As pandemic bills come due, are Canada's small businesses in danger?

What's up with these crazy gas prices?: These last few weeks, the war in Ukraine has been at the front of everyone’s mind, and rightfully so. And while we in Canada have so far been insulated from the conflict and its worst humanitarian and economic impacts, we are starting to feel its effects, at the pumps. Across Canada, gas prices have hit historic highs, and experts say they could, and likely will rise even more in the coming weeks and months. Even if you don’t drive to work every day, or even own a car for that matter, you will feel the rising cost of energy as it drives up the price of virtually all goods and services. So what’s really behind skyrocketing gas prices? How high could they go? And is there anything anyone can do to bring them back down? GUEST: Roger McKnight, Chief Petroleum Analyst at En-Pro International Inc. by The Big Story

22 min listen

What's going on in Antarctica? (And in the Arctic, too?) by The Big Story

21 min listen

How worried should we be about animal reservoirs of Covid-19?: Canadian white-tailed deer can get SARS-CoV-2. More importantly, they can maybe transmit it back to humans. This may sound scary, but it's unclear how often it might happen. What's more important, however, are the questions this raises. Will animals remain a reservoir for the virus, continuing its life in areas where human cases are close to zero? Can different species create new variants that could spread to humans? How could we monitor these animals for the virus anyway, even if we wanted to? And is the same kind of transmission possible in household pets like cats and dogs? GUEST: Denise Balkissoon, Ontario Bureau Chief, The Narwhal by The Big Story

24 min listen

How a Canadian citizen allegedly built one of the largest drug empires in history...twice: Tse Chi Lop immigrated to Toronto from Guangzhou in 1988. As part of a collection of criminal associates known as The Big Circle Boys, he worked alongside the Montreal-based Rizzuto crime family to allegedly build one of the biggest heroin smuggling operations in history. The effort would eventually earn him six years in an American Federal prison. In the years following his release, Tse allegedly turned his attention towards Asia, specifically the region's burgeoning appetite for methamphetamines. With ready access to cheap precursor materials, a global network of criminal organizations, and a business proposition that was just too enticing to turn down, Tse and his criminal network known as 'Sam Gor' allegedly dominated the Asian meth trade, and raked in billions of dollars while doing it. So how was Tse allegedly able to build not one, but two of the biggest drug smuggling rings the world by The Big Story

20 min listen

Why the future of covid vaccines might not require a needle: By now many people assume we'll be getting annual covid boosters for the rest of our lives. That's possible, but there are other possibilities, too. In the past two years we've learned so much about how to rapidly create and deliver vaccines that there are projects in front of us that could offer much more optimistic futures. At McMaster University, one of them involves no needles at all... and might eliminate the need for yearly updates. GUEST: Dr. Matthew Miller, Associate Professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences at McMaster University by The Big Story

24 min listen

Why does nothing ever change in Thunder Bay? by The Big Story

26 min listen

How TikTok is changing the music industry: For the first time, this year's JUNO's Fan Choice award will be decided in partnership with the social media platform. TikTok has allowed a new era of Canadian musicians to find their way into ears and hearts around the country in a space that has no CanCon requirements. At a time when artists are increasingly dissatisfied with streaming platforms like Spotify, traditional record sales are almost zero and the most notable independent music platform was just purchased by a gaming company, it's worth considering how the platforms we listen on shape the music that we hear. GUEST: Richard Trapunski, editor of music, tech and local business at NOW Magazine by The Big Story

26 min listen

Why has Canada deported thousands of frontline workers during a pandemic?: Very early in the pandemic, Canada put a pause on deportations. Conditions were unsafe, the world had stopped, and a lot of these workers were doing jobs Canadians badly needed done. But the pause didn't last long, and since deportations have resumed more than 18,000 people have been sent back to their country of origin, even as frontline labour is at a premium and some of them face health and safety risks upon their return. What's the rationale behind this? What options do these aspiring Canadians have? And could we have found a different way? GUEST: Isabel Macdonald, researcher and writer based in Montreal, writing for The Walrus by The Big Story

23 min listen

The Liberal-NDP deal: A complete FAQ: When the federal Liberal and New Democratic Parties announced an agreement that would keep the Liberals in power until 2025 in exchange for advancing key policy initiatives, it turned Ottawa upside down.Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his frequenct critic, NDP leader Jagmeet Singh, are working together. The Conservatives, in the middle of a leadership race, are irate. And there are a ton of questions to answer. What kind of deal is this, and what are the precedents for it? What kinds of policy will it produce? How will Canadians lives change? What happens if one party breaks their word? Is this really "backdoor socialism"? And how does this change the federal political landscape, for the next few years and beyond? GUEST: Cormac Mac Sweeney, Parliament Hill Reporter by The Big Story

29 min listen

Lots of things are bad. But not the Blue Jays.: We almost didn't have baseball back. In a winter filled with loss and discontent, maybe that wouldn't have mattered much. But the return of the game mattered a lot to millions of people looking for signs of spring. And it mattered even more to a Toronto Blue Jays team that was counting on this season to make a big push towards a World Series. A labour deal got done at the 11th hour. A full 162-game season is on the books. And the Jays wasted no time in making more moves designed to load up a talented team with even more players. So, just how good can this team be? GUEST: Shi Davidi, senior baseball columnist, Sportsnet by The Big Story

23 min listen

As the world shuns Russia, what happens to the International Space Station?: The ISS has long been well above Earth's political squabbles. But since Russia invaded Ukraine, and most of the world began sanctioning Putin's regime, it seems less likely it will remain that way. On the station, Russian and American (and other countries') astronauts work together to research and problem solve. But on Earth the head of Russia's space agency says the US will be to blame for the death of the space station. Can The ISS even function without both sides cooperating? Does either side want it to, really? And with private companies like SpaceX pushing hard for increasing ISS access and work with space agencies—are we on the cusp of an entirely new era for humans in outer space? GUEST: Ivan Semeniuk, science reporter, The Globe and Mail by The Big Story

24 min listen

Meet the west coast's Indigenous guardians: There are places on the coast of British Columbia that can go weeks without a visit from the coast guard or government official. But the land is cared for all the same, and so is anyone who finds themselves in danger while they're on it. The practice of Indigenous guardians goes back centuries, but recently it has been both formalized and funded by the government, giving First Nations the authority and resources to watch over their lands. It's an arrangement that may spread across the country and return more stewardship of forests, lakes and oceans to the people who have lived on them for so long... and this is how it works. GUEST: Jimmy Thomson, writing for The Narwhal by The Big Story

26 min listen

Inside a funding controversy, and the fight for the meaning of Pride: When anomalies arose about nearly $2 million in grant money obtained by Toronto Pride, it prompted the new guard running the organization to commit to a review and transparency around funding. But as it became clear how the grants were obtained, it has raised larger questions about who Pride events are for, why they have become such huge, corporate-money-friendly events and what Pride should be at its roots: A party or a protest? GUEST: Krishna Rau, writing for Xtra by The Big Story

24 min listen

Why a no-fly zone won't happen, and what comes next in Ukraine?: It's been one request that absolutely nobody is willing to grant. While many NATO members are sending arms and aid to Ukrainians, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's pleas for a no-fly zone over his country have been rebuffed. And there's a good reason for that. Today: How a no-fly zone works, why allies are refusing to enact one and what happens next in Ukraine, where Russian forces continue to increase the destructiveness of their attacks... GUEST: Abbie Shull, junior military and defense reporter at Business Insider by The Big Story

19 min listen

How can Canadians help with the humanitarian catastrophe in Ukraine?: Discussion of Ukraine aid has focused mostly on military equipment—how NATO allies can aid the Ukrainians against Russia. Meanwhile, staggering numbers of Ukrainian civilians have either fled the country or are trapped in regions being devastated by Russian bombardment. The needs of the Ukrainian people are massive and varied. How can we help get them what they need, where they are, or aid those who do manage to make it to Canada? And what should we expect of our government to help us get it to them? GUEST: Orest Zakydalsky, Senior Policy Advisor for the Ukrainian Canadian Congress by The Big Story

22 min listen

Why spoilers are good, actually: It's impossible to discuss a new film or show these days without someone reminding you, "No spoilers!" Purposefully spoiling a plot point in a popular work is considered just short of evil. Entire trailers and hype campaigns are based on you not knowing one particular thing about a film, so you spend the entire time waiting, just waiting, for the big reveal. But what if all of this was ruining our ability to enjoy creativity and art for their own sake? What if when we were waiting for the guest star or unexpected twist, we were missing the things that made the piece exceptional? What if we can't see the forest because we keep looking for one special tree that everyone has told us is a big surprise? What if ... (most) spoilers were good? GUEST: Emily St. James, senior correspondent, Vox by The Big Story

25 min listen

Everything you need to know about the (sigh) sixth wave of Covid: Hospitalizations are climbing again in parts of the country, and cases are rising in others. It's deja vu all over again. It's clear we're in for at least some sort of Spring rise in Covid-19, driven by the BA.2 subvariant, but how bad could it be? Is it possible this is a sign of a virus playing itself out? What can people who are worried do to protect themselves? And ... haven't we done this enough by now? Will we ever figure this out? GUEST: Colin Furness, infection control epidemiologist at the University of Toronto by The Big Story

30 min listen

Are you paying more online without ever knowing it?: Probably! It's called dynamic pricing, and it's very different than paying extra for premium matchups at the ballpark or seats on an airplane. Dynamic pricing in an online marketplace is an opaque system that uses an algorithm to determine how much to charge you (or someone else) for anything from milk and paper towels to books or even a Tinder subscription. Factors at play when a price is set can include your neighbourhood, shopping history, recorded preference and many others. If it sounds shady, well, it's impossible to determine just how shady it is because none of this is public to would-be consumers. And none of our existing regulations address it. Should they? And if so, how? GUEST: Vass Bednar, Executive Director, MPP in Digital Society at McMaster University, Author at Regs2Riches.com by The Big Story

28 min listen

Rewind: It's real. Canada's going to the World Cup: For decades, Canada's men's soccer team was irrelevant at best, a punchline at worst. While the women's side went on to Olympic medals and World Cup runs, the Canadian men ... did nothing. Until a few years ago, when the tide began to turn. And then last year, when the unthinkable started to happen. Now Canada is not only headed to the World Cup for just the second time in its history, but the team also looks ready to do some damage when it gets there. How did the unthinkable happen? GUEST: John Molinaro, veteran Canadian soccer journalist, founder of TFC Republic (This episode originally aired on Feb. 2, 2022) by The Big Story

25 min listen

Will Jason Kenney's career survive in Alberta?: He returned to the province as a conservative saviour, uniting the right under one banner and vanquishing the NDP. But just a few short years later, Jason Kenney's own party—or at least a substantial chunk of it—wants him gone. A leadership review attracted so many interested voters that it was moved from an in-person event to a mail-in ballot, which has only furthered the cries of skullduggery from his opponents within the UCP. It also probably didn't help that Kenney was taped referring to them as "kooks" and "lunatics" in a leaked audio clip. What happened to Kenney's conservative support in Alberta? And what happens next if his party ousts him? GUEST: Jason Markusoff, Alberta-based staff writer, Maclean's by The Big Story

21 min listen

Who is Pierre Poilievre?: He's the heavy favourite to be the next leader of the federal Conservatives. He's a relentless attack dog that loves a good partisan brawl. He's angry. Especially at Justin Trudeau. Just ask him. But that's not all there is to the man. Under the public persona is something else. The question is why it's mostly kept buried, and if Poilievre thinks it's better to keep it that way? GUEST: Shannon Proudfoot, Ottawa bureau chief, Maclean's magazine (Read Shannon's profile of Poilievre right here.) by The Big Story

26 min listen

A friendly chat about the end of "normal": Two years ago, things started changing ... quickly. They haven't stopped since. Yes, eventually the pandemic will end, but the normal we hoped would return is long gone. After decades of unprecedented stability, especially in places like Canada, many people have simply never experienced a world in constant flux. It's a funny feeling, and one we're still learning how to cope with. So how should we grapple with the new world we inhabit? GUEST: Elamin Abdelmahmoud, culture writer at Buzzfeed News, host of Pop Chat from CBC podcasts. Elamin's book, Son of Elsewhere, is available for pre-order. by The Big Story

31 min listen

Who might have to pay back CERB? And why?: The Canada Emergency Response Benefit was a lifeline to millions in the early days of the pandemic. Then, in early 2021, letters went out to more than 400,000 Canadians informing them that they may not have qualified and might have to pay the money they received back to the Canada Revenue Agency. For folks already struggling to make ends meet, this was a terrifying thought. When you dig into who received those letters, though, something disturbing appears. Certain regions of the country received a disproportionately higher percentage of these frightening letters. Why? Who was targeted? And in general, who may end up owing the government money and what should you do if you receive one of these notices? GUEST: Kelly Geraldine Malone, Canadian Press by The Big Story

25 min listen

Chasing a romance scammer across the country: When you trust someone with your heart, you have to accept that it might get broken. Things might not work out. You might grow apart. But at the least, you would hope for honesty. And if not honesty then ... maybe, at least not outright fraud and theft? Sadly though, not everyone gets that — which brings us to a group of Canadian women, all of whom, had their hearts broken and bank accounts emptied by a con artist. And their sadness and loss could have been the end of the story. But it's not... GUEST: Emilia King, host and co-creator of Catch Him If You Can by The Big Story

21 min listen

What does the federal budget mean for you? And for Canada's future?: The housing crisis is one of Canadians' biggest concerns, and in last week's federal budget it got some top-line attention. But inflation didn't receive nearly as much attention, and the cost of everything is rising. How will the plans unveiled by the government make your own budget easier or harder to balance? And beyond personal finances, what's in store for the environment, defence and other critical national issues? And did the Liberals deal with the NDP make this budget bigger and better, or buy the government time to plan for the long term? GUEST: Mike Eppel, senior business editor at CityNews by The Big Story

25 min listen

Should your salary be public? Should mine?: Every year, most Canadian provinces release lists of the top wages among public servants. And every year, lots of people get mad about them. It's easy to say that it's unfair to publish these names and salaries, as it inevitably makes some people a target. But what if instead, we made more salaries public, not less? Secrecy around salaries is just another part of Canada's lack of transparency as a country. From government records to police investigations to any number of things, we prefer to keep things in the dark. And the darker things are, the easier it is for them to remain unequal. There are places in the world where everyone's salary is public. What would this country look like if your co-workers knew what you made, or vice versa? GUEST: Robyn Doolittle, investigative reporter, The Globe and Mail by The Big Story

24 min listen

As medically assisted dying evolves, who can access it? And why?: There have been some heartbreaking headlines recently, about people who are living with chronic conditions in situations that force them to suffer—and choosing a medically assisted death because they can't find affordable housing that can accommodate them. These stories are complicated, but so is every conversation around a medically assisted death. Now that the law has been around for years, it's better understood but it's also evolving. Next year, patients will be able to request MAiD with the sole condition of mental illness, which will make these conversations even more difficult. So who can access MAiD, how is it changing? What's next? And ... why is it so difficult for Canadians to talk about death? GUEST: Dr. Stefanie Green, MAiD practitioner, co-founder and current President of the Canadian Association of MAiD Assessors and Providers by The Big Story

27 min listen

Catch Him If You Can: Taking down March Vautour: March Vautour is a border-hopping Canadian con artist who's tricked women and men out of over a million dollars. He's been getting away with it for over 20 years, but now his survivors have teamed up to do everything they can to stop him. From Pink Moon Studio and Frequency Podcast Network, Catch Him if You Can mixes documentary and drama to tell the story of a man who thought he was untouchable and his survivors' real-time crusade to catch him. by The Big Story

51 min listen

Why don't all Canadian hospitals offer sex assault evidence kits?: Many victims have come to Canadian hospitals after they've survived a sexual assault, only to be informed that the hospital doesn't have either the equipment or the personnel to properly collect evidence for a future investigation. In some cases, victims have been sent to hospitals many miles away. Why are these kits scattered around the country, instead of being immediately available at any hospital? And who has the power to fix it? GUEST: Jacqueline Villeneuve-Ahmed is the founder and director of She Matters, a community of women-identifying survivors and allies by The Big Story

23 min listen

Can Canada transition both drivers and automakers to electric vehicles?: The federal government has ambitious targets set for the percentage of cars in Canada that will be electric by 2030. We're a long way from meeting them. But research shows hundreds of thousands of Canadians would like to purchase one. They just can't find one, can't afford one, or don't have the access to charging to make it worth their time. Meanwhile, the country's auto manufacturing hub needs help transitioning to be ready for the demand of the next generation of cars. All this adds up to problems at both ends of the supply chain, and a ticking clock making each project and incentive count. GUEST: Zoe Long, Research Manager for SFU’s Sustainable Transportation Action Research Team (START) by The Big Story

24 min listen

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As pandemic bills come due, are Canada's small businesses in danger?

As pandemic bills come due, are Canada's small businesses in danger?

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