W5 Podcast: Recent Episodes
CTV News
The most-watched documentary program in Canada is now available as a podcast! W5 has an on ongoing commitment to covering tough, relevant stories with fair and responsible investigative reporting. The program is the winner of several awards including the prestigious Gordon Sinclair Award for Broadcast Journalism. Subscribe to the W5 Podcast to listen to our latest investigations and to hear in-depth stories from our more than 50 year history.
Daniel Langlois and Dominique Marchand may not have been household names throughout Canada, but their achievements and projects received worldwide attention and recognition. In December of 2023, however, they were found brutally murdered on the Caribbean island of Dominica.
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W5 goes deep into one of the most dangerous migrant routes to expose how the Gulf Clan cartel is profiting from desperate migrants.
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W5 visited Richmound, Sask., to learn more about the self-described 'Queen of Canada,' who controversially moved to the rural village with her followers last year.
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For years, a copper smelter at Rouyn Noranda, Que., 600 kilometres northwest of Montreal has been spewing a cocktail of heavy metals into the air. W5 discovers that some of the town's residents are no longer willing to pay the financial benefits from heavy industry.
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W5 investigates how companies allegedly use high-pressure door-to-door sales tactics to convince vulnerable homeowners to rent appliances they don't need while effectively putting liens on their homes without their knowledge.
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W5 investigates how the Panamanian government's 20-year mining concession with a Canadian mining company triggered weeks of protests and civil unrest, stoked fears of environmental devastation and prompted the country's Supreme Court to intervene.
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W5 investigates Canadian companies that rack up hundreds of complaints with consumer watchdogs like the Better Business Bureau and why companies that are identified as repeat offenders are allowed to continue operating.
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Investigating the web of Canada's so-called 'crypto king'. CTV W5 speaks to trusting investors who believe they lost millions to a jet-setting 25-year old and his associates.
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For decades, Celine Dion captured the hearts of Canadians with her powerful voice. But the singer has been out of the spotlight since announcing she was diagnosed with stiff person syndrome, a rare neurological disorder that causes muscle stiffness and painful spasms.
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Sandie Rinaldo has interviewed hundreds of key newsmakers - from politicians to celebrities and beyond. W5 takes a look back at her most memorable interviews from the last 50 years.
If you were sent to a brutal prison in a foreign country, what would you do to not lose hope? Rick Westhead tells the incredible story of Sam Goodwin's wrongful imprisonment in a notorious Syrian detention centre, and how thoughts of his favourite NHL hockey team kept him going.
Canadian boxing great George Chuvalo went blow-for-blow with legends, but it came at a cost. W5's Sandie Rinaldo speaks with Chuvalo's children about the damage that 93 fights did to their father's cognitive health.
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The Tenniswood family moved to Nova Scotia's Annapolis Valley to purchase a home, renovate it, and put it back on the market to capitalize on the real estate boom of 2022. They had no idea that their restoration efforts would come back to haunt them.
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A dramatic explosion rocked Kenora, Ont., on May 10, 1973 after an armed bandit attempted to rob the CIBC. The blast is seared into the memories of the hundreds of people who crowded the streets to watch as the catastrophe unfolded that day.
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Race car driver Austin Riley has been drawing crowds to the race track for years. But his claim to fame isn't just being fast on the speedway, he is breaking barriers on the track for those with disabilities. Austin has autism. Simple tasks like tying his shoes are extremely complicated for Austin, but when you put him in a race car - a complex, delicate piece of machinery - he will blow your mind.
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Hate crimes are surging across Canada, but police and the country's criminal code haven't been able to keep up with the rising tide of hate-motivated attacks. W5 investigates how hate crimes are dealt with across Canada after they are reported to authorities.
For decades, Toronto's Beverley School has been catering to young children with exceptionalities. All of the students from kindergarten to Grade 8 have developmental disabilities and many have both physical limitations and complicated medical conditions. Canadian music stars have been raising money for the school with an annual fundraising concert called Dream Serenade.
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As the Israel-Hamas war rages on, the world has been confronted with images of brutality, death and destruction. But the war has also produced incredible stories of bravery and selfless sacrifice. W5 investigates how some have chosen to put their safety on the line in order to save the lives of others.
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In 1975, 16-year-old Sharron Prior was kidnapped in Montreal after leaving home to meet her friends at a local pizzeria. Three days later, she was found dead in a wooded area just outside Montreal. Sharron's mom, her sisters, and police investigators hunter her killer for decades.
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For more than 40 years, the man who killed a young Canadian mother in California roamed free. In 1981, Sonia Herok-Stone was murdered in her home. But she fought for her life, and in a dramatic twist, that fight has now sealed the fate of the man who took her life all those years ago.
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A blockbuster development in the case of a Canadian grandmother facing the rest of her life behind bars in Hong Kong after smuggling cocaine in the buttons of her clothing.
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Film critic Richard Crouse visits a farm in Uxbridge, Ont., where world-renowned Foley artist Andy Malcolm and his team at Footsteps Studios have created sound effects for hundreds of movies and TV series.
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CTV W5 investigates claims that Canadian post-secondary institutions, like Cape Breton University, are cashing in on the over-enrolment of international students.
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CTV W5 speaks with members of the comedy industry, including Russell Peters, for a wide-ranging look at how political correctness and 'cancel culture' has changed the world of stand-up comedy.
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W5 investigates aging asbestos pipes across Canada and the potential health hazards if it ends up in your tap water.
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CTV W5 investigates the tragic and mysterious death of Ben Teague, whose life was tragically cut short at his hockey team's retreat.
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Pet custody cases are on the rise in Canada as judges decide who gets the dog or cat after a breakup. W5 investigates how the cases are handled by the Canadian legal system, and how the pets themselves get caught in the crossfire in the sometimes bitter court battles.
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CTV W5 tracks down a suspected drug trafficker as an airline crew demands answers following their nightmarish detention in the Dominican Republic.
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In 2013, Catherine Wreford Ledlow was told she had two to six years to live. She speaks to CTV W5 about winning 'The Amazing Race Canada,' nine years after her brain cancer diagnosis.
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An intricate web of deception. CTV W5 investigates one family's desperation following a sinister romance scam that landed a grandmother from Barrie, Ont., in a Hong Kong prison.
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A growing number of men are undergoing a radical surgery to become taller. W5 goes inside the lucrative world of limb-lengthening surgery.
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He's seven-foot-six and possibly still growing. Montreal's Olivier Rioux has been towering over his peers since he was five years old. TSN's Rick Westhead talks to Rioux about what it's like to live head-and-shoulders above the crowd.
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Post-tropical storm Fiona showed how quickly Canadians can be displaced by climate change. Will more people have to consider moving in the years to come?
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More than two years after downtown Beirut was levelled by an explosion, a Lebanese-Canadian family of a 3-year-old girl killed in the blast is still searching for answers.
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Convicted murderer Daniel Jolivet, in prison for the past 30 years, has maintained his innocence since the day he was arrested. W5 reviews the evidence he painstakingly assembled while behind bars.
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CTV's W5 goes deep into the narco heartland to interview a commander with one of Mexico's most brutal cartels about their incursions into the country's avocado industry.
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With Prince Andrew the latest in a string of British royal scandals, is the House of Windsor starting to crumble? W5 looks at the future of the monarchy.
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Gordie Sampson has written hit songs for some of the biggest names in country music, including Carrie Underwood and Luke Bryan. CTV W5 speaks with the Grammy winner from small-town Nova Scotia about his creative process.
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CTV W5 investigates Canada's largest art heist, 50 years after thieves snatched masterpieces from the walls of Montreal's Museum of Fine Arts.
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Twenty-year-old Luke Joly-Durocher seemingly vanished without a trace in 2011 after a night out with friends in North Bay, Ont. CTV W5 investigates the cold case more than a decade later.
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CTV's W5 has been shown never-before-seen surveillance footage of Punta Cana International Airport from the night before a Canadian airline crew was detained after discovering duffel bags stuffed with 210 kilograms of cocaine in their plane's avionics bay.
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CTV W5 examines the toxic culture of Canadian gymnastics, and speaks with former gymnasts who are part of a growing number of voices denouncing the treatment of gymnasts by coaches, trainers and administrators.
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The World Cup in Qatar has sparked soccer – and non-soccer – conversations around the world. CTV’s W5 investigates the scrutiny that Qatar has fallen under for the treatment of migrant workers brought in to build stadiums for the tournament, and looks into how soccer is evolving in Canada.
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In the summer of 2022, advocacy group Animal Justice secretly documented conditions at so-called "roadside zoos" across Ontario. CTV W5 investigates into what happens at facilities with little oversight and regulation.
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Sandie Rinaldo tells the story of the largest Black military unit in Canadian history, whose members had to fight to serve for Canada in the First World War as they faced rampant racism at home.
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High school basketball coach Sheldon Guy lost his vision – days later, he returned to coaching. CTV W5 reveals his emotional journey and the inspirational message he has for the players on his team.
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CTV W5 investigates claims by parents who say seclusion and restraints are being used in schools on their children with disabilities, without their permission or knowledge.
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W5 investigates the story behind a man falsely accused of his mother’s death in the tight-knit community of St. John’s, Newfoundland. Avery Haines discloses missed clues, mistakes, and the identity of the real killer.
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Some experts warn Canada is about to become the most liberal country in the world in allowing medical assistance in dying (MAiD) for people with mental disorders.
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Authorities have spent $1.5 trillion over 50 years to prevent the spread of invasive species throughout the world. But is humanity fighting a losing battle in a war that it started?
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W5 investigates how a shortage of volunteer firefighters across Canada has put Canadian fire crews and the communities they serve at risk.
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W5 investigates a growing campaign to end the over-use of non-disclosure agreements, especially involving allegations of sexual harassment and assault.
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With Prince Andrew the latest in a string of British royal scandals, is the House of Windsor starting to crumble? W5 looks at the future of the monarchy. You can see more about this episode here
W5 investigates Canadian doctors performing the irreversible procedure of forced sterilizations on Indigenous women.
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W5 has the story of a young Ukrainian boy who became an amputee after he was caught in an explosion cause by an undetonated grenade and the Canadian doctors who helped him walk again.
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Former Deputy Leader of the Conservatives Lisa Raitt shares the pain behind her husband's devastating diagnosis of early onset Alzheimer's and the story of their enduring love, in a candid and revealing interview with CTV W5.
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CTV W5 investigates the growing demand for medically-assisted death, and reveals stories of those determined to die with dignity.
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Experts say dangerous warning signs are missed in parents who could harm or kill their child. Up to 40 kids are killed this way each year in Canada. CTV W5 looks into why this is happening, and if there are ways to prevent it.
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W5 takes an in-depth look into who Russia's oligarchs are, and whether sanctioning them would stop President Vladimir Putin's invasion in Ukraine.
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For a year, Dr. Brooks Fallis ran the Critical Care unit at a Brampton Hospital. He openly criticized Premier Ford’s COVID-19 response and was warned by his bosses there could be consequences.
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W5 investigates Russia's crackdown on dissent as social media influencers risk jail time to pull back the curtain on the warn in Ukraine.
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In an exclusive interview with W5, the wife of Jaskirat Sidhu says she is 'devastated' that he has lost his bid to stay in Canada.
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A Canadian war crimes investigator explains how difficult it is to bring charges at the International Court of Justice in the Hague.
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The war in Ukraine is constantly coming to life online as Canadians are bombarded by pictures and videos, making it difficult to determine what’s real and what’s not. W5 reveals some of the Russian tactics used to spread false information in this war.
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W5 reports from Latvia, where Canadian soldiers train for the possibility that the war in Ukraine spreads beyond its borders.
Canadians are answering the call to defend Ukraine against the Russian invasion after a plea by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
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CTV W5 tells the story of a Canadian woman and her mission to bring aid to the people of Kyiv -- and spread the word of Ukrainian resistance to Russia's invasion.
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The flight of refugees from Ukraine is on track to be the largest displacement of Europeans since the Second World War. So many are fleeing that as soon as the United Nations releases a number, it's already outdated.
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From Kharkiv to Dnipro, Canadian journalist Fin dePencier captured daily experiences on the frontline of the war in Ukraine. He agreed to share his experiences with W5 in a modern-day video diary, chronicling the Russian invasion from the front lines.
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W5 investigates disturbing allegations against a pediatric dentist in Nova Scotia whose treatment of children over five decades is now an alleged crime.
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W5's Kevin Newman investigates why Rumble, a social media platform started by a Canadian, is attracting the attention of many Republican elites in America, including Donald Trump.
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Families across the country tell W5 they were falsely accused of child abuse after bringing their sick or injured child to the hospital. Some parents are calling for mandatory medical second opinions when it comes to cases flagged in hospitals.
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An iconic winter tourist draw is being scrutinized by experts and activists. Once essential to the survival of indigenous communities, dog sledding is embraced today for sport and tourism. W5 investigates what sometimes goes on behind the scenes when dogs aren't pulling paid customers.
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W5 investigates why Canada ranks among the worst in the world when it comes to protecting whistleblowers, according to a recent report.
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A W5 investigation into an unconventional treatment for severe depression and PTSD that involves the drug ketamine.
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Sandie Rinaldo is given a very rare look inside the private life of a very private public figure -- former federal justice minister and attorney general Jody Wilson-Raybould.
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A W5 investigation helped convince B.C.'s government to launch a commission to investigate the scope of money laundering in the province's economy.
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Experts warn the next pandemic could come sooner than you think, and that unless changes are made to industrial farming practices worldwide, it could spark a virus that's more deadly than COVID-19.
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As the pandemic keeps people indoors, children and youth are turning to video games at an alarming rate. Sometimes with grave consequences. W5 investigates how much is too much?
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In 2002, the owners of the mill in Dryden, Ont. started a project to reduce emissions, but workers on the construction project complain that they were exposed to toxic chemicals that damaged their health. CTV's W5 spoke with some of the workers about what they went through.
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W5 explores the chaotic mission of Canadians in Kabul to evacuate Afghan citizens in the wake of the Taliban takeover.
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A W5 open source investigation compiles the first-ever research on a growing trend to treat overdose deaths as potential homicides.
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W5's one-hour special investigation into the disappearance of a 3-year-old boy in Truro, Nova Scotia in May of 2020 raises critical questions about the police and search and rescue mission.
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Dawn Carisse went missing from the North Bay Psychiatric Hospital more than two decades ago. She vanished without a trace. Now a private investigator turned podcaster is finding new clues for her family.
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W5 investigates sexual misconduct in the military, and interviews Canadian soldiers who claim they were sexually abused while serving their country.
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W5 investigates a potentially unknown neurological syndrome that has affected dozens of people in New Brunswick and has residents concerned.
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CTV's W5 investigates the increase in youth seeking gender treatments and procedures, and whether there are enough safeguards in place for those wishing to transition.
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W5 investigates a theory that's not widely accepted in scientific circles, but is gaining ground: that North America's obesity problem is being fuelled by a physical addiction to highly processed foods.
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An Ontario man shares his horrifying story of murder as W5 investigates the widespread under-reporting of serious side-effects from prescription drugs.
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W5 launches its 56th season with an exclusive interview with Jaskirat Sidhu and his wife Tanvir Mann as they reveal their deep grief over the Humboldt tragedy and their hopes that they will be allowed to stay in Canada.
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A Canadian woman speaks out about her nightmarish ordeal to remove all traces of her videotaped sexual assault from the largest porn website in the world.
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W5 investigates a controversial Christian sect that has divided the small town of Aylmer, Ont. The Church of God Restoration and its fervent pastor have made headlines for their "anti-lockdown" rhetoric, causing turmoil in the once-sleepy town.
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If aliens are sending us signals, are we set up to detect them? Dan Riskin speaks with planetary scientists, radio astronomers, and computer scientists who explain how the search for ET has ramped up in the last few decades. But if they're successful, is there a way to predict what alien creatures might look like?
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Approximately 35,000 Canadians die every year as a result of medical errors in hospitals and long-term care facilities. Some families take the doctor to court, but physicians win the majority of cases. They are backed by a strong organization, called the Canadian Medical Protective Association, or CMPA.
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Special one-hour investigation: W5 investigates what lies ahead in the coronavirus pandemic as Canada approaches the one-year anniversary of its first death from COVID-19.
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W5 investigates Canada's controversial practice of flying live horses around the world to be slaughtered for fresh, raw, horsemeat. The campaign to stop the live horse export has ramped up with the celebrity endorsement of Canadian singer Jann Arden, who calls it the 'sinister side of agriculture.'
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A pandemic has added fuel to the fire of conspiracy theories. And many people are falling down the rabbit hole of lies ... but why? And, more importantly, how can they get back out? W5 investigates the world of online conspiracies.
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CTV W5 investigates the challenge of accessing sexual assault evidence kits in Canada. Avery Haines speaks with survivors who were denied access to evidence kits.
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Despite being the first Western scientist to study giraffes in their natural habitat, Canadian biologist Anne Innis Dagg says her career was cut short by sexism. W5 science journalist Dan Riskin explores her legacy and the consequences of sexism in academia.
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W5 investigates the deadly fallout that COVID-19 restrictions are having on those struggling with addiction.
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As U.S. President Joe Biden begins his administration, W5 investigates the fractious days in Washington, D.C. leading up to his inauguration and how the ripple effects are being felt north of the border.
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There have been dozens of arsons, shootings and at least four murders connected to the tow truck industry in the Toronto area. W5 investigates the underbelly of the industry and shares the story of a lawyer who took it on.
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CTV's W5 investigates serial killer Bruce McArthur, who took the lives of eight men in Toronto's Gay Village, and interviews Mark Henderson, his first known survivor.
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W5's Avis Favaro looks at a historic year in scientific development that lead to the creation of vaccines that scientists hope will stem the spread of COVID-19.
People with Lyme disease can suffer debilitating pain, robbing them of the life they had before they were bitten by a tick. W5 investigates Canada's problem with a disease that comes from a tiny parasite.
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W5 investigates what legalized single-game sports betting has looked like around the world and whether it’s worth the risks and rewards.
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CTV's W5 investigates the shadowy world of romance scammers and the so-called 'suckers list,' a key item fraudsters use to dupe victims again and again.
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Check back soon for in-depth investigations from the most-watched documentary program in Canada.