The Sunday Magazine

4.1 (603)
SOCIETY & CULTURE
UPDATED SEMIWEEKLY

CBC Radio’s The Sunday Magazine is a lively, wide-ranging mix of topical long-form conversations, engaging ideas and more. Each week, host Piya Chattopadhyay takes time for deep exploration, but also makes space for surprise, delight and fun.

3D AGO

Molly Jong-Fast, daughter of Erica Jong, on the fraught family stories we tell

Erica Jong became a literary sensation and feminist icon in the 1970s and 80s for her depictions of female agency, sexuality and relationships. And her work often drew from her real life, with friends and family members inspiring her characters... including her daughter, Molly Jong-Fast. Jong-Fast joins Piya Chattopadhyay to discuss her new memoir How to Lose Your Mother, which lays bare her perspective on her upbringing, relationship with her mom – and the conundrum of competing narratives in families.

26 min
6D AGO

Global defence, Customs brokers, Project 2025, Molly Jong-Fast

Host Piya Chattopadhyay speaks with defence and security experts David Perry and Stephen Saideman about how Canada should prepare for less U.S. involvement on the world stage, Julia Pagel explores how tariffs are causing chaos for customs brokers, The Atlantic's David A. Graham outlines how Project 2025 is reshaping U.S. policy, and Molly Jong-Fast discusses her new memoir about her relationship with her famous feminist novelist mother, Erica Jong. Discover more at https://www.cbc.ca/sunday

1h 36m
JUN 4

That's Puzzling! for June 2025

In the latest edition of our monthly challenge That's Puzzling!, Piya Chattopadhyay competes against one familiar voice and one clever listener in a battle of brain games devised by puzzle master Peter Brown. Playing along this month are Brent Bambury, host of CBC Radio's Day Six, and Truro, N.S. listener Katherine Reed.

26 min
JUN 1

Wildfire season, River rights, TRC's calls to action, That's Puzzling!, 2SLGBTQ+ slang

Host Piya Chattopadhyay speaks with University of British Columbia professor Lori Daniels about what Canada's early fire activity signals about the wildfire season ahead, nature writer Robert Macfarlane reflects on the push for rivers to be designated as living entities, former National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation director Ry Moran looks at progress made 10 years after the TRC's calls to action, we play an all-new round of our monthly challenge That's Puzzling!, and poet and lecturer Lee Campbell explains how the underground queer slang Polari went mainstream. Discover more at https://www.cbc.ca/sunday

1h 35m
MAY 28

Five years after Floyd murder, racial justice faces rollbacks

This past Sunday marked five years since George Floyd's murder by a Minneapolis police officer. His death sparked global outrage and propelled a movement for racial justice. But the anniversary arrives against a backdrop of stalled police reform, and polling that shows the number of Americans who believe an emphasis on racial injustice leads to progress has declined. Selwyn Jones, Floyd's uncle, and Robert Samuels, co-author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning book His Name is George Floyd: One Man's Life and the Struggle for Racial Justice, join Piya Chattopadhyay to reflect on Floyd's legacy, and what a path forward looks like for racial equality.

25 min
MAY 25

Sunday Politics Panel, Rape kit history, George Floyd's legacy, Niigaan Sinclair on Winnipeg

Host Piya Chattopadhyay speaks with The Economist's Rob Russo and The Toronto Star's Susan Delacourt about the key issues facing MPs as they return to the House of Commons, author and columnist Pagan Kennedy explores the history and bigger meaning of the rape kit, we take stock of the gains and setbacks for racial justice since George Floyd's murder with his uncle, Selwyn Jones, and journalist Robert Samuels, and columnist Niigaan Sinclair reflects on how Winnipeg helps tell the story of Canada. Discover more at https://www.cbc.ca/sunday

1h 39m
MAY 21

Uncovering the stories that paved the Trans-Canada Highway

For many Canadians, the May long weekend means the official kick-off of the summer travel season. And if you're out on a road trip, there's a good chance you may end up sailing down the Trans-Canada Highway. Mark Richardson wants us all to know the often overlooked stories that paved this roughly seven-and-a-half thousand kilometre road system. The automotive journalist speaks with Piya Chattopadhyay about the history, people and politics that shaped "Canada's Main Street", as he explores in his book The Drive Across Canada.

28 min
MAY 18

Trump's Middle East tour, Translation tech, Russia-Ukraine talks, Trans-Canada Highway history

Host Piya Chattopadhyay speaks with The New York Times' Luke Broadwater and The Economist's Gregg Carlstrom about the impact of Donald Trump's visit to the Middle East, WIRED's Louise Mataskis and University of British Columbia's Muhammad Abdul-Mageed look at how AI translation tools may affect language learning, the Atlantic Council's Michael Bociurkiw helps make sense of the latest talks between Russia and Ukraine, automotive journalist Mark Richardson shares a history of the Trans-Canada Highway, and linguist Sali Tagliamonte surveys the factors that have shaped the language we use to describe summertime escapes. Discover more at https://www.cbc.ca/sunday

1h 35m

See All (53)

Piya Chattopadhyay

Host

4.1

out of 5

603 Ratings

Love the podcast but please stop bonus segment!

May 12

John Gilbert

The show is a great weekly in depth review of current happenings. But whomever had the stupid idea of antagonizing subscribers by polluting the pod stream with repeats of the episodes one just listened to is out of touch! Think!
Makes my Sunday!

Mar 9

TorontoDR

I love Piya, she’s intelligent, warm and can be serious, engaging and full of fun all in the same episode!
Essential listening

Jan 13

JJ_Rousseau

This is a consistently great show from the CBC with fascinating guests. The show is always topical, but never predictable. Chattopadhyay is warm and relatable, a uniquely skilled interviewer who seems to love her job.
Fabulous host

2024-05-27

Ifivee

This is a wonderful show ranging from serious consideration and discussion of current events to more whimsical segments. I always learn something, think anew about some topic, laugh, and wait eagerly for next Sunday!

CBC Radio’s The Sunday Magazine is a lively, wide-ranging mix of topical long-form conversations, engaging ideas and more. Each week, host Piya Chattopadhyay takes time for deep exploration, but also makes space for surprise, delight and fun.