Just Asking
CBC
You’ve got smart questions, we’ve got solid answers. If googling got you nowhere, you can always call your friend Saroja Coelho. With guest experts, Just Asking turns the week’s news and latest trends into tips that help you make better decisions about your life. Whether it’s tech, money, career or health — we’ll hear you out, and help you out. The show takes live calls on CBC Radio every Saturday afternoon, and drops the podcast after the live show.Do you have a question you want Just Asking to explore? Send us a text or voice note at 226-758-8924. You can also e-mail us at justasking@cbc.ca
Episodes
Mentioned books
Apr 11, 2026 • 50min
Chasing feathers: Why birding is chic and how to get into it
Whether you know all your obscure sparrows and warblers or your bird ID skills are limited to the Blue Jay, dive in for a fascinating conversation on birding and its benefits.Our guests are David Bird, Emeritus Professor of Wildlife Biology at McGill University, and writer and bird watcher Julia Zarankin.They are briefly joined by Erik Wing, a cognitive neuroscience research associate at York University.
Apr 11, 2026 • 1h 4min
Decoding the ceasefire deal with Iran
Soon after threatening to wipe out Iranian civilization this week, U.S. President Donald Trump announced a ceasefire. We’re taking all of your questions about this shaky ceasefire, and its likelihood of success. Our expert panel is: Jennifer Kavanagh, director of military analysis at Defense Priorities; Sabine Nolke, former Canadian ambassador and specialist in international law; and Ben Rowswell, a former Canadian ambassador and consultant with Catalyze4.
Apr 4, 2026 • 50min
Your guide for growing your own food
If you’re looking to get your hands dirty in the garden this spring and get something to eat out of it, too, this is the show for you. Whether you’re working with a cramped balcony, a rooftop or a backyard, our guests have tips for the best harvest.Jacob Beaton is an Indigenous food sovereignty activist and the co-owner of Tea Creek, a family farm and Indigenous-led training centre in B.C. And Rachel Parent is a food safety advocate and community gardener. She’s also the founder of Kids Right to Know, a non-profit that educates young people on environmental awareness and food safety.
Apr 4, 2026 • 1h 2min
Your Artemis II mission questions answered
Four astronauts, including Canada’s own Jeremy Hansen, are currently venturing further into deep space than any humans before.As they journey toward the far side of the moon, we dig into your curiosities about this historic mission and the future of humankind in the cosmos.Joining us are Gordon Osinski, professor of Earth Sciences at Western University; Sara Mazrouei, planetary scientist and educator; and Hilding Neilson, assistant professor at Memorial University, whose research explores the vital intersection of Western astronomy and Indigenous knowledge.
Mar 28, 2026 • 54min
The genius and the glitch of the Junos
The Junos are back, and there’s plenty to celebrate and some to critique. We’re opening the floor to your questions on what’s working, what’s missing, and why this cultural moment still matters.Host Saroja Coelho is joined by two guests. Emilie Hanskamp a freelance music journalist. Dalton Higgins is a publicist, journalist, and author of the book, Far From Over: The Music and Life of Drake.
Mar 28, 2026 • 57min
Managing your money as a solo earner
From rent to hotel stays and home repairs, many things cost more when you’re flying solo. We’ve got money tips and advice for managing your money on a solo earner. Renée Sylvestre-Williams is a finance journalist and the author of the book The Singles Tax: No-Nonsense Financial Advice for Solo-Earners. Stacy Yanchuk Oleksy is a certified financial counsellor and the CEO of Money Mentors, which is a non-profit credit counselling agency.
Mar 21, 2026 • 1h 5min
The private citizen’s guide to accessing public records
As someone living anywhere in this country, you have rights to request records directly from your government. Most people have no idea how this works. Our guests got you covered. Robyn Doolittle is a staff reporter at The Globe and Mail, where she investigates freedom of information systems across the country. Cecil Rosner is an investigative journalist and managing editor of the Investigative Journalism Foundation.
Mar 21, 2026 • 47min
Is AI dulling our minds?
Critics warn of AI-induced cognitive decline, a flood of 'slop' and 'dross' dulling the human mind. But is brain rot inevitable? And in a world of instant answers, how do we build the future of education?We are joined by two guests. Surya Ganguli is a professor of applied physics at Stanford University working on both neuroscience and AI. Tracey Burns is chief of global strategy and research at the National Centre on Education and the Economy.
Mar 14, 2026 • 40min
Rethinking road salt
Ecologists are worried about how much road salt is ending up in our lakes. Salt is also corrosive to infrastructure, tough on doggy paws and unsightly on our winter boots. Shelley Arnott is a professor in the department of biology at Queen’s University and the director of the Queen’s University Biological Station. Joe Salemi is an executive director with Landscape Ontario.They answered our questions about the popularity of road salt, its impact on the environment, and other alternatives to de-ice winter roads.
Mar 14, 2026 • 1h 14min
How the Iran war is disrupting the global oil market
The U.S. and Israel-Iran war has triggered an unprecedented disruption in the global energy market. Our guests break down how we got here, what the near future could look like, and the impact of rising oil prices on Canadian consumers. Joe Calnan is vice-president of Energy and Calgary Operations at the Canadian Global Affairs Institute. Rosemary Kelanic is director of the Middle East program at Defense Priorities.
