The Big Story
An in-depth look at the issues, culture and personalities shaping Canada today.
Episodes
Big Headlines: Canada could become the European Union's first associate member and home sales dipped in August
PLUS: Former Prime Minister Stephen Harper delivered closing remarks at Canada's first-ever national investment summit - Premier Danielle Smith's office is blaming a split among Conservative votes along with a low overall turnout after a stunning NDP byelection win - The Canadian Real Estate Association says home sales in August were down - More acts are leaving Ed Sheeran's global tour after he k
Why the US still needs Canadian lumber
Among the steel, aluminum, and auto sectors, Canada's softwood lumber industry has also fallen victim to US tariffs. But levies on Canadian lumber are nothing new, and neither are tensions between the two countries surrounding lumber exports. Host Caryn Ceolin speaks to Russ Taylor, a global wood business and market consultant, about the impact of tariffs on Canada's lumber sector, how the in
Big Headlines: Day 2 of Canada's investment summit as another round of American tariffs hit
Plus: The New Democrats have taken a long-term Conservative stronghold with a byelection win in the Calgary-Shaw riding, the European Parliament is opening an office in Ottawa, and a tribute to Canadian actor Catharine O'Hara at the 78th Emmys. We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future
episodes. You can find us:
Through email at hello@thebigstorypodcast.ca
Or @thebigst
Why Germany’s AfD victory matters beyond Europe
The eastern Germany state of Saxony-Anhalt has elected far-right populist party, Alternative for Germany (AfD) in last week's election. The party was three seats shy of forming a majority, so they must now look to other parties to form a coalition, or poach individual outside members to join their party. Germany's domestic intelligence agency has classified the AfD as an extreme right group,
Big Headlines: Canada's inflation rate holds steady and Carney hosts major international investors in Toronto
Plus: The Canada investment summit is underway, new poll finds federal Liberals lead over Conservatives, Google is bringing age assurance tech to Canada, remembering George Chuvalo, and Canada's new sanctions on West Bank settlers. We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future
episodes. You can find us:
Through email at hello@thebigstorypodcast.ca
Or @thebigstory.bsky.soci
Why now? Canada's new sanctions on West Bank settlers
Canada recently joined the UK and France in sanctioning all settler trade with the West Bank. In a joint-statement written by the three Prime Minister's, Israel's advancement of the E1 settlement, as well as the ongoing violence in the occupied strip jeopardizes the possibility of a two-state solution.Host Maria Kestane speaks to Jon Allen, the former Canadian ambassador to Israel and a senior fel
Weekend Listen: How will Canada survive the trade war?
Enjoy this special feed drop of our sister show "In This Economy?!" The trade dispute with the US rages on, our closest ally and for many decades, our closest trading partner. But it wasn’t always like that. Going back in history shows we’ve been in this position with the U-S before, and Canada found a way through without giving up our sovereignty.Host Kris McCusker speaks to Joy Nott, Partner - T
Big Headlines: Canada and the U.S. mourn 9/11 on the 25th anniversary of the terror attacks
Plus: Commemoration ceremonies in the U.S. and Canada, Trump and Carney are talking, the Houthis capture a strategic island, and what happened to our attention spans? We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future
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What happened to our attention spans?
Are you constantly checking your phone? Do you find it harder to concentrate for long periods of time? Or plan ahead? Us too.Executive function is the ability we have as humans to suppress basic instincts and desires for long term gain. It's why you can work every day when what you really want to do is stay home. The functions, though, seem to be on the decline more and more these days.Host Maria
Big Headlines: Carney convenes his cabinet in Alberta and Trump vows American adults $5,000 if his party wins midterms
Plus: Ukraine's President is in Canada, Trump's pledge ahead of the midterms, August broke heat records, TIFF begins, and the age of technological imperialism. We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future
episodes. You can find us:
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The age of technological imperialism
Canadians have been keeping their elbows up for well over a year, but after logging on to Google Maps or Apple Maps and seeing 'Lake America' while in Canada, the feeling of despair doesn't seem too far fetched.Beit Facebook, Instagram, Google, X, Amazon, US tech giants take up lots of retail space within our digital presence, and sometimes they seem unescapable. Host Maria Kestane is speakin
Big Headlines: Trump signs new executive order banning Canadian products
Plus: A preview to fall, new iPhone unveiling, the most searched slang words, and Canada's digital defences are lagging. Now what? We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future
episodes. You can find us:
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Canada's digital defences are lagging. Now what?
Earlier this year, Ottawa announced a commitment towards ensuring digital sovereignty, but what exactly does that look like? More data centres? AI within more government sectors? Modernizing hospital and school board technology?Host Maria Kestane speaks to David Shipley, CEO and Co-founder of Beauceron Security to discuss how strengthening our cyber security will improve our digital defence,
Big Headlines: Canada's counter-tariffs against the U.S. are now in effect as Carney addresses the nation
Plus: A new report on threats facing Canadian children, a Canadian tourist rescued in Australia, Hawaii is under a state of emergency, and how economic hardship increases gender-based violence. We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future
episodes. You can find us:
Through email at hello@thebigstorypodcast.ca
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How economic hardship increases gender-based violence
Numerous studies point to how times of economic hardship can lead to increased domestic violence, financial abuse, and gender-based violence. The COVID-19 pandemic, followed quickly by inflation, and now a economic trade war, the last few years have increasingly proven difficult for couples and families experiencing financial vulnerability.
Host Catherine Jette is speaking with Anuradha Dugal, Exe
Weekend Listen: The US energy trade battle: Canada vs. Venezuela
Enjoy this special feed drop from our sister show 'In This Economy?!'US President Trump is touting what he calls the biggest energy deal ever: a plan to gain control of Venezuela's massive oil reserves and boost Us energy supply. But is it fact, fiction, or political spin?Host Mike Eppel speaks to Tim Pickering, Founder and Chief Investment Officer at Auspice Capital. They dig into the claims, the
Big Headlines: Montreal college resumes classes after some uncertainty over its funding and Canada’s job market takes a turn for the worse
Plus: A Nova Scotia cabinet minister resigns over decade-old rap lyrics, Quebec puts out nearly a million vaccine-laced raccoon baits to fight a rabies outbreak, Alberta expects record turnout for an upcoming referendum, and the fate of a Massachusetts women who claims postpartum psychosis led her to kill her children lies in the hands of a jury. We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as sugge
What comes next for the Lindsay Clancy trial?
This episode contains discussion about suicide, death and the killing of children. Please take care.The fate of a 36 year-old, former nurse from Massachusetts is in the hands of a 9-women 3-men jury in a Plymouth courthouse who's been deliberating since last Friday.Lindsay Clancy admitted to killing her three children in January of 2023, but claims she was in a state of postpartum psychosis when s
Big Headlines: Canada's set to unveil a new $20 bill featuring the King and an Alberta Sheriffs officer won't be charged over AI-generated sexual images of women
Plus: the Carney government is making a landmark investment in manufacturing today, the NBA hands down severe punishments to the Clippers in the Kawhi Leonard investigation, feminist Gloria Steinem dies at 92, and a sovereigntist party could soon take power in Quebec amid the trade war with the U.S. We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future
episodes. You can find us:
Th
How Trump is dominating Quebec's election campaign
While many of us have been turning our eyes to Canada's west, or south of the border, Quebec began a high stakes provincial election last week.
At a time where Canadian unity has never been more important, the sovereigntist Parti Québécois has been leading in the polls since 2023. But it's no guarantee.
With five parties vying for seats, three of which consistently poll above 20%, it's an election
Big Headlines: Carney scolds American officials for not taking Canada seriously and the RCMP are investigating B.C.'s Conservatives
Plus: Quebec switches its paper ballots to French only for upcoming elections, a man is arrested on charges of causing around $100,000 in damage to Edmonton transit infrastructure, and a mysterious floating island reappears on a northern B.C. lake. We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future
episodes. You can find us:
Through email at hello@thebigstorypodcast.ca
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The unraveling of the BC Conservatives
Things are not going well for the Conservative Party of British Columbia.
Following Kerry-Lynne Findlay's win as leader earlier this summer after the ousting of John Rustad, there have been questions as to whether or not she's too far right for British Columbians. Since then, seven Conservative MLA's have decided their answer was yes, leaving the party to sit as independents, citing a lack of fait
Big Headlines: Carney's Liberals sweep a trio of byelections and Marineland ships out its last whales
Plus: The CBC is barred from attending the Republican Party’s midterm convention, international school trips across Canada are cancelled or tweaked amid a changing landscape, prayer room restrictions go into effect in Quebec, and what information do politicians owe the public regarding their health and ability to work? We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future
episodes.
What should we know about Mitch McConnell's whereabouts?
US Senator Mitch McConnell hasn't been seen by the public in some 12 weeks. His last in-person sighting was in Washington, D.C. on June 11, before posting a proof-of-life picture from a rehabilitation centre in mid-July. He's since been discharged, but the details surrounding his whereabouts or return to the Senate remain unclear.
Host Caryn Ceolin speaks to New York Times Chief Washington Corresp
Big Headlines: Canadian websites confused over Trump's new name for Lake Ontario and three federal byelections
Plus: Oil prices surge after the U.S. and Iran trade strikes, voters head to the polls in three federal by-elections, Nepalese cultural festivals are cancelled across Canada following recent floods in Nepal, and immigration experts say more tracking is needed to ensure people on expired work and study permits leave the country. We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future
e
What the Lake Ontario fight reveals about water and sovereignty
In US President Trump's latest attempt at dominating Canada, an executive order was signed last week renaming Lake Ontario to 'Lake America'.
Whether the new title will actually stick is up for debate, but several Canadian leaders, high-profile celebrities, and US officials have come out against the move. Those include PM Carney, New York Governor Kathy Hochul, and former US Secretary of Sta
Weekend Listen: Can small businesses survive another tariff hit?
Enjoy this special feed drop of our sister show "In This Economy?!"
Canadian small businesses are a big part of the economy. And like the rest of us, they're dealing with more tariffs as the trade war with the US heats up again, with Canadian counter tariffs set to take effect next month. It's the latest economic hit coming from south of the border, just as businesses were seeing a degree of recov
Big Headlines: Trump signs order to rename Lake Ontario to 'Lake America' while political leaders on both sides of the border push back
Plus: B.C. lifts its province-wide state of emergency as local states of emergency remain, the first results are in for a program designed to bring professors from international universities to Canada, Alberta sees a budget surplus after months of spiking oil prices, Canadian actor Peter Cullen has died, and what will happen to a Russian cargo jet grounded in Toronto? We love feedback at The Big S
The giant Russian cargo plane trapped in Canada
If you've driven by Toronto Pearson Airport at all in the past four years, you may have noticed the massive cargo jet with a big Russian flag on it just.... sitting there. It's been grounded ever since Canada closed its airspace to Russia following their invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Russia has been trying to get the plane back from that moment-- but a judge recently ruled that it will stay right w
Big Headlines: Flash floods in Nepal leave hundreds dead and more than 1,300 missing
Plus: The U.S. claims Canada was the one who introduced last-minute demands before trade talks fell apart, campaign season gets underway ahead of elections in Quebec, the B.C. Conservatives lose two more members, a study finds around half of Canadians didn’t receive respiratory vaccines last year, and why is gun ownership in Canada climbing? We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestion
Why do more Canadians want to own guns?
Canadians have largely touted that one of our most distinctive attributes from the US is our gun culture, and while that's mostly true, the number of Canadian firearm licenses has reached record levels.
The number of possession and acquisition license (PAL) holders in Canada now sits at close to 2.5 million, a number that's seen steady growth since 2021. With the growth of licenses comes the grow
Big Headlines: The world mourns Dolly Parton and Canada details its counter-tariffs strategy for the U.S.
Plus: Alberta’s premier voices concerns about the federal government’s tariff strategy, New Brunswick’s leader shuts down the idea of cutting off power to neighbouring Maine, the B.C. Conservatives lose their third MLA this month, and a Legionnaire’s outbreak that sickened several Toronto transit employees is traced back to the transit system’s cooling equipment. We love feedback at The Big Story,
What the Canada-US trade war will cost you
When announcing Canada's withdrawal from US trade talks, Prime Minister Mark Carney admitted that both Canadians and Americans will feel the hurt in their pockets.
Both countries have announced tariffs on a wide variety of goods, including toilet paper, feathers, fish and more. Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne announced that Canada will also be providing up to $7.5B in relief for Canad
Big Headlines: Canada details retaliatory tariffs on the U.S. and Trump considers renaming Lake Ontario to "Lake America"
Plus: A man accused of stabbing two worshippers at a Sikh temple with a screwdriver was released from prison just a day earlier, a multibillion-dollar fleet of Coast Guard icebreakers will be built in Quebec, a Montreal airport worker is struck and killed by a plane, WestJet flight attendants approve their labour agreement, and could Ukraine hold elections with a years-long war still raging? We lo
Could Ukraine hold a wartime election?
Ukraine's recently ousted Defence Minister, Mykhailo Fedoro, called on President Zelenskyy to call for a wartime election. Following more than 4 years at war with Russia, the logistical details of a Ukrainian election remain murky.
Would the vote be safe and secure? What are Zelensky's chances at being reelected? What role does the US and European allies play in guaranteeing security?
Host Caryn
Big Headlines: Canada-U.S. trade war barreling towards even newer tariffs after failed negotiations
Plus: Lightning storms disrupt flights and spark fires in B.C., a gathering in Saskatchewan marks the 150th anniversary of Treaty 6, WestJet flight attendants finish voting on a new labour agreement, and an anti-fraud organization sounds the alarm on scams targeting previous fraud victims. We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future
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Inside Mark Carney's act of defiance
Entering an economic war isn't your typical Friday night activity.
But according to PM Mark Carney, it was necessary after the last 18 months of US President Trump.
Not only did Carney suspend all negotiations with the US, he also announced dollar-for-dollar retaliatory tariffs on US goods in response to the latest round of tariffs Trump placed on $28 billion worth of Canadian goods.
Host Caryn
Weekend Listen: America's $40 Trillion Debt Problem
Enjoy this special feed drop of our sister show "In This Economy?!"
The U.S. government has reached a staggering milestone: $40 trillion in debt. As deficits continue to grow and borrowing costs rise, bond investors are demanding higher yields, pushing long-term Treasury rates to their highest levels in decades.
Host Mike Eppel speaks to Tiago Figueiredo, Macro Strategist at Desjardins Financial t
Big Headlines: Canada's top trade negotiators continue to finalize deal to avoid new Trump deadline and the U.S. Vice President's "hot mic" moment
Plus: The Alberta government faces jeers and expletives at town halls over a planned Meta data centre, the Boston Marathon says it will count qualifying times on the Edmonton course which was accidentally made two-thirds of a kilometre longer than normal but won’t adjust them to the standard marathon length, a caver is rescued using new radio technology, and the case for more “third spaces”. We lo
The case for more third places
What's your go-to place to unwind?
It could be a local tavern, a neighbourhood coffee shop, even a park where the kids can runaround.
In the digitally-saturated era we're currently living in, those third places aren't being occupied as much, as binging a show on the couch or doom scrolling in the car afterwork seem like the more convenient, economical option. But physical, third places are more i
Big Headlines: Carney asks premiers to put American alcohol back on shelves and B.C. businesses struggle to recover from wildfires
Plus: A Calgary police officer will be tried for murder after two suspects in a slow-speed chase were shot and killed, a survey finds almost a fifth of Quebec teachers consider quitting, WestJet is ordered to do away with a 300-pound weight limit on wheelchairs on most of its planes, and what makes Quebec and Newfoundland’s pending energy deal historic? We love feedback at The Big Story, as well a
What makes the new Churchill Falls deal so historic?
Newfoundland and Labrador and Quebec announced a historic energy deal with help from Ottawa to replace a detested 1969 deal and a confusing 2024 MOU. The new agreement would see Quebec pay 1.8 cents per kilowatt-hour to Newfoundland and Labrador, with that price rising to 7.4 cents over the next 50 years.
The deal, however, remains un-signed, amid a looming Quebec election, as well as an absent st
Big Headlines: Trump hits pause on new tariffs for Canada for three days and calls grow to remove the U.S. ambassador to Canada
Plus: A petition calls for the U.S. ambassador to Canada to be removed, Canadians seeking treatment for rare diseases face challenges, the summer wildfire season hits a historic milestone, a union in Vancouver takes action to delay a major infrastructure project, and OpenAI launches a chatbot designed specifically for teenagers. We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future
Canadians want Hoekstra out. Can they make it happen?
A petition with more than 230,000 signatures continues to make its way across Canada in hopes of ousting the US Ambassador to Canada, Pete Hoekstra.
Signatories believe the diplomat has further strained Canada-US relations by adding fuel to President Trump's annexation threats, and allege he's made "repeated interventions in Canadian political discourse inconsistent with diplomatic protocol."
Host
Big Headlines: America's new tariff deadline approaches for Canada and Tumbler Ridge Secondary School is being demolished
Plus: the Quebec election frontrunner shelves a sovereignty referendum until after the Trump presidency is over, the NBA spars with ESPN over its reporting on the L.A. Clippers investigation, a grizzly bear cub escapes from his enclosure at the Calgary Zoo, and why did Pope Leo excommunicate members of a traditionalist Catholic sect? We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for fu
What led to the largest Catholic schism in 156 years?
There has been a schism in the Catholic church. In early July, Pope Leo excommunicated an ultra-conservative sect known as the Society of St. Pius X, after they ordained new Bishops against his orders. It's the largest break in the church in 156 years. With its members and followers, Leo has effectively kicked out 600,000 Catholics-- a tough move by the still new Leo, who has made church unity a c
Big Headlines: Canadian trade reps continue talks with Washington as new tariffs go into effect this week
Plus: Statistics Canada says the annual rate of inflation accelerated to three per cent in July, Prime Minister Mark Carney is set to make an announcement about energy security regarding Churchill Falls, an autopsy is being performed following the death of television star Hayden Panettiere, new research shows the beneficial relationship between young teens struggling with anxiety and dog ownership
How do we stop antisemitism on university campuses?
A new report commissioned by the federal government says antisemitism is a systemic problem on university and college campuses, adding post-secondary institutions have failed to address the problem. It finds more than 95% of Jewish students say they saw or experienced antisemitism last year, with nearly 18% of those incidents being from a faculty member. Overall, 70% of those Jewish students surve
Weekend Listen: Keeping a steady ship in turbulent markets
Enjoy this special feed drop from our sister show "In This Economy?!"
2026 has certainly been a "headline driven" year for the markets. Whether it's A.I., war, tariffs and trade, or inflation and interest rates, the markets have seen big daily price swings, and several sectors have seen huge percentage run-ups for stocks—along with big losses. As of the first week of august, the TSX composite inde
Big Headlines: Iconic Canadian sports broadcaster passes away and select international students under review for protests in Calgary
Plus: Farage secures victory over Binface, some students protesting work permit denials face scrutiny over their current status in Canada, officials in B.C. say the public will still be able to access a Vancouver Island castle if it’s handed over to First Nations, some companies opt to weather the possible storm with more U.S. tariffs looming, and could Canada put American alcohol back on shelves
Is it time to end the U.S. "booze bans"?
Since almost the very beginning of the trade war, alcohol from the United States has been banned from most Canadian shelves. It was done as a way of putting pressure on the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump-- and it's worked. The so-called "booze ban" has been a constant irritant south of the border, hitting hard at states like California and Kentucky. But that soon could be coming to
Big Headlines: Farage vs. Binface: Voters in Clacton head to the polls
Plus: Canada and the U.S. continue to negotiate with new tariffs looming, the U.S. ambassador to Canada responds to a petition calling to kick him out of the country, four of the five former World Juniors players acquitted of sexual assault last summer will stay banned from Hockey Canada after they were found to have breached its code of conduct, three Moncton teens face charges after a boy was se
What's behind 70,000 migrants flooding into a Spanish town?
On the northeastern tip of Morocco, just south of Gibraltar, the Spanish city Ceuta was recently overwhelmed by Moroccan migrants. At the end of last month, tens of thousands of Moroccans flooded border crossings, or tried to get around them by swimming in the Strait of Gibraltar. Dozens of people died in the attempt. Now, while the majority of the migrants have been returned to Morocco, hundreds,
Big Headlines: Rescuers in Colombia racing against the clock to save survivors from quake that rocked multiple cities
Plus: Canada's top trade negotiator has a warning ahead of new impending tariffs, thousands of Canadians want Trump's trade rep to Canada removed from Ottawa, the federal government is ramping up funding to fight climate risks, Europe is set to experience a total solar eclipse, and Canada has a new "Highway of Tears" - used for sex trafficking. We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggest
Canada's new highway of tears
Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls have been a problem in Canada for decades, and one that went ignored for far too long. Going back to the late 60s, women and girls were taken especially along a stretch of road in British Columbia known as The Highway of Tears. But now, there is a new highway of tears. By tracking sex ads posted online, a team from Thompson Reuters was able to follow
Big Headlines: Death toll mounts in Colombia following 7.4-magnitude earthquake and Canadian military on standby for B.C. wildfires
Plus: A Montreal father is found guilty of murdering his daughter in upstate New York, Alberta reviews its Amber Alert criteria following the death of a boy with autism, Environment Canada makes significant changes to its tornado warning system, auto thefts across Canada trend down toward pre-pandemic levels, and a youth mental health service says it’s seeing a spike in overnight calls. We love fe
Where are youth turning in the lonely hours?
This episode contains conversations about mental health, suicide, and sexual assault. Please take care.
Kids Help Phone, a service offering free, mental health service over the phone or online to youth across Canada, has had a spike in overnight calls-- the most dramatic increase in their more than three-decade history. The reasons are various, but the need is great, putting strain on the service'
Big Headlines: Tens of thousands forced to evacuate as B.C. declares state of emergency over wildfires
Plus: Montreal’s police chief plans to provide an update on a patrol unit that disbanded in June over serious allegations, the Conservative leader writes a letter to the Prime Minister on the response to tariffs from the U.S., a toddler grounds a flight in Victoria, football officials push for heavier consequences for FIFA president Gianni Infantino, and investigative genetic genealogy is used to
The reopening of the Patrick Santos cold case
It's taken Toronto Police more than 20 years to charge a suspect in the murder of Patrick Santos, a 21 year old Scarborough man that was found zip-tied and duck taped in his home in 2006.
Investigative genetic genealogy was able to match the DNA sample taken from the crime scene to that of Pierre O'Connor, a Hamilton man who had no previous criminal record.
Host Maria Kestane speaks to Fil Martin
Weekend Listen: Should we rely on a rogue robot?
Enjoy this special feed drop from our sister show "In This Economy?!"
OpenAI recently went rogue, hacking into an AI start-up in a matter of hours.
It stunned some – even those in the tech industry – but it also opened the door to a series of new questions as companies and consumers rely more and more on the technology.
Host Kris McCusker gets some perspective on what it really means from Charles
Big Headlines: Unexpected job gains for Canada this summer and back-up arrives in B.C. to help fight surging wildfires
Plus: Meta is ordered to pay hundreds of millions of dollars after it was found liable for contributing to the mental health crisis in children, new salary cap circumvention allegations against the Los Angeles Clippers and Kawhi Leonard, a study finds a type of transmissible cancer in catfish may be more widespread than previously thought, and why are so many Canadian workers leaving some of their
Are you losing yourself to the time-off tax?
When was the last time you took a day off? Went on vacation? Gave yourself an extra-long weekend? If it's been a while, well, you're not alone. A recent survey showed that 4 in 10 Canadians aren't using all the personal time off they're allowed from their job. And in doing so, essentially giving themselves a pay-cut, otherwise known as paying the "time-off tax." It's certainly not that people don
Big Headlines: Calgary residents mourn death of 11-year-old with autism and what WestJet flight attendants' new deal includes
Plus: Canada establishes a registry to track foreign influence, WestJet flight attendants’ union shares details of its new deal with the airline, Prime Minister Mark Carney suggests his government’s shutdown of plans to allow jets at a downtown Toronto airport may not be a permanent rejection, a multi-million-dollar contract is awarded to build a laboratory in Winnipeg that will prepare for future
Scan or scam: Are elective full-body MRI's worth it?
Perhaps you've heard one on the radio, or got one before a video online, or maybe even seen one on transit, but ads for full-body MRIs are everywhere these days. They tell you to book an appointment, selling it as a preventative measure to catch something early. But it's not something that's actually recommended by any medical association—anywhere. So why have they become so popular?
Host Caryn C
Big Headlines: Canadian broadcasting icon Lloyd Robertson passes away and top Canada-U.S. trade officials return to Washington
Plus: An Ontario city deals with the impact of historic floods, wildfire damage in B.C. is assessed with hot days in the forecast, Canadians look at cutting back their insurance to save money in the short term, and how will Israel and Hamas resolve their stalemate on the road to peace in Gaza? We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future
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The Plan to End the Israel-Hamas war. And Why It Might Fail.
US President Trump touted about a 'great breakthrough' in a deal to bring peace to Gaza, although the two main characters in the fight seem to remain in a deadlock on who moves first.
Hamas says Israel will have to withdraw forces before they disarm, meanwhile Israel says Hamas needs to disarm before they withdraw.
Host Caryn Ceolin speaks to Nader Hashemi, a professor of Middle East politics at G
Big Headlines: WestJet and its flight attendants reach deal to end strike and wildfires force thousands from their homes in B.C.
Plus: A Canadian astronaut gets ready to head to the International Space Station, a closed Ontario theme park ships more whales to the U.S., two flight school planes collide midair in B.C., and could the FIFA president’s failed plan to sell stakes in the World Cup end his tenure as the most powerful man in soccer? We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future
episodes. You c
Will Infantino's attempted FIFA sell-off lead to his demise?
FIFA President Gianni Infantino had plans to sell stakes in the World Cup to private equity investors, including the brother of U.S. President Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner. In response, UEFA had vowed to boycott soccer's biggest tournament should the deal go through.
A few days later, Infantino backed down.
Guest host Devang Desai speaks to Helen Jefferson Lenskyj, professor emerita at the U
Weekend Listen: Canada's betting large on sports gambling
Enjoy this special feed drop from our sister show 'In This Economy?!'.
Back in June of 2021, the federal government legalized single-event sports betting in Canada, birthing a multi-billion dollar industry basically overnight. Licenses began being granted in Ontario the next year, with formerly off-shore companies rushing into Canada to apply. Now, just this past month, Alberta has decided it too
Big Headlines: Trump announces plan to disarm Hamas and European countries could boycott future FIFA tournaments
Plus: A positive update on the health of the Canadian economy, a Canadian national detained on spying charges in Belgium wants out of pretrial detention, Prime Minister Mark Carney throws his support behind a multi-billion-dollar port expansion plan in Vancouver, European soccer’s governing body votes to boycott FIFA tournaments over an equity selloff plan, and the Odyssey sees box office success
The epic meltdown over The Odyssey
It's been a box office and critical success, and theatres are packed to the brim for weeks to come as audiences pack cinemas to go see Christopher Nolan's "The Odyssey". But if you spend much time on Elon Musk's X, formerly twitter, this information might surprise you. That's because Musk has been championing an online, right-wing movement to boycott the movie because of its casting diversity. He
Big Headlines: A tragic end to the search for an 11-year-old Calgary boy and WestJet's flight attendants are preparing to strike
Plus: WestJet and its flight attendants’ union issue dueling strike and lockout notices, Prime Minister Mark Carney isn’t planning to use Canadian oil exports to the U.S. as leverage in trade negotiations, a New Brunswick politician calls the AI prompts he accidentally left in a speech to the provincial legislature a “learning experience”, Toronto’s fire chief calls lithium-ion battery fires the g
The real life implications of looksmaxxing
Looksmaxxing. It's a term that's started to pop up everywhere, made popular by social media personalities like Braden Eric Peters, also known as "Clavicular." And as it's started to bleed into our common parlance, you can pretty much "-maxx" anything these days, as the concept turns into a kind of joke. But the normalization of the term hides a darker and dangerous connection to the ideas surround
Big Headlines: Canada-U.S. trade talks continue in Washington and Japan gets rocked by a 6.8-magnitude earthquake
Plus: The latest on revenue-sharing from the Gordie Howe bridge, actor Jared Leto is accused of sexual misconduct involving teenage girls, Prime Minister Mark Carney makes a housing announcement in Alberta, and what does Alberta’s decision to allow patients to pay out-of-pocket for surgery mean for the future of healthcare in Canada? We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for fu
Alberta's "two-tier" challenge to public healthcare
Starting in the fall, Albertans will be able to pay out of pocket for surgery. The government of Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says the move will allow people to get off waitlists, thereby getting people the surgeries they need while also shortening lists for those who can't pay. Critics, however, say it creates a health system that prioritizes the rich over the poor, and siphons resources from t
Big Headlines: Search for missing boy in Calgary shifts in scope and the U.S. consulate in Toronto is shot at again
Plus: A study finds emergency room doctors across Canada are quitting, a wildfire in France stops growing just before a major heat wave rolls in, a Canadian with ties to China is arrested in Belgium on spying charges, a New York town honours a Canadian girl who was found dead there last year, and the debate over medical assistance in dying in Canada. We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as s
The debate on MAiD for mental illness
This episode contains discussion of mental illness, suicide, and death. Please take care.
MAiD has caused contentious debate across Canada for years. This year marks 10 years since Ottawa allowed for certain adults to apply for medically assisted death, and since then there has been push to expand eligibility - beyond track two - to include those whose sole reason for application is mental illness
Big Headlines: Wildfires ravage France and Spain, and Canadians want to retaliate against American tariffs
Plus: crime rates in Canada are down for the second straight year, a poll finds many Canadians want Ottawa to retaliate against tariff threats from the U.S., three federal by-elections will be held at the end of next month, and the suspect in a terror attack at Berlin Pride celebrations is shot dead by police. We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future
episodes. You can f
Burning time: How bureaucracy hinders Canada’s wildfire response
US President Trump echoed his promise to retaliate against Canada for our wildfire smoke drifting south. It comes as more than 900 fires actively burn across the country, with a number of communities evacuated from their homes.
But the severity of our wildfire season should come as no surprise given Canada's track record since 2023. Yet somehow, the response from provinces and territories doesn't
Weekend Listen: The World Cup is over. Was it worth it for our host cities?
Enjoy this special feed drop from our sister show 'In This Economy?!'.
The biggest World Cup ever is over – with 13 matches played on Canadian soil. The Canadian men’s team saw a fair bit of success on the pitch, but it’s more difficult to define success for the host cities, Vancouver and Toronto. Many contend there were some big positives to come out of the event – some of them unexpected.
In th
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On n'a pas tout dit
