The Big Story

It's one thing for you or me to be skeptical of generative AI. Sure, we might not have much practical use for it, and it may keep giving us the wrong answers to questions or images of people with too many fingers ... but there are billions and billions of dollars to be made here, right? A report last month from investment firm Goldman Sachs says "Maybe not." The report takes a clear-eyed look at the promise and potential of generative AI, compared to what has actually come to fruition and how much better AI may or may not get. The conclusions offer a picture of a Next Big Thing that might simply never get there.GUEST: Ed Zitron, technology writer, author of Where's Your Ed At? We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future episodes. You can find us:Through email at [email protected] Or @thebigstory.bsky.social on Bluesky

American Democrats had long prided themselves on taking the high road in the face of insults and mockery from the right. But over the past week, their tone—and the vibes of the presidential campaign—have shifted. Since Kamala Harris became the presumptive nominee, she and other top democrats have begun calling their Republican opponents just plain "weird" and sometimes "creepy".The response to it from the right has been fascinating. And Harris certainly appears to have wiped out the deficit she inherited from Joe Biden and brought the race even again. Why has "weird" worked so well? How has the race actually changed on the ground? What will define the final few months of the campaign?GUEST: Aaron Rupar, American political journalist, founder of Public Notice We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future episodes. You can find us:Through email at [email protected] Or @thebigstory.bsky.social on Bluesky

It's not your favourite metal band's summer itinerary. It's a group of far-right extremists who are travelling the country hosting events in venues that range from auditoriums to city parks. The content is about what you'd expect, and has led to several venues closing their doors, but that only leads to claims of censorship.Why are we telling you about this and possibly raising its profile? Because it can be easy to pretend groups like this don't exist in Canada, or that stuff like Diagolon only exists online. But it's increasingly turning up in our neighbourhoods and communities. So what, exactly, is the purpose of the "terror tour"? Who's hosting it, how did it come to be ... and what do you need to know about it if it comes to your town?GUEST: Jen St. Denis, reporter, The Tyee We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future episodes. You can find us:Through email at [email protected] Or @thebigstory.bsky.social on Bluesky

The call to evacuate came late at night. Thousands had to find somewhere to go. Some of them drove for up to 12 hours. Then all they could do was watched as a massive blaze in Jasper National Park tore through the town at its core.But even as the fire continued to burn outside of the town on Monday, work was being done to save what was left, including critical infrastructure. Both the park and town of Jasper hold a special place in the hearts of so many Canadians, but was there ever a chance to protect it? Or was this destruction inevitable? And what happens to Jasper now?GUEST: Sean Amato, reporter, CityNews Edmonton We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future episodes. You can find us:Through email at [email protected] Or @thebigstory.bsky.social on Bluesky

For the first time ever this summer—and on the 50th anniversary of Jaws—shark warning signs will go up on some Atlantic beaches in Canada. It's an effort to keep people informed as the shark population in the area seems to be surging, and with it the number of encounters with humans.What's driving the increase in numbers? What have we learned about shark behaviour in our waters? Should kayakers and boarders be worried? And half a century after Peter Benchley's novel turned the world against these supposed "man-eaters", how much better do we understand them?GUEST: Fred Whoriskey, executive director of the Ocean Tracking Network at Dalhousie University We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future episodes. You can find us:Through email at [email protected] Or @thebigstory.bsky.social on Bluesky

Recently there has been renewed talk of Canada launching a 'digital loonie'. We discussed the idea of a national digital currency on this very show almost three years ago, and with the idea gaining renewed traction, we felt now would be a good time to revisit that episode. We hope you enjoy!--------------------------------------------------------------Right now, the Bank of Canada is working on a "digital loonie" that will replace cash at some point in the future. Governments around the world are either following suit or way ahead of us. While banks have been giving their customers access to digital wallets for years, cryptocurrencies are attempting to corner the market on the next generation of money.The only thing that's clear to everyone is that actual cold, hard cash is not long for this world—with all the benefits and inequalities that will include. So in the race to become the next go-to source of currency ... who's winning?GUEST: Michael Doyle, freelance journalist and reporter We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future episodes. You can find us:Through email at [email protected] Or @thebigstory.bsky.social on Bluesky

With the recent devastation in Jasper, Alberta, we wanted to revisit this episode we recorded back in April with author, John Vaillant, where he explains why wildfires have become more common, and much harder to fight. We hope you find it informative, and our hearts go out to all those affected by the current fires. ----------------------------------------------------------ORIGINAL SHOW NOTESToday, evacuation alerts for several communities in BC and Alberta are in effect. You may not have noticed, because there are always evacuation alerts in effect now, and there are always fires burning, some of them out of control. When the whole country takes notice is when the skies over entire provinces go dark, the air turns bad or a blaze like the Fort McMurray fire in 2016 blitzes through a city.All of that will probably happen this year. The conditions are ripe for it, and there's not much we can do to prevent a devastating fire when it comes. But we can evolve our strategies as the fires get bigger. We can adapt. But...will we?GUEST: John Vaillant, author, Fire Weather: The making of a beast We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future episodes. You can find us:Through email at [email protected] Or @thebigstory.bsky.social on Bluesky

The Paris games kicks off with the Opening Ceremonies today, but the Canadian women's soccer team has already given the thousands of media covering the event something to talk about. Earlier this week, a team analyst was caught using a drone to spy on the New Zealand team's practice, sparking immediate consequences that have included removal from the team, multiple investigations and even police charges.Why would anyone associated with the team try to do this, or think they'd get away with it? Is this a one-off incident or a systemic issue? How far up the Canadian soccer ladder does this scheme go? How bad will the fallout be? And has Canada tainted its games before they even begin?GUEST: Sid Seixeiro, sports commentator, co-host of Breakfast Television, formerly of Tim and Sid We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future episodes. You can find us:Through email at [email protected] Or @thebigstory.bsky.social on Bluesky

A month ago President Joe Biden was about to debate former President Donald Trump. Everything since then has been a series of shocks that dramatically upset a race that had been static for years. Now Vice President Kamala Harris assumes the Democratic candidacy and will take on a Republican machine that had been preparing to run against the oldest candidate in history.How does Harris' ascention impact the race? How will republicans try to define her and will it work? How has she managed to reinvigorate a party wherre morale was at a critical low? And what does this mean for the coming remaining weeks and months of the race? What twists are still to come?GUEST: Melissa Haussman, professor of political science, Carleton University We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future episodes. You can find us:Through email at [email protected] Or @thebigstory.bsky.social on Bluesky

Last Friday, a bad update from a cybersecurity company managed to give an estimated 1 percent of the world's computers the blue screen of death. Not only that, but the initial fix was a manual procedure, meaning someone had to physically get ahold of each computer that needed a reboot.The global impact was profound, grounding airlines, halting businesses and generally providing a wake-up call to everyone who takes the digital infrastructure most of our lives are built on for granted. Why weren't we prepared for this? How did it happen? And are we really ready for a world that could go offline at any moment?GUEST: Jesse Hirsh, futurist, technologist and cybersecurity expert We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future episodes. You can find us:Through email at [email protected] Or @thebigstory.bsky.social on Bluesky

Canada's dental plan, the first national model in the country's history, opened earlier this year. And it's already quite different than it was at launch. For starters, it's expanding eligibility—most recently to children under 18. But the government is also tweaking it on the fly, in the hopes of getting more dentists and dental associations on board.Why has it been so hard to convince dental practitioners to sign up? Are their concerns valid and what's the government doing about them? Who does the plan cover, and how do you get access? And compared to what advocates have long fought for, how does the current model stack up?GUEST: Dr. Brandon Doucet, dentist, founder of the Coalition for Dentalcare We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future episodes. You can find us:Through email at [email protected] Or @thebigstory.bsky.social on Bluesky

If you get outside to enjoy Canadian nature, you've probably been warned about ticks and their potential to spread Lyme disease. But you may not have been warned about the other illnesses ticks can spread, like Anaplasmosis, which is currently on the rise in Canada.The tick problem this year, is worse than last year, and much much worse than even a decade ago. Is there anything we can do to curb their spread? And what can you do to keep yourself safe? GUEST: Dr. Laura Ferguson: Biologist and Associate Professor at Acadia UniversityFor more tick-related resources, visit: https://www.etick.ca/ We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future episodes. You can find us:Through email at [email protected] Or @thebigstory.bsky.social on Bluesky

No we haven't been hacked—today's story has all of these things and more. It's a tale about what happens when a Canadian crypto company wants to add to its portfolio, an American sex doll manufacturer wants to be taken more seriously and artificial intelligence progress convinces everyone involved that this is possible.Welcome to Canada's strangest business tech story of the year. Burt it's not fiction, it has investors and prototypes and big plans for everything from hospitals to research to ... AI sex robots.GUEST: Claire Brownell, digital currency reporter, The Logic We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future episodes. You can find us:Through email at [email protected] Or @thebigstory.bsky.social on Bluesky

Five years ago, the City of Toronto sounded a warning about an explosive growth in its rat population. The city planned to ... study it. Now, both Toronto and Ottawa are desperate for a plan to tackle highly visible rodent problems. But nothing's worked yet.Meanwhile, Alberta has been "rat-free" for decades, and the woman in charge of keeping the province that way has some thoughts about more experimental methods that might be considered. So how does Alberta do it? Why can't Ontario cities emulate their methods? And why does it seem like rats are everywhere in (most) big cities right now?GUEST: Sheila Reid, reporter, The Canadian Press We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future episodes. You can find us:Through email at [email protected] Or @thebigstory.bsky.social on Bluesky

If you own a property, you're not allowed to kick tenants out just to raise the rent. You are, however, allowed to evict them if you've purchased the property and plan to live in the home yourself. But what happens if they...just don't leave?A woman who recently purchased a home in Hamilton, is now living in her car and on friends' couches after she bought a home and made plans to move in—only to find herself homeless. It's been more than six weeks, and she's planning for months to come. How do these situations happen? And what do they tell us about landlord-tenant rules and the system that enforces them...or doesn't?GUEST: Sebastien Bron, reporter, The Hamilton Spectator We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future episodes. You can find us:Through email at [email protected] Or @thebigstory.bsky.social on Bluesky

Its mechanics were officially off the job only 29 hours. But more than a week after they returned to work, WestJet was still struggling with cancelled flights and stranded passengers. Travelers impacted by the strike reported almost no customer service, including no efforts by WestJet to rebook them on other airlines, as the company is required to do. On the busiest travel weekend of the summer, and for a week afterwards, Canadians were left up in the air. Now they're trying to figure out what they're owed, and if they'll get it.How did such a shoirt strike cause so much havoc? What was WestJet required to do in this situation and, did they do it? Will passengers ever see the compensation they're due? And why is air travel in this country still so fraught with error?GUEST: Christopher Reynolds, reporter, The Canadian Press We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future episodes. You can find us:Through email at [email protected] Or @thebigstory.bsky.social on Bluesky

For 32 years a moratorium on cod fishing was in place in Newfoundland. When it hit, it cost tens of thousands of jobs, decimated the economy and changed the identity of the province. But now the ban has been lifted. Sort of. At least a little. And everyone is wondering what happens next...Should the ban have been lifted? How far back have the cod come in 32 years? What will this mean to Newfoundland's economy? And why are so many experts worried about how and why this decision was made?GUEST: Jenn Thornhill Verma, award-winning investigative journalist covering fisheries, oceans and climate change; author of Cod Collapse: The Rise and Fall of Newfoundland's Saltwater Cowboys We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future episodes. You can find us:Through email at [email protected] Or @thebigstory.bsky.social on Bluesky

It's summer, and parents across Canada are desperately looking for things to occupy their children. So why not take a trip to your local mall? That is, while you still can. In this episode from 2022, we examine what our society loses, as more and more malls across the country decide to close their doors. We hope you enjoy! --------------------------------------------------------------------------------All across North America, malls are vanishing. Some are simply being demolished, others are turning into condo complexes or Amazon warehouses. The rise of online shopping has made them less necessary for simply acquiring goods, but that was never all that malls were for.When was the last time you just browsed? Wandered a store with no particular purchase in mind, hoping to find something cool? Or spent some time aimlessly "just looking"? In a hyper-focused digital world, we're spending less and less time free from a specific task or goal—which is what an afternoon at the mall accomplishes, at least while they're still around.GUEST: Jason Guriel, author of On Browsing We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future episodes. You can find us:Through email at [email protected] Or @thebigstory.bsky.social on Bluesky

A winter hike was the way his father, then prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, decided he was through with politics and would not run again. Inflation was high, Canadians were struggling and he was deeply unpopular and likely to lose the next election. Sound familiar?After a devatstating loss in a byelection that was thought to be a safe win last month, the calls for Trudeau to follow his father's footsteps are getting louder, including from some in his own party. Will he heed them? Wy does he want to stay? Who might replace him if he goes? Our guest today just wrote a biography of Trudeau and will try to take us inside the party, and Trudeau's thinking.GUEST: Stephen Maher, author of The Prince: The Turbulent Reign of Justin Trudeau We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future episodes. You can find us:Through email at [email protected] Or @thebigstory.bsky.social on Bluesky

Political collapse is an order of magnitude different than, say, "a trouble democracy" or even "a hard right government". It means the end of democracy, a massive reordering of what life in that nation—and when that nation is America, by extension, the world—looks like.This is a conversation that's very difficult to have. It's hard to wrap your mind around it, especially for those of us who have lives, and families and jobs and not a lot of time to ruminate on the future of democracy. But if it isn't our job to confront it, surely it's the job of our leaders, or politicians who hope to avert the worst-case scenario. Are they talking about it? Preparing for it? What exactly would political collapse look like in America and elsewhere? And would we recognize it before it's too late?GUEST: David Moscrop, author of Too Dumb For Democracy We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future episodes. You can find us:Through email at [email protected] Or @thebigstory.bsky.social on Bluesky

Learning that legendary Canadian writer Alice Munro was complicit in ignoring the sexual abuse of her daughter by her husband has shocked the country and forced us all to grapple with the progress we have—and haven't—made since the #MeToo movement went viral in 2017.In an essay for The Toronto Star, Andrea Robin Skinner detailed how her mother ignored her reports of abuse by her stepfather, even when he acknowledged it in writing. It's not the only high-profile literary sex abuse scandal of the past week, either. How has the public grappled with the news? And seven years on, are we getting better at believing victims, and understanding just how common this type of situation is?GUEST: Julie Lalonde, speaker and educator, women's rights advocate, author of Resilience Is Futile We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future episodes. You can find us:Through email at [email protected] Or @thebigstory.bsky.social on Bluesky

Ontario's liquor distribution workers are on strike for the first time in their history. The reason? The government's plan to open up places like corner stores for beer, wine and mixed cooler sales. It's the latest chapter in a strange history of alcohol policy in the province that dates back to prohibition.The LCBO brings in billions in revenue each year for the government, but Premier Doug Ford has long pushed for more convenience in alcohol retail. Meanwhile, the rest of the country wonders why the province needed to pay hundreds of millions of dollars just to make beer in corner stores possible. Today, a look inside this fight, and many others Ontario has had over drink, over the years.GUEST: Richard Southern, Queen's Park reporter, CityNews We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future episodes. You can find us:Through email at [email protected] Or @thebigstory.bsky.social on Bluesky

Eight years ago, the Prime Minister was welcoming Syrian refugees to Canada at the airport, to international acclaim. Canada was viewed as one of the world leaders in accepting asylum claimants from war-torn or dangerous countries. We were good at it.Last year, asylum seekers were camped out in the streets, begging for a spot in shelters. They sat on months-long waitlists for basic documents that would allow them to work. There is no space in shelters, and we're cramming them into hotels. Safe to say there are no smiles from the Prime Minister or happy headlines. How did our system come crashing down so quickly?GUEST: Jordan Michael Smith, writing in Maclean's We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future episodes. You can find us:Through email at [email protected] Or @thebigstory.bsky.social on Bluesky

On Sundays, we revisit some of our favourite episodes. If you're new to the show, we hope you enjoy hearing these for the first time, and if you've been with us a while, enjoy this trip down memory lane!------------------------------------------------------------------------- ORIGINAL SHOW NOTES:When you were a child, did you have limits on the amount of TV you could watch? Or video or computer games you could play? Too much of that stuff "would rot your brain", right? It was universally accepted that too much screen time would hinder kids development.But is that still true in a world where children spent more than a year working, playing and learning online? In a world where my child will fall behind if she doesn't learn how to use a touchscreen? In a world where much of the rest of their lives will be spent online, how connected should children be?GUEST: Dr. Nusheen Ameenuddin, chair of The American Academy of Pediatrics Council on Communications and Media, assistant professor of pediatrics at the Mayo Clinic. We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future episodes. You can find us:Through email at [email protected] Or @thebigstory.bsky.social on Bluesky

First the Ontario Science Centre was to be moved in a year or two, and that was enough to spark a protest movement to keep the iconic building designed by a renowned architect right where it was. Then, out of nowhere, it was simply closed for good, with Ontario's government citing a report that the roof would pose a danger in winter.In the wake of its sudden closure, there have been offers of private donations to fix the roof, the architectural firm that designed it has offered to lead those repairs and thousands of citizens have rallied to try and change the province's mind. But nothing's changed. Why did the Science Centre close so suddenly? Where will it live next? And who profits from that?GUEST: Aidan Chamandy, political reporter for The Trillium We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future episodes. You can find us:Through email at [email protected] Or @thebigstory.bsky.social on Bluesky

By the end of this weekend, two of Canada's G7 allies could each have new governments, on opposite sides of the political spectrum. While the Labour party is expected to end 14 years of Conservative government in the UK on Thursday, France may well end up in the hands of the hardline National Rally party.Is this a case of two countries headed in opposite directions? Or is it simply the same anti-incumbent sentiment that has impacted democracies across the world, with Canada no exception? Are people turning away from progressive politics, or making their displeasure heard? And will countries ever again vote for something, rather than against a party or politician they despise?GUEST: Josh Keating, senior correspondent at Vox covering foreign policy and world affairs We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future episodes. You can find us:Through email at [email protected] Or @thebigstory.bsky.social on Bluesky

Right now, the federal government is in the middle of a consultation period in which they may decide to jack up tariffs on Chinese-made electric vehicles. In announcing the consultation, Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland called Chinese EVs "unfair competition" and said China was undermining Canada's EV sector's ability to compete.How is China's EV approach "unfair"? Why are Canadian EVs having trouble competing? Why aren't more Chinese EVs making their way overseas? And why can't you buy a simple, functional $12,000 electric car instead of a $65,000 electric truck or SUV or Tesla?GUEST: Lorraine Sommerfeld, automotive journalist, Driving.ca, host of The Driving Podcast We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future episodes. You can find us:Through email at [email protected] Or @thebigstory.bsky.social on Bluesky

Microplastics are everywhere—and for the first time they've been found in penises of men suffering from erectile dysfunction. Does this mean there's a link between the two? Why have rates of infertility and ED been rising around the world? And why does it take a study that finds them in a penis to drive so much media than previous studies that have found these things in other places in the body?GUEST: Dr. Ranjith Ramasamy, reproductive urologist, study lead We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future episodes. You can find us:Through email at [email protected] Or @thebigstory.bsky.social on Bluesky

They are majestic flying in a "v" overhead. A symbol of fall and spring. A true National treasure. And also, Canada geese can be...just total jerks.They flock to cities and universities, nesting and aggressively defending those nests, and leaving metric tons of goose poop just about everywhere. And you don't want to get on their bad side. This is the story of the many and varied efforts Canadian institutions have made to figure out how to live in peace with these creatures. If it's possible.GUEST: Tom Jokinen, writing in The Walrus We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future episodes. You can find us:Through email at [email protected] Or @thebigstory.bsky.social on Bluesky

This is our last episode until the fall, so we thought we'd use the time to reflect on what we've learned so far, answer some of your feedback and talk about what's coming up next. In the meantime, we'll be revisiting a few of our earlier episodes and providing occasional news updates on events that matter to your wallet. Another Interest rate cut?! In this economy?!Thanks for listening and talk to you in September! Do you have a money problem? Call us and leave a message at 416-935-5935. Or email us at [email protected]. You can also find us on Instagram and TikTok @InThisEconomyPod. Don't forget to leave a call-back number, so we can get in touch. We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future episodes. You can find us:Through email at [email protected] Or @thebigstory.bsky.social on Bluesky

Mess with the finely balanced ecosystem of the ocean? On purpose?! What could go wrong?! But the truth is, we've messed with it already. The oceans suck up a lot of our carbon, and you may have noticed they get hotter every year. But what if there was a way to store carbon in the ocean, possibly forever, where it wouldn't do any damage?Welcome to the world of marine geoengineering—a field gaining a lot of attention, as well as a lot of investment, including in Canadian companies. We might not understand the depths of the ocean's ecosystem enough to ensure we won't do anything truly horrible...but eventually we might have no option but to try it anyway...GUEST: Moira Donovan, writing in The Walrus We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future episodes. You can find us:Through email at [email protected] Or @thebigstory.bsky.social on Bluesky

British Columbia is introducing regulations that the province says will improve the lives of gig workers who deliver meals and offer rideshares—including a minimum wage while working and safe work protections among other things. Other regulations have slowly been introduced around the world.But do these protections actually help workers? Will the companies that pay them pass the prices along to consumers, or leave these jurisdictions altogether? As more and more jobs shift to this kind of work, what needs to be done to ensure workers can actually make a living doing it?GUEST: Valerio De Stefano, Canada Research Chair in Innovation in Law and Society at Osgoode Hall Law School at York University We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future episodes. You can find us:Through email at [email protected] Or @thebigstory.bsky.social on Bluesky

Toronto-St. Paul's had been a Liberal seat for more than 30 years. Not anymore. In the early hours of Tuesday morning, the Conservative candidate pulled off the upset and sent shockwaves through both parties, and the public. How did they do it?Everyone knew the Liberals, as well as Justin Trudeau, were unpopular—but if any riding was supposed to be safe for them it was this one. Now any sense of safety is out the window, and everyone wants to know what happens now...GUEST: Stephanie Taylor, Parliament Hill reporter, The Canadian Press We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future episodes. You can find us:Through email at [email protected] Or @thebigstory.bsky.social on Bluesky

There's a record number of Toronto condominiums on the market right now, and despite record immigration, and an ever-worsening housing crisis, nobody seems to want to buy them.So how hard is it to offload a condo in one of North America's hottest property markets? What happened to all of the motivated buyers? And what does the trend say more broadly about the state of Canadian real estate? GUEST: Diana Zlomislic, Housing reporter for The Toronto Star We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future episodes. You can find us:Through email at [email protected] Or @thebigstory.bsky.social on Bluesky

All NATO members are required to spend the equivalent of 2% of GDP on their military, and Canada has always fallen short of that benchmark. But now, more frequent domestic crises, mounting geopolitical turmoil, and harsh rhetoric from south of the border, may mean that it's time to put up or shut up when it comes to military spending. So where do the biggest gaps in our capabilities exist? How difficult will it be to remedy them? And what sort of military do we as Canadians actually want? GUEST: Matt Gurney, Columnist, Co-founder of The Line We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future episodes. You can find us:Through email at [email protected] Or @thebigstory.bsky.social on Bluesky

On what is a sweltering weekend across much of Canada, we thought we'd revisit an episode that takes place in cooler climes. It's the quirky story of how a war fought using bottles of whisky led to the establishment of Canada's first and only land border with Europe. Enjoy! -----------------------------------------------------------ORIGINAL SHOW NOTES:50 years ago, a dispute arose between Canada and Denmark over Hans Island, a piece of land that exists almost exactly halfway between the coast of Nunavut and Greenland, a Danish territory. The island holds value as a hunting ground for local Indigenous populations, but holds no strategic or economic value for either nation. And yet, for five decades our two countries were unable to reach an agreement over ownership of the island. Canadian and Danish troops would, reportedly, exchange bottles of booze with one another, which is why the conflict is sometimes called the 'whisky war'.Recently, Canada, Greenland and Denmark reached an agreement that brought the conflict to the close. Essentially, they drew a line down the middle of the island, thus creating the first land border between Canada and Europe. So what does that actually mean in a geopolitical sense? Why did it take half a century to come up with a solution that sounds like it was written by a third grader? And as wider swathes of the region become accessible due to climate change, could the resolution serve as a framework for future Arctic diplomacy? GUEST: Martin Breum, Danish journalist and Arctic expert. We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future episodes. You can find us:Through email at [email protected] Or @thebigstory.bsky.social on Bluesky

This month, schools across the country will be closing for the summer. And the kids? Well, their parents will have to figure out what to do with them. Nowadays, there's a lot of pressure to register kids for expensive camps and classes, but is all that really necessary? Can the kids just do nothing all summer? Jordan speaks with Alyson Schafer, one of Canada's leading parenting experts, to find some affordable ways to make sure the kids are safe and occupied this holiday. Here's a link to the episode about having kids! Do you have a money problem? Call us and leave a message at 416-935-5935. Or email us at [email protected]. You can also find us on Instagram and TikTok @InThisEconomyPod. Don't forget to leave a call-back number, so we can get in touch. We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future episodes. You can find us:Through email at [email protected] Or @thebigstory.bsky.social on Bluesky

For decades, the sight of a bald eagle anywhere near Southern Ontario was basically an impossibility. The species has nearly been extinguished twice in the past century, and while many of the majestic birds had bounced back on the west cost, there simply weren't enough of them around the Great Lakes to sustain a population boom.Over the past few years, slowly and carefully, and with plenty of help from dedicated conservationists, that's changed. There are even bald eagles nesting in Toronto. How did it happen? And what can it teach us about preserving iconic species in the years to come?GUEST: Emma McIntosh, Ontario Reporter, The Narwhal We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future episodes. You can find us:Through email at [email protected] Or @thebigstory.bsky.social on Bluesky

The Liberals say their changes to the capital gains tax mean that Canada's ultra rich will pay a little more, money they can easily afford. The Conservatives say the Liberals are taxing small business owners and Canadians already struggling to get by. Who's right? What if they both are?The changes to the tax were bound to become a political football: A complicated tweak to an existing tax that can be easily spun by either side of the aisle. So who will it really hurt? Will it help? What do you need to understand before you panic sell the family cottage?GUEST: Laura Dhillon Kane, Ottawa bureau chief, Bloomberg News We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future episodes. You can find us:Through email at [email protected] Or @thebigstory.bsky.social on Bluesky

A few weeks ago, temperatures in India blasted past 50 degrees Celsius. Currently much of the United States and parts of Canada are in the grip of a heat dome that could shatter records. Summer's hot, and heat waves happen. We know this. But if a heat wave is a period of time with temperatures above normal, and the "normal" temperature keeps rising...What do the heat waves of the future mean for us? What exactly is a "wet bulb" measurement? Which parts of the world can withstand the heat to come, and how can we prepare the ones that can't?GUEST: Dr. Kent Moore, professor of atmospheric physics, University of Toronto We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future episodes. You can find us:Through email at [email protected] Or @thebigstory.bsky.social on Bluesky

Typically, a broken water main does not plunge a city into weeks of critical water shortages and a state of emergency. But the pipe that broke on June 5 wasn't a typical water main. Now, almost two weeks later, the city is estimating another three to five weeks for full repairs, and until then Calgarians are under water restrictions.How did the break happen, and could it have been prevented? Why will repairs take so long? What might happen if the city gets close to running out of water? And will the Calgary Stampede, due to start on July 5th, still go on as scheduled?GUEST: Kerry Black, Assistant Professor and Canada Research Chair, Department of Civil Engineering, University of Calgary We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future episodes. You can find us:Through email at [email protected] Or @thebigstory.bsky.social on Bluesky

Richmound, Saskatchewan thought they'd have seen the last of the so-called "Queen of Canada" by now. It's been almost a year since Romana Didulo and her followers moved into an empty school in the tiny prairie town. And they're still here.Nearly a year of living next door to a dozen or more conspiracy theorists who promise public executions does some strange things to a small community. When everyone knows everyone, and everybody has to pick a side, what happens? Nothing good.GUEST: Rachel Browne, investigative journalist (Read Rachel's story in The Walrus.) We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future episodes. You can find us:Through email at [email protected] Or @thebigstory.bsky.social on Bluesky

We're coming up on the show's six year anniversary, and so we wanted to revisit the first episode we ever released to show just how far we've come in that time. We hope you enjoy! -------------------------------------------------------------------------Prime Minister Justin Trudeau managed to green light recreational marijuana in Canada, but there is still a lot to get done before legalized weed makes its way into the hands of Canadians. Maclean's Ottawa bureau chief, John Geddes, explains how the Liberals kept their landmark promise and what will happen next. We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future episodes. You can find us:Through email at [email protected] Or @thebigstory.bsky.social on Bluesky

Tova wrote into the show expressing frustration with the price of clothes at brick and mortar stores. She wants to shop online but doesn't like the hassles associated with making returns. Tova's email got us thinking about our own evolving shopping habits and what it means for both the economy and the environment. Do we need to reframe how we think about buying clothes?Jordan talks to Kelly Drennan, the founder of Fashion Takes Action, a non profit organization that's devoted to advancing sustainability in the fashion industry.Do you have a money problem? Call us and leave a message at 416-935-5935. Or email us at [email protected]. You can also find us on Instagram and TikTok @InThisEconomyPod. Don't forget to leave a call-back number, so we can get in touch. We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future episodes. You can find us:Through email at [email protected] Or @thebigstory.bsky.social on Bluesky

Using glue to stick cheese on a pizza. Drinking urine to pass kidney stones. The past few weeks have been filled with weird, hilarious and definitively wrong answers supplied by Google's new AI Overview. The criticism became so intense that Google has fixed many of the answers manually, but it's still determined to push forward incorporating AI into its responses. Why?How did AI mess these simple questions up? What has Google lost as it moves forward with its plans? And ... does the company understand what its chief product is actually for, or how people use it?GUEST: Max Read, author of Read Max on Substack We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future episodes. You can find us:Through email at [email protected] Or @thebigstory.bsky.social on Bluesky

Last week, a bombshell report revealed multiple Canadian parliamentarians have, intentionally and unintentionally, worked with foreign agents to interfere in our politics. The revelation sparked furious debate around who these MPs are, what they've done to undermine Canada's interest and whether or not the "traitors"—as many called them—should be named.Today, we'll bring you on a deep dive into the world of foreign interference, security clearance, intelligence gathering and how to protect Canada's interests while still keeping the public informed. It's not as simple as naming names.GUEST: Stephanie Carvin, former national security analyst, Associate Professor at the Norman Paterson School of International Affairs, author of Stand on Guard: Reassessing threats to Canada's National Security We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future episodes. You can find us:Through email at [email protected] Or @thebigstory.bsky.social on Bluesky

The CRTC decided last week to levy a tax on the Canadian revenue made by the giant streaming services. This money will ostensibly go towards supporting Canadian creators and improving Canadian content...which is what exactly?This is where Bill C-11 gets interesting, because streamers already spend a ton of money making content in Canada, or purchasing stories and IP created by Canadians. Much of that won't count, so what will? And who will end up paying for the tax on those services—American corporations or, as some experts have warned, all of us, with rising Netflix prices?GUEST: Michael Geist, Canada Research Chair in Internet and E-Commerce Law at the University of Ottawa We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future episodes. You can find us:Through email at [email protected] Or @thebigstory.bsky.social on Bluesky

This weekend saw four Israeli hostages rescued at the cost of at least 200 Palestinian lives. While the world debates the calculus of that manoeuvre, it is either way more lives lost in a conflict overflowing with them. When this began, very few experts could have imagined Israel's bloody response to Hamas' Oct. 7 attacks lasting eight months. But here we are, with ceasefire deals and hostage exchanges having failed every time they've seemed close.Is there still a way to end the bloodshed? Will there be anything left of Gaza by the time there is?GUEST: Khaled Elgindy, senior fellow, Middle East Institute; Director of the Middle East Institute's Program on Palestine and Israeli-Palestinian Affairs We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future episodes. You can find us:Through email at [email protected] Or @thebigstory.bsky.social on Bluesky

The 1930s was a disastrous time for Alberta, as crops failed and topsoil blew away in the wind. And while the province is not currently at that level today, all signs are pointing towards a period of prolonged drought in the province.This is a problem even a month of rain can't fix. And every government in the province is having to dramatically rethink how they handle water when it becomes scarce. What does the future hold for Alberta's crops? And what are we doing now to avoid the worst-case scenarios?GUEST: Tyler Dawson, Alberta correspondent, National Post We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future episodes. You can find us:Through email at [email protected] Or @thebigstory.bsky.social on Bluesky

Traditionally, we think of a tip as an acknowledgement of a job well done, usually by someone who performs a service for us. It's become impolite not to tip, of course, but until recently the standards were still mostly understood. Then society began to go cashless...Over the past few years, tipping has crept into far more transactions than it had previously. Now businesses don't need to rely on tradition, they can simply add a tip prompt to their transaction machines, and presto! Tip creep. This creates confusion, and often resentment, when being asked to tip for handing over some goods across a counter, or ringing up groceries. And it's not the workers' fault—but they're caught in the middle.So where did tip creep come from? How much and when should you tip now, and what are the forces at work behind this dynamic?GUEST: Corey Mintz, food reporter, author of The Next Supper We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future episodes. You can find us:Through email at [email protected] Or @thebigstory.bsky.social on Bluesky