The Current

The Current for May 22, 2019

Today on The Current: Our national affairs panel unpacks Bill C-69 and the pipeline battle between environmental concerns and economical incentives; then, where does academic freedom end and hate speech begin? We discuss free speech in the university landscape; and finally, it's been dubbed the real-life Lord of the Flies. Author Gina Perry talks about the dark backstory behind one of America's most famous experiments in social engineering.
Anna Maria Tremonti hosts The Current's 17th season. (CBC)

Full Episode Transcript

Today on The Current:

  • There are two controversial bills currently before the Senate, both with a focus on pipeline and the energy industry. Our national affairs panel unpacks the political pull between environmental concerns and economical incentives — and how it might impact the upcoming federal election.
  • A University of New Brunswick professor has been criticized for his activities outside of the classroom, including appearances on far-right podcasts and YouTube channels, and authoring blog posts with headlines like "Only Whites Can Teach Western Civilization." Where does academic freedom end and hate speech begin? We discuss free speech in the university landscape.
  • Author Gina Perry explores Muzafer Sherif's famous 1954 experiment in "realistic conflict theory," where unknowing young boys were driven to conflict, in an effort to see if peace coulld then be engineered. Perry argues the experiment has a dark side, and should be considered in its full context.