The Big Five Podcast

Elias Makos is joined by Meeker Guerrier, commentator at Noovo and RDS and first time panelist Sue Smith is a Montreal journalist and broadcaster on the Big 5.

• Liberal leadership hopeful Mark Carney found time for an interview with the media yesterday south of the border with Jon Stewart on The Daily Show.
• Former finance minister Chrystia Freeland is set to announce her bid for Liberal Party leadership within the week.
• Starbucks is reversing its open-door policy, requiring customers to make a purchase to use restrooms or hang out in stores

Elias Makos is joined by Dan Delmar, Co-founder of the PR and content firm TNKR Media and host of the Inspiring Business Hour - Saturdays at noon on CJAD, and Jimmy Zoubris, special advisor to the Mayor.

• Former Prime Minister Jean Chretien suggests that the Liberals should move to the 'radical centre'. Is he correct?

• One SPVM police officer has been suspended for insulting a young offender.

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• The Quebec Bar is warning that AI cannot replace professional legal advice.

Elias Makos is joined by Neil Drabkin, Lawyer who served as federal prosecutor and a political commentator who was a chief of staff in the Harper government and Jonathan Kalles, Vice President at McMillan Vantage, a national public affairs firm, and former advisor to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on The Big 5.

• Is Trump using talk of Canada becoming the 51st state as a distraction from the real threat? Trudeau takes to U.S. media to discuss,
• A possible candidate for the Liberal leadership bows out.
• A CBC investigation has revealed what many may have suspected: Grocery stores selling underweight meat

Elias Makos is joined by Justine McIntyre, Strategic consultant and former city councillor and Andrew Caddell, a town councillor in Kamouraska, and President of the Task Force on Linguistic policy on The Big 5.

• In light of all the talk of the U.S. taking over Greenland, the Panama Canal, and annexing us here in Canada - let’s talk empires for a second. Russia and China have massively outflanked the United States over the last 15 years.
• With this country being devoid of federal leadership during this very important time… who do you see as “Captain Canada” right now? Might I suggest it’s Ontario’s Doug Ford?
• Former Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chrétien’s got some advice for young people….

Elias Makos is joined by Dan Delmar, Co-founder of the PR and content firm TNKR Media and host of the Inspiring Business Hour - Saturdays at noon on CJAD 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.

• Trump says he could use ‘economic force’ to acquire Canada.

•  Voting procedures in the next Liberal leadership race and decide who will be Canada’s next Prime Minister? 
• West Island business man Frank Baylis, a former MP is the first person to publicly express desire to run in the Liberal leadership race.

Elias Makos is joined by Justine McIntyre, Strategic consultant and former city councillor and Paul Gott, Lead singer and guitarist for Montreal Punk Rock band the Ripcordz and a journalism professor at Concordia on the Big 5.

• Although it may not have come as a shock to many…. Yesterday Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that he would be stepping down as Liberal leader.
• Donald Trump’s instant reaction to the Trudeau resignation news?
• Major, sweeping changes at Meta, the owner of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp.

Elias Makos is joined by Trudie Mason - Veteran Newscaster here at CJAD 800 and Jimmy Zoubris, Special Advisor to the Mayor.

• Justin Trudeau’s resignation could come at any minute.

• When Justin Trudeau resigns, what song should we play on air.
• Have you hopped on the dry January trend? Dry January continues to grow in popularity in Quebec, with more people 
  embracing sobriety for health and mindfulness.

Robyn Flynn caps off the week with Justine McIntyre, Strategic consultant and former city councillor and Andrew Caddell, president of the Task Force on Linguistic policy. 

• Quebecers can now take up to 3 sick days without a doctor's note. The new law went into effect on January 1st, and is meant to reduce the burden on ERs and clinics, and folks with colds and flu wait around for doctors notes for their employers
• A recent survey asked 2800 people if they were willing to spend more for a local product
• One couple found out the hard way that family reunification delays are growing extremely long in the province
• More pet parents are considering their four-legged friends when writing up their wills

Robyn Flynn is joined by Catherine Hogan, high school teacher at Westwood Senior High in Hudson, and Jonathan Kalles, Vice President at McMillan Vantage, and former advisor to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

• Two major attacks occurred around New Year celebrations in the US
• Multiple hospitals around Quebec have lost TV service in November after a contract dispute with Videotron
• Montrealers have a municipal election to look ahead to this year, but after Valerie Plante said she wouldn’t be seeking re-election, we aren’t sure what faces are going to be on the ballot.
• The cost of your bus pass isn’t going up right now (the STM’s price increase usually goes into effect in the summer), but you CAN expect to pay more for groceries, airfare, vehicle registration, and electricity

Robyn Flynn is joined by Dan Delmar, Co-founder of the PR and content firm TNKR Media and host of the Inspiring Business Hour, and Paul Gott, Lead singer and guitarist for Montreal Punk Rock band the Ripcordz and a journalism professor at Concordia.

• Every year, hundreds of children visit Quebec's National Assembly and take the opportunity to write letters to their elected officials. In 2019, their concerns revolved around climate change, but this year, it’d more so the increasing cost of living. 
• Quebec's environment minister says people should soon make the switch to electric vehicles as it may become difficult to find gas stations in the next decade
• The Quebec Liberal caucus is joining the calls for Trudeau to step down
• An American fugitive present at the Jan. 6 riots is seeking asylum in Canada saying that “I know that Canada is historically welcoming to refugees