The Big Story

Cormac McSweeney, Parliament Hill Bureau Chief, shares insider insights from the G7 Summit he covered in Alberta. He discusses the early departure of President Trump amidst tensions in the Middle East and the implications it had. The potential for a new trade deal between Canada and the U.S. is highlighted, stressing the urgency for stability. McSweeney also reflects on Prime Minister Mark Carney's performance and the controversial political discussions surrounding Russian involvement and human rights during the summit.

In this engaging conversation, Richard Shimooka, an expert in Canadian defense policy at the Macdonald-Laurier Institute, discusses Canada’s ambitious plan to increase its defense budget to meet NATO’s 2% GDP target. He explains the historical context of Canada’s military underspending and the urgency driven by global security demands. The conversation dives into the complexities of defense procurement, challenges in military readiness, and the pressing security issues in Canada’s Arctic, particularly in light of climate change and geopolitical tensions.

On this weekend listen, we're re-visiting a story from March about a topic that just won't go away - how much social media is too much? Research out of the University of British Columbia shows there’s a way to manage your mental health while staying up to date on your favourite apps.Host Melanie Ng speaks with lead study author and psychology professor at UBC, Amori Mikami, about their findings.More info: pearl.psych.ubc.ca We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future episodes. You can find us:Through email at hello@thebigstorypodcast.ca Or @thebigstoryfpn on Twitter

On Sunday, world leaders of some of the top democratic economies in the world will gather in Alberta for the G7 summit, to discuss everything from the war in Ukraine, to trade to wildfires.But what will be achieved at the meeting? Will U.S. president Donald Trump create drama like the last time he was on Canadian soil, and what should we make of the controversial decision to invite the leaders of India and Saudi Arabia?Host Cormac Mac Sweeney speaks with John Kirton, a University of Toronto Professor Emeritus and the head of the G7 research group., who's been to almost every G7 since 1988.You can follow Cormac's reporting live from Kananaskis on the G7 by listening to 1130 NewsRadio in Vancouver, 660 NewsRadio in Calgary, 570 NewsRadio in Kitchener, 680 NewsRadio in Toronto and 95.7 NewsRadio in Halifax or visiting citynews.ca. We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future episodes. You can find us:Through email at hello@thebigstorypodcast.ca Or @thebigstoryfpn on Twitter

It is one of the worst airline disasters in decades in India. On Thursday, an Air India passenger plane bound for London, England, crashed minutes after takeoff. 242 people were onboard, including one Canadian, a woman from the Toronto area. Officials confirming only one surviving passenger at this point. On the ground, dozens more casualties after the plane crashed into a residential area and burst into flames near the airport in Ahmedabad. Host Melanie Ng speaks with aviation expert John Gradek about early indications of what may have went wrong and next steps in the investigation. We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future episodes. You can find us:Through email at hello@thebigstorypodcast.ca Or @thebigstoryfpn on Twitter

Stephen Johnston, a private equity manager and director of Omnigence Asset Management, dives into the potential effects of Trump's 'Big Beautiful Bill' on Canada's investment landscape. He discusses critical U.S. legislation regarding withholding taxes that could impact Canadian investors and pension funds. The conversation also explores how rising inflation and geopolitical tensions may force Canadian strategies to adapt. Johnston highlights the need for Canada to remain appealing to foreign investors amidst shifting economic dynamics.

The biggest break-up of 2025 is already in the books. After less than a year – the very public bromance between the U.S. president and the world’s richest man blew up in front of our eyes. And it all played out in real time on social media. Just this morning, Elon Musk admitted that some of his posts may have gone too far. Donald Trump and Elon Musk have both softened their tones since the implosion but many are wondering what happens next. Host Kris McCusker spoke to Dr. Antoine Panaïoti, Associate Professor of Philosophy at Toronto Metropolitan University about the clash between two alpha males - what it was really about – and what it might mean ahead of midterms in the U.S. next year. We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future episodes. You can find us:Through email at hello@thebigstorypodcast.ca Or @thebigstoryfpn on Twitter

There's an uproar in Ontario about a just passed law that the government claims will speed up critical infrastructure and resource projects. However, critics including Indigenous groups are calling it a "land grab".Bill 5 gives the government the ability to exempt companies from laws in order to build faster.Host Richard Southern talks to Sol Mamakwa, the only Indigenous member of the Ontario legislature, about the bill and what happens next. We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future episodes. You can find us:Through email at hello@thebigstorypodcast.ca Or @thebigstoryfpn on Twitter

Susan Dominus, Pulitzer Prize-winning writer for The New York Times and author of "The Family Dynamic," discusses the profound influence of family on success. She delves into how sibling order affects individual life paths, revealing insights on the dynamics of high-achieving families. Dominus shares compelling stories about how older siblings mentor younger ones, the importance of parental attitudes, and the intricate dance of sibling relationships in shaping academic and career outcomes. Join her as she uncovers the sibling effect and its impact on achievement.

We are revisiting this episode of The Big Story from March, as we learned this week, an infant died this week in Southwestern Ontario, who was born premature and infected with measles. In a statement, Dr. Kieran Moore said the infant contracted the virus before birth from their mother, who had not received the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine.However it's important added that while measles may have been a contributing factor in both the premature birth and death, the infant also faced “other serious medical complications unrelated to the virus.”Officials are still calling it a "preventable crisis". The highly contagious viral infection was considered eliminated in 1998 in Canada and in 2000 in the U.S., but a number of factors have contributed to its recent resurgence.Host Melanie Ng speaks with Sabina Vohra-Miller, @unambiguousscience, a Doctor of Public Health candidate and expert in clinical pharmacology and toxicology, about this issue. We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future episodes. You can find us:Through email at hello@thebigstorypodcast.ca Or @thebigstoryfpn on Twitter