The Big Five Podcast

Trudie Mason is joined by Lionel Perez, Former city councilor and former leader of the Official Opposition at Montreal City Hall, and Andrew Caddell, columnist for the Hill Times and President of the Task Force on Linguistic policy.

• Montreal's iconic rainbow-coloured balls will return to the Gay Village as part of a $200-million redevelopment of Sainte-Catherine Street East.
• The PLQ added two big names in former president of the Montreal Chamber of Commerce Michel Leblanc and President of the Old Brewery Mission James Hughes.
• Prime Minister Mark Carney is not being fazed by the comments of U.S President Donald Trump.
• New York City has revived its so-called "sticker of shame" campaign, placing large warning stickers on vehicles that commit traffic violations.

Trudie Mason is with Caroline Codsi, Founder & Chief Equity Officer at Women in Governance, and Raphaël Melançon, political analyst for CTV Montreal and CJAD 800, and columnist for the Montreal Gazette. 

• A new Pallas Data-Qc125 poll reveals the PQ leading with thirty-one percent as the CAQ slips among francophone voters.
• The Montreal Economic Institute reported that thirty-five percent of Quebec's one hundred and forty-five thousand business regulations are unnecessary red tape.
• Twenty-eight medical specialists have opted out of RAMQ this year to practice privately, sparking concerns over public healthcare access.

Trudie Mason is joined by political analyst Karim Boulos, and Akil Alleyne, reporter, commentator, and manager of the GemStar Circle of Excellence Scholarship Program.

• The Parliamentary Budget Officer will investigate potential cost overruns and revenue-sharing changes in the Gordie Howe Bridge agreement.
• Montreal unveiled a Chinatown revitalization strategy featuring dedicated cleaning brigades and infrastructure upgrades to boost local investment.
• Conservative MP Kyle Seeback defended opposition scrutiny, arguing that criticizing the Liberal government should not be labeled "Trumpian."
• A Canadian Taxpayers Federation report revealed Canadian provincial politicians earn significantly higher average salaries than US state legislators.
• Jetstar airline announced plans to charge fees for overhead cabin baggage space starting in February 2027.

Trudie Mason welcomes in Jonathan Kalles, Senior Vice President at Vantage and former advisor to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and Jimmy Zoubris, Montreal businessman, longtime activist, and former special advisor to Valerie Plante.

• A new Nanos Research poll shows thirty-three percent of Canadians believe no current Conservative politician can defeat Mark Carney.
• The Department of National Defence removed French-language requirements from roughly one hundred and eighty bilingual military units.
• The Canadian Press revealed citizens are urging the federal government to mandate British spellings in official communications.
• A US crowdfunding campaign has reignited privacy debates surrounding automated police license plate recognition technology.
• A small piece of flood-prone land in Laval listed for fifty thousand dollars has gone viral online.

Trudie Mason is joined by Dan Delmar, Co-founder of the content marketing firm TNKR Media and co-host of the podcast Inspiring Entrepreneurs Canada, and Tasha Kheiriddin, a writer and commentator for the National Post, GZero Media, and Substack.

• WestJet and the union representing its 4,400 flight attendants have reached a tentative collective agreement, bringing an end to strike action and the operational disruptions that forced hundreds of flight cancellations over the long weekend.
• With four federal byelections coming up, NDP leader Avi Lewis is sticking to his guns and will not run in any of them until a full general election is called.
• There have been multiple antisemitic incidents that have occurred in the past seven days and officials are getting worried.
• Quebecor has installed heat and motion sensors beneath workstations at some of its offices to monitor how often desks are being used, a move the company says is intended to better manage office space.

Trudie Mason is joined by Daniel Tran, Director of Communication and Governmental Relations at Casacom, and Victor Henriquez, Public Affairs and Crisis Management specialist at Public Strategy and Conseil.

• A new Leger survey shows that despite a majority of Canadians believing the U.S tariffs are a threat, whether we should respond with tariffs of our own is splitting the population right down the middle.
• The amount of time waiting for a doctor on the info santé phone line 811 has increased to an average of 89 minutes this month.
• A new column in the Journal de Montreal by Josée Legault argues that asking society to simply "coexist" with homelessness risks normalizing a growing humanitarian crisis.
• How much would you spend on a piece of art? For the city of Saskatoon, the answer is $300 thousand.
• Despite meeting barely half of their performance targets, government executives received over $200 million in bonuses last year.

Trudie Mason is with Andrew Caddell, columnist for the Hill Times and President of the Task Force on Linguistic Policy, and Catherine Hogan, high school teacher at Westwood Senior High in Hudson.

• Shopify CEO Tobi Lütke sparked fierce debate by suggesting retirees and non-taxpayers should lose voting rights.
• Liberal leader Charles Milliard pledged stronger interprovincial alliances, drawing heavy criticism from Premier Christine Fréchette.
• Social Services Minister Lionel Carmant faced backlash for comparing unreported youth protection deaths to neonatal tragedies.
• Former NDP leader Jagmeet Singh is reportedly being appointed CEO of tourism marketing organization Destination Canada.

Trudie Mason welcomes in Lea Streliski, best-selling author, comedian, and columnist, and Raphaël Melançon, political analyst for CTV Montreal and CJAD 800, and columnist for the Montreal Gazette.

• NDP Leader Avi Lewis is taking intensive French immersion courses to win back declining Quebec support.
• Chrystia Freeland published a New York Times piece slamming Donald Trump as the bully-in-chief over trade.
• Retailer Tanguay is challenging Quebec's upcoming legal warranty law for appliances in court over rising costs.
• A Canadian NATO intern was arrested on espionage charges despite previously passing an Ottawa background check.
• A national parenting dilemma sparked debate over whether to bring home a struggling, excluded camp counsellor. 

Trudie Mason is with Meeker Guerrier, commentator at Noovo and RDS, and Dan Delmar, co-founder of TNKR Media and co-host of the Inspiring Entrepreneurs Canada podcast. [1, 2]

• The Saint-Pierre Interchange will be completely rebuilt to include bus and bike lanes, though the final cost remains unknown.
• Aviation experts are criticizing a one hundred and forty-four day suspension for a helicopter pilot who disrupted a military drill.
• Former public health director Horacio Arruda defended his pandemic management as he assumed a new regional role.
• A new poll shows federal Liberals holding a nine-point lead ahead of three upcoming summer by-elections.
• A new column proposes that alcohol, gambling, and junk food should feature disturbing warning labels like cigarette packs.

Trudie Mason is joined by Jimmy Zoubris, Montreal businessman, longtime activist, and former special advisor to Valerie Plante, and Akil Alleyne, reporter, commentator, and manager of the GemStar Circle of Excellence Scholarship Program.

• Prime Minister Mark Carney set three summer by-elections, including a tight three-way race in Chicoutimi—Le Fjord.
• A bleak new study reveals ten percent of emergency doctors are leaving the field amid severe overcrowding.
• Quebec finally reached a contract agreement with paramedics after three years of stagnant negotiations.
• Montreal restaurant Garde Manger defied provincial limits by charging a fifty dollar fee for reservation no-shows.
• Columnist Richard Martineau sparked debate by listing everyday items he believes should be uninvented.