The Current

The last remaining US-Russia nuclear treaty that put limits on nuclear arsenals, the New START, expires today. Experts warn that without a new treaty, it raises the risk of a nuclear arms race in an increasingly volatile world, We speak with Thomas Countryman, Board Chair of the Arms Control Association, and a former U.S. diplomat who served as undersecretary of state for arms control and international security, and Matt Korda, the Associate Director for the Nuclear Information Project at the Federation of American Scientists, who's tracking nuclear arsenals and trends.

Duration:00:19:48

Are you feeling the pinch of the singles 'tax'?

There’s no getting around it - life is more expensive as a single person than it is when you’re in a couple. With singles in Canada now making up almost 40% of the population, The Current producer Cece Armstrong looked into the so-called singles 'tax' and how it’s hitting people’s wallets and life choices.

Duration:00:14:58

Are you a target of algorithmic pricing?

We know that companies are gathering data on us as we go about our lives online, but that information might also be used to create a personalized price for something you’re looking at buying. We hear from Jim Balsellie, the co-founder of the Council of Canadian Innovators and the Digital Governance Council, on how algorithmic pricing works and what guardrails need to be put in place.

Duration:00:12:01

P.K. Subban on the Canada/US heated hockey rivalry

Canadian hockey legend PK Subban is one of the executive producers of a new CBC special, Rivals: the Four-Nations Face-Off -- chronicling that epic hockey tournament, last year. He talks about the fights, the booing, and why Canadian fans criticized people like Wayne Gretzky, and Subban himself, during that heated political and cultural moment.

Duration:00:24:46

Homelessness in Canada's smaller communities

2/4/2026

The number of homeless people in smaller cities, towns and in rural communities is climbing. We hear from two mayors who are grappling with the surge in people experiencing homelessness. We'll also hear from Tim Richter, the founder of the Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness, and the co-chair of the National Housing Council that's advising the federal Housing Minister, on what the solutions he's pushing for.

Duration:00:24:16

Dry January? What's that gonna do for you?

2/4/2026

Many of us participate in Dry January — and go right back to drinking during the other eleven months of the year. Sure, Dry January can be a great jumping off point, but long-term health benefits aren't going to come with quitting the booze for one month. We speak to Catharine Fairbairn, a psychologist who runs an alcohol research lab, about what people should be doing if they really want to change their drinking habits. And we ask Dan Malleck, a medical historian specializing in alcohol and prohibition: Why do people drink, anyways? And is it really that bad for you?

Duration:00:24:04

CBC exclusive: Grandmother of missing Nova Scotia children

2/4/2026

Lily and Jack Sullivan have been missing for nine months. For the first time their maternal grandmother is speaking in a CBC exclusive interview.

Duration:00:19:39

More young people being diagnosed with psychotic disorders

New research from the Canadian Medical Association Journal has found that more people aged 14-20 are being diagnosed with psychotic disorders, including schizophrenia, than previous generations. We talk to study co-author Dr. Marco Solmi about his findings, and some of the possible reasons behind it. Plus, psychiatrist Dr. Oyedeji Ayonrinde on why early intervention matters, and why cannabis use can't be ignored as a potential factor in this rise.

Duration:00:19:49

Latest Epstein files show ties to powerful men

Files released by The U.S. Department of Justice show that many high-profile figures who've tried to distance themselves from Jeffrey Epstein were chummy with the convicted sex offender. Journalist Molly Jong-Fast says there should be some kind of accountability for those who enabled him.

Duration:00:13:20

How fungi could save the planet

“The future is fungal,” says Toby Kiers. She has won the "green Nobel" for her work studying mycorrhizal fungi — the vast underground network that acts as the soil's circulatory system. In fact, she may be the fungi's greatest champion. She explains why she loves these fungi — and why you should too.

Duration:00:25:19

China's influence filling the gap of the “American Dream”

From Ne Zha 2, to the video game Black Myth, Labubu, Chinese culture is becoming more aspirational. We hear from Tianyu Fang, a PhD student at Harvard who focuses on Chinese history, technology and culture about the shifting perceptions of China, the rise of soft power and what that could mean for future international relations.

Duration:00:11:16

Artemis II: Humanity’s Return to the Moon

2/2/2026

NASA’s Artemis II mission is about to send a crew farther from Earth than any human has ever gone. The mission marks the first crewed lunar flight since 1972. We speak with Gordon Osinski, a planetary geologist at Western University who has helped train astronauts, including Canadian Jeremy Hansen, about why this mission is such a critical milestone for Canada’s role in deep-space exploration. Plus, Michelle Hanlon, a space law professor, on what the return to the Moon raises about ownership, cooperation, and the law that will govern this new era of space exploration

Duration:00:19:19

How to feel human in a tech world

2/2/2026

Media theorist Douglas Rushkoff sees potential in the disruption that's come along with AI. He says it's an opportunity for us to reclaim our humanity and our connection to each other — and even build a better world.

Duration:00:21:34

Are you reading?

2/2/2026

Everywhere you turn, there's a distraction, and the evidence suggests we're all reading fewer books. Some have described it as a "crisis". We speak to one young Canadian who's turning that around, BookTok and podcast host, Morgann Book. We'll also speak with Gregor Campbell, a long-time English professor at the University of Guelph on what he has observed in the classroom, and Jonathan Jarry, a science communicator with McGill University's Office for Society and Science who puts the "reading crisis" in perspective.

Duration:00:24:44

Roller derby doc that looks at the community is changing lives

Sport is for many a part of their national identity. So what if your nation doesn’t fall within one country’s specific borders? That’s the genesis of the roller derby team Indigenous Rising, which is the focus of the new documentary Rising Through The Fray. Filmmaker Courtney Montour and player Sour Cherry tell us about the roller derby community and how it's changed lives.

Duration:00:23:18

One step closer: Jeremy Hansen on orbiting the moon

The Artemis II mission will send four astronauts, including Canadian Jeremy Hansen, on a 10-day trip around the moon and back. It’s the first crewed lunar mission in more than 50 years, testing what it really takes for humans and their spacecraft to survive deep space, and setting the stage for the next big leap.

Duration:00:11:31

The world has entered its water bankruptcy era

According to the UN, the world is entering an era of “water bankruptcy,” a term scientists are using to describe what happens when water use outpaces nature’s ability to recover. In this conversation, we unpack what that actually means, and why many water systems are no longer bouncing back even after rains return. We hear from Kaveh Madani, the author of a new UN report, and the Director of the Institute for Water, Environment and Health at United Nations University.

Duration:00:13:38

Poilievre prepares for leadership vote at Conservative convention