The Current

The Current for Jan. 5, 2021

Today on The Current: Why the Moderna vaccine could be a game-changer for remote communities; how COVID-19 is threatening Uganda’s mountain gorillas; Canadian politicians under scrutiny for pandemic travel; and the state of Georgia faces high-stakes elections.
Matt Galloway is the host of CBC Radio's The Current. (CBC)

Full Episode Transcript

Today on The Current

The arrival of the Moderna vaccine in some Indigenous and northern communities is being welcomed with hope — and some hesitancy. To discuss why it could be game-changer for remote communities, Matt Galloway speaks with Feddie Louie, director of the Emergency Operations Centre for the Tahltan Central Government in northern B.C., Grand Chief Jerry Daniels of the Southern Chiefs Organization of Manitoba, and Nunavut Health Minister Lorne Kusugak. 

Then, the CBC's Margaret Evans takes us inside Uganda, where COVID-19 is threatening to undermine decades of work to protect the African nation's mountain gorillas

Meanwhile, politicians are under fire for travelling abroad during the COVID-19 pandemic, despite public health guidelines that urged Canadians to stay home. Their reasons varied from attending a gathering to mourn a loved one, to taking an island vacation in the Caribbean. But some worry it could have a detrimental impact on public trust. To discuss the issue, we're joined by Mark Pickup, associate professor of political science at Simon Fraser University.

Plus, all eyes are on the state of Georgia Tuesday, where two elections will determine whether Democrats or Republicans control the U.S. Senate. Felicia Davis is the convener for the Clayton County Black Women's Roundtable, and Helen Butler is executive director of the Georgia Coalition for the People's Agenda. They join us to discuss what's at stake, and what issues are at the forefront of voters' minds.