The Current

Longtime Nashville Predator Jordin TooToo is the subject of a new documentary, highlighting life in the North, his struggle with substance abuse and how the serenity he felt on the land in Rankin Inlet was matched only by the peace he felt playing hockey.

Fewer Canadians are donating and volunteering. The economy, the pandemic, age are all factors -- but longtime leaders in the charitable sector say we've also lost some shared values. We speak with a lifelong volunteer about why she volunteers and what it means to them. We also talk to Megan Conway from Volunteer Canada and Bruce MacDonald from Imagine Canada about why Canadians have less to give, how we can start to bring back values of service and participation -- and what happens to our communities if we can't.

Jad Abumrad’s new podcast, Fela Kuti: Fear No Man, digs into Fela Kuti’s life, the good and the bad because he not only pioneered Afrobeat and pushed against the impacts of colonialism but he was also a deeply complicated and flawed man who left a wake of inspiration and trauma.

As 2025 comes to a close, Canadian politics looks very different than it did a year ago. Prime Minister Mark Carney wraps up his first year in office leading a minority government. It was a year that saw Justin Trudeau step aside, a surprise election, and a tariff war. Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre lost his seat and now faces tough questions about his leadership. All of this has unfolded as Donald Trump’s second presidency continues to reshape Canada’s political and economic reality. To take stock of the year, and to look ahead to what 2026 might bring, we convene our year-end national affairs panel with Rosemary Barton, Ryan Tumilty, and Rob Shaw.

Many small communities across the country are struggling to survive as people age and their children choose big city life. Powell River, B.C. is trying to keep its own numbers up with the help of a conductor who’s worked with some of the world’s biggest orchestras. In her documentary War and Peace, the CBC’s Liz Hoath hears from locals who say Arthur Arnold is bringing a lot more than music to their town of 13,000 people.