Latest podcasts

The Decibel

Context is everything. Join us Monday to Friday for a Canadian daily news podcast from The Globe and Mail. Explore a story shaping our world, in conversation with reporters, experts, and the people at the centre of the news.

  1. How a new kind of drug could change the future of Alzheimer’s

    Tuesday, April 16th 2024

    There are an estimated 650,000 cases of dementia in Canada right now. The last 20 years of research into the treatment of Alzheimer’s have been, as one expert put it, “agonizing.” But a new drug was approved in the United States and is being tested in Canada to see if it can delay or slow the progression of Alzheimer’s symptoms. And it’s giving researchers and patients some hope that a breakthrough could be on the way.

    Kelly Grant, health reporter for The Globe, has been looking at this drug more closely. She’s on the show today to tell us what these trials mean for patients and the future of Alzheimer’s research.

    Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at [email protected]

  2. City Space: How Halifax’s unhoused crisis got so bad

    Monday, April 15th 2024

    The Globe and Mail’s City Space podcast takes on the big issues, questions and stories of urban living. What makes a city function? Why was it built that way? How will it change in a tech-powered society? 

    This episode takes a look at the unhoused and encampment crisis in many cities and towns in Canada. In Halifax, the homeless population has tripled in the last three years. Emergency shelters aren’t enough, and building new housing takes time. Real fixes will require money and policy solutions. The city finds itself caught in the middle – between those who just want the problem to disappear and those trying to find long-term answers. 

    Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at [email protected]

  3. What we’ve learned from the foreign interference inquiry

    Friday, April 12th 2024

    After a spate of news stories and immense public pressure, the government of Canada established the Public Inquiry into Foreign Interference to examine allegations that foreign countries like China and Russia interfered in our elections. The inquiry has heard from many high-ranking officials, including Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, about interference in the 2019 and 2021 elections.

    Robert Fife, The Globe’s Ottawa bureau chief, is on the show to explain the main points from the public inquiry so far and whether it will answer the lingering questions around foreign interference in Canada.

    Questions? Comments? Ideas? E-mail us at [email protected]

  4. Former health minister Jane Philpott’s plan to save health care

    Thursday, April 11th 2024

    Long wait times and the never ending battle to connect with a healthcare professional is a reality most people know all too well. Especially for the 6.5 million Canadian residents who do not have a family doctor. It’s a problem that has existed for years because it isn’t easy to solve.

    Dr. Jane Philpott is the Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences at Queen’s University. She is a family doctor, the former Minister of Health and recently published a new book, Health for All: A Doctor’s Prescription for a Healthier Canada. Dr. Philpott is on the show to talk about her ‘hopeful’ vision for primary care in Canada.

    Questions? Comments? Ideas? E-mail us at [email protected]

  5. Why major economies are trying to woo Vietnam

    Wednesday, April 10th 2024

    Vietnam is having a moment on the world stage. Last month, Canada sent the largest ever “Team Canada” delegation of business leaders and government officials in a push to strengthen the bond with the country. And Canada isn’t alone – the U.S., Australia and China are all looking to do the same.

    The Globe’s Asia correspondent, James Griffiths was recently in Vietnam and he’s on the show to explain why the southeast Asian country is so popular right now, what Canada is hoping to gain and what this all means for Vietnam’s future.

    Questions? Comments? Ideas? E-mail us at [email protected]

Brought to you by