Storylines

Corb Lund, Canadian country musician and sixth-generation Albertan turned activist, talks about why he stepped into the fight against coal development in Alberta’s eastern slopes. He recounts his musical roots, the 2020 policy reversal that sparked action, the science and community tensions around mining, and the personal toll his advocacy has taken on his life.

Eddy Garcia never thought his family would leave their homeland. But after months of no work, school closures, and skyrocketing food prices, he and his wife and kids made the excruciating decision to leave their life in Cuba and move to the Dominican Republic. Eddy drove a cab for tourists in Cuba, but he also helped deliver aid for a Canadian charity called Together for Cuba. A charity solely run by Jennifer Raymer. She has been sending  medical aid to the country for years. It’s grassroots aid, which has become essential for many medical facilities across the country. Many Canadians and Cubans have deep ties going back to post revolutionary Cuba. That long-standing relationship has some asking: is the Canadian government doing enough to help Cubans in crisis?

It was a late summer evening when James Blacksmith was travelling along a prairie highway. The Manitoba man saw nothing out of the ordinary, save for a black cloud right above him. Suddenly, a massive wind kicked up and he was forced to pull off the road. Then a tornado struck. What follows is a story of survival and discovery. And while scientists aren’t sure yet what role climate change plays when it comes to tornados - they are observing changes. In Canada, researchers say these shifts, along with a growing population, are making people more vulnerable. Leading some to ask: is the country doing enough to warn Canadians of the risks? 

People in B.C. were caught by surprise when, in August 2025, a Supreme Court declared Aboriginal title on some privately held land, not far outside Metro Vancouver. Incredibly, most of the people that live inside the claim area weren’t told about the unprecedented case, until the decision came out. In this documentary, the CBC’s Georgie Smyth tells the stories of the Canadians tangled together by history, who now find themselves fighting for the same thing.

It’s the summer of 2019, and a flight bound for Australia has just experienced some extreme turbulence. One passenger thought the plane was going down, another said it felt like King Kong grabbed the plane and shook it. Their plane recovered, and those with injuries were taken to hospital. When the incident was analyzed, a representative from Air Canada said the terrifying moment was a result of clear air turbulence. A form of Turbulence that is on the rise because of climate change. Julia Pagel tells us why that is, and what, if anything, can be done about it.

When Dr. Jadah Johnson first met Nora Scott, she thought she was going to die. The woman from High River, Alberta was a patient at the psychiatric unit where the young psychiatrist worked. Four years earlier, Nora had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder. She recovered, but had now relapsed. Her family described all the expected symptoms: depression, mania, psychosis. But the diagnosis didn’t sit right with Dr. Johnson because Nora had other non-psychiatric symptoms too. The psychiatrist believed Nora had a rare autoimmune condition attacking her brain that was mimicking a mental disorder. Dr. Johnson’s colleagues told her repeatedly that she was wrong, but she wouldn’t let it go. In the end, she was right. In this documentary, CBC producer John Chipman visits an Alberta family whose life was turned upside down by a rare medical condition that’s challenging psychiatrists the world over.

Bernie Ranky, a coordinator at Fiddlehead Commons who champions aging-in-community; Steve Fick, longtime Terra Firma member who knows shared spaces and consensus decision-making; Rachel Collishaw, in her 50s weighing cohousing versus living alone. They explore cohousing origins, everyday shared life, governance and conflict, financial and development hurdles, and why communities keep trying despite setbacks.

Leila Afshari’s brother went missing in January when he joined protestors filling the streets of Iran. They were calling for regime change but instead were met with bullets. Thousands were killed and many more arrested. The internet was shut down and Iranian Canadians were left in the dark, not knowing what had happened to their loved ones. This documentary traces their efforts to search for the truth of what is going on in Iran.

As rat populations spike across North America, scientists search for new ways to curb the critters. It’s a pressing task, as scientists warn climate change is contributing to a perfect storm of rat-friendly conditions. And there’s a lot at stake. One rat expert calls them klepto parasites because they steal from us. Our health, our safety and our peace of mind.It’s why in an alleyway in Chicago, an experiment led by a Canadian scientist is looking at an innovative way to reduce rat numbers using birth control. 

Krista Serac, union leader organizing aid for workers affected by ICE. Wes Burdine, queer bar owner who helps patrol and protect Midway. Mandy Jung, middle school Spanish-immersion teacher witnessing students disappear. Timothy Polson, assistant pastor coordinating neighborhood observers. Ruben (Joannam), Haitian community leader sheltering families. They discuss street patrols, families hiding, school absences, detentions and grassroots mutual aid.