On Monday, the governing Liberals tabled their first bill of the new session of Parliament. Bill C-39, also called the Building Canada Strong Act, is over 240 pages long and aims to streamline and speed up development approval. It also makes changes to the Canada Labour Code that have upset union leaders.

Bill Curry is The Globe’s deputy bureau chief in Ottawa. He has been covering the new legislation and explains what exactly Prime Minister Mark Carney’s government is proposing and what it is willing to sacrifice to boost building in Canada.

Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at thedecibel@globeandmail.com

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Canada has had a system of equalization payments for decades, where money collected by federal income taxes gets distributed to provinces worse off financially than others. It has proven to be controversial in some areas, like Alberta where Premier Danielle Smith has claimed that equalization is a ‘gravy train’ for the rest of Canada through these payments. Members of the Alberta separatist movement have also used this as a reason to push for separation.

But there are a lot of misconceptions about this complicated program. So today, we speak with Patrick Brethour, the Globe’s Editorials editor and former tax and fiscal policy reporter. He’ll demystify the equalization program by explaining how it works, why it’s so controversial, and what he thinks would make it better.

Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at thedecibel@globeandmail.com

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Canada and the EU are working toward a more integrated partnership. As the relationship with the U.S. becomes increasingly less reliable, Canadians seem to be overwhelmingly in favour of the idea of getting closer to Europe. But what could this partnership actually entail – and how much more would Canada be getting than it has now?

Today, the Globe’s international affairs columnist, Doug Saunders, is on the show. He’ll discuss the geopolitical implications of Carney’s address to the European Parliament, and what shape the relationship could take going forward.

Questions? Comments? Ideas? E-mail us at thedecibel@globeandmail.com

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What happens when one of the “good guys” turns out to be a bad guy?

The acclaimed true crime podcast series ‘In Her Defence’ returns with ’In Her Defence: Breach of Trust”. A seven-episode series exploring the case of Sgt. Robert Semenchuk, a Regina police officer who preyed on hundreds of vulnerable women using information from police databases.

Some of those women risked it all to expose him, and hold him accountable. But would the system punish one of its own?

Hosted by award-winning crime reporter Jana G. Pruden, and based on more than 50 hours of exclusive interviews with dozens of women, police officers, lawyers and legal experts, In Her Defence: Breach of Trust reveals serious gaps in the way law enforcement agencies in Canada are policing themselves, and the serious harm women are suffering as a result.

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The Canadian Armed Forces is undergoing a generational change. From record investment and spending, to its most extensive re-organization in decades – military officials say this is Canada’s preparation for a “future battlefield.”

Gavin John, journalist and photographer for The Globe, has covered the Canadian Armed Forces extensively. He joins The Decibel to discuss why the military is moving with such urgency, what it says about future conflicts and how the nature of warfare has changed.

Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at thedecibel@globeandmail.com

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The Canada Investment Summit wrapped after two days of deals and announcements meant to spur more capital in the Canadian economy. This includes the federal government leasing parts of some of the country’s biggest airports and unveiling new tax incentives, and companies doubling down on AI data centres. Prime Minister Mark Carney is hoping that this will create a “supercycle” of investment.

Report on Business columnist Andrew Willis explains what the Prime Minister said to him during their interview and what to make of the major announcements from the summit.

Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at thedecibel@globeandmail.com

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Albertans will head to the polls in just over a month, on Oct. 19, to vote in a referendum. There are 10 questions, but the one that’s garnering the most attention is the question about separation: do they want to remain in Canada, or hold another referendum on whether to separate? Polling suggests 70 to 75 per cent of Albertans want to stay in Canada, but the federalists are having trouble raising enough money to get the message out.

We’re talking to Marieke Walsh, a senior political reporter for The Globe, and Matthew Scace, a Globe reporter based in Calgary. They’ll break down why the ‘Remain’ side, which has an overwhelming amount of public support, is struggling to translate that into campaign contributions, and what a disorganized campaign could mean for the outcome of the referendum.

Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at thedecibel@globeandmail.com

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Headlines about vacant office buildings and deserted downtowns is old news. The return to office, in downtown Toronto especially, is back on. Vacancy rates have plummeted, commute-fuelled traffic is up and businesses are scrambling to find more space for their workers.

Globe reporter Jason Kirby takes us behind the numbers, the return-to-office mandates and what this post-pandemic shift tells us about the future of work.

Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at thedecibel@globeandmail.com

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