The crime itself did not generate many headlines at the time it happened. Partly because the COVID-19 pandemic was ramping up, and partly because women are killed with shocking regularity in Canada. But three months later, two words were added to the murder charge against the accused: "terrorist activity".

For those who watch the way these crimes are usually prosecuted, the change this week was an incredibly significant one, signalling both our willingness to move on from the "terrorist" stereotype, and the growing concern authorities have with the self-described 'incel' ideology. So why was the charge changed? What does it mean, both symbolically and legally? And what happens next?

GUEST: Stewart Bell, reporter with Global News

A groundbreaking terrorism charge against an alleged ‘incel’

An in-depth look at the issues, culture and personalities shaping Canada today.

News

Politics

News Commentary

Daily News

Norval Morrisseau is among the most iconic Indigenous artists in Canadian history. His instantly-recognizable paintings adorn the walls of institutions across the country, from art galleries to Universities and provincial legislatures. To say nothing of the art dealers and auction houses that have made millions selling his works. The only problem? A whole lot of them have turned out to be fake.

Even in the world of Indigenous art, where artists have been complaining about forgery for years, the scale of the Morrisseau fraud is unprecedented. So how did authorities uncover the deception? Who's behind the fakes? And what does this say about artist's ability to protect their work? 

GUEST: Luc Rinaldi, writing in The Walrus

Inside one of the largest art frauds in history

In the months after the Ford government cut into Ontario’s protected Greenbelt to allow housing development, the premier’s ties with developers were suddenly under a microscope. 

Rumours were flying. Journalists and independent watchdogs were digging. And the day Doug Ford swallowed a bee turned out to be very consequential for another reason.

Paydirt E2: Bees, stags, does and Vegas

After an announcement at a Honda plant in Alliston, Ontario that will bring billions in new electric vehicle investment, the Prime Minister sat down with The Big Story to chat in-depth about the climate crisis, the future of electric vehicles and his government’s efforts to find opportunity amid a world on fire.

A conversation with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau

Recently the department of defence announced a plan to pour billions of dollars into Northern security. And there's no doubt that in a changing world the Arctic region has become more important, for Canada and our allies, as well as for our adversaries.

But what does 'security' or sovereignty even mean when we're discussing a huge swath of land, sparsely populated and lacking the infrastructure to change that? What does the DoD plan to use that money for, exactly? And how will it work with the Indigenous people who live in the region?

GUEST: Andrea Charron, professor and the Director of the Centre for Defence and Security Studies at the University of Manitoba.

How secure is Canada's Arctic?

Most of us had a virtual health care appointment sometime during the pandemic. Those of us that didn't have almost certainly encountered virtual care of some form or another—whether that's a follow-up phone call from your doctor, or post-surgery instructions emailed to you.

As we enter the post-pandemic era, there is a push in some quarters for more virtual care—it can improve access, speed things up and give people more control over their own care and medical records. But will it also simply create more visits, encourage unnecessary appointments and further burden an overtaxed system? There's a line we need to walk here—can we do it?

GUEST: Dr. Tara Kiran, Fidani Chair in Improvement and Innovation at the University of Toronto; family doctor and scientist at St. Michael's Hospital, Unity Health Toronto

A groundbreaking terrorism charge against an alleged ‘incel’

Download our free app to listen on your phone