The Decibel

Warning: This episode contains descriptions of violenceOn Saturday, Hamas, the Palestinian Islamist group, launched one of the largest and deadliest attacks on Israel in decades. Militants stormed past borders on the Gaza Strip, killed civilians in nearby towns and took an unknown number of Israeli hostages. In retaliation, Israel formally declared war on Hamas and sent airstrikes into Gaza. In a single weekend, 900 are dead in Israel and close to 700 in Gaza have been killed.Emily Rose, Reuters correspondent in Jerusalem, joins the show to break down the attacks as they unfolded, Israel’s response and where the war could be headed next.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.

For over a decade now, the rescue pups of PAW Patrol have been an obsession for toddlers around the world. And now, the box office is responding too — last week, its second feature film had the largest opening for a Canadian movie in more than a decade. This kids franchise is a big business. And it’s Canadian.Barry Hertz is the Globe’s deputy Arts editor and Film editor. And he is on the show to talk about the recent success of PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie and how a Canadian toy company struck gold with this brand.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.

The trial of Lieutenant-General Steven Whelan began in late September. Only a week later, it was over, with the case before a court martial dropped. Two charges of misconduct were brought against Whelan under the National Defence Act in December 2021.Whelan’s case highlights the long reckoning against some of Canada’s top military officials, who have been accused of improper conduct and sexual assault. The Globe’s senior political reporter Marieke Walsh joins the show to talk about the case and why questions over the military’s culture continue with every new trial.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.

In less than a decade, Mohammed Majidpour has racked up more than 30 offences in Vancouver. His crimes include theft, robbery, dangerous driving and numerous violent attacks on strangers. Recently, he pleaded guilty to his 11th assault on a stranger and, after spending almost a year in a pre-trial detention centre, was sentenced to a single day in prison. This is the 14th time he’s received a single-day prison sentence.Mike Hager is a reporter in The Globe’s B.C. bureau in Vancouver. He’s on the show to tell us how common Mohammed’s situation is in B.C. and why critics say it’s a symptom of deeper problems in the province’s corrections system.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.

Over the past few years, the Buddhist organization Bliss and Wisdom has been buying up several parcels of land in PEI. So much so, residents have begun to question how their acquisitions are legal in a province with strict rules around how much land individuals and organizations can own. Meanwhile, the monks insist they haven’t broken any rules.Investigative reporter Greg Mercer explains how some legislative loopholes have created a conflict in the eastern part of the province.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.

When Russia invaded Ukraine back in February 2022, millions of Ukrainians fled the country. Many went to the neighbouring country of Poland, which welcomed hundreds of thousands of refugees. But now, things are changing, in part because of a contentious election in Poland. Thousands of Ukrainians are now leaving Poland, and setting up their lives somewhere else.Today, The Globe’s European Correspondent Paul Waldie tells us why tensions between Poland and Ukraine are growing and why support for Ukrainians fleeing the war is waning.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.

A capsule from the NASA spacecraft, Osiris-REx recently landed in a Utah desert after spending seven years in space. Inside the capsule is a sample from a more than 4 billion year-old asteroid named, Bennu. And it could answer some of the biggest questions about our existence.The Globe’s Science Reporter, Ivan Semeniuk is on the show to tell us about why this mission is so important and what this asteroid might tell us about how our solar system was formed and what exactly makes earth habitable.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.

Saint Lucia is known for its natural beauty, but the most iconic part of the island is along its southwest shore. Twin volcanic peaks – called the Pitons – rise up out of the ocean. The UNESCO World Heritage site is featured on postcards, literature, and even the Saint Lucian flag.They are also the site of a controversy involving a Dollarama executive who is trying to expand his luxury home on the mountainside. Investigative reporter Tavia Grant explains how this Canada-based businessman’s development exposed a lack of protections for this iconic site.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.

The federal government has been facing intense pressure to reduce the cost of food, as food inflation remains much higher than overall inflation. Some measures have been brought in, but many experts question whether they’ll actually be effective.Michael Von Massow, a food economist and professor at the University of Guelph, joins us to talk about why food prices are still so high, what role the government has, and why this is such a difficult problem to solve.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.

A recent report from Canada’s federal housing agency, CMHC says we need 3.45 million new homes built by 2030 in order to reduce skyrocketing housing costs. Supply has long been an issue especially in the expensive markets of Toronto and Vancouver. But, is it possible for Canada to ramp up construction so drastically and what happens if we don’t?The Globe’s Real Estate Reporter, Rachelle Younglai, is on the show today for a reality check on what can fix Canada’s housing crisis.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.