The Decibel

Canada's rapid population growth and the strain it puts on the country's living standards and infrastructure. The rise of temporary residents and the economic motives behind it. The concept of Canada's 'population trap' and the need for policy changes. Criticism of Canada's immigration policy and suggestions for improvement. The impact of immigration on affordability, housing, healthcare, and services.

The podcast explores the Steven Galloway case, including the allegations and investigation. It also delves into Galloway's defamation suit and the repercussions of the recent ruling. The podcast addresses the underreporting of sexual assault cases and the tragic consequences. Overall, it provides a comprehensive analysis of the case and its impact.

Ontario’s Ring of Fire has long been believed to contain critical minerals like nickel, copper and chromite, purportedly worth tens of billions of dollars. But for more than a decade, there has been no development. This is in part because of a long process of assessments and consultations happening, much of which involve First Nations communities who live on the Ring of Fire land.Niall McGee is the Globe’s mining reporter and he explains how the leader of one First Nation in the area is pushing to allow for the mining of the Ring of Fire and why he sees it as important for reconciliation.Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at thedecibel@globeandmail.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Snowy season in many parts of Canada is off to a slow start. At the end of December, fewer than half of Whistler Blackcomb’s trails in British Columbia were open due to the lack of snow. And the Prairie provinces are expected to have a milder winter, with below-normal snowfall. While the amount of snow varies from year to year, a new study says snowpack – the volume of snow that is present on the landscape – in the Northern Hemisphere is on the decline because of climate change.Ivan Semeniuk is The Globe’s science reporter. He’s on the show to explain how this loss will impact not only ski season but also water supplies and agriculture.Questions? Comments? Ideas? E-mail us at thedecibel@globeandmail.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

There seems to be a lot of illness going around right now. Hospitals are struggling with what the Canadian Medical Association called an “avalanche of patients,” and many of you have questions.Today, The Globe’s health reporter Carly Weeks joins us to explain how this year’s respiratory virus season is shaping up, and she answers your questions about COVID, RSV, the flu, and more.Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at thedecibel@globeandmail.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On December 29, South Africa submitted an application with the International Court of Justice claiming that Israel’s offensive in Gaza is “genocidal in character.” The UN’s judicial court is hearing South Africa’s request for provisional measures on Thursday and will hear Israel’s response the next day.Geoffrey York is the Globe’s Africa bureau chief, based in Johannesburg. He explains what was in South Africa’s application and what it means for the war in Gaza.Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at thedecibel@globeandmail.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Taiwan, the east Asian country of 24 million people, is ramping up to a pivotal presidential election on January 13. Amidst rising tensions with China, voters are being asked whether their country should have a warmer relationship with Beijing or continue a hardline stance for Taiwanese independence.James Griffiths, The Globe’s Asia correspondent, explains why the answer to that question will test China’s strength and why another superpower is watching closely.Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at thedecibel@globeandmail.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

There’s a conversation happening amongst parents that is drumming up a lot of controversy. It’s around the idea of gentle parenting, which is a catch-all term that generally refers to parents who try to stay calm, place a lot of importance on their child’s emotions and show a lot of physical affection.Dr. Alice Davidson is a professor of developmental psychology at Rollins College, and is one of the few academics to have actually studied gentle parenting. She shares what she has found out.Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at thedecibel@globeandmail.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Inflation has been rising, interest rates have accelerated at record pace, and the cost of living has been weighing on us all. Canada’s economy has been flirting with a recession since the start of the pandemic, but we may have avoided the worst of it.So what’s in store for 2024? Will there be any reprieve? The Globe’s economics columnist and reporter David Parkinson is on the show today to tell us what this year’s financial forecast looks like.Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at thedecibel@globeandmail.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Tensions in the Middle East have heightened in the last week, not just because the war in Gaza continues, but because of four events that have happened in the last week in the region.The Globe’s Senior International Correspondent, Mark MacKinnon, explains what has happened and how it’s ratcheting up geopolitical pressures.Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at thedecibel@globeandmail.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.