Front Burner

CBC•www.cbc.ca

Front Burner is a daily news podcast that takes you deep into the stories shaping Canada and the world. Each morning, from Monday to Friday, host Jayme Poisson talks with the smartest people covering the biggest stories to help you understand what’s going on. We’re Canada’s number one news podcast and a trusted source of Canadian news.

We cover Canadian news and Canadian politics, Pierre Poilievre, Mark Carney, the Donald Trump administration, the upcoming 2025 Canadian election, provincial politics from Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario, and politicians Danielle Smith, David Eby and Doug Ford. We cover Toronto, Vancouver, and Calgary as well as other municipalities across Canada.

In this Canadian election year, Front Burner will be focusing more on Canadian politics. We will take a close look at Mark Carney’s first few weeks as Prime Minister-Designate, the Conservatives and Opposition Leader Pierre Poilievre as well as other leaders like Jagmeet Singh from the NDP and Quebec’s Yves-François Blanchet from the Bloc Québécois during the 2025 Canadian federal election. The podcast goes beyond Ottawa and digs deeper into major election issues like U.S.-Canada relations, jobs, the economy, immigration, cost of living, housing and rental costs, taxes and tariffs, democracy and technology.

The Front Burner daily podcast covers Canadian news from every province and territory: Alberta, British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Ontario, Quebec, Manitoba, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Nunavut, Northwest Territories and Yukon. We cover news from major cities like Ottawa, Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary and Edmonton.

When U.S. President Donald Trump declares he wants to make Canada the 51st state, and decides to implement tariffs, Front Burner has an analysis into what is happening. We cover Elon Musk’s DOGE. We cover the latest in technology from the rise of bitcoin and crypto, the future of TikTok, Meta, artificial intelligence, influencers, and more.

Look to our archives to see fact-checked stories about infrastructure, fascism, border security, immigration, Pierre Poilievre, Justin Trudeau, the Republican Party, American politics, Canadian politics, India, China, Trump’s tariffs, Mark Carney, Elon Musk, Toronto, technology, artificial intelligence, international students, healthcare, and inflation. We cover global news like the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, the ceasefire, the Ukraine-Russia war, and the U.S. economy and U.S. politics.

Front Burner is a part of your morning news routine. Whether you’re in Toronto or Vancouver or Washington, this is the news that matters to Canadians. We take a look at the economy and break it down from the budget to interest rate hikes to inflation to recessions to jobs to the cost of living. We look at the policy around housing, Canadian housing supply, and what this means for first-time home buyers, renters, and those with a mortgage. We look at technology, from AI to the manosphere to social media like Meta, Twitter, Facebook, and more. We look at influential newsmakers like Elon Musk and influential technology industries like crypto and AI.

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Episodes

Canada’s Jeopardy! superchamp: Mattea Roach

Mattea Roach's 23-game winning streak on Jeopardy! is both an intellectual feat and the quiz show at its most entertaining. The Canadian superchamp responded to countless topics with 92 per cent accuracy, netting $560,983 US in winnings. But the 23-year-old also narrowly triumphed in a number of neck-and-neck games, brought personable quips and commentary to an often straightlaced stage and was visibly having fun in even the most high-pressure situations. Roach's winning streak ended with a $1 l...

May 11, 2022•22 min

Poison, pranks, prison: The making of ‘Navalny’

When Alexei Navalny, the Russian opposition leader and anti-corruption activist, was poisoned in 2020, he was relocated to Germany to recover. While he was there, he teamed up with a Bulgarian data-journalist named Christo Grozev, who claimed he had figured out who was behind the assassination attempt. Together, using advanced prank call technology, they managed to get an admission of guilt from a member of the team tasked with poisoning Navalny. There to capture it all was Canadian documentaria...

May 10, 2022•24 min

Lessons from Ireland’s abortion battle

If the U.S. Supreme Court strikes down Roe v. Wade, 13 states have already passed what are known as "trigger" bans which automatically ban abortion. While it is still unclear if the leaked draft opinion represents the court's final word on the matter, as many as half of U.S. states are expected to bring in restrictions in the future should it be struck down. Meanwhile, some predominantly Catholic countries have recently made moves once thought impossible: legalizing or expanding abortion access....

May 09, 2022•22 min

Bonus | Nothing is Foreign: Why the U.K. is outsourcing its refugees

The U.K.'s plan to send refugees on a one-way trip to Rwanda is causing outrage. In a controversial, multimillion-pound deal, the British government will send some asylum seekers to Rwanda instead of allowing them to stay in the U.K. This plan marks a major shift in how refugees are treated and could have a far-reaching implications for the rest of Europe — and for thousands of refugees fleeing war and persecution. This week, Nothing is Foreign explains how the deal works, why thousands of lives...

May 07, 2022•30 min

Lifting the Leafs’ losing curse

In a record-breaking 2021-22 NHL season, Toronto Maple Leafs superstar Auston Matthews scored more goals than any other Leaf in history, and the team finished with more wins than in any other season. But for some fans, those accomplishments will only make the loss even more painful if the Leafs can’t succeed in the playoffs. The Leafs haven’t won the Stanley Cup since 1967, and haven’t won a single playoff series since 2004. Toronto is now tied 1-1 in its first-round series against the defending...

May 06, 2022•26 min

Will Ontarians choose Doug Ford again?

The rising cost of living and the lack of affordable housing are key issues in Ontario’s provincial election campaign which officially began this week. Another big issue is how voters feel about Progressive Conservative leader and incumbent Doug Ford. While Ford’s handling of the pandemic is likely to be part of what makes up the minds of voters, it is just one factor in who will form the next government. Today on Front Burner, we talk to Mike Crawley, the CBC’s Ontario provincial affairs report...

May 05, 2022•25 min

Underground abortion groups in post-Roe America

An unprecedented leak of a draft U.S. Supreme Court decision suggested plans to overturn Roe v. Wade, the landmark decision that enshrined abortion rights across the country in 1973. If Roe v. Wade is reversed, abortion could be banned in as many as 26 states, some starting almost immediately. Today on Front Burner, we talk to journalist and Nomadland author Jessica Bruder about the networks of underground abortion providers and what comes next for people seeking help.

May 04, 2022•26 min

Why people are bailing on Netflix

For the first time in more than a decade, Netflix announced it has lost 200,000 subscribers globally, and the company says it may lose as many as two million more in the months ahead. But that loss doesn't just signal a change in how Netflix does business — it has ripple effects on streaming services everywhere and sends a strong message about how and what we want to watch. Today on Front Burner, we talk to Alex Weprin, media and business writer with The Hollywood Reporter about how the streamin...

May 03, 2022•21 min

Live music is back, but touring is risky

Touring is often an essential aspect of a musician's career — perhaps now more than ever. Some bands rely on performance income because streaming plays net fractional pay, while for others it might be the only way they grow their audience. And while many COVID-19 restrictions have ended and music fans are flocking to stages, the virus is still making this very exposed way of life even more challenging. Today on Front Burner, producer Derek Vanderwyk speaks to independent musicians — including Ch...

May 02, 2022•24 min

Bonus | Nothing is Foreign: The music Egypt doesn't want you to hear

Starting in the mid-2000s, a pulsing fusion of EDM, rap and Egyptian folk – known as Mahraganat – has risen from the streets of Cairo and become a worldwide phenomenon. But Egypt's authorities are now cracking down on the music and the artists creating it, saying it's immoral and corrupting young people. We take you inside the culture and class wars of Egypt and explore what the banning of popular music says about the African country's image and its future. Featuring: Mahmoud Refat, music produc...

Apr 30, 2022•24 min

Betting boom: Online gambling blows up

If you've tuned into the NBA playoffs, it seems like every second ad is for sports betting websites. That's because Canada recently made single-game betting legal, and in Ontario private companies like Bet365, BetMGM and FanDuel are allowed to operate in this multi-billion dollar industry. This booming business has seen companies partner with broadcasters, other media companies and celebrities to promote their platforms. But experts are worried that no one is looking after the betters. Today on ...

Apr 29, 2022•28 min

Trouble in the Magic Kingdom: Florida vs. Disney

Disney got into a battle with Florida's Republican Governor Ron DeSantis over a recently passed education bill that critics call the "Don't Say Gay" law. After Disney's CEO spoke out against it, state lawmakers revoked the theme park's special tax status that it has held for more than half a century. Today on Front Burner, New York Times reporter Brooks Barnes explains how this became the latest flash point in America's ongoing culture wars.

Apr 28, 2022•25 min

Twitter enters the Elon Musk era

After two weeks of twists and turns, Elon Musk — CEO of Tesla, richest person on Earth, and a self-proclaimed "free speech absolutist" — has acquired Twitter for $44 billion US. The move has been cheered by some, and raised concerns among others that Musk may remove controls on the platform meant to clamp down on hate speech and harassment. Today, we speak to Kari Paul, a technology reporter for the Guardian US, about what it means for the mercurial billionaire to hold the reins of one of the wo...

Apr 27, 2022•27 min

The next phase of Russia’s brutal war in Ukraine

The port city of Mariupol in Eastern Ukraine, once home to around 400,000, has been effectively reduced to rubble by Russian forces, which have battered the city and surrounded its steel plant, where women and children are still trapped. A battered but stubborn force of Ukrainian soldiers is still holding out, made up of members of the Azov Battalion, a far-right group that has become part of Ukraine's armed forces. After Ukraine's early success in the north, especially its defence of the capita...

Apr 26, 2022•23 min

Inside a Pierre Poilievre Conservative leadership rally

It's still early in the Conservative leadership race, but candidate Pierre Poilievre seems to have momentum. He's drawing big crowds at rallies across the country with promises to make Canada "the freest country on Earth." Front Burner producer Allie Jaynes introduces you to some of the people who attended a Toronto event last week, and CBC Politics senior reporter Catherine Cullen gives context around those crowds and how Poilievre's brand of populism compares to past candidates.

Apr 25, 2022•36 min

Bonus | Nothing is Foreign: What’s at stake for Muslims in the French election

France is electing a new president this weekend — and once again the culture war over Islam is front and centre. Marine Le Pen, the far-right candidate, has proposed a ban on Muslim women wearing headscarves in public, and she's in striking distance of upsetting Emmanuel Macron, France's current centrist president. With the debate over French identity and rampant Islamaphobia flaring up again, Nothing is Foreign host Tamara Khandaker speaks with guest, Rim-Sarah Alouane, a French legal scholar, ...

Apr 23, 2022•28 min

U.S. espionage trial looms for Julian Assange

In 2010, Julian Assange uploaded hundreds of thousands of U.S. intelligence documents to WikiLeaks, the website he co-founded. Twelve years, an array of allegations in the U.S. and Sweden, and an extended stay at the Ecuadorian embassy in London later, a British judge has now approved his extradition to the U.S. to face spying charges. The order has been sent to the U.K. home secretary for final approval. Today, The Guardian reporter Ben Quinn joins us to explain how British courts arrived at th...

Apr 22, 2022•22 min

Follow the money: A Freedom Convoy update

It's been two months since police cleared out the trucks and protesters who'd been occupying the streets around Parliament Hill. Several of the key figures involved in the convoy protests are in custody or out on bail, waiting for their trials to begin. Millions in donations have been seized, repaid or spent, but almost $8 million have not been accounted for. And many people in Ottawa — and across the country — are still waiting for answers and accountability. CBC Ottawa reporter David Fraser ha...

Apr 21, 2022•25 min

Tactics or trolling: Elon Musk's play for Twitter

Elon Musk, the world's richest person, is making a play to take over Twitter. It's a platform he dominates already with 82 million followers. The bold but unconventional tactics he's employed are on brand for Musk; part tech billionaire, part internet troll. Today on Front Burner, we're talking to the Washington Post's Will Oremus about Musk's latest endeavour, some of his past controversies and whether it's even possible to hold the world's richest man to account.

Apr 20, 2022•31 min

Presidency within far-right’s grasp in France

On Sunday, French citizens will go to the polls to choose their next president. They have two choices: incumbent Emmanuel Macron, who is seen by many to have handled crises, like the pandemic, well but has struggled to shake the perception that he is out of touch and elitist. Or, longtime far-right candidate Marine Le Pen, who has worked hard to reimagine her party, even though many of the core ideas — especially about immigration reform — remain. Some polls have the pair only a few percentage p...

Apr 19, 2022•21 min

Bonus | Nothing is Foreign: United in protest, Sri Lankans fight a political dynasty

Economically, Sri Lanka is on fire. Residents are dealing with ballooning food costs, hours-long lineups for fuel and power blackouts that last half the day. The country is facing record inflation and unemployment, the likes of which haven't been seen in 74 years. But the crisis has united a nation that's long been divided along ethnic and religious lines — all to oust the political family they blame for the disaster. This week on Nothing is Foreign, we hear from Sri Lankans who explain how thei...

Apr 18, 2022•31 min

The chaotic search for the Nova Scotia mass shooter

Nearly two years ago, denturist Gabriel Wortman, in a fake police cruiser and uniform, terrorized rural Nova Scotia and killed 22 people. Looking for answers, a public inquiry is now connecting the dots between how the killer evaded RCMP and the chaotic situation officers faced on the ground. For weeks, the Mass Casualty Commission has shared its findings, revealed critical documents, and gathered public testimony from witnesses. Today on Front Burner we hear RCMP testimony about how officers co...

Apr 15, 2022•30 min

Etsy sellers go on 'strike'

Etsy wants a place among the giants of online commerce. The handmade and vintage item marketplace has seen sales explode during the pandemic, doubling since 2019 and passing $12 billion US last year. CEO Josh Silverman says it's competing to be "the starting point for your e-commerce journey." But some of the creators and sellers on Etsy say, amid this growth, the site has been shrinking their profits and devaluing their labour. Thousands of sellers are on what they call a "strike" this week, pa...

Apr 14, 2022•23 min

Life under lockdown in Shanghai

For weeks, most of Shanghai’s 26 million residents haven’t been able to leave their apartments, due to a strict lockdown meant to curb a massive COVID-19 outbreak. There have been reports of food and medicine shortages, of unsanitary conditions in the city’s giant quarantine facilities, and of authorities forcibly separating parents from children who test positive. All of which is leading to rare public displays of anger against the government. Today, Reuters reporter Engen Tham joins us to expl...

Apr 13, 2022•26 min

Ivanka Trump, missing call logs and the Jan. 6 inquiry

Almost nine months ago, an investigation was launched into the Jan. 6 insurrection, and recently some of the people closest to Donald Trump have testified, including his daughter Ivanka and her husband Jared Kushner. But after hearing from more than 800 witnesses a few key questions remain — will the former U.S. president be called to testify? What happened to almost eight hours of missing phone records? Will this now move to the Department of Justice? Today on Front Burner, we talk to congressi...

Apr 12, 2022•28 min

Jason Kenney’s political future on the line

Alberta Premier Jason Kenney addressed United Conservative Party members at a special general meeting on Saturday and made his pitch to stay on as party leader. UCP members can begin voting via mail-in ballot on the future of Kenney’s leadership this week, with results expected May 18. But the lead-up to this vote has been rife with party infighting. Today, Maclean's Alberta correspondent Jason Markusoff explains what’s preceded this leadership review, the discontent within the UCP and why Kenne...

Apr 11, 2022•22 min

Bonus | Nothing is Foreign: Why the Global South refuses to sanction Russia

If you're sitting in the West, listening to Western politicians, the Ukraine-Russia war has a pretty clear narrative: Russia is the aggressor and should be sanctioned to the fullest extent, in solidarity with Ukraine. But how does the rest of the world view this war? Much of the Global South and some of the most powerful nations in the world, like China, India and Brazil, don't see the war in black and white. They're refusing to sanction or officially condemn Russia over the invasion. Why aren't...

Apr 09, 2022•27 min

Liberals unveil slimmer federal budget

The Liberals’ new budget doesn’t come with the hefty price tag of last year’s plan for pandemic recovery. But it isn’t thrifty either, pledging about $31.2 billion in net new spending over the next five years — mainly for housing, defence, and climate change. Today, CBC’s host of Power and Politics Vassy Kapelos joins us to break down the big-ticket items in the government's new spending plan, and look at whether it will help make life more affordable for Canadians.

Apr 08, 2022•22 min

The former worker who pushed for an Amazon union, and won

Last week, a group of current and former Amazon workers in New York’s Staten Island accomplished what some of the biggest unions in the United States could not: they organized Amazon’s first successful union vote in the country. The battle isn’t over yet: in a statement, Amazon said it is weighing whether to file objections. But today, we speak to Chris Smalls, interim president of the newly-formed Amazon Labor Union, about how he sparked a movement that succeeded where others have failed — and ...

Apr 07, 2022•24 min

How Viktor Orbán is reshaping Hungary

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and his Fidesz party won their fourth consecutive victory in Sunday’s election, even after a historic effort by opposition parties to come together and defeat the autocratic leader. Today, Justin Spike, Budapest Correspondent for the Associated Press, explains how Orbán has held onto power, changed Hungary, and what his latest victory could mean for the future.

Apr 06, 2022•26 min

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