

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

Feb 12, 2019 • 24min
Who is Venezuela's rival president?
Juan Guaidó is touring Venezuela this week, meeting with journalists and citizens. But while Canada acknowledges Guaidó as the official president of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro says the job is still rightfully his. The CBC's Adrienne Arsenault and Evan Dyer on the latest from Caracas.

Feb 11, 2019 • 25min
Catching up on the SNC-Lavalin Liberal scandal
Ottawa is reeling after a story broke late last week alleging that the Prime Minister's Office pressured former Attorney General and Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould to intervene in the prosecution of Quebec-based engineering company SNC-Lavalin. Today on Front Burner, CBC's David Cochrane breaks down the scandal and explains why this could be very problematic for Justin Trudeau and his closest allies.

Feb 8, 2019 • 26min
The aftermath of the Quebec mosque shooting
"I can't even venture to guess how long it'll take for people to feel safe again." CBC reporter Catou MacKinnon covered the shooting at the Islamic Cultural Centre of Quebec City on January 29, 2017. Alexandre Bissonnette pleaded guilty to six counts of first degree murder and six counts of attempted murder. Ahead of his sentencing, Catou tells host Jayme Poisson about the lasting impact the incident has had on the Muslim community in Quebec City's Sainte-Foy neighbourhood.

Feb 7, 2019 • 24min
Russia, America and a new nuclear arms race
Nuclear weapons expert and Obama adviser Jon Wolfsthal on how the treaties that once prevented a nuclear war between the U.S. and Russia, could be unravelling today.

Feb 6, 2019 • 19min
Cuts and leaks in Doug Ford's Ontario
It's only Wednesday, but Ontario premier Doug Ford has already had a jam-packed week. On Monday, an unnamed civil servant was fired and the police were notified in relation to a leak from inside the ruling Progressive Conservative government. That leak put controversial healthcare policy proposals into the hands of the opposition party. Today on Front Burner, Toronto Star Queen's Park bureau chief Robert Benzie breaks down what Doug Ford has been up to as premier of Ontario and explains why the politician has captured the attention of Conservatives across the country.

Feb 5, 2019 • 31min
How a Canadian watchdog turned the tables on an undercover operative
In December a digital privacy watchdog began receiving mysterious emails from businessmen who didn't seem to exist. John Scott-Railton from the Citizen Lab joins us to try and understand why his group was targeted by what they believe to be undercover operatives.

Feb 4, 2019 • 17min
Is more oil on rails safe for Canada?
Oil is being put on trains and moved across Canada in increasing numbers. Today on Front Burner, Winnipeg Free Press reporter Dylan Robertson explains why a lot of people are attributing this to a lack of pipeline capacity and breaks down what he's learned about how safe it is to transport oil by rail.

Feb 1, 2019 • 21min
What an Omar Khadr Google search warns us about misinformation online
This week, a Google search result listing Omar Khadr as a Canadian soldier gained a lot of traction online, inciting anger from many people, including Conservative Party leader Andrew Scheer. CBC technology reporter Matt Braga tracks how the former Guantanamo Bay detainee showed up in the search in the first place and how easily misinformation can become politicized.

Jan 31, 2019 • 22min
Inside the Humboldt Broncos crash sentencing hearing
This week, the truck driver who caused the Humboldt Broncos bus crash is facing his sentencing hearing. CBC reporter Susan Ormiston joins us from Melfort, Saskatchewan to talk about how the victims' families are feeling about the possibility of some closure and to explain how complicated it could be for the judge to decide Jaskirat Singh Sidhu's punishment.

Jan 30, 2019 • 24min
Serial killer Bruce McArthur pleads guilty
On Tuesday, Bruce McArthur pleaded guilty to eight counts of first-degree murder and we heard never-before-released details about the evidence in the case. But as we hear from freelance reporter Justin Ling, there are still lots of unanswered questions about how McArthur committed his crimes and what comes next.


