The Decibel

The Globe and Mail

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. read less
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The real town behind Hallmark’s Christmas movies
2d ago
The real town behind Hallmark’s Christmas movies
At this time of year, there’s nothing better than settling in with a good Christmas movie. When it comes to the made-for-TV variety – usually made by Hallmark, or, Netflix – they tend to follow a formula: girl from the big city ends up in a small town, connects with a local guy, they encounter a series of surmountable obstacles, and eventually, end up together – with a heavy sprinkle of holiday magic. A lot of these movies are filmed in and around Almonte, a town about 40 minutes west of Ottawa. It’s been used so many times that SNL mentioned that they’re all “filmed in a month in Ottawa” in a 2017 sketch, and the New York Times profiled the town back in 2020. According to the municipality, 24 movies have been shot there since 2015.The town has a sparkle that shines through in these movies… and our producers wondered whether that sparkle was as bright in real life. In this holiday special episode, The Decibel goes to Almonte to see if the town is as full of Christmas magic as it is on screen.Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at thedecibel@globeandmail.com

Episodes

The real town behind Hallmark’s Christmas movies
2d ago
The real town behind Hallmark’s Christmas movies
At this time of year, there’s nothing better than settling in with a good Christmas movie. When it comes to the made-for-TV variety – usually made by Hallmark, or, Netflix – they tend to follow a formula: girl from the big city ends up in a small town, connects with a local guy, they encounter a series of surmountable obstacles, and eventually, end up together – with a heavy sprinkle of holiday magic. A lot of these movies are filmed in and around Almonte, a town about 40 minutes west of Ottawa. It’s been used so many times that SNL mentioned that they’re all “filmed in a month in Ottawa” in a 2017 sketch, and the New York Times profiled the town back in 2020. According to the municipality, 24 movies have been shot there since 2015.The town has a sparkle that shines through in these movies… and our producers wondered whether that sparkle was as bright in real life. In this holiday special episode, The Decibel goes to Almonte to see if the town is as full of Christmas magic as it is on screen.Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at thedecibel@globeandmail.com
What’s next for Trudeau and the Liberals after a chaotic 2024
3d ago
What’s next for Trudeau and the Liberals after a chaotic 2024
As new details around the feud between Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his former deputy prime minister Chrystia Freeland emerge, the Liberal caucus gathered on Tuesday to awkwardly celebrate the holidays. The fete came after the final two days of the fall sitting of Parliament where a lot happened.John Ibbitson is a columnist and reporter based in Ottawa for The Globe. He goes through what we’ve learned since Monday about Freeland’s resignation, everything you missed about the Fall Economic Statement and where the Liberals could go in 2025.Questions? Comments? Ideas? E-mail us at thedecibel@globeandmail.com
How Canada’s food inspectors missed a deadly listeria outbreak
4d ago
How Canada’s food inspectors missed a deadly listeria outbreak
In July, there was a recall on two specific brands of plant-based milks, Silk and Great Value, after a listeria outbreak that led to at least 20 illnesses and three deaths. Public health officials determined the same strain of listeria had been making people sick for almost a year. When Globe reporters began looking into what happened, they found a surprising fact: the facility that the bacteria was traced to had not been inspected for listeria in years. So how did this happen?They also learned that in 2019 the Canadian Food Inspection Agency introduced a new system that relies on an algorithm to prioritize sites for inspectors to visit. Investigative reporters Grant Robertson and Kathryn Blaze Baum talk about why this new system of tracking was created, and what went wrong.Questions? Comments? Ideas? E-mail us at thedecibel@globeandmail.com
Freeland resigns, upending Trudeau’s government
5d ago
Freeland resigns, upending Trudeau’s government
On Monday morning, Chrystia Freeland announced she was stepping down as finance minister. This came after reports of increasing tensions between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau over the GST break and $250 cheques. She posted her letter on X just after 9 a.m., on the day when she was supposed to deliver the fall economic statement.Later, after a day of speculation and confusion, the Liberals tabled the fall economic update, and MP Dominic LeBlanc was sworn in as finance minister to replace Freeland. The day ended with a Liberal caucus meeting, where Trudeau’s leadership was put into question.Globe and Mail senior political reporter Marieke Walsh is on the show to walk us through a chaotic day on Parliament Hill and tell us what this could all mean for the Liberal government.Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at thedecibel@globeandmail.com
Diagnosing what’s wrong with Canada’s immigration system
6d ago
Diagnosing what’s wrong with Canada’s immigration system
Immigration policy indirectly shapes a lot of aspects of Canadian life: the economy, the housing market, the labour force. And in 2024, the federal government made a major policy change by cutting immigration targets. In doing so, it acknowledged that the balance they had previously struck was not quite right.So The Globe and Mail’s Editorial Board studied the issue and looked at ways Canada can improve the system and restore the balance. Editorials Editor Patrick Brethour explains.Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at thedecibel@globeandmail.com
Syria’s revolution and its impact on global power
13-12-2024
Syria’s revolution and its impact on global power
After 13 years of civil war, the now-former Syrian president Bashar al-Assad fled the country, as his dictatorship unravelled in less than two weeks. Many Syrians celebrated as the rebel group, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, laid claim to the capital city of Damascus this week. But the future of the country remains uncertain as different factions inside the country – and global superpowers outside of it – consider what comes next.Mark MacKinnon, The Globe’s Senior International Correspondent, explains how the al-Assad regime fell apart suddenly and how the influence of Iran, Israel, Turkey, the U.S. and Russia are all in competition in a volatile region.Questions? Comments? Ideas? E-mail us at thedecibel@globeandmail.com
How The Globe and Mail covered and influenced Canada’s history
12-12-2024
How The Globe and Mail covered and influenced Canada’s history
For 180 years, The Globe and Mail has covered the biggest issues and events in Canada. To commemorate its history, editor John Ibbitson and more than two dozen Globe and Mail journalists dug into the archives to answer the question: “how did the Globe’s coverage intersect with Canada and influence its story?”. The answer to that question can be found in the new book, ‘A Nation’s Paper: The Globe and Mail in the Life of Canada.Menaka Raman-Wilms hosted a panel discussion in front of a live audience with Ibbitson and Globe reporters Ann Hui and Kelly Grant about the essays they wrote, the times the Globe was ahead of the curve and the instances where the paper got it wrong.Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at thedecibel@globeandmail.com
The ‘miracle drug’ some dog owners regret using
11-12-2024
The ‘miracle drug’ some dog owners regret using
Librela, a new drug to treat arthritis pain in dogs, was approved for use in Canada in 2021. In some cases, it was described to owners as a “miracle drug”, with no side effects other than potential soreness and swelling at the injection site. Some owners describe their dogs seeming happier and more comfortable. But others have reported adverse reactions, including lethargy, disorientation, vomiting, and even death. Zoetis, Librela’s parent company, says Librela is safe and was rigorously tested. Susan Krashinsky Robertson is a business reporter for the Globe. She spoke to eight people whose pets’ health declined after taking Librela. She’s on the show to talk about the promise of Librela, and what she heard from pet owners and veterinarians about the drug.Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at  thedecibel@globeandmail.com
Doug Ford’s plan to dismantle homeless encampments
10-12-2024
Doug Ford’s plan to dismantle homeless encampments
This week, the Ontario government will be tabling new legislation that promises to give police more powers to arrest people who refuse to leave their homeless encampments. And to avoid potential legal challenges, Premier Doug Ford is threatening to use the notwithstanding clause if he has to.Jeff Gray covers Ontario politics and he explains what prompted this response from the Ford government and the consequences of the province potentially using the notwithstanding clause in this way.Questions? Comments? Ideas? E-mail us at thedecibel@globeandmail.com
What the spread of bird flu signals about another pandemic
09-12-2024
What the spread of bird flu signals about another pandemic
In November, Canada’s first case of avian flu in a human was confirmed – a teenager in British Columbia, who remains in critical care and on a ventilator. Dozens of cases have been reported in the U.S. too, as it appears transmission from infected animals to people has increased. Some scientists and public health officials have warned that this virus has potential to be the source of the next pandemic.André Picard, the Globe’s health columnist, joins the show to talk about the hard-won lessons of the COVID-19 pandemic and why we should be paying attention to what comes next with avian flu.Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at thedecibel@globeandmail.com
Chaos in South Korea: martial law, impeachment, resignations
06-12-2024
Chaos in South Korea: martial law, impeachment, resignations
Martial law. Impeachment. A treason investigation. All of this has happened within a matter of hours in South Korea.The Globe and Mail’s Asia Correspondent James Griffiths is in Seoul covering it. He explains what led to all this political tumult and who South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol is – the person at the centre of it all.Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at thedecibel@globeandmail.com
Why millennials are abandoning the Liberals
05-12-2024
Why millennials are abandoning the Liberals
A November Abacus Data poll found that 38 per cent of millennial voters are planning on voting for the Conservatives, compared with 22 per cent for the Liberals, in the next federal election. This is a major shift from when millennials clinched Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s first majority win in 2015.Globe and Mail reporter Dave McGinn dug into the polling data and spoke with millennials who have soured on the Liberals to understand exactly what changed.Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at thedecibel@globeandmail.com
What the Canada Post strike says about the power of unions
04-12-2024
What the Canada Post strike says about the power of unions
More than 55,000 members from the Canadian Union of Postal Workers remain on strike and at an impasse with Canada Post, after negotiations broke down. Issues of wage increases and usage of gig workers are at the heart of the dispute and the two sides remain far apart. But in recent strikes involving public sector workers, that didn’t seem to matter — not when the federal government can intervene and send them back to work.As postal workers enter the third week of striking, will the federal government soon step in? And what does this strike say about the labour movement right now and unions’ right to strike in Canada?Vanmala Subramaniam, The Globe’s Future of Work reporter, is on the show to talk about the latest on the Canada Post strike, how it fits with other essential services taking work action and how governments intervene in work stoppages.Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at thedecibel@globeandmail.com
Toxic culture, systemic spying alleged at Canada Soccer
03-12-2024
Toxic culture, systemic spying alleged at Canada Soccer
An investigation by The Globe and Mail found that spying was an ingrained part of the celebrated women’s national team rocked by scandal at the Paris Olympics. But the revelation of a spying program uncovered many other problems inside the Canada Soccer organization.Globe reporters Nancy Macdonald and Greg Mercer explain what their investigation found, how the scandal has affected players and what Canada Soccer is doing to address allegations.Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at thedecibel@globeandmail.com
Why is Stephen Harper taking over Alberta’s pension fund manager?
02-12-2024
Why is Stephen Harper taking over Alberta’s pension fund manager?
Last month, former Prime Minister Stephen Harper re-entered the headlines, after being appointed to chair the board of AIMCo, the Alberta Investment Management Corporation. His return followed mass upheaval at the company – with the Alberta government abruptly firing most of its senior leadership and board members. AIMCo is responsible for managing hundreds of thousands of public-sector pensions, totaling more than $169 billion. What is happening at Canada’s sixth largest pension fund manager and what does it mean for these pensions?James Bradshaw is the Globe’s institutional investing reporter. He’ll explain the shake up at AIMCo and why the separation of government from public pension funds is at stake. Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at thedecibel@globeandmail.com
The Israel-Lebanon ceasefire, explained
29-11-2024
The Israel-Lebanon ceasefire, explained
This week, Israel and Hezbollah – the Iran-backed armed group in Lebanon – reached a ceasefire deal. A day later, both accused the other of violating the peace.But the fragile agreement, brokered by the U.S. and France, appears to be holding for now. And while Israel and Hezbollah have agreed to halt their fighting, the war Israel is fighting in Gaza with Hamas continues.Eric Reguly, the Globe’s European Bureau Chief, has reported from Lebanon during the war. He joins the show to explain what led to this deal, what could help it succeed, and if this could create momentum for a ceasefire in Gaza.Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at thedecibel@globeandmail.com
What Trump’s tariff plan means for Canada
28-11-2024
What Trump’s tariff plan means for Canada
President-elect Donald Trump is making threats that would have dire economic consequences for Canada. Trump said on Monday that he would impose a 25 per cent tariff on all goods from Canada and Mexico, until both countries stop migrants and fentanyl from entering the U.S. If he follows through on this, it could cause a major disruption for Canada’s economy, and some fear it could trigger a recession.The Globe’s senior parliamentary reporter Steven Chase has been tracking the political fallout of the announcement. He explains how Trump’s plan puts pressure on various sectors of the Canadian economy and how Trudeau and the federal government are planning to face it.Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at thedecibel@globeandmail.com
Ukraine enters the ‘most difficult’ phase of the war
27-11-2024
Ukraine enters the ‘most difficult’ phase of the war
The war in Ukraine has been intensifying after a series of escalations in the last week. And as a result of that, Ukrainian forces are entering the ‘most difficult’ phase of the war since it started, according to The Globe’s Mark MacKinnon.Mark explains how Russia’s recent nuclear sabre-rattling by Russian President Vladimir Putin, U.S. President Joe Biden’s decision to allow Ukraine to fire American long-range missiles into Russia and the looming inauguration of Donald Trump have accelerated all fronts of the war.Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at thedecibel@globeandmail.com
Why hackers are targeting water treatment plants
26-11-2024
Why hackers are targeting water treatment plants
In recent years, cyber attacks have become increasingly frequent and wide-reaching. In 2023, the Toronto Public Library, Canada’s largest-circulation library system, was the subject of a ransomware attack. Its systems were down for months, and the library was taken back to a pre-internet age. Now, hackers are turning to water treatment plants – and it’s not money they’re after.Patrick White is the Globe’s water reporter. He’s on the show to talk about how these attacks have been unfolding, why they look different from other kinds of infrastructure hacks, and how governments are preparing for this new threat.Questions? Comments? Ideas? E-mail us at thedecibel@globeandmail.com
What the GST break means for you
25-11-2024
What the GST break means for you
Last Thursday, the Liberals announced a multibillion-dollar plan to help improve the cost of living. It includes a 2-month break from GST on dozens of products and services – from restaurant meals and liquor, to children’s toys and diapers – and a one-time $250 cheque for working Canadians.But it’s unclear exactly how these measures will get through the House of Commons, which has been the site of a months-long stalemate.Today, the Globe’s senior political reporter, Marieke Walsh, is here to explain what’s included in this tax break, the impact these changes could have on household expenses, and the politics at play.Questions? Comments? Ideas? E-mail us at thedecibel@globeandmail.com