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: Why are boys struggling in school?
5/25/2026
This is the abbreviated version of Checkup's call-in about why boys are struggling in school. This episode looks at a recent report that shows boys are more likely to drop out of high school, and hears why it's happening and what can be done.
Duration:00:20:08
Alberta separatism: What's Ottawa's role?
5/24/2026
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith is giving people a choice this fall -- stay in Canada or begin the legal path toward a binding referendum on separation. Checkup has every angle covered including: reactions from Alberta, the rest of Canada, as well get expert analysis on the potential legal, and political ramifications to the premier's announcement this week.
Duration:01:10:03
Why are so many boys falling behind in school?
5/24/2026
A new report out of Quebec shows that boys are more likely to drop out of high school, and generally perform more poorly than female students. And this has apparently been going on for some time. So why is it happening? And why isn't something being done? We hear your stories, and the answers to those questions.
Duration:00:37:25
Spotlight: Storing stuff at your parents'
5/18/2026
This is the abbreviated version of Checkup's call-in about the boxes, bins and forgotten belongings adult kids have left behind. This episode looks at how families negotiate inter-generational storage wars and how to decide what stays, what goes and who's responsible for it all.
Duration:00:20:08
Summer travel chaos: Tips for your Plan B
5/17/2026
Flight cancellations, tight budgets and the US travel boycott are shaking up summer travel plans for many Canadians. This episode breaks down what's driving the turbulence - and provides smart summer travel hacks travellers should consider before booking.
Duration:01:10:25
Storage wars: Are you still storing stuff at your parents' house?
5/17/2026
Spring cleaning is stirring up a familiar family tension: the boxes, bins and forgotten belongings adult kids have left behind. This episode looks at how families negotiate these cross-generational storage wars and how to decide what stays, what goes and who's responsible for it all.
Duration:00:39:17
ICYMI - 1994: Same Sex Couples' rights
5/17/2026
We rewind to May 1994, when Ontario was on the brink of a major shift in LGBTQ+ rights. Days before the legislature debated a bill to grant same‑sex couples full legal recognition, Canadians called Cross Country Checkup to weigh in. This archive episode reveals how the country was thinking, arguing and evolving — and what it tells us about how far we’ve come.
Duration:00:04:30
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