The Current
CBC
Three stories to expand your worldview, delivered daily. Matt Galloway cuts through a sea of choice to bring you stories that transcend the news cycle. Conversations with big thinkers, household names, and people living the news. An antidote to algorithms that cater to what you already know — and a meeting place for diverse perspectives. In its 20 years, the Current has become a go-to place for stories that shape and entertain us. Released daily, Monday to Friday.The Current is produced in Toronto, Ontario, Canada — and has recently recorded live shows about the Canadian election in Surrey and Burnaby BC. And shows to come in Oshawa and the 905, Red Deer, Alberta, Quebec City and Halifax.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Apr 8, 2026 • 11min
Jeremy Hansen on the way to the moon
Jeremy Hansen, a Canadian astronaut selected for Artemis II, shares the thrill of final countdowns and intense mission training. He talks about confronting risk, what it takes to survive deep space, and why a crewed lunar flight matters. He also reflects on Canada’s role in international space partnerships and the personal meaning of fulfilling a childhood dream.
Apr 8, 2026 • 19min
Will the US-Iran ceasefire last?
Mehrzad Boroujerdi, a political science professor who studies Iranian politics and diaspora shifts, and Gregg Carlstrom, The Economist’s Middle East correspondent reporting from the region, discuss the two-week ceasefire and Iran reopening the Strait of Hormuz. They unpack unresolved negotiation points, regional reactions from Israel to Pakistan, fragile enforcement inside Iran, and how diaspora and public opinion are shifting.
Apr 8, 2026 • 12min
Liberals vs Bloc Québécois: Who will win Terrebonne?
Emma Godmere, an Ottawa producer and on-the-ground reporter, files a vivid Terrebonne dispatch. She walks doorsteps with the Liberal campaign and talks to francophone voters. The report highlights the razor-thin prior result, language and local issues, and how a single by-election could shift parliamentary power.
Apr 8, 2026 • 20min
How a B.C. ostrich farm became a flashpoint for conspiracy
Mark Kelley, veteran investigative reporter from The Fifth Estate, walks through the Edgewood, B.C. ostrich cull and its fallout. He narrates how avian flu testing led to urgent culling and legal fights. He explores the surge of conspiracy, high-profile amplification, doxxing and threats. He reflects on what the saga reveals about public trust, science rejection, and the costs involved.
Apr 7, 2026 • 20min
Can public grocery stores work in Canada?
Mike von Masso, a food economist at the University of Guelph who studies food systems and pricing, and Errol Schweitzer, a grocery analyst who advocates commissary-style public stores, debate public grocery stores in Canada. They discuss commissary models, startup and operating costs, scale and purchasing power, subsidy mechanisms to lower prices, and political tradeoffs around public investments.
Apr 7, 2026 • 24min
Making babies the modern way
Catherine Blaisbaum, investigative journalist and author who chronicled her multi-year IVF and surrogacy journey, walks listeners through the complex world of assisted reproduction. She shares moments from failed cycles, a surprising diagnosis, and the emotional highs of a surrogate pregnancy. She also explores clinic transparency, costs and the rules around surrogacy in Canada.
Apr 7, 2026 • 24min
The legacy of Canadian primatologist Birute Galdikas
Birute Galdikas, Canadian anthropologist and primatologist who spent decades studying orangutans in Borneo and taught at Simon Fraser University. She recounts entering unknown rainforests, early encounters and habituation of orangutans, insights into male behavior and family life among apes, and the threats of deforestation alongside rewilding and restoration efforts.
Apr 6, 2026 • 26min
Why you shouldn’t feel guilty about feeling guilty
Chris Moore, psychology professor at Dalhousie and author of The Power of Guilt, explores why guilt gets a bad rap. He tells a personal accident story, explains different kinds of guilt, and reframes guilt as a signal that a relationship needs repair. He also covers how guilt is used socially, parental guilt, and when guilt becomes excessive.
Apr 6, 2026 • 20min
Home ownership out of reach for many Canadians
Lindsay Duncan, a Toronto freelance photographer who bought a starter condo she now cannot sell. Mike Moffatt, founding director of the University of Ottawa’s Missing Middle Initiative and housing policy researcher. They discuss crashing condo resale markets, regional housing pressure, why build costs block supply, and how policy and diverse, lower‑priced housing could reshape access to home ownership.
Apr 3, 2026 • 24min
From busboy to priest, life-lessons with Fr. James Martin
Father James Martin, a Jesuit priest and author of Work in Progress, reflects on a life shaped by many jobs and deepening faith. He talks about finding God in unexpected places. He recalls humility from youthful mistakes, lessons learned as a busboy, and how listening and kindness bridge divides. He reflects on vocation, inclusion, and hope without offering direct advice.
