Cross Country Checkup
CBC Podcasts & Radio On-Demand
Cross Country Checkup is Canada's only national phone-in show, broadcasting live from coast to coast to coast. Checkup is Canada's weekly town hall — a place for raw, honest perspectives on the most pressing issues of the week. For over 55 years, it's...
Location:
Canada, ON
Networks:
CBC Podcasts & Radio On-Demand
Description:
Cross Country Checkup is Canada's only national phone-in show, broadcasting live from coast to coast to coast. Checkup is Canada's weekly town hall — a place for raw, honest perspectives on the most pressing issues of the week. For over 55 years, it's where Canadians gather to listen to each other every Sunday afternoon. Call us: 1-888-416-8333.
Twitter:
@xcountrycheckup
Language:
English
Contact:
CBC Audience Relations P.O. Box 500 Station A Toronto, ON Canada M5W 1E6 888-416-8333
Website:
http://www.cbc.ca/checkup/
Email:
checkup@cbc.ca
Episodes
Spotlight: The rise of private menopause care
5/11/2026
This is the abbreviated version of Checkup's call-in where we ask whether private menopause clinics are providing necessary treatments or promoting a two tier system? Private options are popping up across the country while many women face long wait-lists to find the right care.
Duration:00:20:08
ICYMI - 1988: Becoming like your Mother
5/10/2026
As we mark Mother's Day this weekend, ICYMI digs back into the archives from a show that aired on Mother's Day back 1988. Many young women at the time were pushing back against the idea that they -- like their mothers -- would be at home with the kids and managing the household. Callers weighed in on the question: do all women eventually become their mothers?
Duration:00:04:02
Menopause treatment: Why private clinics are popping up
5/10/2026
A new Ipsos survey found that 1 in 3 women will have to wait for more than 2 years to find effective treatment for menopause. To fill that need, private menopause clinics are popping up across the country. We hear from patients and practitioners about the rise of these private options in a country known for public healthcare.
Duration:00:51:28
Should AI chatbots be banned for kids?
5/10/2026
Manitoba could become the first place in the world to ban AI chatbots for kids. While Australia has banned social media for youth under 16, Manitoba says regulation would include AI chatbots like ChatGPT and Claude. We hear from experts, parents and young people about what they think of the idea.
Duration:00:55:08
Spotlight: University degree? Or a career in the trades? Which is better in 2026?
5/4/2026
This is the abbreviated version of Checkup's call-in where we ask whether a career in the trades, or a university degree is the way to go in 2026. The federal government wants to hire 100-thousand trades workers. Want some advice for the young person in your life? Our experts weigh-in on where the job market of tomorrow is headed.
Duration:00:20:08
A university degree? Or career in the trades? Which is better in 2026?
5/3/2026
The federal government says it will hire 100-thousand tradespeople to help build it's promised infrastructure projects. Canadians are twice as likely to advise young people to go into the trades -- but is the right call? We'll hear the arguments for both, as well as the advice of a career councillor.
Duration:00:42:13
Alberta separatism: What you need to know
5/3/2026
The deadline to collect signatures has passed for the Stay Free Alberta petition. The leaders of the separatist movement say they have the support to force a referendum, but a court injunction may stop the process. Should Alberta hold a vote on separating from Canada? From separatists to federalists -- we hear the answer to that question from every possible perspective.
Duration:01:04:12
ICYMI - 2016: Remembering the Fort McMurray wildfire
5/3/2026
It was ten years ago this week that a wildfire started raging southwest of Fort McMurray, Alberta. It would lead the largest wildfire evacuation in Canadian history. On ICYMI, from Checkup's show on May 8th, 2016, we hear from two evacuees shortly after they left the their homes behind.
Duration:00:04:35
Spotlight: Should Canada ban sports betting ads?
4/28/2026
This is the abbreviated version of Checkup's call-in on sports betting ads. Former Canadian Olympian Bruce Kidd wants sports betting ads banned…but the Canadian Gaming Association says this will make things worse. Should they be completely banned? We'll hear from both sides of the debate.
Duration:00:20:08
Playoff Season, Gambling Season: Should Canada ban sports betting ads?
4/26/2026
Hockey and basketball playoff season is in full swing...and so are the sports betting ads. One-third of Canadians aged 18 to 29 gamble online. Former Canadian Olympian Bruce Kidd wants sports betting ads banned…but the Canadian Gaming Association says this will make things worse. Should they be completely banned? We'll hear from both sides of the debate.
Duration:00:53:49
CUSMA Countdown: What's at stake for Canada?
4/26/2026
The Trump administration rekindled the cross-border crosstalk with Canada this week, as this summer's trade deadline looms. An economist and US trade expert decipher what's at stake for both countries as Canadians share the impact all this is having on their daily life.
Duration:00:54:00
ICYMI - 2018: Canadians and Americans on CUSMA 1.0
4/26/2026
Just as trade talks resume between Canada and the US, ICYMI features highlights from Checkup's 2018 show from Madison, Wisconsin. Canadians and Americans weigh-in on the trade war in the lead up to the final negotiations which lead to CUSMA/USMCA.
Duration:00:04:02
Cut class, lose marks: Is Ontario's plan the right move?
4/19/2026
Ontario Premier Doug Ford tabled legislation requiring high school teachers to factor attendance into final grades. Should students lose marks for missing class? This week academics, teachers and students weigh in from all sides of this debate.
Duration:01:25:21
ICYMI- Checkup's debate over high school education in 2005
4/19/2026
As Canadians debate how to deal with students missing school today, back in 2005 Checkup was taking the country's temperature on whether secondary education is truly serving students.
Duration:00:02:23
AMA: EVs, hybrids and everything in between
4/19/2026
Global EV sales are also rebounding with rising oil prices. Our AMA expert answers caller questions about EVs, hybrids and everything in between.
Duration:00:24:22
ICYMI: Checkup's debate over passenger rail in 1980
4/12/2026
This isn't the first time that future of Canada's passenger rail system has been the centre of public debate. On August 17, 1980, Cross Country Checkup asked callers: "Should we abandon our passenger trains?" Here are some highlights from that show.
Duration:00:03:23
When MPs switch sides: How much power should it shift?
4/12/2026
Canada elected a minority parliament - but five floor crossers have brought Prime Minister Mark Carney just 1 seat away from a majority government. Our question: Is floor crossing a fair path to a majority government?
Duration:01:10:45
High speed rail: Nation builder or billion dollar boondoggle?
4/12/2026
A high speed rail project between Toronto and Quebec City is on the table, promising jobs and billions in economic impact — but also raising concerns from communities and politicians. In this episode, we dig into what Canadians want to know about high‑speed rail and whether the country is ready for it. Our question: What questions do you have about high speed rail in Canada? Is it a good or bad idea?
Duration:00:37:04
Cross Country Spotlight: Is Space Exploration Worth It?
4/5/2026
Cross Country Spotlight - highlights from Checkup on Sunday. For the first time in more than 50 years, humans will swing around the moon and head back home. It’s thrilling. It’s historic. And it’s expensive. We heard from callers —Why does space exploration matter to you? Is it worth the money? Here are some highlights from the show.
Duration:00:20:08
Are government-run grocery stores the fix for high prices?
4/5/2026
The federal NDP is pitching public, non-profit grocery stores. They say it's to bring prices down. City governments in New York and Toronto are studying the idea while Mexico has had a government-run chain since the 1950s. Supporters say it could lower bills. Critics say it won't.
Our question: Are government-run grocery stores the fix for high prices? How's the cost of food affecting you?
Duration:00:56:46