The Big Five Podcast

Filling in for Elias Makos, Justine McIntyre is joined by Paul Gott, Lead singer, guitarist for Montreal Punk Rock band the Ripcordz and a journalism professor at Concordia, as well as Anne Lagace-Dowson, a political analyst.

• The Legault government is suspending two major permanent immigration programs to curb a higher-than-expected increase in the number of new arrivals next year.
• Quebec Solidaire has faced criticism from the Legault government for its refusal to condemn acts of civil disobedience, specifically the recent blockage of the Jacques Cartier Bridge in Montreal by environmental activists.
• Montreal's new nightlife plan aims to support cultural venues by loosening opening hours and allowing for all-night events, but it has received mixed reviews.

Filling in for Elias Makos, Justine McIntyre is joined by Dan Delmar, Co-founder of the PR and content firm TNKR Media and host of the Inspiring Business Hour, as well as Raphaël Melançon, a political analyst for Noovo and CTV Montreal News at 5.

• The Bloc Québécois is ready to make good on a threat to work with other parties to bring down the minority government now that the Liberals have failed to meet their demands by the deadline.
• Cohabitation with the homeless causes friction in several places in Montreal, and data shows that crime has increased markedly in the area of ​​Maison Benoît Labre, in the Saint-Henri district. 
• Interim Liberal leader, Marc Tanguay, wants to tighten screws on dissenting MNAs on religious schools debate. 

Filling in for Elias Makos is Justine McIntyre, who is joined by Andrew Caddell, a town councillor in Kamouraska, and Akil Alleyne, Reporter and commentator.

• Montreal will remove a city hall welcome sign which includes a woman wearing a hijab.
• Division seems to be growing in the Quebec Liberal ranks when it comes to their stance on religious schools.
• Some Liberal MPs want a secret ballot vote to decide on Justin Trudeau’s leadership.

Filling in for Elias Makos, Justine McIntyre is joined in studio by Meeker Guerrier, Weekend News Anchor at Noovo and a commentator at RDS and Jimmy Zoubris, special advisor to the Mayor.

• Ensemble Montreal is asking Project Montreal for a more concrete plan to tackle homelessness.
• Trump went on more rants this Sunday against Kamala Harris, this time attacking Puerto Ricans and saying Harris has destroyed the country.
• Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is facing a deadline from his own caucus today.
• The downtown core of Montreal is less popular than it was before the pandemic

Dan Delmar, Co-founder of the PR and content firm TNKR Media and host of the Inspiring Business Hour - Saturdays at noon on CJAD 800, and Caroline Codsi, Founder & Chief Equity Officer, Women in Governance.

• Justin Trudeau announced a massive cut to Canada’s immigration levels
• The fallout from the Bedford School controversy continues, and it's expanding from the public sector to the private religious schools in the province
• Montreal’s mayor is leaving politics, and she’s not alone. Is it the toxic climate for women?
• Norway is going to increase its minimum age to be on social media to 15. Should we follow suit?

Elias Makos is joined by Gabriel Retta, a Montrealer active in politics and government service at all three levels for the last 20 years and Sterling Downey, City councillor for the Desmarchais-Crawford district in the borough of Verdun.

• Valérie Plante announced yesterday that she would not be seeking re-election.
• Drama on Parliament Hill on Wednesday as a group of two dozen Liberal MPs called for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to step down by Monday.
• The Trudeau government will lower the number of permanent immigrants it allows into the country by at least 20 per cent from its previous target of about 500,000.

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 Akil Alleyne, Reporter and Manager of the GemStar Circle of Excellence Scholarship Program.

• One of the first politicians to denounce the situation at Bedford school, Marwah Rizqy, is calling for police protection after receiving threatening comments directed towards her and her family
• With that in mind, the province has revoked the teaching licences of the 11 teachers in question at Bedford school, and the Premier says he’ll act to reinforce laicite in Quebec’s schools
• Quebec is launching a public consultation on abolishing daylight saving time

Elias Makos is joined by Anne Lagace-Dowson, Political Analyst and Andrew Caddell, a town councillor in Kamouraska, columnist for the Hill Times in Ottawa and President of the Task Force on Linguistic policy. He was previously a diplomat, ministerial advisor and broadcast journalist on The Big 5.

• Demonstrators on top the Jacques Cartier Bridge force its closure in both directions this morning.
• The Toronto Star reports the infamous letter making the rounds inside the Liberal Party has between 20 and 40 signatures, Calling for Justin Trudeau to step down.
• Paul St-Pierre Plamondon wantsfor stricter secularism rules following the investigation of a ‘toxic’ climate created by teachers at Bedford primary school.

Elias Makos kicks off the week with Justine McIntyre, Strategic consultant and former city councillor, and Jimmy Zoubris, special advisor to the Mayor.

• 11 teachers have now been suspended in the wake of the Bedford “toxic climate” investigation
• According to a new Angus Reid polling Quebecers are more open than other Canadians to immigration
• Some controversy over on the french side of Montreal media as a popular broadcaster has been removed from the airwaves… for believing that man hasn't landed on the moon
• People are already chomping at the bit to take over from Justin Trudeau should his calls to step down actually come true

Elias Makos caps off the Meeker Guerrier, Weekend News Anchor at Noovo and a commentator at RDS, and Catherine Hogan, high school teacher at Westwood Senior High in Hudson.

• 5 people were arrested in connection with extortion targeting Montreal businesses
• Quebec has imposed measures to address the ‘toxic climate’ at Bedford school in Côte-des-Neiges
• Three Liberal cabinet ministers announced on Thursday that they won’t run in the next federal election