The Decibel The Globe and Mail
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- News
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Context is everything. Join us Monday to Friday for a Canadian daily news podcast from The Globe and Mail. Explore a story shaping our world, in conversation with reporters, experts, and the people at the centre of the news.
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The call to disband the Thunder Bay police
This week, a group of First-Nations leaders called for the Thunder Bay Police Service to be disbanded for the second time – following charges against high ranking members of the service and board, and several reports accusing the police service of racism, discrimination and misconduct, specifically in the cases involving Indigenous people.
The Globe’s Willow Fiddler has been covering this story and is on the show to explain the problems with the Thunder Bay Police Service, and what led to this call for the service to be disbanded. -
How Hong Kong is cracking down on dissent
The government in Hong Kong recently voted to pass a new national security law, referred to as Article 23. It includes seven new offences related to sedition, treason and state secrets, and is expected to have a chilling effect on protest. A number of countries, including Canada, denounced the law before it was passed, saying it’s too broad and risks undermining human rights.
James Griffiths, The Globe’s Asia Correspondent, is on the show to discuss Article 23 – what it is, how it’s affecting people in Hong Kong and who is most at risk. -
As conflict rages in Gaza, a ‘silent war’ in the West Bank
The Israel-Hamas war is continuing in Gaza, but tension extends to another Palestinian territory, the West Bank. Five hundred Palestinians have been killed by Israeli settlers or security forces, according to local authorities, and at least nine Israelis have been killed, according to the United Nations. The West Bank is also home to farmland where olive, fig and lemon trees grow. Since Oct. 7, Israeli settlements have expanded and some Palestinian farmers say they’ve lost access to agricultural land.
Nathan VanderKlippe, the Globe’s international correspondent, tells us what’s been happening on West Bank farmlands for the past six months and how this is increasing tensions in the region. -
The capital gains tax, explained
When the federal government released their 2024 budget last week, they changed the capital gains tax for the first time in a quarter-century. The tax is set to bring in $19.3-billion dollars, and the government says it’ll only impact the wealthiest of Canadians. But many are disputing that.
Salmaan Farooqui, a personal finance reporter with the Globe’s Report on Business, is on the show to tell us about the basics of capital gains and how this tax might affect Canadians. -
ArriveCan and the government’s outsourcing problem
On Wednesday, Kristian Firth became the first person in over a century held in contempt of Parliament and ordered to answer MP questions. It all has to do with the ArriveCan app, which his company, GC Strategies, was awarded millions of dollars to help develop.
An Auditor-General’s report estimates the app cost taxpayers $59.5 million and most of the work was outsourced to companies like GC strategies. Why the app cost so much and who got that money has come under scrutiny.
Bill Curry, the Globe’s Deputy Ottawa Bureau Chief, is on the show to tell us about what’s been going on with ArriveCan and what we learned from Kristian Firth’s historic appearance at the House of Commons. -
The stakes of India’s election as Modi seeks third term
With nearly one billion eligible voters, India is the world’s biggest democracy. Beginning April 19, with voting staggered over six weeks, they will decide their leader for the next five years. Narendra Modi aims to consolidate power with his third term as prime minister, as a coalition opposition looks to unseat him.
Sanjay Ruparelia is an associate professor at Toronto Metropolitan University and Jarislowsky Democracy Chair explains why India’s elections matter for democracy – and the balance of power for the rest of the world.
Customer Reviews
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I’m a midwife in the US who has cared for many COVID+ patients this pandemic. I have to say that your episode on pregnant people in the ICU with COVID is one of the only times I’ve heard the voices of parents really highlighted in this pandemic. So many families have welcomed newborns after quarantine. It can be painful and scary and unnatural, even for asymptomatic parents.
I appreciate the fact that you not only made parents feel safe enough to share concerns about bonding but that you also centered those concerns. Thank you for that.