Front Burner

CBC

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, Justin Trudeau, Pierre Poilievre, 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 election year, Front Burner will be talking about Canadian politics. As Justin Trudeau departs as Prime Minister and leader of the Liberals, we will look at the Liberal leadership race and frontrunners Mark Carney and Chrystia Freeland. We will take a close look at 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 jobs, the economy, immigration, cost of living, housing and rental costs, taxes and tariffs.

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 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. When wildfires threaten our forests and communities, we speak to climate change experts. When Facebook announces a new change, we’ll explain why. We cover the latest in technology and figures like Elon Musk and the rise of bitcoin and crypto, the future of TikTok, 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, Joe Biden, Elon Musk, California wildfires, trad wives, millennials, conservative politics, 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 Canadian healthcare issues like the doctor shortage, vaccinations, COVID-19, safe supply, mental health, and privatized healthcare. 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. How does tech shape our lives? Who are the people that make up Canada, and what are the concerns and questions around Canadian immigration policy? In a time of climate change, Front Burner brings you expert interviews whether it's fires, floods, earthquakes, hurricanes, or heat waves. We cover Indigenous issues from the legacy of residential schools to Indigenous politics and newsmakers.

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Our Editor's Take

Front Burner is the daily news podcast presented by CBC podcasts. It features the latest and most critical reports in Canada and the world. Jayme Poisson hosts alongside Michelle Shephard.

The Front Burner podcast explores the events that shape and impact the world in a bold manner. Each episode aims to explain what's important, from global security to the economy. Local Canadian politics is, of course, expected. Justin Trudeau approaches his first decade as Canada's prime minister. The podcast examines how his brand of liberal leadership has progressed over the years. The Alberta premier gets detailed alongside the ongoing housing crisis.

Content does not only surround political news. The deaths of Canadian billionaires Barry and Honey Sherman are still a mystery. The Front Burner podcast provides insight on this true crime story.

News stories from the US also receive coverage. Former President Donald Trump's formal notice of indictment receives attention. This gets told alongside the various allegations surrounding him. The podcast also discusses news personalities themselves. They discuss Fox News' Tucker Carlson. One episode focuses on how he used his platform to optimize outrages. As for his network, Fox News, they had issues to confront as an organization. Front Runner looks into the settlement they made on the voting case.

Other controversial news topics include the FTX downfall in "It Takes A Village." There's also a thorough analysis of the anti-trans laws introduced by Republicans. Sports topics feature hockey, Canada's national sport. Hosts debate if it is possible to have a safer NHL?

The Front Burner news coverage goes beyond North America. Listeners can expect news on foreign relations. Whether it involves conflict or international sporting achievements, this podcast covers it. New episodes drop nearly every day.

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Weekend Listen: The twisted true story of a man who couldn’t stop lying

Weekend Listen: The twisted true story of a man who couldn’t stop lying

A body is pulled from the ocean, and a race against time to capture one of the world's most wanted criminals begins.Uncover: Sea of LIes is the story of a con man who couldn't stop lying. A tale of murder, stolen identities, fine art, a diaper bag stuffed with gold bars, and a crime solved by a Rolex watch. From rural Canada to coastal England, he lied and deceived at every turn.Award-winning podcaster Sam Mullins (Chameleon: Dr. Dante & Wild Boys) takes you inside the world of a devious scammer whose trail of destruction crosses continents and decades. So who is he? And how did this ruthless villain finally get unmasked? More episodes of Sea of Lies from Uncover are available at: https://link.mgln.ai/kP7LAY

Episodes

Weekend Listen: The twisted true story of a man who couldn’t stop lying

Weekend Listen: The twisted true story of a man who couldn’t stop lying

A body is pulled from the ocean, and a race against time to capture one of the world's most wanted criminals begins.Uncover: Sea of LIes is the story of a con man who couldn't stop lying. A tale of murder, stolen identities, fine art, a diaper bag stuffed with gold bars, and a crime solved by a Rolex watch. From rural Canada to coastal England, he lied and deceived at every turn.Award-winning podcaster Sam Mullins (Chameleon: Dr. Dante & Wild Boys) takes you inside the world of a devious scammer whose trail of destruction crosses continents and decades. So who is he? And how did this ruthless villain finally get unmasked? More episodes of Sea of Lies from Uncover are available at: https://link.mgln.ai/kP7LAY

The harrowing return to northern Gaza

The harrowing return to northern Gaza

It’s been nearly two weeks since a ceasefire brought more than 15 months of violence in Gaza to an end, and now, hundreds of thousands of Gazans are returning to the north, or what’s left of it.Abubaker Abed, a Palestinian freelance journalist, joins us to share what he has witnessed since becoming thrust into this role of war correspondent, how Palestinians are feeling about this fragile peace, and what comes next.Warning: this episode describes upsetting accounts of war and despair. Please take care while listening.For transcripts of Front Burner, please visit: https://www.cbc.ca/radio/frontburner/transcripts

DeepSeek and China’s AI power move

DeepSeek and China’s AI power move

A small Chinese tech company called Deepseek has upended the world of AI. Deepseek recently released a large language model that rivals ChatGP called R1 and it shot almost immediately to #1 on the app charts. The interesting thing about it is that the company built their model really cheap and that has called into question this narrative that you need an endless supply of chips and data centres and money to develop AI.On today’s show we’re speaking to WIRED’s senior tech writer Zeyi Yang about the deepening AI cold war between the US and China and the lingering questions about where AI is headed and what it’s good for?For transcripts of Front Burner, please visit: https://www.cbc.ca/radio/frontburner/transcripts

The end of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion?

The end of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion?

On his first night back in the Oval Office, US President Donald Trump signed a series of sweeping executive orders that effectively dismantle federal diversity, equity and inclusion programs, and revoke a landmark Civil Rights-era anti-discrimination rule. This comes as major American companies, from McDonald’s to Walmart to Meta, have been rolling back their own diversity policies, which have recently faced growing legal and cultural backlash.Does this spell the end of DEI? And what could that mean, in the US and beyond?Today Washington Post business reporter Julian Mark joins us to break it all down.For transcripts of Front Burner, please visit: https://www.cbc.ca/radio/frontburner/transcripts

Liberal leadership hopeful Karina Gould

Liberal leadership hopeful Karina Gould

Liberal leadership candidate Karina Gould was elected as the member of Parliament for Burlington in 2015 at the age of 28, but it didn't take long before she ended up in cabinet. In fact she was the youngest ever woman named to cabinet and the first ever active minister to take maternity leave.Gould has played a number of roles for the Liberal's during their decade in government… including Minister of Democratic Institutions, Minister for International Development, followed by Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, all before becoming the Government House leader.Today, Gould makes her case why should lead the Liberal party, and if she wins, fight the next election.For transcripts of Front Burner, please visit: https://www.cbc.ca/radio/frontburner/transcripts

Politics! Carney pulls ahead, Ford to trigger election

Politics! Carney pulls ahead, Ford to trigger election

The Liberal leadership race really got underway this week. Mark Carney wracked up endorsements from current cabinet ministers, while Chrystia Freeland pitched herself as running against the "Ottawa establishment".Meanwhile, Ontario Premier Doug Ford is calling an early election on Wednesday in hopes of shoring up another strong mandate, and capitalize on his visibility during the tariff fight.Vandana Kattar is a former advisor to Justin Trudeau, and a political strategist. Dennis Matthews is the President of the a national advertising agency Creative Currency, a conservative strategist and former advertising director for Prime Minister Stephen Harper. Mélanie Richer is Principal at Earnscliffe Strategies and former Director of Communications for the NDP and Jagmeet Singh. They join host Jayme Poisson to talk about it all.For transcripts of Front Burner, please visit: https://www.cbc.ca/radio/frontburner/transcripts

Weekend Listen: The unbelievable saga of Kaitlyn Braun, the Ontario woman who conned dozens of birth workers

Weekend Listen: The unbelievable saga of Kaitlyn Braun, the Ontario woman who conned dozens of birth workers

Kaitlyn Braun, a pregnant young woman in crisis, takes dozens of birth workers through an escalating series of disasters – rape, baby loss, and even a coma. One by one, the doulas struggle to support her and grieve with her, and even save her life as they’re led down a distressing path. And then the truth comes out.In this six-part true crime series, Sarah Treleaven untangles a complex web of lies and deception to ask who Kaitlyn really is and why she did the things that she did. Cases like these puzzle legal experts and raise intricate moral and ethical questions. This is not your average con. Kaitlyn is not your usual scammer.Kaitlyn's Baby is Season 2 of The Con — a podcast exposing the art of deception — from CBC and the BBC World Service. Season 1 - the critically acclaimed catfishing quest, Love, Janessa, launched in January 2023.Content warning: The latest season of The Con contains references to medical emergencies, including baby loss. We also deal with sexual assault and there is some strong language.More episodes are available at: https://link.mgln.ai/UrgPYM

Elon Musk, Nazi accusations, and the ADL

Elon Musk, Nazi accusations, and the ADL

On Monday night, tech billionaire Elon Musk spoke at President Trump's inauguration rally in Washington. In the middle of that speech, he slammed his right hand onto the left side of his chest and thrust it out into the air in a straight line. Then he turned around, and made the gesture again.The backlash was immediate, with many people accusing Musk of making a Nazi salute. But the Anti-Defamation League, an organization founded to combat anti-semitism disagreed, and came to Musk's defence, calling it "an awkward gesture in a moment of enthusiasm, not a Nazi salute" on X. Its defence of Musk would have been nearly unthinkable even a year and a half ago, when Musk threatened to sue the group for defamation. Mari Cohen has been covering this evolving relationship between Musk and the ADL for Jewish Currents. She spoke to host Jayme Poisson about that, and how it fits into ongoing criticisms the organization is facing.For transcripts of Front Burner, please visit: https://www.cbc.ca/radio/frontburner/transcripts

Who is Mark Carney?

Who is Mark Carney?

There’s been a ton of buzz around Mark Carney throwing his hat into the Liberal leadership race. Many Liberals see Carney — the former head of the Bank of Canada and Bank of England, and a former advisor to the Trudeau government — as the best hope of reversing their party’s dire fortunes. This is Carney’s first foray into party politics. So what do we know about his track record and his beliefs? Is he really, as he claims, an “outsider?” And, in a time of rising populism on the right and left — when many believe big, global financial institutions have made their lives worse — can a man like Carney meet the moment?Today, a documentary looking at Carney’s life, work, and views.

Trump’s tariffs and the case for Canada

Trump’s tariffs and the case for Canada

Speaking from a cabinet retreat Tuesday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau made the case for why the Trump administration should divert from the trade war collision course they’re currently on. His comments come just a day after Donald Trump was inaugurated as US president and mused about slapping 25 per cent tariffs on Canadian imports starting Feb. 1st.The Prime Minister went on to say that while the country will continue to negotiate - there are also preparations to fight back including considering dollar for dollar tariffs on American products coming into Canada.Today we are talking to Canadian economist Jim Stanford about the carrot and stick arguments Canadian officials are making to Americans. Stanford is director of the Centre for Future Work and recently published a report asking the question “Who’s Subsidizing Whom?” when it comes to the Canada-U.S. trade relationship.For transcripts of Front Burner, please visit: https://www.cbc.ca/radio/frontburner/transcripts

What will Trump's first 100 days bring?

What will Trump's first 100 days bring?

Yesterday, Donald Trump was sworn in for the second time as President of the United States.In his inaugural address and as he signed executive orders throughout the day, Trump made his priorities for his first days in office clear. He declared an emergency at the southern border, made it the official policy of the United States that "there are only two genders", said America was "taking back" the Panama Canal and much, much more.Many of these moves are things that Trump has promised or threatened to do on "day one". Which is why on the eve of inauguration day we spoke to Tolu Olorunnipa, the Washington Bureau Chief with the Washington Post and co-author of the Pulitzer Prize winning book 'His Name is George Floyd' about what to expect in the coming days of the second Trump Presidency.For transcripts of Front Burner, please visit: https://www.cbc.ca/radio/frontburner/transcripts

Kevin O’Leary and the 51st state

Kevin O’Leary and the 51st state

For weeks, U.S. President-elect Donald Trump has been talking about making Canada the 51st state. He’s even said that he’d look to use economic force to ‘get rid’ of the border between the two countries.Canadian businessman Kevin O’Leary has been pushing the potential benefits of an ‘economic union’ with the U.S. He explained his case in a feature interview with host Jayme Poisson on Sunday.For transcripts of Front Burner, please visit: https://www.cbc.ca/radio/frontburner/transcripts

Weekend Listen: What are drugs teaching us about what it means to be human?

Weekend Listen: What are drugs teaching us about what it means to be human?

On Drugs looks through the lenses of history, pop culture and personal experience to understand how drugs have shaped our world. Because even if it’s just caffeine or ibuprofen, there’s a good chance you’re on drugs right now. More episodes of On Drugs are available at: https://link.mgln.ai/aRCxzV

Politics! Mark Carney’s running, tariff fight gets messy

Politics! Mark Carney’s running, tariff fight gets messy

It was another really busy week in Canadian politics.It began with Alberta Premier Danielle Smith’s trip to Mar-a-Lago to talk tariffs and Canadian oil with Trump and his team, and it rolled into a meeting between Canada’s premiers and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, where Smith did not get onside with her colleagues.The Liberal leadership race narrowed further, and on Thursday, former Bank of Canada governor Mark Carney threw his hat into the ring.Catherine Cullen is the host of CBC's The House. Jason Markusoff is a producer and writer with CBC Calgary. They join host Jayme Poisson to talk about it all.For transcripts of Front Burner, please visit: https://www.cbc.ca/radio/frontburner/transcripts

What’s behind the Israel-Hamas ceasefire?

What’s behind the Israel-Hamas ceasefire?

Israel and Hamas signed a deal for a ceasefire set to begin Sunday January 19th that will see the exchange of Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners in Israel and the flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza. The news was met with celebrations in Gaza where Palestinians have been suffering under a brutal Israel offensive since the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023. Tens of thousands are dead, more than a million displaced and much of the strip is destroyed. Ceasefire negotiations have dragged on in Qatar between Israel, Hamas, the U.S. and other countries for months. So why has an agreement finally been reached now? Chaim Levinson, senior diplomatic correspondent at Ha’aretz, joins us to parse through the details of the deal, how it was reached and what could happen next.

Lessons from the Los Angeles wildfires

Lessons from the Los Angeles wildfires

Fires continue to burn in Los Angeles as millions of people remain under an extreme fire weather alert. The Palisades Fire and the Eaton Fire have already flattened entire neighbourhoods in Los Angeles, leaving nothing but outlines and ash where homes once stood. It is expected that this will all amount to the worst natural disaster in American history in terms of cost and scale.These fires raise major questions about the future of Los Angeles, who is to blame, insurance and just how prepared we are for worsening fires and other climate change fueled disasters.To discuss the size and scope of these fires, and what can be learned from them, we’re joined by David Wallace-Wells, New York Times writer and columnist and author of The Uninhabitable Earth: Life After Warming. For transcripts of Front Burner, please visit: https://www.cbc.ca/radio/frontburner/transcripts

Donald Trump’s billionaire administration

Donald Trump’s billionaire administration

Donald Trump is building the wealthiest cabinet in American history with 13 billionaires set to be part of his administration. That of course includes his vocal backer and X CEO, Elon Musk. But it’s not just the ones joining him in office. A parade of CEOs and business giants have met with him over the past month in Mar-A-Lago including Mark Zuckerberg, Jeff Bezos, Tim Cook and Canada’s Kevin O’Leary.Even in a country where the super rich have always had an outsized role in American life, this moment stands out. But does it compare to the past and other administrations and why are they aligning themselves with Trump so publicly now?To explore this shift we’re joined by Quinn Slobodian, professor of international history at Boston University and the author of Crack-Up Capitalism: Market Radicals and the Dream of a World Without Democracy. For transcripts of Front Burner, please visit: https://www.cbc.ca/radio/frontburner/transcripts

The Liberal leadership contenders’ uphill battle

The Liberal leadership contenders’ uphill battle

A week after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s resignation, a much clearer picture of the Liberal leadership race has emerged.Whoever the candidate ends up being will have the challenge of running both a leadership and a general election campaign at essentially the same time.According to some recent polling by Abacus Data, that won’t be the only challenge.David Coletto is the founder and CEO of the polling firm. He’ll talk about that, how Canadians are responding to Trudeau’s resignation, and what that means for the Liberal party.For transcripts of Front Burner, please visit: https://www.cbc.ca/radio/frontburner/transcripts

President Joe Biden’s Final Days in office

President Joe Biden’s Final Days in office

Joe Biden will end his reign as President as not only the oldest holder of the executive office, but one of the longest tenured lawmakers in American history. As he enters his twilight in public life, we look at the President’s final few weeks in office and ask: how is Joe Biden likely to be remembered? President Biden’s final weeks in office include the controversial decision to pardon his son, Hunter, and the passage of the largest single-day grant of clemency in modern American history. But many believe he should use his final days to pass meaningful legislation on issues ranging from racial justice to the environment, national parks, abortion and Gaza. Our guest is Alex Shephard is a Senior Editor at The New Republic and has been writing about Biden through his Presidency, and beyond.For transcripts of Front Burner, please visit: https://www.cbc.ca/radio/frontburner/transcripts

Donald Trump threatens to annex Canada

Donald Trump threatens to annex Canada

With just under two weeks until he re-takes the Oval Office, U.S. president-elect Donald Trump has outlined a mind-map of sorts to, as he says, “make Canada the 51st American state.”He has referred to the border separating Canada and the U.S. as an “artificial line,” called Justin Trudeau Canada’s “Governor” and said Canada would “dissolve” without U.S. assistance.At the same time, he’s not ruling out forcibly incorporating the territory of Greenland into the U.S. and seizing control of the Panama Canal, a crucial shipping route.Threat, negotiation tactic, or meaningless bluster? CBC Washington correspondent Katie Simpson unpacks where it’s all coming from.For transcripts of Front Burner, please visit: https://www.cbc.ca/radio/frontburner/transcripts