challenge the idea that down time needs to be earned, and to talk about some of the different approaches people are taking to prioritize rest in their lives.

More than 1,000 Palestinians have been killed while seeking aid since May. And more than 150 deaths have been attributed to malnutrition, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. Israel denies there is any starvation. But recently, there has been mounting pressure from humanitarian groups and governments, including Canada. On Wednesday evening, Prime Minister Carney announced that Canada intends to recognize Palestinian statehood at the UN General Assembly in September. Hasan Jaber is a journalist living in Gaza who has worked with Globe and Mail correspondents for more than two decades. He tells The Decibel about his reporting in Gaza, as well as his own struggle to find food and water from his home at Bureij Refugee Camp in the Gaza Strip. Plus, International Affairs reporter Janice Dickson explains the world’s reaction to rising concerns about hunger in Gaza, as well as Israel’s response.

Scams are becoming more common and more sophisticated. As quickly as safeguards are developed to protect people, scammers are finding workarounds. And if you do fall victim to a scam, does your bank owe you anything? Alexandra Posadzki joins The Decibel to discuss what current regulations say about who is liable for losses from a scam, the risks for consumers and whether the current system reflects who is actually party to a scam.

What’s in a name? For the past century, people have clamoured to categorize people by their age and the life events they’ve gone through – but how and why did we get so preoccupied with generations? The Globe’s Generations Reporter Ann Hui joins the show to break down where the names came from and how they play out online and in popular culture.

Travel to the U.S. has plummeted ever since U.S. President Donald Trump started talking about annexing Canada and imposing tariffs on us. Politicians on this side of the border are embracing the moment, encouraging people to take trips closer to home. So how is it all working out for Canadian tourism? The Globe’s Jason Kirby, who writes for the Report on Business, joins us to talk about what this summer looks like for Canada’s travel sector.

On Thursday, five members of Canada’s 2018 world junior hockey team were found not guilty of sexually assaulting a woman in a hotel room after a Hockey Canada gala. The men — Michael McLeod, Carter Hart, Alex Formenton, Dillon Dubé and Cal Foote — were acquitted of all charges by Justice Maria Carroccia. The Hockey Canada case has captivated the country — raising complex questions about consent, hockey culture and even how sports organizations handle accusations of assault. Globe reporter Robyn Doolittle has been covering the story since it first became public in 2022. She was in the courtroom for the verdict and joins The Decibel from London, Ontario, to explain how the judge arrived at her conclusion. Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at thedecibel@globeandmail.com

The population of undocumented migrants living and working in Canada is substantial. And while most of them initially entered the country legally, on visas or work permits, many migrants feel that it is worth it to stay in Canada after their status expires, even if they are not legally allowed to work or live in Canada and risk being deported. Globe journalist Sarah Efron and freelance photographer Yader Guzman spent months meeting people from Canada’s undocumented migrant community. Today, Sarah and Yader share what they learned about why people choose to stay despite the often dismal conditions they face in employment, health and housing, and how the federal government is responding.

Earlier this month, U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to impose 35-per-cent tariffs on imports from Canada starting on Aug. 1. And when it comes to trade negotiations, Canadian dairy – and the supply management system that oversees the industry – is treated like a “sacred cow.” Trump has repeatedly aired frustrations over U.S. dairy farmers’ limited access to Canada’s market. Despite this, Ottawa has continued to make efforts to protect the industry from trade negotiations – even while Prime Minister Mark Carney makes other concessions. The Globe’s agriculture and food policy reporter, Kate Helmore, joins the show to explain how supply management works, why it makes negotiating trade deals around dairy so challenging, and just how much political sway the dairy industry has.

Ottawa’s pledge to spend $150-billion annually on defence-related priorities by 2035 is creating big opportunities for the private sector. Several Canadian companies are preparing to compete for lucrative contracts as Canada aligns its defence spending with NATO allies. Pippa Norman, who covers innovation for The Globe, explains the state of Canada’s defence sector, what industry leaders hope Prime Minister Mark Carney will change, and what this government’s focus on military spending could mean for the country’s economy and reputation as a peacekeeping nation.

A new report has found that 19 of Ontario’s 24 publicly-funded colleges have cut more than 8,000 jobs since January 2024, when the new limits on international students came into effect. It’s the fullest picture yet of the consequences of the government’s changing immigration policy. Joe Friesen covers post-secondary education in Canada. He explains the details of the report, the reputational damage this sector has suffered and how colleges became so reliant on international student fees. 

A connection to a bank is an important financial relationship – between chequing and savings accounts, mortgages and loans, they are crucial for paying off bills and long-term planning. But what happens when your bank dumps you? The practice is known as ‘debanking,’ and Canadian banks are turning to it more often when they suspect a customer is involved in criminal activity. Erica Alini, The Globe’s personal economics reporter, explains why debanking is becoming more common and what can happen to someone who’s been ousted by their financial institution. This episode originally aired February 11, 2025.