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 6, 2026 • 19min
What do Israel and the U.S. want from the war with Iran?
It's been almost a week since the U.S. and Israel launched co-ordinated strikes on Iran, and Iran is continuing to hit back with attacks on Israel, on U.S. bases and on countries in the region. More than 1000 people are dead and tens of thousands more have been displaced. We talk to Rober Malley, a lecturer and senior fellow at Yale University’s Jackson School of Global Affairs, and the U.S. Special Envoy to Iran from 2021 to 2023, and Mehrzad Boroujerdi, a professor of political science at the Missouri University of Science and Technology about what the United States and Israel hope to achieve in Iran.
8 snips
Mar 5, 2026 • 20min
Ticketmaster has ‘broken’ the concert industry
Dean Budnick, Relics editor and concert-history author, and Vass Bednar, competition policy expert, dig into Ticketmaster and Live Nation. They discuss the Taylor Swift ticketing failures, alleged venue pressure and anti-competitive conduct, how vertical integration shapes pricing and resale, and the stakes for artists, fans and market policy.
Mar 5, 2026 • 16min
Do you have a friend group?
Turns out, Canadians are spending less and less time with their friends and many don’t have a friend group. What does it mean if we don't have a close friend group — and how can we approach making new friends? We’ll explore that with Philip Howlett, a friendship researcher and lecturer at the University of Bath.
Mar 5, 2026 • 10min
Why a global memory chip shortage is a problem for Canada
These tiny silicon squares are the unsung heroes of our society — they run everything from your microwave to cellphone to larger systems like health care and defense. But the global increase in AI is driving up the demand for memory chips, leading to a global supply and demand problem. We speak with Namir Anani, the president and chief executive of the Information and Communications Technology Council, about why these chips are foundational to Canada's sovereignty and why he thinks Canada needs to work quickly to position itself as a player in the global memory chip market.
Mar 5, 2026 • 15min
Canada's daily radio show The Broadcast turns 75
For 75 years, the CBC Radio program The Broadcast has told the stories of Newfoundlanders and their connection with the ocean. We’ll talk to the host Paula Gale about how the show has kept the island's culture alive through ordinary people and in the face of those from away who wanted to hear fewer accents and accordions on the air, as the show celebrates its 75th anniversary.
Mar 5, 2026 • 9min
How much will the war in Iran spike oil prices?
The world's most crucial oil corridor, the Strait of Hormuz, has been shut. The closure prevents the movement of roughly a quarter of the world's seaborne oil. How much will gas prices and inflation leap? And is it Canada's moment to pitch itself as a global oil superpower?
Mar 4, 2026 • 12min
B.C. is all in on daylight saving time
British Columbians will move their clocks forward this weekend and leave them there. The province says that's what people want. UBC sleep researcher Elizabeth Keys says permanent standard time is better for our health — but the BC government didn't ask people whether they'd prefer it.
Mar 4, 2026 • 24min
A 'national conversation' about men's health
The federal government is launching a national strategy for men's health. We hear from men who have chosen not to engage in the healthcare system, from practitioners about how to better reach men, and about the impact politics and the manosphere are having on this issue.
Mar 4, 2026 • 19min
Fear and hope in the Iranian diaspora as the war continues
The internet blackout in Iran continues, making it hard to capture what is happening inside the country. It's also making it hard for Iranians in Canada to reach family there. We'll hear from some Canadian-Iranians across this country, and we’ll also talk to Gregg Carlstrom, the Middle East Correspondent at The Economist about the latest on this war.
Mar 4, 2026 • 12min
Why you won't see meat ads in some European cities
Amsterdam has become the latest city to ban adverts that promote fossil fuels — things like flights, cruises or the latest gas-powered car. Freelance climate journalist Isabella Kaminski breaks down how these bans work and what we know about how effective they are.
