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
Mar 23, 2026 • 20min
How war in the Middle East is upending the global economy
Denise Ho, a shipping industry pro with 25+ years, and Peter S. Goodman, NYT trade reporter and author, discuss how the Middle East war is snarling global logistics. They describe stuck ships, soaring surcharges, and threats to energy, fertilizer and perishable supplies. They compare these shocks to pandemic-era bottlenecks and examine policy reactions and wider economic risks.
10 snips
Mar 23, 2026 • 26min
Why are more young Canadians self-harming?
Caroline Bozanko, a Calgary psychologist who works with teens, Dr. Natasha Saunders, a pediatric researcher at SickKids, and Alex Anna, a Montreal filmmaker who made a film about their self-harm journey, discuss rising youth self-harm rates. They cover how self-injury starts and functions, recent research showing sharp increases, social media and contagion, recovery paths, and practical steps for parents and schools.
Mar 23, 2026 • 24min
When it comes to sports betting, does everyone lose?
Danny Funt, journalist and author of Everybody Loses, examines how legalized sports betting reshaped fandom and the industry. He discusses the normalization of wagering through apps and ads. He explores online live bets, conflicts in sports media, risks of addiction and corruption, and why leagues embraced gambling despite integrity concerns.
Mar 20, 2026 • 21min
Why risky play is good for kids
Alexandra Lange, architecture and design critic who writes about play spaces, and Mariana Brussoni, pediatrician and researcher on children’s risky outdoor play. They discuss why thrilling, uncertain activities build resilience and skills. They critique dull, fenced playgrounds and describe junk-play spaces, safety tradeoffs, and how communities and design can make adventurous play possible.
Mar 20, 2026 • 16min
A Canadian company is helping white supremacists fundraise
Ioana Romeliotis, co-leader of a Fifth Estate investigation and on-the-ground reporter, and Rachel Ward, investigative producer who tracked platforms monetizing extremist content, discuss Rumble and Entropy. They explain how these sites position themselves as cancel-free, detail Entropy’s donation system and platform cuts, and examine links between online fundraising and real-world harms.
Mar 20, 2026 • 9min
Cigarette butts help birds
Lorraine Perez-Balalchon, a Master’s student studying bird nesting and urban ecology, discusses how birds incorporate human-made items like cigarette butts. Short, punchy segments cover why birds use butts, nicotine’s insect-repellent role, lab and field findings from the Galapagos to Poland, and whether birds actively select these materials.
Mar 20, 2026 • 20min
Cubans in exile want an “end to communism”
Sebastián Arcos, interim director at the Cuban Research Institute and former dissident, and Jorge Barrera, CBC reporter in Havana, discuss Cuba’s nationwide blackout, fuel and electricity shortages, and the human impact on daily life. They cover signs of public frustration, government messaging, tourism collapse, U.S. pressure and debates over possible political transitions.
Mar 19, 2026 • 24min
The power of kindness and other life lessons from a priest
Father James Martin, a Jesuit priest and author who amplifies marginalized Catholics, shares stories from his life and ministries. He reflects on humility learned in low-wage jobs. He talks about finding God in the margins, kindness as an antidote to cruelty, hospitality toward migrants, and the power of building friendships across divides.
Mar 19, 2026 • 19min
Can American doctors solve BC’s healthcare woes?
Josie Osborne, BC’s Minister of Health, outlines a fast-track recruitment campaign. Dr. Rita McCracken, family physician and researcher, examines workforce limits and access concerns. Dr. Anne Herdman-Royal, U.S.-trained pathologist now in Nanaimo, recounts her licensure journey. They explore who is moving, credentialing speedups, rural stability and whether this really eases long-term access pressures.
Mar 19, 2026 • 24min
E-waste is on the rise in Canada, here’s why you should care
Josh Leposki, a geography professor who studies e-waste flows and policy, and Kamal Habib, an expert on consumer behaviour and repairability, discuss rising electronic waste in Canada. They explore why working devices get tossed, repair barriers and right-to-repair laws, software-driven obsolescence, where collected e-waste ends up, and policy levers to curb production and pollution.
