The Current

Latest Episodes:

How are you feeling about the economy and politics? Dec 26, 2025

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Shachi Kurl, the President of the Angus Reid Institute, a polling firm, join us to give us an insight into how Canadians are feeling about the economy and politics after a turbulent year for the country.

Margaret Atwood tells her own story Dec 26, 2025

Show notes

Writing has shaped Margaret Atwood’s life, from childhood poems about rhyming cats to watching The Handmaid’s Tale become “an approaching reality” in Trump’s America. The Queen of CanLit sat down with Matt Galloway to discuss her new memoir, Book of Lives — and ended up giving Galloway an impromptu palm reading.

Jimmy Darts on the power of kindness Dec 24, 2025

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Jimmy Darts has become a social media star through his kindness videos. He has over 12 million followers and 400 million likes, just on his TikTok account. Through his account, he gives and raises thousands of dollars for strangers. We talk to him about his work, and his new book Undercover Kindness.

Is there still hope for the climate? Dec 23, 2025

Show notes

It was another year of devastating floods, fires and other extreme weather events. The Trump Administration also levelled dramatic cuts to climate science and pledged to break up one of the world’s leading weather forecasting research centres. And here in Canada, the federal government reversed a series of climate policies. We speak to climate scientist Katharine Hayhoe and Rick Smith of the Canadian Climate Institute about where they are finding optimism as 2025 comes to a close

Arundhati Roy: My mother and I were like two nuclear powers Dec 23, 2025

Show notes

Her mother Mary's death left acclaimed Indian writer, author of The God of Small Things, Arundhati Roy feeling "unanchored in space with no coordinates," even though she'd often been a target of Mary's wrath. Roy talks to Matt Galloway about her new memoir, "Mother Mary Comes to Me," revealing their fraught relationship, and how her mother's trailblazing character influenced Roy's writing.

Would you become a living donor to a stranger? Dec 23, 2025

Show notes

One Canadian dies every two days waiting for an organ. Stephanie Azzarello feared she'd be one of them. For people waiting for a liver, like Azzarello, there’s an option to find a living donor. Usually it comes from a family member or close friend… but not always. The woman who offered to help Azzarello after seeing her social media post was a stranger who lived in another country, had never met her. In her documentary, Because of Her, Liz Hoath brings us their story — and how their lives were brought together.

Susan Orlean: Why being curious gives you a richer life Dec 22, 2025

Show notes

Susan Orlean is the best selling author of seven books including The Orchid Thief and The Library Book, and has been a staff writer at The New Yorker since 1992. On stage at the Vancouver Writers Fest, she talks about being curious about the world, and how that's led her to the most unexpected stories. She tells the stories behind her stories of the American Man at Age 10, being portrayed by Meryl Streep, becoming the patron saint of pandemic drinking, and why ending her marriage made her think of a tire driving over a nail. Her new memoir is titled Joyride.

Rick Mercer stands up for Canada Dec 22, 2025

Show notes

The great Newfoundland satirist has been touring the country this fall, selling out theatres with his latest standup show. He joins us to reflect on the year in Canadian politics. Rick Mercer's Stand Up For Canada premieres Dec 28 at 9 PM on CBC TV and streams on CBC Gem.

Some Canadian snowbirds ditch US holiday plans Dec 22, 2025

Show notes

Some Canadians are changing their travel plans and heading to international destinations outside of the United States. We speak with two Canadian snowbirds, one who decided to travel to Mexico, rather than make their annual trip to Texas. While another returned to their Florida home, but not without some hesitation, only to find fewer Canadians around. And we hear from Wayne Smith, the Director of the Institute for Hospitality and Tourism Research on the latest numbers, what's driving them, and what that means for local economies.

Canada's soaring beef prices Dec 19, 2025

Show notes

An Alberta cattle producer has been steering his herd through years of drought and says it feels pretty good to have more 'jingle in his jeans' right now with record high beef prices. And a Winnipeg butcher says in spite of eye popping beef prices, his customers so far are still willing to fork over big bucks for the right cut. We speak with Sylvain Charlebois, a professor and senior director of the Agri-Food Analytics Lab at Dalhousie University, and a visiting scholar at McGill University about what’s fueling Canada’s soaring beef prices — and how that can change.

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