What would it take to reboot Canada's relationship with China? Is it even possible, with Canadians in Chinese custody, the Huawei extradition case pending, to say nothing of events in Hong Kong? We examine the case for and feasibility of a new foreign policy with the Middle Kingdom.

Canada Contending with China

This past summer, Russian president Vladimir Putin won a referendum to remain in office until the year 2036. Having already put his indelible stamp on Russia, what does Putin want to do with all that time and opportunity? Steve Paikin speaks to Dmitri Trenin, the director of the Carnegie Moscow Center, a think tank and regional affiliate of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

What Does Russia Want?

Jeff Rubin

It used to be that supply and demand applied to workers and wages within Canada. But globalization has changed that, argues economist Jeff Rubin. When the whole world is your market, there is never a dearth of workers willing to do the same job for less money. On the Agenda, he lays out his arguments for how free trade ruined the middle class, the topic of his new book, "The Expendables: How the Middle Class Got Screwed by Globalization."

Jeff Rubin: How Globalization Destroyed the Middle Class

Doug Ford promised to create incentives for more registered nurses and personal support workers in Ontario. But what does it take to attract people to study for the jobs needed in health care? The Agenda discusses how to train people for the right jobs, and what role the government plays in getting people into post-secondary institutions.

Training Ontarians for the Right Jobs

The Agenda this week looked at why urban dwellers are seeking to live in smaller communities; considered how policing might evolve; checked in with some American expats after the U.S. presidential debate; and heard the case for citizens helping to bolster democracy.

Challenges of City Living During COVID-19

Earlier this week, Premier Doug Ford officially declared that COVID-19's second wave has hit Ontario. Raywat Deonandan is a Global Health epidemiologist and associate professor with the University of Ottawa's Interdisciplinary School of Health Sciences. He talks to Nam Kiwanuka about what we can expect to see in the coming weeks and whether Ontario is on the right track in its approach to the current situation.

Making Sense of COVID-19's Second Wave

Personal support workers have had to adjust to a new reality as the COVID-19 pandemic has worn on. But what about those who were in the midst of their training to become PSWs? Southwestern Ontario Hub journalist Mary Baxter spoke to some students about their experiences, and what drove them to seek the uneasy road of caring for ill patients in the first place.

PSW Training During COVID-19

The Agenda examines the federal Liberal government's latest salvo as they go after web giants such as Google and Facebook, pledging to impose new taxes and regulations on the companies. All this while Canada's media landscape continues to shrink. Fenwick Mckelvey, an associate professor in Communication Studies at Concordia University, provides context.

Picking a Fight with the Web Giants

Steve Paikin speaks to the editor and contributors of the new book, "Constitutional Democracy Under Stress: A Time for Heroic Citizenship." They discuss the fragile state of democracies around the world, the existential threats they face, and the "civic serum" needed to cure what ails them.

Reviving Democracy in Crisis

Journalist and psychologist Maria Konnikova reveals what poker taught her about luck, skill, and decision-making in everyday life, the topic of her new book, "The Biggest Bluff: How I Learned to Pay Attention, Master Myself, and Win."

Is Poker a Metaphor for Life?

The Agenda with Steve Paikin is TVO's flagship current affairs program - devoted to exploring the social, political, cultural and economic issues that are changing our world, at home and abroad. The Agenda airs weeknights at 8:00 PM EST on TVO - Canada's largest educational broadcaster.

The Charlie Rose of Canada...only better!

The Agenda with Steve Paikin (Video)

American author and international relations expert Claire Berlinski observes the European political scene from her home in Paris. She joins Steve Paikin to discuss whether the European Union, already in a precarious state, will crumble under the pressure of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Will the European Union Survive COVID-19?

Will globalization pass the stress test of COVID-19? Will it strengthen nationalist forces that have long called for reinforced borders? The Agenda examines globalization in a post-pandemic world with Daniel Drezner, professor of international politics at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University;  Janice Stein, Belzberg Professor of Conflict Management in the Department of Political Science at the Munk School of Global Affairs &amp; Public Policy at the University of Toronto; and Sean Speer, public policy professor at the Munk School.

Will COVID-19 End Globalization?

After 100 years, the enforcement of Ontario's animal cruelty laws will be handed from the Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (OSPCA) to a dedicated government team. That means new inspectors, stronger fines, jail terms, and an abuse hotline. We find out about the revamped system, the first of its kind in Canada.

Ontario's New Animal Protection Force

From Ebola to COVID-19, zoonotic diseases, viruses that cross from animal to humans, are increasing in frequency. Why is this happening and what can be done to stop this dangerous transfer? Steve Paikin talks to Dr. Samira Mubareka, microbiologist and infectious diseases physician at Sunnybrook Hosital, who was part of the team that recently isolated SARS-CoV-2, the agent that caused COVID-19.

The Rise of Zoonotic Diseases

Timothy Caulfield, a law professor at the University of Alberta, and journalist Jane Lytvynenko, a BuzzFeed News reporter who focuses on disinformation, security, and online investigations, help separate fact from fiction about the coronavirus - from claims of miracle cures to scams and bogus advice about how to boost your immune system.

COVID-19 Facts and Misinformation

As people grow increasingly "squirrelly," as Premier Ford recently put it, pressure mounts to understand where we're at in this pandemic. We welcome Dr. Isaac Bogoch, infectious diseases physician at University Health Network and a scientist based out of the University of Toronto. for a look at when distancing might begin to be wound down.

When Should We End Social Distancing?

Just over a year ago, the last payment went out for Ontario's basic income pilot project. The program, introduced by the previous government, was cancelled by the new Conservative government before it had run its course. Now, because of the ongoing pandemic, the federal government has launched the CERB -  the Canada Emergency Response Benefit. And that's renewing interest in what a basic income program can do. Joining Steve Paikin to discuss this is Evelyn Forget, health economist at the University of Manitoba and author of ,Basic Income for Canadians;, and Mike Perry, a lawyer and social worker who is leading legal action to get the province to reverse the cancellation of Ontario's basic income pilot.

Basic Income and COVID-19

The past decade has been a bad one for children in humanitarian crises around the globe, particularly in terms of food sustainability. Can the situation improve in the 2020s? David Morley, president of UNICEF Canada; Kim Snow, associate professor in the Faculty of Community Services at Ryerson; and Lindsay Groves, of Right to Play, join Steve Paikin to discuss how to make the world a safer place for the next generation.

Children's Well-Being: Towards 2030

Erin Kelly

Erin Kelly of Advanced Symbolics Inc., talks to Steve Paikin about how Polly, an artificial intelligence polling platform, is tracking morale and anxiety levels among Canadians during the COVID-19 shut down.

Erin Kelly: Polly and the Pandemic

Mario Possamai, a senior advisor on the SARS Commission, and Dr. Susy Hota,  medical director of infection prevention and control at University Health Network, discuss how COVID-19 spread, the efforts to contain it, and the effects of the virus around the world.

Mario Possamai, a senior advisor on the SARS Commission, and Dr. Susy Hota,<br>  medical director of infection prevention and control at University Health Network, discuss how COVID-19 spread, the efforts to contain it, and the effects of the virus around the world.

Coronavirus Contagion

With citizens forced to stay indoors, nearly all major crime in cities such as Toronto has dropped. As a result, the job of law enforcement has shifted considerably. New roles include enforcing social distancing, ensuring businesses are shuttered, and delivering fines to those that haven't yet closed their doors. The Agenda welcomes Andy Pattenden, York Regional Police Sergeant and media relations officer, to discuss how police officers are coping with their new tasks?

Policing and Crime During COVID-19

Megacities have been home to some of the worst COVID-19 devastation. Should we rethink extreme density? The Agenda welcomes Joel Kotkin, executive director of the Urban Reform Institute, and Jennifer Keesmaat, Toronto's former chief city planner.

Will Pandemics End Megacities?

It will be a long time before the grief and mourning recedes after this month's downing of Flight 752 by the Iranian government, an act that killed 176 people, including 57 Canadians. As the Trudeau government and the international community grapple with how to deal with the regime in Iran, and find closure on the tragedy, we ask a panel of foreign affairs experts to share their expertise.

Iran, Canada, and the Consequences

John Mighton

Is it possible for everyone to be good at math? Academic and author John Mighton thinks so. He is the founder of the charitable organization JUMP Math (Junior Undiscovered Math Prodigies). His new book ,All Things Being Equal: Why Math Is the Key to a Better World,, lays his ideas out.

John Mighton: Math for All

We've all made bad decisions. And while not everyone's mistakes end up on the front page of the newspaper, sending major policy initiatives offside, or derailing their futures, nobody likes to pick the wrong course of action. We explore what goes into making bad decisions and what can help avoid them?

Mistakes, Bad Decisions, and Fallout

Business journalists evaluate how the PC government is responding financially to the COVID-19 pandemic as they strive to protect jobs and support the strained health-care system. Steve Paikin talks to Financial Post business reporter Vanmala Subramaniam; and HuffPost business reporter Daniel Tencer.

Grading Ontario's COVID-19 Fiscal Update

As the world grapples with containing the coronavirus, the economy has already taken quite a hit. To discuss what's happened and how Canada will fare, we welcome Lindsay Tedds, professor and scientific director of fiscal economic policy at The School of Public Policy, University of Calgary. And Frances Donald, managing director, chief economist and head of Macro Strategy at Manulife Investment Management.

COVID-19 and the Economy

Over the last number of years, Canada has lost musical giants Leonard Cohen, Tragically Hip's Gord Downie, and Rush's Neil Peart. But, are they being replaced by a generation of Canadian musical stars - Drake, and Alessia Cara, for example - who are more confident and unabashedly Canadian? We ask some aficionados to weigh in on how the music industry is changing.

Canadian Music: Modest No More?

What are Canada's economic prospects for 2020? How will the country contend with a worsening global outlook? The Agenda discusses what's ahead with guests Brett House, deputy chief economist at Scotiabank; Linda Nazareth, senior fellow for economics and population change at the Macdonald-Laurier Institute; and journalists Brian Milner and Elena Cherney.

Calibrating Economic Prospects for 2020

Drive 60 kilometres north of Toronto and you'll find the Town of Innisfil. In terms of area, it's roughly the size of Mississauga, but with less than one-twentieth of the population. Late last year, a new GO station in the town got its funding, and with it, an opportunity to build something innovative-and to redefine what Innisfil looks like. To outline the new "Orbit" project, we welcome: Lynn Dollin, mayor of Innisfil; and Jason Reynar, the town's chief administrative officer.

An Urban Future for Innisfil

The best podcasts on investing. For anyone interested in the stories in the investing industry, whether it's an interview with Ray Dalio or Ed Thorp to the writer of The Big Short. This topic includes the most fascinating stories from all the best investors. Add episodes you're interested into your queue below!

Best Investing Podcasts

The best podcast episodes about true crime. For any thrill seeking podcast listeners who just can't get enough of the captivating stories of murderers and criminals. This topic has all the best episodes from many different true crime podcasts.  Add episodes you're interested into your queue below!