Bob Rae reflects on the legacy of Stephen Lewis, one of Canada’s most influential public figures and international advocates. Drawing on decades of public life and personal experience, Rae discusses Lewis’s impact on politics, diplomacy, and social justice, and what his work continues to mean for Canada today.

<p>Bob Rae reflects on the legacy of Stephen Lewis, one of Canada&rsquo;s most influential public figures and international advocates. Drawing on decades of public life and personal experience, Rae discusses Lewis&rsquo;s impact on politics, diplomacy, and social justice, and what his work continues to mean for Canada today.</p>

Hosted by Jeyan Jeganathan, The Rundown delivers original journalism and in-depth analysis of the social, political, cultural, and economic issues that shape life in Ontario. Each episode focuses on one topic that’s making headlines, examining it from different angles and through diverse points of view — providing the context you need to understand what’s happening in the province and around the world.

<p data-renderer-start-pos="1">Hosted by Jeyan Jeganathan, The Rundown delivers original journalism and in-depth analysis of the social, political, cultural, and economic issues that shape life in Ontario. Each episode focuses on one topic that&rsquo;s making headlines, examining it from different angles and through diverse points of view &mdash; providing the context you need to understand what&rsquo;s happening in the province and around the world.</p>

Hosted by Jeyan Jeganathan, The Rundown delivers original journalism and in-depth analysis of the social, political, cultural, and economic issues that shape life in Ontario. 

The Rundown

Remembering Stephen Lewis: A Conversation with Bob Rae

Is surveillance pricing reshaping what Ontarians pay, and what happens when labour protections fail the people they are meant to protect? As affordability and cost of living dominate public concern, the growing use of consumer data to tailor prices raises new questions about fairness, transparency, and oversight. We examine how this practice works, who benefits, and where safeguards may be falling short. Vass Bednar, managing director of the Canadian Shield Institute, looks at the implications of data-driven pricing and how it could affect everyday costs.

We then turn to wage theft, where workers report being paid below minimum wage, paid late, or not paid at all. If these violations are not rare, what does that say about enforcement, and who is most at risk? Ghada Alsharif, immigration and work reporter for the Toronto Star, and Jared Ong, organizer with the Workers' Action Centre, discuss the scope of the problem, the barriers workers face in seeking accountability, and what stronger protections might require.

Could Surveillance Pricing Be the Future in Ontario?

Who controls the systems that shape Canada's security, and how prepared are we for what comes next? We examine the growing use of unmanned aerial vehicles, asking what role Canada plays in developing drone technology, whether low-cost UAVs are changing modern defence, and what capacity the country may be lacking. Katheron Intson, CEO and co-founder of Sentinel R&D, explains where Canada fits and what closing those gaps would require.

We then look to the past to better understand the present. At the Canadian Tank Museum in Oshawa, we explore what historic military vehicles reveal about Canada's wartime contributions, industrial support, and long-standing approach to defence.

And beyond the battlefield, who controls our security online? In this episode of TVO Today's Unravelled, we ask what we give up when we agree to digital terms and conditions, who gains access to that information, and what meaningful protection of our digital lives would look like.

Are Drones Reshaping Canada's Defence?

Is Canada ready to step onto the Eurovision stage, and what would that say about how the country sees its cultural role internationally? After the federal government said in the 2025 budget that it was "working with CBC/Radio-Canada to explore Canada's participation in Eurovision," questions remain about how such a move would work, what it would cost, and whether it is a gamble worth taking. From Ottawa, Nomi Claire Lazar, professor of public and international affairs at the University of Ottawa, examines the political and public value of the proposal, while Toronto-based Brock University adjunct professor Karen Fricker brings a critical perspective shaped by her long engagement with Eurovision as a cultural institution.
We then look inward, to the cultural legacy Canada has already built. Toronto-made children's television, from Mr. Dressup and Degrassi to Polka Dot Door and Today's Special, shaped generations of viewers in Ontario and beyond. Rundown producer Colin Ellis speaks with cultural historian Ed Conroy about his new book, ImagiNation: The Golden Age of Toronto Kids' TV, and why revisiting these shows is not just an exercise in nostalgia but a way of understanding how public broadcasting, cultural ambition, and national identity have been constructed and contested over time.

Remembering Stephen Lewis: A Conversation with Bob Rae

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