The Big Story

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 liter...

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 h...

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 emo...

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...

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...

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 Rapt...

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...

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 Mela...

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 P...

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 su...

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 d...

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...

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...

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...

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 f...

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 w...

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, D...

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...

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 A...

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, blamin...

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 nex...

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 wha...

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....

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...

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 bur...