The Big Story

The Israel-Hamas war is near a tipping point. At some point Israel will have to decide to push forward with a massive and unprecedented ground offensive into Gaza in an attempt to eradicate Hamas, or find a way to back down from its stated goal of its response. A large-scale ground invasion, however, may well draw other entities into a widening conflict.If Israel sends in ground troops, what happens next? How reliable is information coming out of Gaza right now? Will US President Joe Biden's presence in the region Wednesday accomplish anything? And is there any hope of a ceasefire?GUEST: Gregg Carlstrom, Middle East correspondent for The Economist; Author, How Long Will Israel Survive? The Threat From Within.(The team behind The Big Story, has a new podcast! Hosted by Jordan Heath-Rawlings, In This Economy?! debuts with weekly episodes on Nov. 2. You can listen to the trailer and follow the show on your preferred podcast app right here!) 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

Earlier this year, the province decriminalized certain amounts of some hard drugs, in an attempt to curb the overdose crisis. Nine months later, the same government has introduced legislation to ban those same drugs from public use. On the surface it looks like two conflicting approaches to the same problem—but is that true? What do we know about how decriminalization has gone so far? What will the new act mean for users in the province, and for non-users who share public space with them? How will the ban be enforced, and who will it impact? And most importantly, with the crisis closing in on a decade, and deaths still mounting ... will it help? GUEST: Dr. Lindsay Richardson, associate professor, University of British Columbia; Canada Research Chair in Social Inclusion and Health Equity 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

Now that we know how huge the gap on housing is—Canada needs 3.5 million more homes by 2030—you would think governments across the country would be doing everything they can to narrow it. But instead, it's widening. In fact, our rate of building new homes has slowed to less than what it was during 2020, when many construction sites were shuttered for weeks during the first wave of Covid. How did this happen? Why aren't companies building? And if they won't, why aren't governments? Why is the problem every party acknowledges is Canada's biggest challenge still getting worse?GUEST: David Macdonald, Senior Economist, Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (author of Canada is building fewer homes today than during pandemic economy shutdown) 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

After a Charter challenge was turned away in Ontario, an appeal may bring the laws that govern sex work in this country directly to the supreme court—and these laws are a battleground right now.At the heart of it is this question: Is sex work inherently exploitative? Or can it be just a job? And if it can't be, then why have the courts sided with a Halifax sex worker who took a non-paying client to small claims court, and won?GUEST: Dr. Meredith Ralston, professor, Mount Saint Vincent University in Halifax; filmmaker and author focusing on sex work 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 couple of years ago, NFTs were the Next Big Thing. They were everywhere, with celebrity endorsements, big media companies jumping on the bandwagon and ceaseless promotion from nearly everyone in the crypto sphere. They were "valued" as one-of-a-kind tokens to exclusive communities and riches to come.Today? A new report finds that 95 percent of them are absolutely worthless, and the communities that sprung up around them are ghost towns. Millions of dollars have been lost. But whose millions? The people who created and promoted them? Or the folks who saw a chance to join that club and put the money they couldn't afford to lose into a risky play?GUEST: Ed Zitron, writer of Where's Your Ed At? and CEO of EZPR 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, like millions of people in Canada—and two million in Ontario alone—do not have a family doctor, the prospect of paying hundreds of dollars for the services they provide might be something you'd do, if you could afford it. That's the demand that has "nurse practitioner clinics" springing up across the province, fuelling accusations that Ontario is hurtling towards a Pay For Access system.The province's minister of health says the government is investigating the claims of patients being charged fees for these clinics—but the clinics themselves don't appear to be breaking any rules. They're just taking advantage of loopholes to find ways to charge the public for care they aren't getting under the current system. So what are the loopholes? How did we end up here? And is this really the road Ontario's health care system is headed down?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

Since Saturday's horrific Hamas attacks and Israel's brutal response, fighting has continued, but has been contained to those two sides. There are worries, though, that may not last. Some reporting suggests that Iran, which supports Hamas and calls for the end of a Jewish state, gave approval for the attacks, which has already started some of America's hawks calling for the United States to get involved against Iran.The past four days have been bloody and heartbreaking. Many nations are trying to find a way to end the violence. Will they succeed? Or will the conflict escalate, drawing in other nations in the region, and making an already devastating tragedy so much worse?GUEST: Arash Azizi, senior lecturer in history and political science at Clemson University. Azizi's new book, What Iranians Want: Women, Life, Freedom, will be published in January 2024. 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

Every use of deadly force by police in the province requires an inquest to determine how and why it happened. In theory, this prevents fear or favour from influencing the decision whether or not to hold one, ensures that an initial investigation will not simply shut down a case, and offers every family suffering through a loss the chance to ask their questions, and get their answers.In practice? As a recent investigation has revealed, it rarely works that way. And the families of those killed by police are wondering where their answers are...GUEST: Marsha McLeod, investigative reporter with The Winnipeg Free 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

Today, we're lending the feed to our friends over at Heaven Bent, a show hosted by Tara Jean Stevens that examines trends in modern christianity, and explores her own complex relationship with faith. In the first episode of the newest season, Tara Jean begins digging into an organization known as The International House of Prayer, and what she uncovers is both fascinating and thought provoking. You can listen to the rest of the season here.Enjoy!--------------------------------------------ORIGINAL SHOW NOTESThe International House of Prayer, or IHOP as it's unofficially known, is a multi-million dollar, non-denominational, Christian organization that boasts a 24/7 Prayer Room. Thousands and thousands of people have been through its doors over nearly 25 years. In season four of Heaven Bent, host Tara Jean Stevens takes a closer look at the organization between 1999 and 2015, a period when the organization was experiencing exponential growth and their leadership was put to the test. 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

Romana Didulo rose to prominence in 2020, gained a massive number of followers, moved her followers from online talk to in-person action, and has been traversing thew country in a notorious RV for the past year. All of this sounds absurd, but it's all tinged with the very real threat of violence.Today, Didulo and her followers have holed up in a tiny prairie town, that absolutely does not want them there. They are encamped at an abandoned school, refusing to leave and urging more to join them. Today's episode is about the pandemic's oddest phenomenon, how it led to Richmound, Sask. and what the small community is doing about it.GUEST: Peter Smith, investigative journalist and researcher with the Canadian Anti-Hate Network 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

Over the next few months, we're likely to find out how well Canada's Charter of Rights and Freedoms actually protects marginalized groups. A divisive policy enacted in Saskatchewan would require students to obtain parental consent before using a different name or pronouns at school. Advocates say the policy will out transgender kids in potentially dangerous homes. A challenge to the policy is currently before the courts, but rather than wait for an answer, Premier Scott Moe plans to use the "nuclear option"—the notwithstanding clause—to push the policy through. This will likely spark protests, court challenges and perhaps even an escalating response from the federal government. It's a complex and compelling governmental battle—with some of the country's most vulnerable kids caught in the middle of it...GUEST: Charlotte Dalwood, freelance journalist specializing in legal issues, writing in Xtra magazine 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 Canada Pension Plan is a world-renowned fund that controls hundreds of billions of dollars earmarked for our retirements. Alberta premier Danielle Smith, unhappy that Alberta contributes more to the fund than its citizens receive, has plans to leave the fund and start the Alberta Pension Plan—while taking more than half the CPP's money on the way out the door.Can she actually do this? How much money would Alberta get? Why would the province want to go it alone as opposed to staying in one of the world's best plans? And what happens to the CPP if Alberta leaves, even is most of the money stays?GUEST: Graham Thomson, political columnist and commentator 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 the first generation of kids to grow up entirely with smartphones in hand. Most of the time, even during school hours. Schools who have tried to ban or regulate their use have mostly failed—with a few notable exceptions. And when teachers have tried to enforce these rules on the ground in their classrooms, it can get ugly.Just how addicted are students to their phones? What are they being used for in class? Is there a way to incorporate them into learning that doesn't enable their detrimental effects? And what do we know about the long-term impact of these devices on kids who should be focusing on their studies?GUEST: Naomi Buck, writing in The Globe and Mail 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

You and a friend might be given two different prices by the same website for the same item. Heck, you might be given two different prices yourself depending on where you are when you're browsing the site. It's a phenomenon that began as dynamic pricing—a computer balancing supply and demand to ensure everything was sold at a price the market was prepared to pay—but it's now gone well beyond that.As algorithms become smarter and more advanced, and as we voluntarily offer our devices and the companies we do business with more of our information, the prices you see may take into account things like where you are, what device you're on, your shopping history and... well, everything the machine knows about you. Is this the kind of shopping experience we want? If not, what do we do about it?GUEST: Colin Horgan, 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

Somehow, nobody involved in the now-infamous affair clued into the fact that a man who was fighting against the Russians in 1943 would have been fighting ... with the Nazis. That's at the core of last week's House of Commons' screwup that has made international waves, become a hyperpartisan blame game in Ottawa and has many people speedrunning the history of the Second World War.But who's really to blame for this failure? Why will the blame land at the feet of the Liberals and Justin Trudeau regardless of the answer? And what do these frequent missteps signal about a government that seems to be getting tired, or at least giving observers that perception?GUEST: David Moscrop, author, podcaster and political commentator 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

Yup, the government body overseeing the economy has been hoping for a while now that some of the low unemployment rates that have been driving up salaries and opportunities for workers will vanish. It's a key pillar of their plan to steer the country away from a recession. That, and higher interest rates. All good, right?Right now a surprising amount of our economic future is being determined because, according to contemporary economic thought, things were going too well. So now we're paying for it, and hoping we don't end up paying even more. Here's how we got here, what the BoC hopes will happen, and what we can expect those forces to do to, you know, us.GUEST: Jim Stanford, economist, director of the Centre for Future Work 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, Ontario premier Doug Ford caved, spectacularly. He apologized for breaking his promise, and vowed to reverse his decision to open up parts of the province's Greenbelt to development. The move came after months of scandal, investigations and public outcry—it's a rare example of a politician listening and admitting he screwed up, and got it wrong.But the saga isn't over yet. There are developers who spent billions buying up land they assumed would be developed. They may sue. There are still ongoing investigations. And there is still an electorate that was showing clear signs of abandoning Ford over this move before his reversal. Will they reverse themselves, too?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 numbers have been climbing for years, and last year was a high not seen since the old days of manual hot-wiring. This year figures to be even worse, as a perfect storm of factors make modern cars vulnerable, movable and the target of highly organized thieves.How does a modern car-theft work, anyway? Why do the thieves seem to be ahead of the automakers? What's the best way to stop this wave, on both an individual and regulatory level? OH—and just where do all those stolen cars wind up, anyway?GUEST: Bryan Gast, vice president of investigative services at Equite Association 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

In many regions of Europe, wild boars roam the landscape. Also, they're radioactive. For a long time, it was assumed the Chernobyl disaster was the cause, and that's still partly true. But the real answer goes back even further, and offers us a glimpse of how the byproducts of nuclear technology can lay dormant for decades, only detected in the most visible part of a system we're still learning to understand.This is the wild boar paradox, and this is what it can teach us about nuclear technologies past, present and future...GUEST: Becky Ferreira, science writer, regular contributor at Motherboard 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

You've probably got some in your medicine cabinet right now, and if you take them hoping for a relief from congestion, you're pretty much taking a placebo. A recent FDA review found that one of the most most popular active ingredients in these medications is basically useless.So how has this drug been approved and available for decades when evidence shows it doesn't do what it's supposed to? Why did it take us so long to realize it? Which medications actually will relieve congestion? And what should you do when the first cold of the fall hits your household?GUEST: Mina Tadrous, pharmacist and the host of the I'm Pharmacy podcast at the University of Toronto's Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy 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

When Justin Trudeau told the country that his government has evidence implicating India in a June murder of a Sikh leader in BC, it shocked even seasoned intelligence experts. Foreign interference is by now a nationally known problem in this country, but extrajudicial killings are a large step beyond that.What would India's role in the murder tell us about the state of Canada's national security? Will we ever find out what the government actually knows about the murder? Was there any way to stop the killing before it happened? And what must Canada do to be able to protect its citizens, even those wanted dead by their former countries?GUEST: Jessica Davis, national security expert, president and principal consultant, Insight Threat Intelligence 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, the president of Spanish soccer resigned amid a furor over a nonconsensual kiss given to one of the Spanish women's team's players in the wake of their world cup triumph. Players around the world—not only women—had demanded this resignation and more, pushing for the total restructuring of Spanish soccer.In Canada, last month's collapse at the world cup marked a long-running battle between our women's team and the federation that pays and oversees the national teams. Women's teams around the world have faced similar fights. Many of them are winning. Is this the seismic shift that soccer's sexist structure has long had coming?GUEST: Shireen Ahmed, Sr. contributor, CBC sports; sports media instructor, Toronto Metropolitan University; Co-host, Burn It All Down 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 afternoon, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told the House of Commons, and all of Canada, that this country has credible evidence that India was behind the killing of a high profile Sikh leader in BC in June. This evening we're re-sharing with you an episode we published in June, a few days after the murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a well-known community leader and pro-Khalistan activist who the Indian government had previously accused of terror offences. There were questions when it happened about if the Indian government could have been involved in his death. Canada now says it has answers. This episode explores his murder, his life, and his potential targeting by the Indian government.-----------------------------ORIGINAL SHOW NOTES:Nine days ago, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, was killed in a targeted daylight shooting in a crowded area outside of a Sikh temple in Surrey, BC. Nijjar was a well-known community leader and pro-Khalistan activist who the Indian government has previously accused of terror offences— allegations he vehemently denied.His activism and controversial past have spawned many theories about who may have done this and why, but more than a week after his death, the public has seen little evidence to substantiate those rumours. Meanwhile, a community is in mourning, and they took to the streets on Sunday to demand answers.So what, if anything, can we say for certain at this point? And could this horrific crime spark further violence?GUEST: Sonia Aslam, reporter, CityNews Vancouver 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

In many places across Canada, outdated 911 systems are strapped for operators and barely holding on to functionality. That has led to some people calling with emergencies—like a Brampton, Ont. family dealing with a home invasion—not being able to get through to an operator. It should go without saying that if 911 doesn't work properly, lives are at risk ... yet here we are.What are the problems here? A combination of factors that are creating a serious problem. What's being done about it? Lots, but not fast enough. How do we modernize and adequately staff Canada's most critical phone number?GUEST: Graeme Frisque, reporter, Brampton Guardian and Mississauga 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

You've probably noticed there are a lot of streaming platforms available these days. There are the traditional big players like Netflix, Amazon and Apple. There's Disney, with decades of family content, as well as superheroes and Star Wars. But there are also streaming platforms that cater to...everything: Horror films, British TV, Major League Soccer, Professional Tennis, theatrical performances, documentaries, influential classic films and the list goes on. All of those cost money. Add 'em up and you have something approaching or exceeding a traditional cable bill. So it's not serving most consumers well, the streamers are currently struggling to gain market share, while cancelling or not even releasing expensive projects that they've already made and are now pushing to introduce advertising.Add all that up, and what does the future of streaming look like to you? And does it work for anyone?GUEST: Angela Watercutter, Sr. Editor, WIRED 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

More than 250 cases, more than 20 victims in hospital. Almost all of them children, some of them in serious condition. The kids are linked to several daycares across the city. Those daycares have been linked to a kitchen, which an inspection revealed Tuesday was filled with violations.How much danger are the kids in? How on earth could this happen? Who will face consequences and where was the government during the first full week of the outbreak, as numbers climbed and parents panicked?GUEST: Courtney Theriault, 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

CPC leader Pierre Poilievre spent the weekend hammering a message of affordability and economic focus at his party's convention in Quebec. Most of the delegates were right there with him—but not all of them.After a great summer that saw them surge past the federal Liberals in the polls, the Conservatives are aiming to stay on track, stay unified and form government the next time Canada goes to the polls. To do that they'll have to avoid the kind of divisive, "culture-war" policies championed by some of their base. Can they do it? Will Poilievre keep the party in lockstep? And how does a party keep momentum going for two whole years, anyway?GUEST: Stephanie Taylor, Parliament Hill reporter, 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

This summer, a whole bunch of companies—including, ironically, Zoom—announced return-to-office mandates, with few exceptions. Some of those companies have since backtracked, while others have held firm. This is, however, the third September to feature these attempts to lure employees back to downtown office buildings, and it hasn't really worked so far.Will tougher measures get it done where snacks and perks have failed? Will anything convince employees who have options to give up their work-life balance for a pointless commute? What have we learned about in-person vs. remote work over the past few years, anyway? Is there really any reason this fight is still going?GUEST: Dr. Catherine Connelly, Professor of Human Resources & Management, McMaster 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

On June 6, 2021, the beloved Afzaal family of London, Ontario were out for a walk, when they were hit by a speeding truck that killed four of them. Police allege that the perpetrator acted intentionally, motivated by a hatred of Muslims, and have charged him not just with first-degree murders, but also acts of terrorism.This week, Nathaniel Veltman's trial begins, and it will be closely watched to see if prosecutors can prove to a jury that far-right, white supremacist ideology motivated the attack, and if that indeed qualifies as 'terrorism' in Canada, a precedent that could change the way hate crimes are prosecuted in this country. So what will the court hear? And what might the outcome tell us?GUEST: Wendy Gillis, Crime Reporter, 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

A sign telling dogs not to park at a dog park. A regulation prohibiting baseball players from hitting home runs. A billboard the size of a small car to list extensive rules around enjoying a beer in a pilot project that has been criticized for 'encouraging' the act it explicitly permits.There are times when the rest of Canada's criticism of Toronto for being uptight and backwards is unfair. This is not one of those times...GUEST: Ben Spurr, reporter at the Toronto Star's City Hall bureau 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've watched a sporting event—or even tuned into network TV in general—in the past year, you're probably familiar with advertisements for sports betting. There are millions of dollars being spent in the race to sign up users and encourage them to wager on everything from games themselves to tiny outcomes in real time. And some companies are using superstar athletes like Connor McDavid to do it.But at least in Ontario, that won't last much longer. The Alcohol and Gaming Commission announced new regulations in late August that will prohibit athletes from appearing in betting ads. It remains to be seen if companies will search out loopholes, create other ads, or even ramp down their TV buys to accommodate the new rules. Why are there so many gaming ads anyway, and what does the future hold for the industry as the dust starts to settle?GUEST: Dr. Timothy Dewhirst, Professor and Senior Research Fellow, University of Guelph’s Gordon S. Lang School of Business and Economics 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

You may have noticed a lack of plastic bags at some of your favourite stores, as many places in Canada phase out single-use plastics. In their place you may have been offered 'reusable' shopping bags, which are ... also often made of plastic. You may have used sustainable containers or cups—but unless you were also told how to properly dispose of them, it probably didn't make a difference. Moving towards less and more sustainable packaging is necessary. The question is all in how we do it, and how we communicate that to people who are just trying to get through their shopping, or takeout, or coffee run. So what actually makes packaging sustainable, and how can we make these products actually work for consumers?GUEST: Natalia Lumby, Toronto Metropolitan 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

The brand synonymous with facial tissue is being pulled from the Canadian market, as its manufacturer cites challenges in the space. And Kleenex isn't the first big-name brand to exit Canada while succeeding in other markets. What gives?When you look deeper at how Canada encourages competition and innovation, you can see threads that go beyond facial tissue, salty snacks or name-brand frozen pizza. Kleenex's exit is a good time to examine how Canada regulates and protects foreign and domestic competitors, and whether or not that's good for us as consumers, or the economy as a whole.GUEST: Walid Hejazi, Professor of Economic Analysis and Policy at the Rotman School of Management; co-author of Everybody's Business 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 back to school mere days away, we thought it would be an opportune time to revisit this episode, which serves as a powerful cautionary tale about the dangers of underfunding and neglecting education.We hope you're having a restful long weekend, and that you enjoy revisiting this old favourite.Happy labour day!---------------ORIGINAL SHOW NOTES:After a fire forced their high school to close, the Toronto District School Board decided to relocate the roughly 900 students and teachers from York Memorial Collegiate Institute to the nearby George Harvey Collegiate Institute. But George Harvey wasn't equipped to absorb all those new kids, and students showed up in September to find a school that was over-crowded, under-staffed and unsafe for them and their teachers.The York Memorial fiasco isn't just a one-off, either. The school's struggles highlight systemic challenges across Canada's largest school board, namely staffing shortages, crumbling facilities and the lack of funding to properly address those issues. And the situation may only get worse as thousands of children lag behind socially and academically after the pandemic kept them home for nearly two years.At York Memorial, it took an outcry from students, teachers and staff to spark meaningful change. What will take to get those in power to give schools the money and resources they desperately need?GUEST: Danielle Groen, Toronto-based writer and editor, wrote about York Memorial for Toronto Life 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

Quebec isn't the only province facing a teacher shortage, but it may be the most severe, with more than 8,000 educators missing from classrooms. Where did they go, and where are their replacements?In the meantime, the government has tried to get creative by lowering standards required to preside over a classroom. Sometimes to as low as "an adult." As shortages in general become more pronounced every year, what's happening to classrooms left without a teacher, or children learning from an under-qualified adult?GUEST: Toula Drimonis, writing for CultMTL.com 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 places that most rely on tourism to support their economy are some of the world's most vulnerable areas when it comes to climate disasters. As we saw after the tragically devastating fire that ripped through Maui, in the wake of extreme weather all a city's resources are needed to support those who have lost loved ones and homes. And tourism isn't an option.But as these events become more common, the way we travel, and the places we travel to, will change. Tourism is one of the most valuable industries on the planet, and as the crisis worsens it's poised to become one of the most volatile as well. What will tourism look like in the climate era?GUEST: Daniel Scott, Professor of Geography and Environmental Management at Waterloo University, researching climate change and tourism 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 a year now, various economic predictions have marked Canada down for a looming recession. With more economic data due on Friday, that's expected to show some positive signs, it doesn't look like we're getting what we were promised. And that's a good thing, right?Why have some experts said that Canada needs a recession? How have we managed to avoid this one, at least so far? If inflation keeps falling, will the Bank of Canada stop raising interest rates? What can you expect from Canada's rollercoaster of an economy this fall and beyond?GUEST: David Macdonald, senior economist for the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives’ National Office 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

Barely two weeks ago, a scathing auditor general's report sent shockwaves through Ontario's political class—detailing how acres of greenbelt land were to be handed over the developers who stand to make more than $8 billion from the move. Since then...things have only gotten stranger.We've seen the RCMP get involved, a chief of staff resign, both the Integrity Commissioner and Information and Privacy Commissioner the join the list of departments examining the scandal and a week-ending confrontational news conference from Premier Doug Ford. All this, and new stories surface every day. So what's at the bottom of this mess? And will it get even uglier before the end?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

In 2015, three women were murdered in rural Ontario, by a former partner who had been stalking them. Last summer an inquest into the murders was held and came back with more than 80 recommendations. This month, the federal government joined Toronto and other municipalities in Canada in following one of them: Declaring intimate partner violence "an epidemic" in this country.Is this declaration meaningful? Just ask the advocates and activists who have been fighting for it, including today's guest. It's a massive step. But what comes next will truly define how seriously we're willing to take an escalating danger to women across the country...GUEST: Julie Lalonde, educator, advocate, expert on intimate partner violence (find Julie's resources on stalking and harassment here.) 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 an issue that sits at the intersection of Canada's identity and reality. Our country is extremely diverse and pro-immigration, but a massive housing crisis means we simply don't have enough homes for everyone who needs one.This week, Canada's housing minister said the government would consider a cap on the number of international students who can enter the country, in hopes this might ease the housing crunch. Would it? What are the trade-offs to such a move? And is there a risk that the housing crisis pushes more Canadians towards anti-immigration sentiment?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

There's always a question after tragedies like the December, 2022 shooting at a condo in Vaughan that left six people dead, including the shooter: "How did nobody see this coming?!"In this case, the killer had long held a grudge against the members of the condo board he fired upon. He was known around the property as an angry man, and had a history of domestic abuse and violence. In hindsight, all the signs were there—but that's what makes mass shooters so easy to see in the rearview mirror, but almost impossible to see coming...GUEST: Michelle Henry, reporter, The Toronto Star (Read Michelle's investigation here.) 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

Would it shock you to know that a significant number of homes in Canada are already uninsurable for flood damage? And as the impact of the climate crisis creates more extreme and unpredictable weather, that number is likely to climb sharply? The insurance companies are in the risk-reward business, and if there's too much risk, they'll simply say, "Nope."So what makes a home uninsurable? How rapidly is the risk-reward equation changing? How can we adapt our homes and buildings to mitigate the worst impacts of extreme weather? And what does the future of property insurance look like in the years to come?GUEST: Kathryn Bakos, Director of Climate Finance and Science at the Intact Centre on Climate Adaptation at the University of Waterloo 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 housing crisis is bad and getting worse, and a huge part of it is a lack of rental units in major cities. Every government has its own proposed solutions, but none of them work without the others.A detailed report last week outlines ways that every level, from federal to municipal, can work together to speed up the process, eliminate lengthy delays and actually get shovels in the ground. The only catch is it requires everybody in power to get on the same page. How likely is that? And what happens if they can't?GUEST: Dr. Mike Moffatt, co-author of A Multi-Sector Approach to Ending Canada’s Rental Housing Crisis; Assistant Professor in Business, Economics, and Public Policy at Ivey Business School, Western University; Senior Director of Policy at the University of Ottawa's Smart Prosperity Institute 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

Alberta's renewable energy sector is one of the province's great success stories. It's been growing rapidly, attracting top industry talent and becoming the envy of Canada for its size and innovation. SO naturally, the Alberta government has paused all new approvals for renewable projects for six months.So ... why? And especially, why now, with the impact of the climate crisis truly hitting home at the same time the province is actively recruiting workers from other provinces? What does this move do to the province, the industry as a whole, and Canada's plans to hit aggressive renewable energy targets?GUEST: Bob Weber, 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

A recent report found that 6.6 million cars are being driven in Canada that have been recalled by a manufacturer for one reason or another. Some issues are minor, some could be deadly, and in many cases, the owners simply don't know the issue exists.How does this happen? Well, the world of automotive recalls is changing fast, technology is taking leaps that make some vehicles less reliable and the recall system itself is ... a little convoluted. Today, a look inside the world of getting your car fixed, for free. Or not.GUEST: Lorraine Sommerfeld, columnist at driving.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

(UPDATE: Late Wednesday night, the government of the Northwest Territories announced a phased evacuation order for Yellowknife as the fires closed in.)There are hundreds of fires burning in the Northwest Territories right now. Some are threatening Yellowknife, leaving parts of the city under evacuation watch. Others have already forced evacuations by plane in remote communities without road access. The challenge is immense. The area is vast, much of it is on fire, and communication can be unstable.How bad is this season compared to seasons past? How much has already been destroyed and how tense is the situation? Is any relief in sight? And why can't the local radio station that's been a lifeline during this emergency post to Facebook, where much of its audience is desperate for up-to-date information?GUEST: Emily Blake, reporter and assistant editor, Cabin Radio (Find Cabin Radio’s up to date reporting here: https://cabinradio.ca/category/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

By now you are likely familiar with the long, sad story of the Ottawa LRT—which just returned from being totally shut down for a month. But that project is far from the only large Canadian transit project to run into delays, mistakes, errors, sky-high budgets and everything else that can turn an ambitious idea into a headache.Why are so many of these projects stalled or broken? How hard is it to get new transit built in Canada, and why? Are there examples in this country other cities could follow if they wanted to do things right? Are we really awful at building this stuff, or do we just love to complain about our infrastructure?GUEST: Reece Martin, former transportation planner, creator of the RM Transit YouTube channel and 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

Right now, thousands of grocery store workers are striking because, they say, they can't afford to buy food at the chain they work for. Food bank use has skyrocketed. Shopifting has increased so rapidly that stores are using it as a reason to try to check customers' bags and receipts. Food inflation still hovers near double digits, even as general inflation has cooled. And the heads of Canada's huge grocery chains have testified that billions in profits don't come from hikes to food prices.Amid all this, the federal government has given some Canadians a one-time grocery rebate and ... so far, that's it, across all levels of government. But food inflation is here to stay and if politicians wanted to help, there are plenty of other options they could consider. So why wouldn't they? What's the hold up? GUEST: Corey Mintz, food reporter, author of The Next Supper: The End of Restaurants as We Knew Them, and What Comes After 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 now everyone is aware of the strains that short-term rentals like Air BnB can place on a city's housing market. But recently Montreal has seen that problem compounded to devastating effect. A deadly fire earlier this year brought national attention to the way traditional rental units are being carved up and turned into multiple short-term rentals, and a real estate manoeuvre known as 'the Montreal shuffle' makes these moves possible at scale.So what's happening exactly and how does it work? What is the proliferation of short-term rentals doing to a city once known for as one of Canada's best places to rent? What is the government doing to attempt to regulate the problem, and why isn't it working?GUEST: Ethan Cox, senior editor and co-founder of The Ricochet (read The Ricochet's extensive work on short-term rentals in Montreal here.) 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 Greenbelt is one of Ontario's biggest environmental success stories—millions acres of protected land that capture carbon, protect at-risk species and play a huge role in feeding the province. Unless of course the land is carved up and sold to developers to create housing. Ontario's auditor general released a report this week that found the Doug Ford's government, in choosing portions of land to be developed, was influenced by developers who now stand to make billions, their "information gathering and decision protocols were sidelined and abandoned" and did not consider environmental, agricultural or financial impacts of the move. It's a damning report that needs to be explained in detail—how we got here, what it means and what might happen now. So we'll do that with a member of the team that led the reporting on the issue since last year.GUEST: Fatima, Syed, Ontario reporter, The Narwhal (Read Fatima's and her colleague Emma McIntosh's full coverage of the Greenbelt scandal here.) 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