

Front Burner
CBC
Front Burner is a daily news podcast that takes you deep into the stories shaping Canada and the world. Each morning, from Monday to Friday, host Jayme Poisson talks with the smartest people covering the biggest stories to help you understand what’s going on.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Jul 29, 2019 • 23min
What’s the big deal about Beyond Meat?
Beyond Meat, the popular meat substitute, can be found in at A&W, Tim Hortons, and most grocery stores these days. The company’s stock is at an all-time high. Today on Front Burner, writer Michael Grunwald analyzes why that is, how it relates to the climate crisis, and how all of this is inspiring pushback from industry and politicians alike.

Jul 26, 2019 • 24min
Fear, isolation and a cross-Canada manhunt
Today on Front Burner, the CBC’s Jason Proctor tells why the ongoing manhunt for two B.C. murder suspects has left many residents of Canada’s north feeling vulnerable and afraid.

Jul 25, 2019 • 23min
The key takeaways of Robert Mueller’s marathon testimony
Today on Front Burner, the CBC’s Paul Hunter on Robert Mueller’s very reluctant testimony on Capitol Hill, and why both sides of the aisle are claiming victory.

Jul 24, 2019 • 23min
Why do illegal weed dispensaries still exist?
It's been nine months since marijuana was legalized in Canada, and illegal dispensaries are not only prevalent across the country — but in many cases, thriving. Today on Front Burner, CBC investigative reporter Zach Dubinsky and Sol Israel from The Leaf News on illegal pot shops that brazenly defy the law and why they exist in the age of legal weed.

Jul 23, 2019 • 23min
The perpetual Marvel machine
Marvel Studios has announced plans for the latest phase of the Marvel cinematic universe, setting the world of deep superhero fandom abuzz. On Front Burner, we speak to Eli Glasner, CBC's national entertainment reporter and film critic, about what Western cinema gains and loses.

Jul 22, 2019 • 24min
A portrait of the mysterious Kim Jong-un
“He’s such a puzzle...and we don’t have all the answers.” As the world continues to try and figure out the puzzle that is North Korea, guest host Chris Berube talks to Anna Fifield, the Washington Post reporter who’s put together the most complete portrait leader Kim Jong-un yet. Her new book is “The Great Successor: The Divinely Perfect Destiny of Brilliant Comrade Kim Jong Un”.

Jul 19, 2019 • 23min
Donald Trump, and the debate over the term “racist”
At a rally on Wednesday night, supporters of Donald Trump broke out in a chorus of "send her back!" chants, targeted toward Ilhan Omar, a Somali-born congresswoman from Minnesota.
The chant came just days after the U.S. president took to Twitter, to attack four congresswomen of colour, suggesting they "go back and help fix the broken and crime-infested places from which they came."
All of this has set off a debate in the media, on how to cover Trump and racism.
On today's Front Burner, we talk to Adam Serwer, staff writer with The Atlantic, about journalistic objectivity, Trump, the media and the term "racist."

Jul 18, 2019 • 20min
FaceApp: Fact, fiction and fears
It's the AI-assisted photo editing app that has entertained millions of users around the world. Open FaceApp on your smartphone, upload of a photo of yourself, and you — like Drake, the Jonas Brothers and Steph Curry — can see what you might look like in your golden years. But just like everything we do online, when you take a closer look, it's more complicated than it seems. On Front Burner, we speak to Kaleigh Rogers, CBC's senior reporter covering disinformation online, about the facts and fears about FaceApp.

Jul 17, 2019 • 21min
The battle for green voters begins
With three months to go before the federal election, two parties on the left are trying to plant their flag as the party of environmentalists. The NDP recently introduced its "Canadian New Deal" which promises aggressive carbon targets and investments in energy efficiency. Meanwhile, the Green Party is surging in the polls, with its promise to double Canada's emission reduction targets. With the two parties battling for green voters on the left, analysts are beginning to wonder if there's room for both parties to thrive. Althia Raj is the Ottawa bureau chief for the Huffington Post. She's been speaking to voters in British Columbia about which party should get the environmentalist vote this fall.

Jul 16, 2019 • 24min
Canadian teacher home after ‘nightmare in Indonesia’
Neil Bantleman was teaching at a school in Jakarta, Indonesia when he and seven others were accused of sex crimes against students. He maintained his innocence despite being convicted in an Indonesian court. CBC's The Fifth Estate co-host Mark Kelley travelled to Indonesia to look into the case and found the serious flaws in the investigation and evidence presented against him. Now, Bantleman is back in Canada after being granted clemency. Today on Front Burner, Kelley talks to guest host Michelle Sheppard about what he found in the course of making The Fifth Estate's 2016 documentary Nightmare in Indonesia.


