The Big Story

Sam Garrison, a dedicated Toronto high school teacher, recently made waves by completing a solo swim across the English Channel, a feat only achieved by a few Canadians. He shares how this journey began as a way to cope with pandemic frustrations and evolved into a mission to raise funds for the Daily Bread Food Bank. Sam recounts the grueling physical and mental challenges he faced, from jellyfish encounters to oil tankers, and the crucial support from loved ones that kept him motivated through moments of doubt.

Sonia Dheer, a digital nomad who has explored 40 countries and lived in seven before turning 30, shares her journey while running a marketing business. She candidly discusses the allure versus the reality of nomadic life, including financial challenges and feelings of isolation. Sonia delves into the legalities faced while traveling, the complexities of maintaining relationships, and the skills needed to thrive as a digital nomad. Her insights reveal whether you truly have what it takes to live this glamorous yet demanding lifestyle.

Rob Snow, host of Now You Know with Rob Snow, dives into the defining moments of Mark Carney's first 100 days as Prime Minister. They discuss the triumphant rise of the Liberal Party under Carney’s leadership, the trade war challenges with the U.S., and key policy shifts like increased defense spending. Snow highlights the unexpected alliance with Stephen Harper and the setbacks faced in trade relations, particularly in agriculture. Together, they reflect on what these early days mean for the future of Canadian governance.

In less than 2 weeks, it's do or die for Pierre Poilievre.Not only is he in for a political battle to get into the House of Commons, he's got other forces working against him, including another lengthy ballot.Most of the candidates are associated with the Longest Ballot Committee, a grassroots electoral reform group seeking to draw attention to itself by flooding ballots with as many names as possible in several recent elections and byelections. But their tactics have raised questions about the effect long ballots have on the accessibility and integrity of the vote. Host Caryn Ceolin speaks to Julie Simmons, associate professor at the University of Guelph’s political science department to discuss both the flaws in the Canadian electoral system that long ballots aim to highlight and whether such protests have the potential to depreciate our democracy. 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's the latest among the vast plethora of parenting styles: gentle parenting...but just how gentle is it?And for whom?The U.S. General Surgeon has issued public health advisory on the impact of modern stresses on parents' mental health, listing six factors it says contributes to parent/caregiver burnout. They include financial strain, time demands, children’s health & safety, loneliness & isolation, technology & social media, and cultural pressures.Host Pooja Handa speaks to Dr. Shimi Kang, Psychiatrist and Best-Selling Author of the parenting book, 'The Dolphin Parent', about the current struggles today's parents are facing, and what they can do to find the balance between raising emotionally regulated, well-rounded children.You can learn more about Dr. Kang at the following links: https://www.drshimikang.com www.futurereadyminds.com. 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's been 40 years since Nicole Morin disappeared. The little girl was 8 at the time when she went down to her apartment building's lobby to meet a friend for a swim. She hasn't been seen since. This week, Toronto Police offered up a $50,000 reward for any new information about Nicole's disappearance. On today's Big Story, you'll hear Fil Martino and Madison Fitzpatrick explain the case on their podcast, "Tracking a Killer". Anyone with information about Nicole Morin’s disappearance is asked to contact the Toronto Police Service at 416-808-7411 or the non-emergency line at 416-808-2200. Tips can also be submitted anonymously to Crime Stoppers at 416-222-TIPS (8477) or at www.222tips.com. 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

To retaliate or not to retaliate? That's the question after President Donald Trump's trade deadline hit, and he once again slapped tariffs on Canada. Without an agreement between our countries, Trump followed through on his threat to increase his tariff on non-CUSMA goods from 25 to 35%. This is on top of tariffs on autos, steel, aluminum and copper.Host Cormac Mac Sweeney speaks with Maaw Law trade lawyer Mark Warner about how we ended up here, why Mexico got an extension and we didn't, and whether Canada should hit back or hold our punch in order to reach a deal in the weeks ahead. 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

The truth is out there...but are we any closer to knowing what it is? On the heels of World UFO Day, on today's show, we talk to journalist Daniel Otis about a new federal government report that's calling for the creation of a new Canadian federal agency to manage UFO reports.You'll also hear about his reporting on Canadian pilots who have encountered strange objects in the sky, and his battle with Canadian nuclear plant operators to get records they may have on the phenomenon. 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

Wynne Armand, an Associate Director at Mass General Hospital Centre for the Environment and Health and an Associate Professor at Harvard, dives into how climate change is worsening skin diseases like eczema and psoriasis. She discusses the impact of pollution and heat on our skin barriers. Listeners learn how to adjust their sun protection strategies, with a focus on the importance of mineral-based sunscreens. Armand also emphasizes the need for basic skincare over complex routines and offers tips for improving indoor air quality to protect skin health.

Sometimes it's easy to tell whether a video is fake, other times, it's not. Watermarking is used to digitally stamp fake videos, whether that stamp is visible to the human eye or is embedded in the video's data. But with new technology that allows for the stamp to be removed without anyone noticing, how is regulation enforced? Host Mike Eppel speaks to Andre Kassis, University of Waterloo PhD candidate in computer science, and Angus Lockhart, senior policy analyst at 'The Dais' with Toronto Metropolitan University to discuss the safeguards in place to ensure AI-produced content is labelled accordingly and who can be held accountable if the rules start to bend. 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