The Decibel

The Canadian government has invested billions in critical mineral companies in an effort to boost the sector so it can compete against China. But mining projects always come with a lot of risk for investors. So is this a smart strategy for a government to adopt?
Niall McGee is the mining reporter for The Globe. He looked into which projects the federal government is investing in, what they hope will come of their investments and whether this bet is worth taking.
Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at thedecibel@globeandmail.com

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On Saturday, B.C. voters head to the polls in a snap provincial election. BC NDP Leader David Eby’s rationale for the election, held two years ahead of schedule, was to get a stronger mandate amidst a trade war. His critics called it a gamble that could threaten Eby’s government. Now, the BC Conservative party is neck in neck with the NDP and a new, young challenger could come out of the election holding the balance of power.
Mike Hager, Globe reporter in Vancouver, has been covering the election campaign. He’ll take us through the controversial election call, why the Conservatives have made a comeback in the polls and what the biggest voting issues are on the ballot.
Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at thedecibel@globeandmail.com

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Four people were killed and dozens injured in a fire at Canadian Forces Base Wainwright in Alberta on Saturday. Prime Minister Mark Carney called it one of the worst tragedies for the Armed Forces on Canadian soil in peacetime.
Today, Globe feature writer Jana G. Pruden is on the show. She was in Wainwright this week and she’ll tell us what we know, and what’s still unknown, about the tragedy.
Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at thedecibel@globeandmail.com

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Albertans firmly rejected the option to separate from Canada in Monday night’s referendum vote, with 75 per cent of voters opting to keep the province in the country. But will that mark the end of the separatist movement in Alberta? And what does it mean for Premier Danielle Smith and her future?
Tyler Dawson is a Globe columnist and Opinion editor based in Edmonton. He is also the author of the book The Republic of Alberta: An Idea That Won’t Go Away. He explains the political consequences of the results of the separation question as well as the other nine questions that Albertans voted on.
Questions? Comments? Ideas? E-mail us at thedecibel@globeandmail.com

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Household chores can be seen as a drain on your time. But to some AI companies, how you do those chores is valuable data. Apps like Atlas Capture are using videos of people sweeping or cleaning a toilet to train humanoid robots. Who are the people doing this work for AI companies? And is the pay (usually around US$3 per hour) worth their time?
Joe Castaldo is The Globe’s AI and tech reporter and he tried out the technology firsthand. He’s on the show to tell us what this work looks like, what the people doing this labour think about it and what it means for humanity when we teach robots to do chores.
Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at thedecibel@globeandmail.com

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