The Big Story

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: Through email at hello@thebigstorypodcast.ca Or @thebigstory.bsky.social on Bluesky Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.ad...

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 speak...

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: Through email at hello@thebigstorypodcast.ca Or @thebigstory.bsky.social on Bluesky Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information abo...

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...

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 Or @thebigstory.bsky.social on Bluesky Hosted by Simplecast, an A...

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...

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, t...

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...

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...

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: Thr...

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...

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 Or @thebig...

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...

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....

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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,...

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...

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...