From the passing of global icon of freedom Nelson Mandela to scandal-plagued Toronto mayor Rob Ford and the Canadian Senate, to devastating Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines, major newsmakers and events defined a turbulent year. The ongoing civil war in Syria still haunts the global conscience, while the intelligence leaks by former NSA contractor Edward Snowden have ignited global debate about our privacy and freedoms in the digital age. And it was a year to celebrate Canadian culture and the short story, as Alice Munro became the first Canadian to win the Nobel Prize for literature.

 

In a slate of special year-end programming on CBC-TV, CBC News Network, CBC Radio and CBCNews.ca, CBC highlights the issues, events and personalities that defined the year.

 

 

CBCNews.ca looks back at 2013: biggest newsmakers and personalities; biggest frauds and dupes; year in arts; year in photos; most read stories; editors picks; and op-eds by CBC News’ team of award winning journalists.

 

THE NATIONAL, with chief correspondent Peter Mansbridge

 

Thursday, Dec. 26 - The At Issue team - Andrew Coyne, Chantal Hebert and Bruce Anderson - goes head-to-head with their counterparts on The Insiders panel—Kathleen Monk, David Herle and Jaime Watt - to battle it out in their annual year-end political quiz.

 

Friday, Dec. 27 - The Insiders take viewer questions on political strategy: the dos, the don’ts and the consequences of both.

 

Thursday, Jan. 2 - Canadians have sent in their burning political questions, and the At Issue panel answers them.

 

THE NATIONAL correspondents review the top stories of 2013, on Sunday, Dec. 22, Monday, Dec. 23, and Sunday, Dec. 29.

 

As the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge settle into life with George, CBC News Network’s Reshmi Nair hosts this look at the boy who may just be the world’s most famous baby. Royal commentator Bonnie Brownlee will add her perspective, looking back at that moment when the news spread—“It’s a boy!”—through George’s first public appearance and his christening.

 

With mere weeks to go until the Sochi Games begin, CBC News Network’s Heather Hiscox sits down with some of Canada’s top Olympic medal contenders. Nine podium hopefuls tell us about their intense physical and mental training leading up to the biggest sporting event in the world, sharing the obstacles they still need to overcome to get there. And we hear about the people who inspire them to reach the top of their sports.

 

Join host Evan Solomon for Power and Politics in Focus, as he looks toward 2014 and the stories and issues which will dominate the political landscape in the year ahead. Weeknights, continuing until Dec. 27, POWER & POLITICS looks at scandal, economy, energy, foreign affairs, and the best political books of 2013.

 

Beginning Thursday, Dec. 26, host Amanda Lang and business commentator Kevin O’Leary go head-to-head over the biggest economic and business stories of 2013, as well as what they expect to be the biggest stories in the coming year.

 

Beginning Dec. 23, host Ian Hanomansing takes a look back at both the top stories of the year and memorable moments of the program. From Bollywood and Hollywood, to Olympians and gay rights, to the Boston Bombing, Ian Hanomansing remembers the defining events and people of 2013.

 

CBC local programming will also be featuring special end of year shows, highlighting the year’s biggest stories and local news makers. Holiday and special programming information on local CBC Radio, TV and online can be found online at cbc.ca.

 

 

Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2014, at 10 a.m. (10:30 NT) and 10 p.m (10:30 NT)—The annual Q Top 20 Albums of the Year countdown, revealing Jian and the Q team’s pick for the #1 best album of the year. In addition, between Dec. 26 and Jan. 1, Q will air the Best of Q 2013 - including interviews with Margaret Atwood, Bobby Orr, Arcade Fire and Chris Hadfield.

 

Tuesday, Dec. 31, at 9 p.m. (9:30 NT) —Tributes to and from various leading Canadian thinkers including Alice Munro, Doris Lessing, Chris Hadfield and Joni Mitchell who made news during the previous year will air on the program.

 

Saturday, Dec. 28, at 10 a.m. (10:30 NT)— The Day 6 Big 6: Brent Bambury guides listeners through the highs and lows of 2013 by tackling six categories: newsmaker, flameout, heartbreaker, disruptor, pop moment and turning point.

 

Saturday, Dec. 28, at 12 noon (12:30 NT)—The Annual Quirks Holiday Question Show: the audience-pleasing, brain-teasing, Google-defeating question show, featuring questions from listeners and answers from Canadian scientists.

 

Saturday, Dec. 21, at 9 a.m. (9:30 NT)—The House Year in Review: Evan Solomon looks back at the political events that marked 2013 with regular House panellists Tasha Kheiriddin, Emmanuelle Latraverse and Terry Milewski.

 

Saturday, Dec. 28 - The House‘s annual political quiz! CBC National Affairs editor Chris Hall, CBC political blogger Kady O’Malley, and National Post/PostMedia columnist Andrew Coyne face off in The House’s annual political quiz.

 

Friday, Dec. 27, at 1 p.m. (1:30 NT)—The 180‘s Controversial Christmas: The show celebrates strongly held opinions on the most important of matters, and they love nothing more than when the people who hold those opinions are willing to engage in a lively, thought-provoking debate.

 

Friday, Jan. 3, 2014 - All Roads Lead to Kitimat: In this New Year’s special, The 180 looks back at how the oil industry has shaped the public debate for the last 12 months, and where that conversation is likely to lead in 2014.

 

 

Beginning Thursday, Dec. 19, CBC Music counts down the top 5 albums of 2013 across all genres, including pop, rock, singer-songwriter, jazz and classical.

 

Friday, Dec. 27 at 7 p.m. and on Sunday Dec. 29 at 5 p.m.—Garvia Bailey and Pete Morey bring you the coolest moments in Canadian music over the past year.

 

Beginning Friday, Dec. 27 until Friday, Feb.28, hear all the best songs that found spins on Radio 2 Drive‘s turntable in 2013.

 

Beginning Friday,Dec. 27 until Monday, Jan. 13, hear all the biggest hits from the 1960’s to the present including such hits as Billie Jean by Michael Jackson, Stayin’ Alive by the Bee Gees, Roy Orbison’s Oh Pretty Woman, and Beyonce’s Single Ladies.

 

Beginning at 6:00 a.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 1, Tom Power kicks off the Radio 2 countdown of the top 100 songs of 2013.

 

 

CBC/Radio-Canada is Canada’s national public broadcaster and one of its largest cultural institutions. The Corporation is a leader in reaching Canadians on new platforms and delivers a comprehensive range of radio, television, internet, and satellite-based services. Deeply rooted in the regions, CBC/Radio-Canada is the only domestic broadcaster to offer diverse regional and cultural perspectives in English, French and eight Aboriginal languages.

 

Corey Black, News and Current Affairs publicist, CBC

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