The Current
CBC Podcasts & Radio On-Demand
Three stories to expand your worldview, delivered daily. Matt Galloway cuts through a sea of choice to bring you stories that transcend the news cycle. Conversations with big thinkers, household names, and people living the news. An antidote to...
Location:
Canada, ON
Networks:
CBC Podcasts & Radio On-Demand
Description:
Three stories to expand your worldview, delivered daily. Matt Galloway cuts through a sea of choice to bring you stories that transcend the news cycle. Conversations with big thinkers, household names, and people living the news. An antidote to algorithms that cater to what you already know — and a meeting place for diverse perspectives. In its 20 years, the Current has become a go-to place for stories that shape and entertain us. Released daily, Monday to Friday. The Current is produced in Toronto, Ontario, Canada — and has recently recorded live shows about the Canadian election in Surrey and Burnaby BC. And shows to come in Oshawa and the 905, Red Deer, Alberta, Quebec City and Halifax.
Twitter:
@TheCurrentCBC
Language:
English
Contact:
The Current CBC Radio P.O. Box 500 Station A Toronto, ON Canada, M5W 1E6 (877) 287-7366
Email:
thecurrent@cbc.ca
Episodes
Ex-Homicide Inspector calls out the Toronto police
4/30/2026
For decades, Hank Idsinga led some of Toronto's most high-profile murder investigations. In his new memoir, 'The High Road: Confessions of A Homicide Cop', he talks about what he says is rampant racism, anti-semitism and corruption in the largest police force in Canada.
Duration:00:24:24
What does it mean to be cured of HIV?
4/30/2026
For the first time in Canada, a 62-year-old man is poised to be Canada's first person to be cured of HIV. There are currently only a handful of people world-wide considered cured of HIV. We speak with one of them, Adam Castillejo, about what it means to be cured. We also speak to the doctor of the Canadian patient, Dr. Sharon Walmsley, about what this breakthrough represents -- and the future of HIV treatment.
Duration:00:17:47
Closing the skilled trades gap
4/30/2026
The federal government wants to address worker shortages in the skilled trades. At the spring economic update they announced a 5 year plan -- worth 6 billion dollars -- to help recruit, train and hire young people into the skilled trades.
Duration:00:19:32
"When the Forest Thrives, We Thrive"
4/29/2026
UBC forest ecologist Suzanne Simard's viral TED talk about forests as communities turned her into a "celebrity scientist" and taught the world how to think differently about trees. Now she's written a new book, arguing that the way we harvest and cut down those trees urgently needs to change. We talk to her about what she's learned about logging from indigenous colleagues — and whether politicians and the logging industry are ready for her message.
Duration:00:24:31
A headband that translates thoughts into action
4/29/2026
Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCI) have been around for more than 50 years. Calgary doctor Dion Kelly developed Think 2Switch, an app allowing kids with disabilities, like Claire Sonnenberg, to control devices with their thoughts alone and play an active role in life. We’ll talk about the possibilities this technology can bring.
Duration:00:23:39
How the feds are spending your money
4/29/2026
Canada's finance minister has tabled a spring economic update with a smaller than expected deficit. We break down what's in it for Canadians — and what it will cost you. We talk to Catherine Cullen, host of CBC’s The House, and Sahir Khan, Canada's former Assistant Parliamentary Budget Officer and co-founder of the Institute of Fiscal Studies and Democracy.
Duration:00:19:44
Why does Canada need a sovereign wealth fund?
4/28/2026
Prime Minister Mark Carney says a sovereign wealth fund will ensure Canadians benefit from the country's future prosperity. Opposition Leader Pierre Poilievre says it will become an expensive Liberal slush fund. CBC reporter Peter Armstrong breaks down the details. Investor John Ruffolo tells us the benefits and potential pitfalls.
Duration:00:19:36
Former running phenom Mary Cain on safe sport
4/28/2026
Mary Cain was a record-breaking running phenom — the fastest girl in America at one point. Then at 23, she went public with her allegations against her coach of physical and emotional abuse. She shares her story of a toxic athletic culture — and what has to change to keep young athletes safe.
Duration:00:37:48
Does King Charles have enough soft power to flex?
4/28/2026
King Charles III is in the U.S. this week, more by force. On the surface, the state visit is to commemorate the 250 year anniversary of U.S.' independence, but it's no secret that he's been tasked to ease tensions with the U.S. He has to walk a fine line in dealing with the U.S. President Donald Trump, as explained by historian and royal commentator, Carolyn Harris.
Duration:00:11:00
You can thrive as you age. Positivity may be key.
4/27/2026
New research from Yale shows that people are just as likely to improve as they age as decline — and a positive outlook can make a difference. At 84, marathoner Carol Wright says running is more than just exercise. It connects her to others and gives her goals. Two doctors say even if you aren't as fit as Carol, you can thrive too, but we also need a societal rethink of aging.
Duration:00:23:52
The fate of the feral horses of Yukon
4/27/2026
Horses have long roamed the Yukon. Today they're considered feral. CBC Whitehorse producer Andrew Hynes, explores how the fate of the horses has become a preoccupation for a group of activists - after one horse was discovered dead in a farmer’s field.
Duration:00:25:52
Chokepoints: the new global warfare
4/27/2026
As the Strait of Hormuz is being used to choke off nearly 20 per cent of the world's oil exports and influence global markets in the US-Israel and Iran war, Edward Fishman explains what makes a chokepoint powerful and how other governments are identifying their own chokepoints as the world moves into an era of economic warfare.
Duration:00:10:42
Inside the White House Correspondents' dinner
4/27/2026
On Saturday night, a man armed with two guns and multiple knives charged through security and tried to storm the ballroom of the annual White House correspondents' dinner in Washington. CBC's Paul Hunter was there. He walks us through what happened and what we know about the 31 year-old suspect.
Duration:00:10:04
Ditching the 9-5 for a career behind the bar
4/24/2026
As entry-level office jobs seem to be vanishing and people are prioritizing mental health and work-life balance over corporate hustle culture, some young people are looking at the service industry as a viable career path despite being trained or having gone to school for different jobs.
Duration:00:18:32
A picture says a thousand words: documenting ICE
4/24/2026
Carol Guzy's World Press Photo of the Year image shows two daughters clinging to their father as ICE agents detain him at his immigration hearing. The renowned photojournalist says she hopes her work can cut through today's media noise and make people feel for others.
Duration:00:13:11
The rural-urban divide over high-speed rail
4/24/2026
The federal government wants to build a high-speed rail line from Toronto to Quebec City. Rural land-owners along the proposed corridor are concerned the major project will carve into their farms. City-dwelling proponents are worried the dream of cutting travel time between Toronto and Montreal may never be realized. We hear from both sides about what this project means and the risk of sowing division between rural and urban Canadians.
Duration:00:18:55
Ottawa dads vs the Elsa braid
4/24/2026
How good are your braiding skills? The answer from some Ottawa dads was: not great. We talk to Chris Hughes, a single father of twin girls, who created the workshop Braids and Beers to help fellow dads in the area keep up with their kids’ hair styling demands.
Duration:00:12:08
Could mRNA vaccines cure cancer?
4/23/2026
Six years ago, Donna Gustafson was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer one of the deadliest cancers. Today, she's cancer-free. She’'s one of 16 patients in an early clinical trial testing a personalized mRNA cancer vaccine designed to train the immune system to recognize and fight cancer.We hear from Donna and from the doctor leading the research, Dr. Vinod Balachandran, about what these early — but encouraging — results could mean. And we speak to Dr. Ramy Saleh, Associate Professor at McGill University, on how similar research is taking shape in Canada.
Duration:00:24:12
Got an idea for a new emoji? What it takes to make the cut
4/23/2026
Unicode is taking pitches for emojis. Graphic designer Jennifer Daniel helps decide which ones make it. She says a successful emoji should have multiple meanings. Sorry aerial tramway ;)
Duration:00:15:28
Testimony of residential school survivors is about to be destroyed
4/23/2026
The most comprehensive archive of what happened at Canadian residential schools is about to be destroyed after a 2017 Supreme Court ruling to protect survivors privacy. Now Pulitzer and Peabody-winning journalist Connie Walker is creating a new public archive to preserve survivor accounts.
Duration:00:12:23