The Big Story

Plus: Prime Minister Mark Carney wants public opinion on the Ontario government's expansion plan for Billy Bishop Toronto Island Airport, Trump took in Game 3 of the NBA Finals in-person, birth rates are dropping with a link to smartphones, and what's the state of the federal Conservatives right now? We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future episodes. You can find us: Th...

It's been an interesting past few months for the Federal Conservatives, from several MPs crossing the floor, to reports of inner-circle fighting, to Pierre Poilievre questioning PM Carney's education in economics. In more recent events, the Federal Opposition leader has since claimed that Canada is in a 'full-blown' recession, and has called for unity among Alberta separatists. Host Maria Kestane...

Plus: Pierre Poilievre is expected to call for a shift in federal policies with rising separatist movements in Alberta, Iran's military says it's stopping offensive operations after exchanging fire with Israel, and looking ahead to the World Cup - security and the top-ranked stadiums. We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future episodes. You can find us: Through email at h...

Louise Arbour, a former lawyer, Supreme Court Justice, and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, is being sworn in as Canada's next Governor General. It comes at a nuanced time for Canada's global identity. Host Catherine Jette speaks to Nelson Wiseman, a political science professor at the University of Toronto about the Governor General's role in Canada, whether or not Canadians feel connected t...

Enjoy this special feed drop of our sister show "In This Economy?!" Following a negative performance for economic growth in the first quarter of 2026, the Canadian economy fell into what's been described as a "technical recession". While the headline was pounced on for political debate, with such a small decline (just a 0.1% contraction) and some parts of the economy still doing quite well, econom...

Plus: can Albertans actually be dual citizens if the province separates from Canada, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy has requested a face-to-face with Russian leader Vladimir Putin, the Ontario government is going after illegal ticket resellers again, and could B.C. see its first Conservative premier in a century? We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future episode...

The British Columbia Conservative Party hasn't won an election since, and hasn't won a seat in 50. As recently as the 2020 provincial election, the party earned just 36,000 votes. But in 2024, the party surged in popularity, nearly toppling the long-thought invincible BC NDP. Then came interparty turmoil, which led to the ousting of their leader, John Rustad, and a leadership election that went on...

Plus: Carney's responding to the latest tariff threats from the U.S., Toronto Police have arrested four more in connection with suspected hate-motivated assaults, a Vancouver ski resort could be setting a Guinness World Record, and what's killing the oysters in P.E.I.? We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future episodes. You can find us: Through email at hello@thebigstory...

A pair of parasitic diseases are wreaking havoc on Prince Edward Island's oyster industry, forcing farms across the province to throw out close to all of their supply. MSX and Dermo are to blame. They're fatal to the mollusk but not harmful to humans. Host Maria Kestane speaks to James Power, general manager of Raspberry Point Oysters in PEI to discuss what farmers are left to do with ambiguous go...

Plus: a pill that could double survival time for patients with pancreatic cancer could soon be coming to Canada, Zellers is continuing to accelerate its comeback in Canada, the latest on CBS's firing of veteran news correspondent Scott Pelley, and how can provincial Liberals make a comeback? We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future episodes. You can find us: Through ema...

While the Federal Liberals remain historically popular under Prime Minister Mark Carney, that isn't the case for their provincial counterparts. By the end of 2016, more than half of Canada's provinces and territories had Liberal governments. Today, that's down to one, as Liberal premiers fell one by one to largely conservative-- but some NDP-- replacements. Liberal parties faced especially histori...

Plus: the federal NDP want to do-away with floor crossings, police are warning of counterfeit merch ahead of the World Cup, Sabrina Carpenter has been granted a restraining order against an alleged stalker, and how data centres are having a moment in Canada right now. We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future episodes. You can find us: Through email at hello@thebigstoryp...

If you've noticed that data centres are having a moment in Canada right now, you wouldn't be the only one. As Ottawa looks to maintain a sovereign digital footprint amid the current AI rush, building its own data centres has the potential to do so. But the question is who actually funds these centres, and what are they doing to the environments around them? Host Maria Kestane speaks to Shion Guha,...

Plus: Latest contract offer from Canada Post to postal workers, Canada's projected economic lift from FIFA World Cup 2026, health groups calling for Federal Government to cut nicotine use by 2045, and the results from The Canadian Screen Awards. 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...

Amid a cost-of-living crisis, a war across the Middle East, job uncertainty thanks to AI - do you still have emotional bandwidth to worry about the environment? It seems like Ottawa doesn't. Since PM Carney took office, he's made strides towards strengthening our economy by bridging resource gaps with our very own products and assets, while simultaneously disregarding efforts made the previous Lib...

Enjoy this special feed drop of our sister show "In This Economy?!" A recent survey shows many Canadians are scaling back their spending on vacations this summer as life continues to get more expensive. And while it’s not surprising, experts say it presents a really unique opportunity to re-examine your finances overall to prioritize things like trips. This week on "In This Economy?!" Co-Host Kris...

Plus: The health minister defends Ebola travel restrictions, a man accused of selling deadly substances online to people at risk of self-harm pleads guilty, a rocket explosion, and Danielle Smith's referendum gamble. 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

As separatist sentiment swirls across Alberta, the country has been holding it's breath and wondering: "will we face another separation referendum?" It seemed inevitable, as Premier Danielle Smith changed the rules to make putting a referendum forward easier. But a court decision rejected their petition on the grounds that Indigenous peoples who would be affected were not properly consulted. Smith...

Plus: China's foreign minister arrives in Canada, a new report from the United Nations Weather Agency, Ebola latest, and the Pope calls for AI regulation. 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

In his first ever Encyclical, titled "Magnifica Humanitas"-- or Magnificent Humanity-- Pope Leo XIV says AI needs to be "disarmed". It's a sweeping document, introduced to the world by Pope Leo himself, a first for a papal encyclical, calling for the leaders to make sure the new technology is developed for the common good. To ensure that, he explicitly calls for more government regulation in the i...

Plus: the federal government is entering contract talks with 'Saab' for Royal Air Force aircraft, the Western premiers have wrapped their meeting in Alberta, temperature records are being broken across Europe as a heat wave continues, and where does Canada's relationship with Israel lie? We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future episodes. You can find us: Through email a...

Earlier this week, 12 Canadians returned home from Turkey after their Gaza-bound flotilla was intercepted by Israeli guards. Video posted by Israel's National Defence Minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, showed hundreds of activists handcuffed, kneeled with their heads touching the ground, as he taunted them after being arrested. The footage sparked wide-spread backlash and condemnation, including from Isra...

Plus: Day two of the annual western premiers conference, efforts to combat Canadian wildfires, and a South Korean navy submarine is docked in B.C. 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

We've heard about the attacks. We've felt the oil price increases. And every time a ceasefire gets mentioned, it makes headline news. Something less visible but just as dire are the lives of seafarers stuck in the Strait of Hormuz, who are not only facing supply shortages but also the reality that an end date is nowhere in sight. Host Caryn Ceolin speaks with Mohamed Arrachedi, Arab World & Iran N...

Plus: Western Canadian Premiers meet in Alberta, Ontario patient tests negative for Ebola, Gaza activists return to Canada, White House shooting. 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