Is limiting cellphone use in schools enough, or should Ontario go further by restricting social media and phones on school property? As the province considers tougher rules, we examine what is driving the push, whether it could improve learning, and what might be lost by narrowing students' access to digital spaces. Mohammed Estaiteyeh, assistant professor of digital pedagogies and technology literacies at Brock University, and Malini Leahy, former teacher and vice-president of the Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation, weigh the benefits and risks.
We then turn to Australia, the first country to ban social media for children under 16. How has that policy worked in practice, and what can Canada learn from it? From Sydney, Katrina Champion, associate professor at the University of Sydney's School of Public Health, joins us to explain what the evidence shows so far and what policymakers should consider next.

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

Should Schools Ban Phones and Social Media?

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.

Should Canada Join Eurovision?

Only about half of prohibited assault style firearms were declared under Canada's federal buyback. Tens of thousands may remain outside the system ahead of a 2026 ban that will make possession a criminal offence. Police Chief Mark Campbell and Professor Wendy Cukier examine what low compliance means for enforcement, public safety, and the credibility of the policy.

Should Schools Ban Phones and Social Media?

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