The Decibel

Canada’s Online Streaming Act is a thorn in the side of the U.S. administration. The law, passed in 2023, brings streaming platforms like Netflix, Paramount and Disney under Canada’s broadcast regulations, and requires them to support and promote Canadian content. But the implementation of the law has been slow, and the regulator, the CRTC, has been taken to court by U.S. streaming platforms. Now, the Canadian government is asking the CRTC to back down on some of its funding requirements.

Today, we speak with Barry Hertz, The Globe’s deputy arts editor and film editor. He explains the holdups in getting the Online Streaming Act off the ground, the impact on the industry and how the minister in charge of this file defends his government’s decision to push for a rollback on funding requirements for Canadian content.

The edit of this episode now includes a clarification note from Netflix on Canadian revenue contributions.

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

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Despite Canada’s contributions to space technology and science, it lags behind other G7 nations in rocket launching capabilities. But that’s now changing – with federal investment and private business teaming up to eventually send spacecraft into orbit. It signals a growing political and economic interest in Canada.

The Globe’s science reporter Ivan Semeniuk attended one of the recent launches in Nova Scotia. He’s on the show to explain the building up of spaceports, why the government is turning attention to space and how this fits into a larger idea of Canadian sovereignty.

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

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Summer is peak tourist season for the Atlantic provinces, and many restaurants rely on revenue made during the season to get them through the rest of the year. But this summer, chefs and restaurateurs are facing a challenge: Staples tourists have come to expect, like scallops, haddock, and oysters, will be in short supply.

Dakshana Bascaramurty is The Globe’s food culture reporter. She’ll explain what’s causing these shortages, what it means for businesses and customers, and how chefs are adapting to the new landscape.

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

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Introducing Pitch and Power: How Soccer Shapes Everything, The Globe and Mail’s new soccer podcast for World Cup 2026. Every Thursday, throughout the tournament, host Eoin O’Callaghan will look at eight moments that changed soccer, the moments and stories that extend beyond the field and into politics, culture and the moral climate of their day.

In this episode, the focus is on Johan Cruyff, the Dutch master who took the 1974 World Cup by storm with a Total Football movement – but a team’s heartbreak turned genius into myth. 

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Following The Decibel’s analysis of a one-on-one interview with Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre, listeners wrote in and asked for an uncut interview to hear the opposition leader in his own words. This is the one-hour, full-length conversation with Poilievre, recorded on May 15, 2026. The interview has been edited for audio quality.

Original Decibel episode with Poilievre: https://www.theglobeandmail.com/podcasts/the-decibel/article-an-interview-with-pierre-poilievre/

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

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