“Peace be with you”. Those were the first words spoken from the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica to the massive crowd below by the newly chosen pontiff, now known as Pope Leo XIV. 133 cardinals from around the world voted in a handful of rounds before the final decision was made and the white smoke billowed from the Sistene Chapel chimney. Formerly Cardinal Robert Prevost, Leo is the first pope from the United States – a choice that shocked some and has many wondering what this may signal. Host M...
May 09, 2025•18 min•Ep. 1440
Prime Minister Mark Carney has made his first trip to the White House to meet President Donald Trump, with Trump heaping praise on Carney. But the meeting wasn't all sunshine, as the two leaders clashed over trade positions and Trump's ongoing musings of making Canada the 51st state. Host Cormac Mac Sweeney breaks down the first face-to-face in the oval office with Colin Robertson, a former Canadian diplomat who also helped negotiate the first two trade deals between Canada and the U.S. They als...
May 08, 2025•20 min•Ep. 1439
Is Hollywood North in jeopardy, based on a social media post by U.S. President Donald Trump? After musing about hitting foreign film production with a 100% tariff, there are concerns this could shut down the film industry in Canada. Host Mike Eppel is gauging reaction from Andrew Barnsley, President of the Toronto Film School. We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future episodes. You can find us: Through email at [email protected] Or @thebigstoryfpn on Tw...
May 07, 2025•11 min•Ep. 1438
Today, Prime Minister Mark Carney will make his first trip to the White House to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump. Tariffs, the economy, and military defense will be the key focus for Carney as he looks to set Canada on a path to negotiations to end the trade war between our countries. This first face to face meeting between the leaders will be crucial to set the tone of the relationship for the next four years. Will they get along? How should Carney address Trump's "51st state" comments? C...
May 06, 2025•22 min•Ep. 1437
After a stunning election loss in which Pierre Poilievre couldn’t hold on to his own seat in Parliament, what comes next for the federal Conservatives? Will there be a push to oust Poilievre? What will the Party look for in its campaign post-mortem? Why are Conservative premiers calling out their federal counterparts? Host David Smith speaks with two veteran conservative strategists, Jordan Paquet and Neil Brodie, to get answers on what happens next for the team in blue. We love feedback at The ...
May 05, 2025•28 min•Ep. 1436
We're dropping a timely episode of In This Economy into the weekend feed. We now have clarity now on Canada's new government, but predictions about the state of economy going forward are murkier. There are signs the economy is contracting, so what does that mean for you? Host Mike Eppel speaks with Dawn Desjardins, Chief Economist at Deloitte Canada. We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future episodes. You can find us: Through email at [email protected] ...
May 04, 2025•15 min•Ep. 1434
Canadians could be in for a break at the grocery store for the next couple of months. After food inflation ticked higher in March, a food economist is expecting more stability through the summer months with the next update from Statistics Canada coming on May 20th. Host Kris McCusker speaks to Stuart Smyth, professor in the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics at the University of Saskatchewan about what is influencing prices - and why it's subject to change. We love feedback at The...
May 02, 2025•17 min•Ep. 1435
Warning: this episode may be triggering for some listeners. Friday has been declared a day of mourning in British Columbia for the victims of the Lapu-Lapu Day festival attack. What was meant to be a celebration quickly turned to tragedy on Saturday, as nearly a dozen people were killed and dozens more injured when a suspect drove their vehicle into a crowd at a Filipino festival in Vancouver. The man charged in the alleged attack was overseen by a mental health team and was on extended leave at...
May 01, 2025•22 min•Ep. 1433
The Liberal minority government is now officially set. What's also now official is the deep dive into what went wrong into the campaigns of Pierre Poilievre and Jagmeet Singh, two party leaders who lost their seats on Monday night. Between the Doug Ford fight with Poilievre and the NDP losing official party status, there are many storylines to emerge from the election. Here to break it down with host Mark Day is Rob Snow, NewsRadio's national talk show host. We love feedback at The Big Story, as...
Apr 30, 2025•18 min•Ep. 1432
In what's been a very upside down election campaign - the results were just as wild. At time of writing at 2:30am, it's a Liberal minority government. Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre is in danger of losing his seat and NDP leader Jagmeet Singh stepped down as leader after losing his seat of Burnaby Central. In this stripped down version of The Big Story, host David Smith stayed up really late to put together the full results for you this morning. Much more to come on all the election storyl...
Apr 29, 2025•17 min•Ep. 1431
After 36 days, it all comes down to this. Canada is voting for his next leader and all eyes are on the Liberals and Conservatives with a neck and neck race. It comes after a wild swing from the winter when the Conservatives had a double digit lead in the polls. Host Richard Southern and NewsRadio's Parliament Hill Correspondent Cormac Mac Sweeney discuss the campaign and all the political events over the past year that have led to this vote. We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggesti...
Apr 28, 2025•25 min•Ep. 1430
Owning a small or medium sized business is never easy, and this year, it's been even more challenging. The small business sector is the country's largest employer and they're facing a ton of uncertainty from tariffs and the threat of higher inflation and a potential recession. Host Mike Eppel talks to Simon Gauldeault, Chief Economist and VP of Research for the Canadian Federation of Independent Business to get his take. We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future episod...
Apr 27, 2025•10 min•Ep. 1429
In today’s episode of Bite Back with Abbey Sharp, I will be talking to Dr Emily Contois, an Associate Professor at the University of Tulsa specializing in how identities are formed at the vital intersection of food, the body, and ideas about health. She is the author of “Diners, Dudes, and Diets: How Gender and Power Collide in Food Media and Culture” and co-editor of “Food Instagram: Identity, Influence, and Negotiation”. Today we will be riding on the heels of the popular Netflix show Adolesce...
Apr 26, 2025•20 min•Ep. 1428
The federal election....from the "fringe". Most voters are familiar with the major national parties running in this election, such as the Liberals, Conservatives, NDP, & Greens. But there are actually 16 registered political parties looking for your vote. Some of them are known as fringe parties, while others are upstarts, hoping to make an impact down the road. Today on The Big Story, we're shining a light on some of the lesser known parties in this campaign, and letting them have their voice h...
Apr 25, 2025•24 min•Ep. 1427
Elections Canada saw a record-breaking 2 million people cast their ballot on the first day of advanced voting for the federal election, resulting in a grand total of more than 7.3 million over the four day period. And as Canada enters the final stretch of campaigning in one of the most critical elections of our time, what can these preliminary numbers tell us about what's to come? Which party could benefit the most from those who vote early? And will we see this sort of momentum on April 28? Hos...
Apr 24, 2025•17 min•Ep. 1426
Pope Francis has passed away at the age of 88, leaving behind a legacy of breaking ground in the vatican and his attempts to modernize the Catholic church. Francis also left a lasting impact on Canada, with a 2022 trip to apologize for the church's role in the residential school system. Host Cormac Mac Sweeney speaks with Emma Anderson, a professor of religious studies at the University of Ottawa, about the tenure of Francis, what comes next in the process to pick a new pope, and could a Canadia...
Apr 23, 2025•24 min•Ep. 1425
It’s been hotly debated by scholars and advocates for decades: do we need to change the way we elect governments in this country? On April 28th, there will be 91 candidates on the ballot in the riding of Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre. It will be the longest ballot in Canadian election history. Of 91 candidates, 85 are independent protest candidates from the Longest Ballot Committee, a group raising awareness about electoral reform. Host David Smith speaks with one of those candidates, Bla...
Apr 22, 2025•25 min•Ep. 1424
One week from today Canadians will cast their ballots to pick their next government, in what has been described as an existential election amid U.S. President Trump's trade and sovereignty threats. As we enter the final stretch of the campaign, parties are shifting their strategies to ensure they get supporters to the polls and secure every vote they can. What can we expect from the parties in these final days, can we see a major shift in the polls and could leaders lose their jobs? Host Cormac ...
Apr 21, 2025•18 min•Ep. 1423
It used to be a social no-no, but Canadians now seem to find themselves diving head-first in political engagement, dialogue, and awareness, all in the wake of what's perceived to be one of the most critical federal elections of our lifetime. Just three months ago, however, Canadians were at odds with each other over who they wanted the face of their country to be, what name they wanted the flag to be associated with, and the type of Canada they wanted moving forward. How do we navigate this new ...
Apr 18, 2025•28 min•Ep. 1422
This week, Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre re-ignited debate about Section 33 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Poilievre is pledging to use the Notwithstanding Clause to bring in justice reforms, including reviving Harper-era consecutive life sentences that were ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court. Host David Smith speaks with constitutional law expert Professor Eric Adams from the University of Alberta about why this section of the Canadian constitution is so c...
Apr 17, 2025•23 min•Ep. 1421
To burner phone or not to burner phone? The current debate on social media amid heightened searches of personal electronic devices by US immigration officers. Combined with new requirements for Canadians travelling to the US, such as mandatory registration with the American government for a 30+ day stay, as well as frightening headlines of travelers being detained at the border - Canadians are rightfully turned off from the US. But for those who don't have the choice to opt out of travel, what c...
Apr 16, 2025•18 min•Ep. 1420
Canada is less than two weeks away from its 45th Federal Election, and whether it's going to be your first time voting, or you've spun the block before, The Big Story is getting down to the basics. Where can you vote? What do you need to bring? Who's eligible? What if you don't have a voter information card? Host Cormac Mac Sweeney speaks to Dianne Benson with Elections Canada to get the answers you need before the ballot box question on April 28. We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as su...
Apr 15, 2025•29 min•Ep. 1419
With so much attention on Donald Trump and the trade war, it’s easy to forget about the other crisis facing Canada today: Housing affordability. All three major federal parties are pledging billions of dollars in their housing platforms. But are these plans ambitious enough to meet the moment? A group of industry associations and advocacy organizations have come together to form the Canada Housing Coalition. They have a blueprint for the next federal government’s housing policy. For whoever ends...
Apr 14, 2025•24 min•Ep. 1418
It's the latest among the vast plethora of parenting styles: Gentle Parenting...but just how gentle is it? And for whom? The US General Surgeon has issued public health advisory on the impact of modern stresses on parents' mental health, listing six factors it says contributes to parent/caregiver burnout. They include financial strain, time demands, children’s health & safety, loneliness & isolation, technology& social media, and cultural pressures. Host Pooja Handa speaks to Dr. Shimi Kang, Psy...
Apr 12, 2025•18 min•Ep. 1417
Alex Ovechkin's recent achievement of surpassing Wayne Gretzky's all-time NHL goals record with his 895th goal on April 6 has been met with both celebration and controversy. While fans and the hockey community lauded his on-ice accomplishment, his longstanding support for Russian President Vladimir Putin has reignited criticism, especially in light of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Host Cormac Mac Sweeney speaks with Guardian contributor, Colin Horgan, about how fans are welcoming the achievement...
Apr 11, 2025•17 min•Ep. 1416
After an epic meltdown around the world, wiping away 10 trillion dollars in value, the S&P/TSX saw its best day in 5 years. The Nasdaq had its best day in 24 years. But does it matter if you're not invested? Host Kris McCusker speaks to Philip Petursson, Chief Investment Strategist at I.G Wealth Management about how and why it does matter - and why things could soon get better.We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future episodes. You can find us: Through email at hello@t...
Apr 10, 2025•18 min•Ep. 1415
Ottawa is one year into its two-year temporary international student visa cap project, and post-secondary institutions across the country are heavily feeling the effects of a limited international tuition profit margin. Former Immigrations, Refugee and Citizenship Minister, Marc Miller, introduced the program of January 2024 which hopes of tightening up any immigration loopholes found within the student visa guidelines, as well as to alleviate housing and healthcare pressures brought on by the i...
Apr 09, 2025•22 min•Ep. 1414
When you hear about separatism in Canada, you may immediately think of Quebec. But in recent years, a growing separatist movement in Western Canada has emerged as a possible threat to national unity. With provincial governments in Alberta and Saskatchewan increasingly at odds with the federal government in Ottawa, is the future of confederation on the ballot in this election? Host David Smith speaks with Jon Roe from the Angus Reid Institute about the latest public opinion research on separatism...
Apr 08, 2025•21 min•Ep. 1413
Once a favoured travel hotspot for Canadians looking to escape the cold or stock up on American-only goodies, now stands as a no-go zone for many travellers north of the border amid annexation threats and unwarranted tariffs from US President Donald Trump. New data shows a downtrend for Canadians heading south of the border for leisure trips for this travel season compared to previous years, but what exactly do the numbers mean and will the trend continue to head south (instead of Canadians) for...
Apr 07, 2025•16 min•Ep. 1412
US President Donald Trump dubbed it 'Liberation Day', and it seemed like numbers across the North American stock market took the word 'liberate' and headed south. Besides the historic plunging of some of Wall Street's benchmarks as a result of the Trump's latest tariff announcement on April 2, his long-term goal of a stronger America seems more farther in the distance than he might've originally projected. But what exactly did he project? And was there any sort of input from the big players he's...
Apr 06, 2025•28 min•Ep. 1411
