The Big Five Podcast

Joining Elias on this morning's show were Raphaël Melançon, political analyst for CTV Montreal and CJAD 800, and columnist for the Montreal Gazette & Lea Streliski, best-selling author, comedian and columnist.

Among the topics discussed were

• We’ve been asking our panelists this question on the Big Five the last few days… Should there be an English debate?
• Politics and sport are colliding again at the World Cup. Iran's Football Federation is urging FIFA to ban any Pride-related ceremonies, promotions or symbols during today’s match against Egypt in Seattle
• Canada could soon be headed to Eurovision. CBC/Radio-Canada has become a full member of the European Broadcasting Union, clearing the way for Canada to eventually compete in the world's biggest song contest
• Prime Minister Mark Carney will announce the federal government’s plan to “restore” 24 Sussex Drive at 9:30am this morning

The Big Five is the quintessential Montreal podcast, and the best way to get caught up on the top stories impacting the city. Every weekday, host Elias Makos and a roster of Montreal thought leaders debate and inform.

Dan Delmar is joined by Daniel Tran, Director of Communication and governmental relations at Casacom, and Meeker Guerrier, Commentator at Noovo and RDS. The pannel discussed the following topics:

• One day after the tragic shooting in Côte-des-Neiges that saw a police officer, a civilian and the suspected shooter die, the mayor of Montreal Soraya Martinez Ferrada is calling for tougher gun control.
• We now know that there won’t be an English debate for this upcoming provincial election. All five parties were offered to participate in a 90 minute English debate on September 24th. Two parties did not accept the invitation, the Parti Quebecois and the CAQ.
• Half of Montrealers are considering moving to a more affordable city across Quebec. That is according to a new survey by Royal Lepage.
• What is your favourite Quebecois Dish?

Robyn Flynn is joined by Sue Smith, a Montreal journalist and broadcaster, Paul Gott, Lead singer and guitarist for Montreal Punk Rock band the Ripcordz and a journalism professor at Concordia, and Océane Corbin, PhD student in communications at UQAM who spent years immersed in an international incel forum analyzing violent and misogynistic online comments. 

• Three people are dead after a shooting in Cote des Neiges yesterday, including a 34-year old police officer and a civilian. The gunman, whose identity has not been released, has been killed as well, according to police. In the immediate aftermath, rumours were FLYING online, a lot of them unsubstantiated.
• The Québec Court has granted an appeal of the housing tribunal decision that declared no-pet clauses in leases violate renters’ charter rights.
• The Parti Quebecois released the entirety of its blue sovereignty book yesterday.
• Tennis Canada is planning to build a new stadium with a retractable roof in Montreal, as part of a major upgrade to its facilities at Jarry Park. 

The Big Five is the quintessential Montreal podcast, and the best way to get caught up on the top stories impacting the city. Every weekday, host Elias Makos and a roster of Montreal thought leaders debate and inform.

Elias Makos caps the week off with Trudie Mason, veteran newscaster at CJAD 800
Dan Delmar, Co-founder of the content marketing firm TNKR Media and co-host of the podcast Inspiring Entrepreneurs Canada.

• Prepare to see homeless encampments on camera when the city of Montreal hosts the UCI Road Cycling World Championships in September.
• A new poll from Leger shows that 90 percent of Quebecers are in favor of having police officers wear body cameras. 
• Laval police say they're seeing a troubling rise in Facebook Marketplace robberies tied to high-value collectibles and electronics, particularly Pokémon cards and Apple MacBooks. 
• The Quebec Liberal Party will not be moving forward with its threat to sue Parti Québecois Leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon…for now. 

Elias Makos is joined by Caroline Codsi, Founder & Chief Equity Officer, Women in Governance, and Lea Streliski, Best-selling author, comedian and columnist.

• The Quebec Liberal Party unveiled a big name yesterday in their list of candidates for the provincial election. Antoine Dionne Charest, the son of former Premier Jean Charest, will be running in the riding of Verdun for the party in the fall.
• The joint House of Commons and Senate committee studying medical assistance in dying is recommending the federal government to indefinitely exclude people with mental illness from becoming eligible to use MAID. 
• Despite the city’s best efforts to have us recycle or compost, we just are not listening.
• A recent survey by Flight Centre Canada says that 93% of Canadians who are familiar with overtourism are adjusting their plans for the summer of 2026.

Joining Elias on The Big 5 were Montreal journalist and broadcaster Sue Smith 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.

Among the topics discussed were

• A new Leger poll this morning sees the Parti Quebecois slightly increase its lead over the Quebec A new Leger poll this morning sees the Parti Quebecois slightly increase its lead over the Quebec Liberal Party
• Thank god foreign media exists, otherwise how would we ever find out what Prime Minister Mark Carney thinks about major issues. The PM took to CNN to tell Kaitlan Collins the conflict is “worth it” if it means Iran does not have a nuclear weapon
• After 75 years of Hockey Night in Canada on CBC every Saturday night, the program will not return next season

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 Daniel Tran, Director of Communication and governmental relations at Casacom.

• Still lots of reaction coming in from our interview with Premier Christine Frechette yesterday.
• A new poll from Pallas Data for QC125 and L’actualité shows the provincial election is trending towards a three horse race. 
• Protesters took to the streets in Montreal-North yesterday evening to say “enough is enough” amid allegations that a group of police officers were implicated in racist and discriminatory behaviour targeting Black and Arab residents. 
• Distrust of news in the francophone population is at an all-time high in the country. 

On this Monday edition of the BIG 5, Elias was joined by Jimmy Zoubris, Montreal businessman, longtime activist and former special advisor to Valerie Plante and Raphaël Melançon, political analyst for CTV Montreal and CJAD 800, and columnist for the Montreal Gazette.

• You just heard our interview with the premier. What is your main takeaway from it?
• A war of words between the Quebec Liberals and the Parti Québécois is raising the possibility of a court battle.
• In a dramatic — and disturbing— series of events, the Montreal Police held a surprise Friday press conference in the middle of the night, breaking the news of the SPVM’s most serious claim of racism in the force’s recent history.