The Decibel

How a math prodigy-turned-fugitive siphoned millions in crypto

At 18 years old, Andean Medjedovic was a math prodigy, finishing his master’s degree in mathematics at the University of Waterloo before most young Canadians can legally drink. Medjedovic was involved in cryptocurrency trading – and according to the U.S. Department of Justice – engaged in “cryptocurrency hacking schemes” that allegedly netted him US$65-million in digital tokens. Now, he’s on the lam.Alexandra Posadzki, The Globe’s financial and cybercrime reporter, is on the show to talk about how Medjedovic allegedly pulled off the trades, the cases against him, and how the controversial philosophy of “Code is Law” in the world of decentralized finance plays into his story.This episode originally aired May 2, 2025.Questions? Comments? Ideas? E-mail us at thedecibel@globeandmail.com 

Why the absence of a U.S. trade deal might be a good thing

Canada failed to secure a trade deal with the U.S. by the Aug. 1 deadline. In response, U.S. President Donald Trump raised tariffs on certain Canadian goods to 35 per cent. And while other trading partners announced agreements with Trump, Ottawa enters its sixth month of negotiations. But recently, both Prime Minister Mark Carney and Trump have doubted whether a deal can be made without some tariffs in place – or if a deal’s coming at all.Today, Globe columnist Tony Keller joins the show. He’ll share what we know about the negotiations, what Trump wants, where Carney’s “elbows up” mentality has gone, and as more countries accept deals with blanket tariff rates, whether avoiding a deal could be Canada’s best strategy.Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at thedecibel@globeandmail.com

Stressed-out parents are turning to ChatGPT for help

Parents seem to be turning to ChatGPT for advice more and more – but what do robots have to offer when it comes to such a core human relationship? What guardrails are necessary when trusting artificial intelligence with shaping the development of our children?Contributing columnist Amberly McAteer weighs in after ChatGPT’s advice actually got one of her daughters to stop stealing from the other.Questions? Comments? Ideas? E-mail us at thedecibel@globeandmail.com

Restorative justice and the Hockey Canada trial

The Hockey Canada case captivated the country — raising complex questions about consent, hockey culture and even how sports organizations handle accusations of assault. In late July, all five of the accused members of Canada’s 2018 world junior hockey team were found not guilty of sexual assault. After the verdict, a lawyer for one of the players, Megan Savard, said her client, Carter Hart, would have been open to a restorative justice process instead of a trial.Some legal experts say restorative justice is an alternative to the court process that could offer healing for victims and offenders. Jennifer Llewellyn, law professor and chair in restorative justice at Dalhousie’s Schulich School of Law, joins The Decibel today. She’ll explain how restorative justice works and its potential to address issues like the ones raised by the Hockey Canada case.Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at thedecibel@globeandmail.com

The case for prioritizing rest in the age of burnout

Canadians are not particularly good at resting. According to Statistics Canada data collected between July 2022 and July 2023, people over the age of 15 spent an average of 17 minutes a day resting, relaxing, or lying down, and an average of 18 minutes a day on relaxing pursuits known as “active leisure” (think: birdwatching, camping, or going to an art gallery). That’s translating into stress – more than a fifth of employed Canadians said their stress levels were high or very high. On top of all that, Expedia’s 2024 Vacation Deprivation Report found that 45 per cent of Canadians left vacation days on the table in 2023.Zosia Bielski is the Globe and Mail’s time use reporter. Today, she’s on the show to challenge the idea that down time needs to be earned, and to talk about some of the different approaches people are taking to prioritize rest in their lives.This episode originally aired April 17, 2025.Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at thedecibel@globeandmail.com