The Big Five Podcast

Elias Makos is joined by Caroline Codsi, founder & chief equity officer, Women in Governance and Sue Smith, a Montreal journalist and broadcaster on The Big 5. A new report from the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives warns that the Liberal government’s plan to save $13 billion annually by 2028–29 through “increased efficiency” would amount to a 24% cut in public service spending, mostly targeting non-defence departments. Residents in a Laval neighbourhood are raising concerns over a neighbour whose front yard has become a dumb site. The Office québécois de la langue française (OQLF) has reversed its stance and now allows the use of the English word “Go” to cheer for sports teams, although it still prefers “Allez.

Neil Drabkin, a former federal prosecutor and political commentator, joins Andrew Caddell, Kamouraska town councillor and linguistic policy advocate, for a lively discussion. They reveal that over 17,500 people with criminal records have been granted entry into Canada, sparking debates on immigration and public safety. They also dive into the ongoing controversy surrounding Sir John A. Macdonald's decapitated statue, still awaiting restoration five years later, raising questions about how societies reconcile with complex historical legacies.

Elias Makos is joined by Dan Delmar, co-founder of the PR and content firm TNKR Media and Caryma Sa’d, lawyer sole practice and Journalist independent / freelancer based in Toronto on a National Edition of the Big 5. Happy Canada Day! This year certainly seems like a special one. Many would say that Donald Trump’s talk of annexing Canada has sparked a defensive nationalism. Let’s talk trade, shall we? Of course by now we all know that Canada caved to the Trump administration’s demand to ditch the Digital Services Tax on tech giants. Let’s talk trade, shall we? Of course by now we all know that Canada caved to the Trump administration’s demand to ditch the Digital Services Tax on tech giants.

Join political analyst Raphaël Melançon and Montreal's special advisor Jimmy Zoubris as they tackle whether Canada is yielding to Donald Trump or playing a cunning game of strategy. They dive into the unexpected class-action lawsuit against Tim Hortons over a misleading prize email, stirring discussions on corporate accountability. The duo also highlights a Quebec family's shift towards vegetarian meals, revealing its financial and environmental perks. Tune in for a mix of serious analysis and lighthearted insights!

Elias Makos is joined by Anthony Koch, Former National Spokesperson for Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre and current managing principal at AK Strategies and Political analyst Karim Boulos on The Big 5. Two months after the federal election, Prime Minister Mark Carney is enjoying strong support in Quebec, with nearly 60% approval and the Liberals leading at 44% in the polls. A new report from the Montreal Economic Institute warns that Canada’s proposed federal homebuilding agency, Build Canada Homes, could repeat the failures of New Zealand’s KiwiBuild program. Do we swear too much? The week began with an exasperated Donald Trump dropping an F-bomb.

Elias Makos is joined by Caroline Codsi, Founder & Chief Equity Officer, Women in Governance and Akil Alleyne, Reporter and commentator with extensive experience analysing legal, political, and social issues and Manager of the GemStar Circle of Excellence Scholarship Program on The Big 5. The front page of Journal de Montréal says it all - Nothing is going right for François Legault. 50% of Quebecers want him to go away according to a new Leger poll. Once again this week, Prime Minister Mark Carney called Canada “the most European of non-European countries.” It’s a line that the PM has repeated before A new Statistics Canada report shows asking rents in Montreal have surged nearly 71% since 2019,

Elias Makos is joined by Paul Gott, lead singer and guitarist for montreal punk rock band The Ripcordz and a journalism professor at Concordia and Jonathan Kalles, Vice President at McMillan Vantage, a national public affairs firm, and former advisor to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Prime Minister Mark Carney is committing that Canada – along with other NATO allies – will invest five per cent of GDP on defence by 2035. Advocacy groups are sounding the alarm over Bill C-2, warning it could give police sweeping powers to access Canadians’ personal data without a warrant. A U.S. judge has ruled that an Artificial Intelligence company did not violate the copyright of authors when it used millions of books to train their AI.

Dan Delmar, in for Elias Makos, is joined by Meeker Guerrier, Commentator at Noovo and RDS and Gabriel Retta, a Montrealer active in politics and government service at all three levels for the last 20 years on The Big 5. Montreal is celebrating Fête Nationale today with a full day of festivities. U.S. President Donald Trump announced a ceasefire yesterday between Israel and Iran. The Fédération autonome de l’enseignement (FAE) is calling for Quebec Education Minister Bernard Drainville to resign.  

Joining the discussion are Jimmy Zoubris, a special advisor to the Mayor of Montreal, and Justine McIntyre, a strategic consultant and former city councillor. They dive into the recent U.S. airstrikes on Iran, analyzing Canada's diplomatic stance and the balance between military action and negotiations. The podcast also navigates the controversial decision to keep schools open during a heatwave, weighing health considerations against educational needs. Additionally, they celebrate Montreal's rising basketball talent and potential NBA prospects.

Sue Smith ends the week with Anthony Koch, Former National Spokesperson for Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre and current managing principal at AK Strategies, and Akil Alleyne, Reporter and commentator with extensive experience analysing legal, political, and social issues and Manager of the GemStar Circle of Excellence Scholarship Program. As war between Israel and Iran intensifies, European ministers are meeting today with Iran’s foreign minister in Switzerland to propose renewed nuclear negotiations Canada’s Competition Bureau is calling for an end to Montreal-Trudeau Airport’s monopoly on international flights Montreal is still lagging behind other cities when it comes to simple, contactless payment for public transit