The Big Story

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• Weekend Listen: The Prime Minister's honeymoon continues 18.07.2026 15мин

  Enjoy this special feed drop from our sister show 'In This Economy?!' Prime Minister Mark Carney continues to get high marks from Canadians on his handling of the economy, despite the actual economic performance numbers showing that real gross domestic product has shrunk by 0.05% since he was elected, presiding over the worst first year of growth for a Prime Minister since at least 1963. However, a Nanos research group poll shows 60% of Canadians think Carney has done a very good or good job of handling economic issues. The data suggests Canadians are blaming global factors for the economic slump rather than Carney himself. But how long can that be expected to last? With Canadian households dealing with pocketbook issues such as high prices for gasoline and food, along with uncertainty about the job market, will those numbers start to decline? Or will they be solid so long as U.S. President Donald Trump is in the White House? In today's episode of In This Economy?! host Mike Eppel speaks with Nik Nanos, chief data scientist at Nanos research.
• Big Headlines: U.S. politicians blast Canada over wildfire smoke 17.07.2026 7мин

  Plus: Trump primetime speech, Britain will have a new PM, recommendations for a public Alzheimer's drug plan, and the World Cup wraps up this weekend.
• When will wildfire management become Canada's priority? 17.07.2026 23мин

  No, it's not a filter. The yellow-orange haze cast upon much of Southern Ontario thanks to smoke drifting in from Northwestern wildfires. Toronto was ranked as having the worst air quality in the world for most of Wednesday according to IQAir. Although conditions are expected to ease as the city heads into the weekend, was there a way to prevent it from getting this bad in the first place? And if so - why wasn't Ontario ready? Host Maria Kestane speaks to Dr. Lori Daniels, Professor in the faculty of Forestry and Environmental Stewardship at University of British Columbia. They discuss how Ontario has ended up here and how we can be better prepared for wildfire seasons to come.
• Big Headlines: Wildfires spark hazardous air quality levels 16.07.2026 6мин

  Plus: The U.S. and Iran exchange strikes, Trump is set to make a primetime speech, Canadians appear to have a more positive view on China, immigration changes are now in effect, and could an 'explosive' parasite reach Canadian produce
• Will the 'explosive' parasite reach Canadian produce sections? 16.07.2026 23мин

  Cyclospora: it's a microscopic organism found in water, but can spread to food-- especially produce. Found most commonly in wet and warm climates, it can travel into your grocery store through things like imported lettuce, raspberries, carrots, or more. And once you catch it, it causes some 'explosive' problems. Host Caryn Ceolin is speaking with Keith Warriner, a professor of food microbiology in the department of food science at the University of Guelph to find out what Cyclospora is, what it does to the human body, and what the risk of it coming to Canada really is.
• Big Headlines: Conflict erupts over the Strait of Hormuz, and what will the war’s long-term impacts be? 15.07.2026 7мин

  Plus: the Bank of Canada holds the key interest rate at 2.25%, Toronto’s air quality is the worst of any major city in the world today, a “suspicious” fire damages Surrey City Hall, Nova Scotia premier John Hamm has died at the age of 88, and Lindsey Graham’s sister is sworn in to replace him in the U.S. Senate.
• Has Trump launched a forever war? 15.07.2026 22мин

  It's yet another campaign promise US President Trump has seemed to loosen his commitment towards: not starting forever wars. A mission he projected to last only a few weeks has dragged into its fifth month, with a collapsed ceasefire, renewed rounds of attacks, an ambiguous Strait of Hormuz, and thousands of lives lost. Host Caryn Ceolin speaks to Aaron Rupar, publisher of the Public Notice newsletter to bring us up to speed where the US Israel - Iran war stands, Trump's long-game, and how Iran could leverage the war for decades to come.
• Big Headlines: Alberta welcomes private online gaming companies, and Toronto police identify the victims of a deadly street festival shooting 14.07.2026 6мин

  Plus: A man is killed by an ICE agent in Maine, a B.C. nurses put their picket lines on pause, a former MP is arrested for illegal firearms possession, and what factored into Canada’s decision to cut visas for students and temporary workers?
• Who gets left behind during immigration cuts? 14.07.2026 25мин

  Canada has begun accepting far fewer immigrants, with the number we accept becoming a larger part of the national discussion over the last few years. We often talk about how it's affected colleges and universities, as well the temporary foreign worker system. But what's rarely covered is how it's made a change in small towns. Today on The Big Story, co-host Maria Kestane speaks with Shilpashree Jagannathan, a journalist covering immigration in Canada, about how new restrictions have led to declining populations.
• Big Headlines: US Politician Lindsay Graham passed away, and Peter Nygard has been found guilty of more charges 13.07.2026 6мин

  Plus: Toronto Police is investigating a deadly shooting at the Salsa on St. Clair Festival, Disgraced fashion mogul Peter Nygard has been found guilty sexual assault and forcible confinement charges at a Montreal courthouse, U-S and Iran are both claiming they control the Strait of Hormuz, the union representing more than five-thousand Canadian auto-workers has reached a tentative deal with Ford motor company to keep them on the job, and does Canada need a relationship with Saudi Arabia?
• Does Canada need a relationship with Saudi Arabia? 13.07.2026 22мин

  It's been more than a quarter of a century since a Canadian Prime Minister touched down on Saudi Arabian soil to meet with the country's leader. That was until PM Carney headed south from Turkey to visit the Kingdom last week. The trip is a part of Carney's quest to find new global alliances and trading partners aside from the US. Host Maria Kestane speaks to Sabine Nolke, former foreign service officer for Global Affairs to discuss what exactly Canada could be getting out of a relationship with the gulf nation, and whether or not Carney is missing the mark when it comes to picking countries that align with Canadian values.
• Weekend Listen: Artificial Intelligence is costing us, is it worth it? 11.07.2026 27мин

  Enjoy this special feed drop from our sister show 'In This Economy?!'. Artificial intelligence is working its way into our daily lives – and it’s probably turning up in places you hadn’t though of – like the local coffee shop. While there are many positive applications, the technology is also very expensive to run – and not just financially. And while it continues to proliferate into our workplaces, our homes, and the public, it remains something few people, even those politicians charged with regulating it, actually understand. Today on In This Economy?!, host Kris McCusker speaks to Richard Lachman, professor of Digital Media at Toronto Metropolitan University. He recently published a book called “Digital Wisdom: Searching for Agency in the Age of AI,” designed to help policy-makers, professionals, educators, and regular citizens understand all the impacts this groundbreaking technology could have.
• Big Headlines: Iran reportedly devised a plan to assassinate Donald Trump 10.07.2026 6мин

  Plus: Stats Canada has released a better than expected jobs report, an investigation is underway after an Air Canada aircraft overshot the runway in Montreal, a deadly wildfire hits Spain, a warning from experts about illegal nicotine pouches, and Canada cozies to Europe with German sub pick.
• Canada cozies to Europe with German sub pick 10.07.2026 17мин

  Prime Minister Mark Carney announced a $100-billion dollar contract to replace Canada's submarine fleet will be awarded to Germany and Norway, marking the largest contract of its kind in Canadian history. The choice though, goes beyond the subs themselves and sends broader signals to who Carney is eyeing to create lasting trade relations with. Host Caryn Ceolin is speaking with journalist David Pugliese about why the fleet needs updating, what the decision could signal for Canada's relationship with the Indo-Pacific, and what these new subs will mean for Canada's military overall.
• Big Headlines: U.S.-Iran ceasefire crumbles as Trump hints at return to full-out war 09.07.2026 6мин

  Plus: Mark Carney is in Saudi Arabia, federal officials provide a wildfire update, the death toll is rising in Venezuela, and Bonnie Tyler has died.
• Why is Mark Carney putting a Conservative in the senate? 09.07.2026 21мин

  Prime Minister Carney has made his first Senate appointments - including a sitting Conservative MP and the PM's former Principal Secretary. When Justin Trudeau became Prime Minister, he ended the practice of making partisan appointments to the Senate, kicking every Liberal senator out of his caucus, and creating an independent panel to make senate recommendations. But now, Carney seems to be going back to the old way of doing things-- with a twist. Host Maria Kestane speaks with Eleanor Wand, a political reporter from the Hill Times, to discuss what the move by Carney might mean, what political choices might be being made, and what it all means about Carney's approach to Parliament's upper chamber.
• Big Headlines: Trump says ceasefire with Iran is 'over' and threatens new strikes, plus Carney announces another major defence deal 08.07.2026 7мин

  Plus: the Liberal government’s plan to buy thousands of condos in B.C. faces scrutiny, Air Canada chooses its next CEO, Count Binface takes on a British party leader in a bizarre by-election, and how will Bill C-22 affect Canadians’ privacy?
• The law that would surrender Canadian data to America 08.07.2026 22мин

  Bill C-22 has sparked wide controversy surrounding its potential threat to privacy, as well as the way it's been rushed through parliamentary processes. Not only that, but experts are sounding the alarm on its potential connection to the US Cloud Act, which gives American government officials the power to demand user data from tech companies. Host Caryn Ceolin speaks to Kate Robertson, a senior research associate with the Citizen Lab to discuss the implications of Ottawa's Lawful Access Act on your data and privacy.
• Big Headlines: Canada's ready to build new radar jets for NATO and Montreal honours a fallen officer 07.07.2026 6мин

  Plus: Alberta and Ontario plan a new oil pipeline, Jeremy Hansen leaves the Canadian Space Agency, Kyle Lowry retires as a Raptor, and what are the risks of bringing prediction markets to Canada?
• Canada is making a bet on prediction markets 07.07.2026 18мин

  It seems like you can place a bet on anything these days-- and in some places, you pretty much. With sites like Polymarket and Kalshi, you can put money on whether or not a politician will utter a phrase, major geopolitical events, how many goals an athlete might score, and more. But in Canada, stricter regulations have prevented these sights from spreading north of the U.S. border. But that's about to change. Wealthsimple, a Canadian finance company, is bringing Kalshi to the great white north-- if in a limited capacity. Today on The Big Story podcast, host Caryn Ceolin is speaking with Elliot Goodell Ugalde, a Ph. D candidate at Queen's University, specializing in political economy and the governance of artificial intelligence about the risks are of bringing prediction markets into the country, what the government could do to mitigate them, and how they could affect society.