The Really Big Show with Jim Csek &Iain Burns

It’s Wednesday, March 18, 2026. As the global economic winter settles in, Canada is now facing a perfect storm, with new data suggesting the country is on a collision course with stagflation—a combination of stagnant growth and high inflation. The central problem, critics argue, is that Ottawa’s regulatory and fiscal policies, far from providing a path out of the crisis, are actually stifling any...

It’s Tuesday, March 17, 2026. While the Prime Minister’s Office continues to push a narrative of global influence and "strategic autonomy," a bombshell report from the Canadian Human Rights Commission has forced a new, darker title into the national conversation. The declaration marks a historic low for the government's economic record. As Prime Minister Mark Carney meets with Nordic...

It’s Monday, March 16, 2026, and the contrast between the government's "Sunny Ways" rhetoric and the cold reality of a volatile world has never been sharper. As Mark Carney meets with Keir Starmer at 10 Downing Street to discuss the escalating war in the Middle East and the perilous closure of the Strait of Hormuz, Canadians at home are facing an "Economic Winter" that refu...

Has democracy failed in Canada, or is the country being steered toward a managed decline by a political class that values global optics over local stability? Economic winter is upon us as Liberals tout ‘sunny ways,’ yet the data tells a chilling story: a shock loss of 84,000 jobs has sent the unemployment rate soaring to 6.7%, with long-term joblessness now gripping nearly a quarter of the unemplo...

The fallout from MP Lori Idlout’s floor-crossing is reaching a fever pitch this Thursday morning as new polling reveals a staggering 74% of Canadians believe floor-crossers shouldn't be allowed to finish their terms without a by-election. While Mark Carney secures a controversial Beijing pledge that ends surtaxes on Chinese EVs, our own auto exports have cratered to a four-year low—leaving man...

Today’s show tackles a massive shift in the House of Commons as Nunavut MP Lori Idlout crosses the floor to the Liberals, giving the government more leverage just as national security warnings reach a breaking point. From Doug Ford’s "sleeper cell" alerts to explosive testimony from a former CBC host alleging threats over Conservative bookings, the divide between the elites and the commo...

In today’s show we tackle a volatile news cycle that hits close to home as the U.S. Consulate in Toronto is struck by gunfire amidst rising global tensions. While oil prices retreat following Donald Trump’s declaration that the war in Iran is "very complete," Canada remains bogged down by ideological roadblocks and elite-driven scandals. We break down the Liberal attempt to bypass proper...

In our final show of the week, we explore the devastating argument that our leadership is prioritizing the benefit of a few at the expense of the many. From Mark Carney’s controversial stance on CUSMA and the "China Clause" to the dismantle-by-design approach hitting the auto sector under Mélanie Joly and Doug Ford, we ask why a resource-rich nation like Canada continues to travel the wo...

Is Canada sacrificing its economic strength for policies that aren’t delivering results? With energy markets in turmoil around the world, many are asking why a country as resource-rich as Canada still struggles to turn its natural advantages into prosperity. We break down the growing criticism of Net Zero policies, Poilievre’s vision for Canada’s future, and the broader question of why Canadians f...

Midweek and the temperature in Canadian politics just keeps rising. Today’s show tackles the argument that the country’s current direction isn’t just about bad decisions — it’s about a deeper ideological problem. From economic policy and energy strategy to global positioning and media narratives, critics say the system is increasingly benefiting the few while the majority struggles. We break down...

Canada is sitting on what the world desperately needs — and we’re barely using it. With global energy markets in turmoil, uranium surging in Saskatchewan, and geopolitical tensions reshaping supply chains, energy has become the central issue of the decade. The question is whether Ottawa finally understands that — or is still stuck in yesterday’s climate playbook. We break down Carney’s overseas de...

Overnight strikes, leadership taken out, and global powers moving fast — are we now at war with Iran? We break down what happened, how Canada responded, and why Ottawa says it wasn’t informed or asked to help. Carney backs the operation while traveling abroad, and the geopolitical shockwaves are already hitting markets — with gold surging and tensions rising. At home, questions deepen about the mi...

Friday and we’re closing the week with a message that cuts through the noise: America is not our enemy. As trade tensions, media narratives, and political rhetoric heat up, we examine the growing divide between reality and the storyline being sold to Canadians. From Poilievre’s pushback on China, to Carney’s overseas diplomacy, to China suspending canola tariffs, the geopolitics are shifting quick...

Thursday, February 26 — and the numbers are sobering. Child poverty in Canada has risen to its worst level since 2017, raising serious questions about affordability, policy direction, and who is actually benefiting from record government spending. While banks post strong profits and elites remain insulated, more families are struggling to keep up. We’ll also examine immigration pressures, MAID sta...

Midweek and the contradictions are stacking up. Canada importing LNG from Australia while sitting on massive reserves at home. Bureaucratic games slowing deals. Housing once the pride of the country now sliding to the bottom. Military underfunded, Canada Post bleeding cash, and rail dreams being marketed like lifestyle branding. We break down media narratives, Quebec separatist momentum, Alberta t...

Today we break down the growing narrative that blames the U.S. for Canada’s problems while the real structural issues at home go untouched. With Kris Sims from the Canadian Taxpayers Federation joining us, we dig into government spending, food inflation, another ArriveScam-style controversy, and why the military still seems to be an afterthought despite all the rhetoric. We also examine Canada’s f...

It’s Monday, and the week is already off to a chaotic start. From cartel violence erupting in Mexico to fresh warnings from the Bank of Canada about a potential “nightmare scenario,” the global and domestic pressures are piling up. We break down Carney’s frequent flyer diplomacy, tariff tensions, and whether any real deals are actually being made. Meanwhile, questions swirl around Canada’s shrinki...

The U.S. Supreme Court strikes down Donald Trump’s global tariff regime, and the ripple effects are immediate. What does it mean for Canada, for trade, and for provinces like BC that are desperate for an economic boost? We break down the fallout, the reactions from Ottawa and Alberta, and whether this changes anything — or just reshuffles the deck. At home, frustration keeps building. Red tape pus...

Midweek and the questions aren’t getting any smaller. Tonight we dive into growing concerns about transparency, accountability, and whether Canada’s democratic institutions are still working the way people think they are. From state broadcaster controversies and hot mic moments to immigration policy fallout, bureaucratic bloat, and secretive spending decisions, the frustration is building. We also...

It’s midweek and the temperature is rising in Ottawa. Today we tackle a growing concern that Canadian politics has slipped into closed-door maneuvering and insider deals. Does democracy still mean something when major decisions feel pre-arranged and accountability keeps getting deferred? Canadians are told to tighten their belts while elites continue to do just fine, and the gap is widening. We br...

Today’s show dives straight into the controversy over Mark Carney naming a key figure tied to the Freedom Convoy response as Canada’s top negotiator, and why the Emergencies Act questions still haven’t gone away. We break down the sharp contrast between Rubio’s speech and Carney’s global vision, the ongoing cost-of-living squeeze, EV mandates, housing promises, and why Canadians keep saying one th...

We made it to Friday — and a long weekend at that. Before Canadians head into a well-earned break, we’re closing out the week with a big one. Canada missing climate targets while the economy sputters. Is this a double loss — or just the bill finally coming due? We unpack the candlelight vigil in Tumbler Ridge, rising affordability pressures, the EV gamble, supply management, taxes climbing in Apri...

This morning’s show  digs into a serious national security concern — reports suggesting Canada has become the number one target for Chinese Communist Party influence operations. If true, what does that say about our institutions, our media, and our political leadership? We also revisit the tragedy in Tumbler Ridge as global attention remains fixed on British Columbia. At the same time, economic an...

Today we begin on a heavy note. The unimaginable tragedy in Tumbler Ridge has shaken British Columbia and the entire country. Our thoughts are with the families, friends, and community grieving this devastating loss. From there, we examine the broader questions that won’t go away — public safety, leadership, accountability, and the state of a province already under strain.  We also break down moun...

Midweek and the spin is working overtime. Today we cut through the talking points as Carney pivots to hockey clichés while the economy keeps sliding, the Liberals quietly write cheques, and hard questions go unanswered. From secret defence spending and EV contradictions to immigration backlogs, media blind spots, and growing public fear, the disconnect is impossible to ignore. Add rising separatis...