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In the race to lead the Democrats, Iowa caucuses can make or break campaigns Feb 03, 2020

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Months of Democratic strategizing and in-fighting culminates on Monday in the first caucus of the party’s 2020 leadership race. Historically, the Iowa caucuses are the first hint of which candidate could take on the President in November. Today on Front Burner, Washington Post reporter Dave Weigel takes us to Iowa, where the momentum of caucusing could be the key to capturing the Democratic nomination.

'There was no plan': The long road to Brexit Jan 31, 2020

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Tonight, at 11 p.m. local time, it finally happens: Brexit. It's been almost four years since Britain launched a referendum on whether to leave the European Union. To remember the highs and lows of how the U.K. got to this point, we're joined by the BBC World Service's political correspondent Rob Watson. He walks us through the big moments of Brexit, like the big red Brexit bus, the resignations of two prime ministers, and the stockpiling of food. Plus we look ahead to what might come next.

The fight over witness testimony at Trump’s impeachment trial Jan 30, 2020

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As early as Friday the U.S. Senate is expected to vote on whether or not witness testimony will be allowed at Donald Trump’s impeachment trial. It could be a real game changer, especially in light of former national security adviser John Bolton’s new bombshell accusations against the president. Today on Front Burner, longtime CBC Washington correspondent Keith Boag explains the likelihood of testimony being heard and how it could possibly affect the outcome of the trial.

An enormous open-pit mine and the future of the Alberta oilsands Jan 29, 2020

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Right now, there’s a proposal for a massive oilsands project awaiting approval from Justin Trudeau’s cabinet. The Teck Frontier mine is thought to be one of the largest oilsands mines ever proposed in Alberta. It’s projected to bring in billions of dollars of federal and province taxes. It’s also expected to have significant environmental impacts: from the destruction of old-growth forest, to an increase in carbon emissions. Cabinet has until next month to make a decision on whether or not to give it the greenlight. What happens next could act as a litmus test for the future of the Alberta oilsands. Today on Front Burner, Sharon Riley, Alberta energy and environment reporter with The Narwhal, explains the Teck Frontier oilsands mine.

Contending with all of Kobe Bryant's legacy Jan 28, 2020

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NBA legend Kobe Bryant died on Sunday in a helicopter crash near Calabasas, California, along with his 13-year-old daughter Gianna and seven other people. The 41-year-old 18-time NBA all-star won five championships with the L.A. Lakers. His legacy is also complicated by the fact that in 2003 he was accused of sexual assault. The criminal charges were dropped after his accuser refused to testify in court. Today on Front Burner, we talk about Bryant's career and complicated legacy with Slate writer and podcast host Joel Anderson.

How to fight a viral disease outbreak Jan 27, 2020

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The coronavirus outbreak has come to Canada. A man in his 50s who’d recently been to Wuhan, China is Canada’s first “presumptive case,” and is being treated in a Toronto hospital. Today, on Front Burner, we speak to infectious disease specialist Dr. Isaac Bogoch to learn what’s happening in this country and around the world to combat the 2019-nCoV coronavirus. He explains everything from front-line measures being taken by health professionals, to the co-ordination of international public health authorities, to the lab research being done to help us better understand and better fight this virus.

An inside look at white supremacist group The Base Jan 24, 2020

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Last week, former reservist Patrik Mathews was arrested by the FBI on firearms-related charges. Front Burner first covered his story last summer, when he was being investigated by law enforcement for suspected ties to a militant white supremacist group called The Base. After a raid by the RCMP, Mathews disappeared. Because of his arrest, we have access to a trove of court documents from the FBI's investigation of Mathews. Today on Front Burner, we talk to Vice national security correspondent Ben Makuch about what we've learned from these documents, and what they might say about efforts to stop the growth of white supremacist groups.

Putting the brakes on facial recognition technology Jan 23, 2020

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A leaked draft memo revealed recently the European Union is considering a temporary ban on the use of facial recognition technology in public spaces. And in the last few days, Google's CEO and the editorial board of the Financial Times have called for a moratorium on the burgeoning technology. Facial recognition is evolving and disseminating so quickly, that some are saying it's time to pump the brakes. Clare Garvie thinks that's the right idea. She studies facial recognition technology at the Georgetown Center on Privacy and Technology. Today on Front Burner, she explains how it's being used and its potential for abuse.

As Wuhan virus spreads, fears about pandemic readiness Jan 22, 2020

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A new virus spreading out of China has caught the attention of infectious disease experts around the world. That's because it bears some strong similarities to SARS, the respiratory disease that killed hundreds of people including 44 Canadians in 2003. Whether this new coronavirus turns out to be more or less dangerous than SARS, experts say we need to better prepare for pandemics because they are coming for us — ready or not. Today on Front Burner, we talk to Dr. Kamran Khan, who heads up a medical data analytics firm that's trying to set up an early warning system for infectious diseases so doctors like him can spread information about pandemics faster than diseases can spread themselves.

Huawei’s Meng Wanzhou extradition fight begins Jan 21, 2020

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Meng Wanzhou’s extradition hearing finally kicked off this week. It’s been just over a year since the Huawei chief financial officer was arrested on fraud charges. The arrest ignited a massive diplomatic rift between Canada and China, and a lot of international attention is focused on the Vancouver courtroom where a judge now must decide whether Canada will send the heiress to face the U.S. justice system. CBC Vancouver senior reporter Jason Proctor has been covering this story closely. Today on Font Burner he explains how extradition hearings work and how these proceedings might affect Canada’s already tense relationship with China.

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