The Decibel

Mar 25 2025 600 ep. 21 mins 2.9k

The Decibel Podcast artwork

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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What it’s like to be an undocumented migrant in Canada

Mar 25 2025 21 mins

The population of undocumented migrants living and working in Canada is substantial. And while most of them initially entered the country legally, on visas or work permits, many migrants feel that it is worth it to stay in Canada after their status expires, even if they are not legally allowed to work or live in Canada and risk being deported. Globe journalist Sarah Efron, and fre

The ‘trade war’ election campaign is under way

Mar 24 2025 25 mins

At midday on Sunday, Prime Minister Mark Carney asked Governor-General Mary Simon to dissolve Parliament and begin an election campaign. Canadians are heading to the polls to elect the next federal government on Monday, April 28. Three months ago, this election was the Conservatives’ to lose. But polling has Pierre Poilievre and Mark Carney neck and neck. The race is set to be o

How Prime Minister Mark Carney is preparing for the federal election

Mar 21 2025 25 mins

Prime Minister Mark Carney is expected to call a federal election by Sunday, after being sworn into office last week. And he’s had a busy week. Between announcing that he’ll be cutting the consumer price on carbon and introducing a leaner cabinet, he took his first trip as prime minister, travelling to Paris, London, and Iqaluit. But why hasn’t Carney’s tour included a tr

Project 2025 had a tariff plan, but Trump has gone off-script

Mar 20 2025 21 mins

Project 2025 was meant to be a U.S. Republican transition bible, outlining a vast set of proposed policies for the next leader. Within its 900 pages, was a plan to use tariffs to correct a perceived imbalance in trade, and to bring manufacturing jobs back to the U.S. Once U.S. President Donald Trump took office, he endorsed this plan – but then, he went off-book. Now, other Repu

Limited ceasefire brokered in Ukraine-Russia war

Mar 19 2025 22 mins

Russian President Vladimir Putin has agreed to a limited ceasefire with Ukraine after a discussion with U.S. President Donald Trump. The deal, also supported by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, would mean Russian and Ukrainian troops will stop targeting energy and infrastructure for 30 days. This ceasefire plan falls short of the original proposal, which would’ve seen an

Why Trump is targeting Canada’s dairy protection regime

Mar 18 2025 21 mins

Canadian dairy is a recent target of U.S. President Donald Trump’s proposed reciprocal tariffs coming in April. Trump’s proposed levies are in retaliation for the sector’s massive tariffs, which apply to American imports over a certain limit. According to the International Dairy Food Association, the import limits have never been exceeded. It’s part of a system called supp

Major measles outbreak in Ontario, cases across Canada

Mar 17 2025 23 mins

Measles cases in Ontario are higher than we’ve seen in a decade, and we’re only three months into the year. Measles is one of the world’s most contagious viruses that can, in some cases, be deadly. While the virus has been effectively eliminated in Canada since 1998, rates of infection and hospitalization in Southern Ontario are growing, along with cases across Canada. But t

Introducing Happy Enough: lessons from Canada’s happiest people

Mar 15 2025 31 mins

The host of The Globe and Mail's newest podcast, Garvia Bailey, gets some crowd-sourced wisdom from people nominated by loved ones as ‘the happiest people in Canada’ for a recent Globe and Mail feature. They live across the country, in cities and rural areas. They include toddlers and seniors, men and women, and people who have been through extremely hard times. She speaks with

Hudson’s Bay, Canada’s oldest retailer, faces financial crisis

Mar 14 2025 25 mins

In a moment when more people are looking to buy Canadian, Canada’s oldest retailer is facing a financial crisis. Last week, Hudson’s Bay was granted creditor protection. Court documents showed that last year, the company recorded a loss of nearly $330 million, and that they were within days of not being able to pay their staff. Now, they’re working on a restructuring plan tha

How to protect your money during a trade war

Mar 13 2025 21 mins

On Wednesday, Trump imposed 25% tariffs on steel and aluminum, with Canada hitting back with counter levies on nearly $30 billion dollars worth of U.S. goods. In response to the ongoing trade war, the Bank of Canada cut its interest rate to 2.75% as the trade war rattles the economy. Between stock market downturns, increasing fears of a recession, and the volatility of U.S. Presid