The Current

The Current for February 5, 2019

Today on The Current: We speak to Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland about the role Canada is playing on the world stage; plus, Chris Christie, long-time friend and adviser to U.S. President Donald Trump, tells us about having the ear of a president who doesn't always take your advice; we meet an artist creating intimate portraits of people suffering from dementia and Alzheimer's; and we ask what happens when the CEO of a cryptocurrency company dies, and the passwords to a virtual vault die with him.
Anna Maria Tremonti hosts The Current's 17th season. (CBC)

Today on The Current:  

  • From the evolving political crisis in Venezuela, to the diplomatic dispute between Ottawa and Beijing, we talk to Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland about the role Canada is playing on the world stage today.
  • Former Republican governor Chris Christie has known U.S. President Donald Trump for 17 years, but says the advice he's offered him hasn't always been heeded. He talks to Anna Maria Tremonti about his time working on Trump's campaign, and having the president's ear.
  • Mark Gilbert is a medical researcher and artist who creates portraits of people suffering from dementia, along with the people who care for them. He tells The Current about his work, and the hope that his art will help people feel more compassion for those living with the disease.
  • Gerald Cotten, CEO of the Canadian cryptocurrency exchange QuadrigaCX, died suddenly in India in December. His company's passwords — virtual keys to millions of dollars — seem to have been lost with him, and the company has now filed for creditor protection. Investors are now wondering if they've lost an estimated $250 million, amid calls for greater regulation of the cryptocurrency industry.

Full Episode Transcript