Front Burner

Latest Episodes:

What issues will shape the 2019 federal election? Jun 24, 2019

Show notes

With the House of Commons adjourned and the federal election just months away, summertime hours mean Members of Parliament and hopeful candidates will be out campaigning on the BBQ circuit. The writ drop is expected for September and voting day is slated for on or before October 21. So what issues are shaping the election so far? Today on Front Burner, CBC’s Power and Politics host Vassy Kapelos joins us to explain.

Canadian corporations dodged up to $11-billion in taxes Jun 21, 2019

Show notes

According to a new report from the Canada Revenue Agency, in just one year - 2014 - Canadian corporations did not pay up to $11-billion in taxes. That amount is part of the “tax gap”. It’s the difference between the taxes Canada knows it's owed and the taxes that are actually collected. Today on Front Burner, Toronto Star investigative reporter Marco Chown Oved explains how corporations get away with this, and why it’s such a persistent issue.

Facebook’s plan for a new global currency Jun 20, 2019

Show notes

This week, Facebook announced it will launch a cryptocurrency in 2020. A new global currency, available to billions of people - is something like that legal? Or a good idea? Jon Porter from The Verge breaks it down.

Controversial Trans Mountain pipeline approved, but will it get built? Jun 19, 2019

Show notes

The federal Liberal government has now approved the expansion of the Trans Mountain pipeline for the second time.This is a key step for the much-delayed pipeline project that’s meant to carry nearly a million barrels of oil from Alberta to B.C each day. But will approval actually mean construction? CBC Vancouver reporter Angela Sterritt and CBC Calgary business reporter Tony Seskus explain.

What would it take for Canada to meet its climate targets? Jun 18, 2019

Show notes

The Canadian government has already admitted that it probably won’t be able to meet its Paris climate targets, the international agreement Canada signed promising to significantly reduce emissions of greenhouse gases. As part of a new CBC News project called In Our Backyard, reporter Connie Walker has been using climate modelling to investigate different policy options to find out what it would actually take for Canada to meet its goals. Today on Front Burner, she shares her findings.

Your Guide to Canada’s Edible Pot Rules Jun 17, 2019

Show notes

The Canadian government has introduced rules around the sale of edibles and other weed products, like topicals. Sol Israel from The Leaf News walks us through what these new regulations look like, and why the new rules around edibles may have unexpected consequences.

BONUS: Hong Kong protests and fears of China’s long reach Jun 15, 2019

Show notes

Throughout the week hundreds of thousands of Hong Kong residents took to the streets to protest a proposed extradition bill. Many fear it will be used to target dissidents who speak out against the Chinese state. Protests escalated to violent clashes between police and young demonstrators. Today on Front Burner, Hong Kong Free Press reporter Jennifer Creery on what this means for the region’s fight to resist China’s influence.

Raptors Win! Raptors Win! Raptors Win! Jun 14, 2019

Show notes

For the first time in franchise history, the Toronto Raptors won the NBA Championships. They beat the Golden State Warriors Thursday night in game six of the championship, 114-110. It was a remarkably tense game, with sixteen lead changes throughout. Today on Front Burner, CBC reporter Devin Heroux from Oakland, California on what it was like to witness the incredible game, and sports writer Alex Wong on how it feels to finally see the Toronto Raptors become NBA champions.

How a far-right hate group operates in rural B.C. and across the country Jun 13, 2019

Show notes

Far-right group Soldiers of Odin has been developing chapters across Canada and popping up at anti-immigration protests throughout the country. It’s a group that Canadian border security officials have said is not afraid to use violence and Facebook has recently banned in Canada for being engaged in “organized hate” online. Today on Front Burner, CBC’s Raffy Boudjikanian explains what the Soldiers of Odin are, how they are operating in Canada and why communities like Dawson Creek, B.C., are struggling to deal with them.

The Uninhabitable Earth: A grim portrait of the future of climate change Jun 12, 2019

Show notes

Author David Wallace-Wells on his matter-of-fact book, “The Uninhabitable Earth,” and what happens if we don’t slow the pace of climate change.