Shocking news this week out of Quebec where charges have been laid in an alleged plot involving a militia to take over a portion of Quebec City. Dozens of combat-like weapons were seized and it's alleged the group was running a recruitment strategy through Instagram. Investigators allege among the four men charged are two, active Canadian Armed Forces members but fall short of naming who, or how long they've been a part of the force. The charges range from terrorism-related offences to possessio...
Jul 10, 2025•23 min•Ep. 1497
It's a story about a city that constantly surprises. A random bunny spotting turned into a near-obsession for a Toronto journalist. He was trying to track down the answer to a seemingly simple question, "Are there more bunnies in Toronto?" Turns out, it's a pretty tricky question to answer. Host Kris McCusker speaks to Nicholas Hune-Brown, executive editor at The Local, about his trip down a literal rabbit hole to find out what’s going on and why you may (or may not) be seeing more bunnies in yo...
Jul 09, 2025•15 min•Ep. 1496
The Calgary Stampede is known as the greatest outdoor show on earth. It's a must attend event for most Calgarians, but more importantly for Canadian politicians. It's an event that can make or break someone - from what they're wearing to how they flip pancakes. Host Mark Day speaks to CityNews reporter Sean Amato in Alberta about why the Stampede is so important and a look at everything's that's happened this year so far. We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future episo...
Jul 08, 2025•16 min•Ep. 1495
It’s been dramatized in countless movies and TV shows, like Law and Order or 12 Angry Men, but you may have wondered if the Hollywood portrayals match up with the reality of jury duty. This year, CityNews Reporter, Nick Westoll, got to find out first hand when he was picked to serve on a jury in a criminal case. From the jury selection process, to the restrictions and being sequestered, to the emotional toll of deciding the fate of an accused, host Cormac Mac Sweeney speaks with Nick about the c...
Jul 07, 2025•24 min•Ep. 1494
A data breach used to be big news. It was disconcerting to those impacted and was normally followed filed a class action lawsuit. But as they become more ubiquitous, are we caring less? And if you're a victim of a data breach, what is the financial impact to you? Host Mike Eppel speaks with Mike Hortobagyi, Senior Manager, Solutions Engineering at Otka Canada. We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future episodes. You can find us: Through email at hello@thebigstorypodcast...
Jul 06, 2025•18 min•Ep. 1493
Sean “Diddy” Combs remains behind bars – awaiting sentencing – after the music mogul was found guilty on two charges and not guilty on 3 others. He had pleaded not guilty – and has denied all allegations against him. The 7 week trial, which saw more than 30 witnesses, started in May – months after the debut of a series on HBO Max called “The Fall of Diddy.” Host Kris McCusker speaks to one of the co-directors of that docuseries, Yoruba Richen, about what might happen next and whether Diddy can r...
Jul 04, 2025•16 min•Ep. 1492
Masai Ujiri's time in Toronto is over. He'll be remembered for many things, most notably for the very first NBA Championship a Canadian team has ever won. We the North became the country's rallying cry and the signing of superstar Kawhi Leonard ignited the city behind the sport like we'd never seen. Host Maria Kestane speaks with Toronto NewsRadio anchor Vrajesh Dave about what's next for the Raptors and what Ujiri's legacy is. We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future...
Jul 03, 2025•14 min•Ep. 1491
The whiplash news cycle around the Trump trade war continues and if you can't keep up, you're not alone. Last Friday, U.S. President Donald Trump said all trade talks with Canada were off because of a new "digital services tax" that was supposed to come into effect on Monday, targeting companies like Netflix. Late Sunday night, the federal government announced that the tax was being rescinded, and that talks with the U.S. were back on. Keeping up? It's a lot. So did Carney capitulate? The DST wa...
Jul 02, 2025•15 min•Ep. 1490
On this Canada Day, we’re reflecting on our national identity – but dependent on who you ask, you’ll get a different answer. Being Canadian comes with a complex mix of opinion, taking into account politics, history and geography. Are we still considered the polite neighbours to the north? Are we more united as a country since our sovereignty has been threatened by President Donald Trump? Host Melanie Ng reflects on these questions and more with Howard Ramos, a political sociologist at Western Un...
Jul 01, 2025•18 min•Ep. 1489
Statistics Canada just wrapped a 30 year study where they examined how Canadians spent their time and with whom. It found that in 2022, only 19% of working-age people saw their friends on a regular basis, marking a drop from almost 48% in 1986. And considering the pandemic is long-gone, what's sustaining this change in the way Canadians interact with loved ones, and how they use their time? Host Pooja Handa speaks to Pete Bombaci, Founder of the GenWell Project, to make sense of both the numbers...
Jun 30, 2025•18 min•Ep. 1488
It's the mid-point of the year and it's the economic question everyone is asking - what's going to happen with interest rates? On this episode of In This Economy - you'll hear from an expert about whether our economy is weakening and what that means for you. Host Mike Eppel speaks with Royce Mendes, Managing Director of Macro Strategy at Desjardins. We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future episodes. You can find us: Through email at [email protected] Or @the...
Jun 29, 2025•24 min•Ep. 1485
Stop us if you're heard this one before - a Trump threat on social media about tariffs rattles Canada. Because of a digital tax that's supposed to come into effect on Monday, Trump says that any trade talks with our country are done. The statement was made on his Truth Social account Friday afternoon. This ends any optimism that was there after the G7 summit when we were hearing that a new trade deal could be forthcoming in 30 days. So what happens next? Host Cormac Mac Sweeney speaks with Carle...
Jun 28, 2025•17 min•Ep. 1487
Tens of thousands of migrants choose between life or death in a quest to leave home in hopes of a better life, even if it means spending months working for cash just to pay a smuggler who will hopefully get a small boat filled past the brim to the other side of the journey. Aliou Candé made that very decision in 2019 - in hopes of a better future for his parents, two children and pregnant wife. A bullet to the neck at a secret, Libyan prison in 2021 killed that dream. He never saw the better lif...
Jun 27, 2025•31 min•Ep. 1486
A few months ago, COVID variant NB.1.8.1 wasn’t making headlines. However, after first being detected in China in January, reported cases have risen drastically. As of mid-May, the variant had reached 10.7% of global reported COVID-19 cases, according to the World Health Organization. The strain, given the nickname ‘razor blade throat’, after some who fell ill described a painfully sore throat as one of the symptoms – but how serious is this variant and are the current vaccines effective against...
Jun 26, 2025•17 min•Ep. 1484
From the EU to NATO, the Prime Minister is focused on two defence fronts this week. A new partnership with the European Union could overhaul our approach to military purchases at a time the Carney government is looking to end our reliance on the US. At the same time Canada and other NATO countries are facing pressure from the US to massively increase our defence spending by more than doubling our goal from 2% of GDP to 5%. Host Cormac Mac Sweeney speaks with Canada’s former Chief of Defence Staf...
Jun 25, 2025•24 min•Ep. 1483
Canada is on track to see the worst wildfire season since 2023. Millions of hectares of land scorched, thousands displaced and the smoke creating air quality warnings. So how bad can it get? Should we be paying closer attention to the bigger picture? Host Melanie Ng speaks with Dr. Lisa Patel, a paediatrician at Stanford Medicine Children’s Health hospital in San Francisco and Executive Director for the Medical Society Consortium on Climate and Health. We love feedback at The Big Story, as well ...
Jun 24, 2025•19 min•Ep. 1482
In a newly released study, Canada's Competition Bureau says there is a way to lower the cost of plane tickets and give Canadians more flight options. The Bureau suggests changing the rules around foreign ownership, which is currently capped in this country, leading to what it says is weak competition and therefore, an impediment to lower prices. Host Cormac Mac Sweeney talks about the new report with Brad Callaghan, Associate Deputy Commissioner at the Competition Bureau of Canada. We love feedb...
Jun 23, 2025•16 min•Ep. 1481
Housing affordability is a buzz word lately but how likely is it that it will actually become reality? Actual action on the issue has been really slow and housing starts aren't running at a pace that's it would need to be from a supply standpoint to make a meaningful difference. So what are the issues? What are the barriers to fixing this serious problem? Host Mike Eppel talks to Jordan Thomson, Director , Infrastructure Advisory at K-P-M-G Canada. We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as s...
Jun 22, 2025•19 min•Ep. 1480
It was one of Carney's shiny campaign promises with a deadline of Canada Day, but the way Parliament has hit the ground running on it has various groups across the country sounding the alarm. Bill C-5, 'An Act to enact the Free Trade and Labour Mobility in Canada Act and the Building Canada Act', is the Liberal government's latest effort to breakdown any barriers to interprovincial trade in light of Trump's tariffs. However, several Indigenous, environmentalist, and other underrepresented Canadi...
Jun 20, 2025•17 min•Ep. 1479
There is a new war in the Middle East. Israel and Iran have been trading missile strikes as Israel seeks to bring an end to Iran’s nuclear program. There are huge implications for regional and global security, as the world waits to see whether the U.S. will intervene. Host David Smith speaks with Professor Elliot Tepper, distinguished senior fellow at the Norman Patterson School of International Affairs at Carleton University in Ottawa. We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions f...
Jun 19, 2025•28 min•Ep. 1478
The opening date for a long suffering transit project in Toronto is a running joke across the GTA. The Eglinton L-R-T, a 25 stop above ground transit line, was set to open back in 2020. Since then, it's been continually pushed back because of a number of legal and construction issues. The cost ballooned from $5 billion dollars to $13 billion dollars, and dozens of businesses have shut down, blaming the impact from the years of construction. Although it's expected the L-R-T will start running Sep...
Jun 18, 2025•20 min•Ep. 1477
It was already an eventful day at the G7 before we learned last night that U.S. president Donald Trump was leaving early. The White House says he was returning home because of what's happening in the Middle East, as the conflict between Israel and Iran enters day 5. In terms of what was accomplished today, there's word of potential trade deal between Canada and the U.S. to be worked out in the next 30 days. How did Carney do at his first G7 as PM? And what else happened behind the scenes? Host M...
Jun 17, 2025•17 min•Ep. 1476
The Carney government has announced a plan to massively increase Canada’s defense budget. The plan will see Canada meet NATO’s 2% of GDP spending target by the end of the year. Why now? After decades of underspending, Canada’s allies are demanding we step up as the world looks to reduce reliance on the US for security. Host David Smith speaks with Canadian defense expert Richard Shimooka about what’s in the Carney defense plan, and how Canada fits into the wider global security picture. We love ...
Jun 16, 2025•24 min•Ep. 1474
On this weekend listen, we're re-visiting a story from March about a topic that just won't go away - how much social media is too much? Research out of the University of British Columbia shows there’s a way to manage your mental health while staying up to date on your favourite apps. Host Melanie Ng speaks with lead study author and psychology professor at UBC, Amori Mikami, about their findings. More info: pearl.psych.ubc.ca We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future e...
Jun 15, 2025•16 min•Ep. 1475
On Sunday, world leaders of some of the top democratic economies in the world will gather in Alberta for the G7 summit, to discuss everything from the war in Ukraine, to trade to wildfires. But what will be achieved at the meeting? Will U.S. president Donald Trump create drama like the last time he was on Canadian soil, and what should we make of the controversial decision to invite the leaders of India and Saudi Arabia? Host Cormac Mac Sweeney speaks with John Kirton, a University of Toronto Pr...
Jun 14, 2025•22 min•Ep. 1471
It is one of the worst airline disasters in decades in India. On Thursday, an Air India passenger plane bound for London, England, crashed minutes after takeoff. 242 people were onboard, including one Canadian, a woman from the Toronto area. Officials confirming only one surviving passenger at this point. On the ground, dozens more casualties after the plane crashed into a residential area and burst into flames near the airport in Ahmedabad. Host Melanie Ng speaks with aviation expert John Grade...
Jun 13, 2025•12 min•Ep. 1473
Today's Big Story is about the economy and the potential impact to Canada from Trump's so-called "Big Beautiful Bill". The bill could potentially have implications for Canadian investors and pension plans. Host Mike Eppel breaks down what it all means with guest Stephen Johnston, Director of Asset Management for Omnigence. 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 Twitter...
Jun 12, 2025•28 min•Ep. 1472
The biggest break-up of 2025 is already in the books. After less than a year – the very public bromance between the U.S. president and the world’s richest man blew up in front of our eyes. And it all played out in real time on social media. Just this morning, Elon Musk admitted that some of his posts may have gone too far. Donald Trump and Elon Musk have both softened their tones since the implosion but many are wondering what happens next. Host Kris McCusker spoke to Dr. Antoine Panaïoti, Assoc...
Jun 11, 2025•24 min•Ep. 1470
There's an uproar in Ontario about a just passed law that the government claims will speed up critical infrastructure and resource projects. However, critics including Indigenous groups are calling it a "land grab". Bill 5 gives the government the ability to exempt companies from laws in order to build faster. Host Richard Southern talks to Sol Mamakwa, the only Indigenous member of the Ontario legislature, about the bill and what happens next. We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as sugge...
Jun 10, 2025•15 min•Ep. 1469
It's an age old question - how do you ensure your kids grow up to be successful? A new book by an award-winning New York Times journalist tries to answer it. Susan Dominus details six compelling stories in "The Family Dynamic" which uncovers how both parents and siblings help shape individual success. Host Gurdeep Ahluwalia speaks to author Susan Dominus about her research and how her own family dynamic helped shape her. ============================================ You can read more about Susan ...
Jun 09, 2025•16 min•Ep. 1466
