The Big Story

Depending on which columnist you read or pundit you watch, it seems likely that Canada is headed for a recession in the not-too-distant future. People treat that word like it's the end of days, and many Canadians will definitely be feeling the pinch, but there are also things you can do that may mitigate the strain a recession will put on your personal finances. 

What those precautionary steps look like depends heavily on your financial situation. But regardless of your tax bracket there's always something you can do, even if that something is a step that many people are terrified to take when it comes to money: recognizing that there's an issue, and asking for help. 

GUEST: Kelley Keehn, personal finance expert, and author.

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To be famous now, all you really need is an iphone, a TikTok account and some creativity. Gone were the days when celebrity status was dependent on starring film roles, or recording contracts, and the lowered barriers to entry have been great news for voices, like BIPOC or LGBTQ+ people who have long been excluded from the popular discourse.

Has this increased access to celebrity caused a dilution of its power? And even as platforms allow people to cut out the middlemen and connect directly with their audience, will we see a new class of gatekeepers arise in their place? Is a more equitable media industry even possible when the profit motive still influences decisions above all else?

GUEST: Stacy Lee Kong, Toronto-based writer, editor and critic. Founder of Friday Things

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Dr. Nili Kaplan-Myrth is a family physician in Ottawa who was thrust into the limelight early on in the Covid-19 pandemic, when she was vocal in advocating for greater PPE access for physicians. She later shifted her focus towards vaccine access, and recently threatened to sue the Ontario government if they continued to limit booster access to those above the age of 65.

Dr. Kaplan-Myrth joined us to share her thoughts on healthcare worker burnout, booster access and the ways you can continue to protect yourself as infections continue to increase across Canada. She also spoke to us at length about the upsides and downsides to being a public figure, especially when it comes to vaccine advocacy.

GUEST: Dr. Nili Kaplan-Myrth, family physician. You can read a profile of her here

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The COVID-19 pandemic caused many to quit their jobs. We know it as The Great Resignation. And while the pandemic was clearly the catalyst that pushed many across the world to re-evaluate their relationship with work, it likely wasn't the only factor. The biggest culprit might be stress, and it's actually the precursor to burning out. 

Today, we're exploring burning out at work, what it means, how to spot it before it's too late, and what you can do to advocate for yourself, and maybe even change some work norms. 

Guest: Vanessa Bohns is a professor of organizational behaviour at Cornell University and author of the book You Have More Influence Than You Think.

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At the end of June, we released the 1000th episode of The Big Story, which felt like a huge accomplishment. From our team to you, here's a little message to show our appreciation. 

We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future episodes. You can find us:

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Long lines. Flight delays and cancellations. Lost and missing luggage. 

Airports in Canada have been a mess, for weeks now. And it'll likely stay this way until September, experts warn. 

One way to avoid travel disappointment at airports in Canada and elsewhere, is simple: just don't take flights. Explore your own backyard! 

But, if you must travel by airline, we've got you covered with a survival guide. 

Guest: Jennifer Foden is a travel writer and editor based in Toronto. She was previously the editor of EnRoute, Air Canada’s travel magazine.

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This week, the Council of the Federation, a group consisting of all 13 Canadian provincial and territorial leaders, met in Victoria B.C. to discuss a whole host of issues. At the top of the list: healthcare.

The Canadian medical system has had issues coping with demand since long before the pandemic, but Covid-19 has pushed an already struggling system to the brink. Now, with rampant staffing shortages, emergency room closures and delayed surgical procedures, it's clear something needs to give, and fast.

So how do we fix it? And as we enter a summer Covid wave, how much worse could it get? 

GUEST: Dr. Katharine Smart, paediatrician and president of the Canadian Medical Association

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On Monday, Ottawa called Canada's telecom giants to the table to talk about ways to prevent future large scale disruptions like Friday's nationwide Rogers outage, demanding a plan from telecom providers within 60 days. 

On top of that, the CRTC, Canada's regulatory agency for broadcast and telecommunications has launched an investigation.

But many of us are still feeling the sting from being disconnected on Friday and wondering what happens next? What does this say about the vulnerabilities of telecommunications infrastructure in this country? What is the government’s role in all of this? And what solutions should we be pushing for?

Today, we're looking at what possible solutions are within reach. 

Guest:  Vass Bednar, executive director of the masters of public policy in digital society program at McMaster's University.

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Their names were Anastasia Kuzyk, Nathalie Warmerdam and Carol Culleton, and on September 22, 2015, all three were killed by the same man, within hours of one another. The perpetrator had a history of abusive behaviour towards these women, and demonstrated a pattern of violent conduct spanning the last forty years. That makes this crime both predictable, and preventable; a devastating thought for the victims' family and friends.

Seven years later, a coroners inquest into the murders has yielded more than 80 recommendations for how the system can better protect those experiencing intimate partner violence. So what evidence did the jury hear during the inquest? What were some of their most noteworthy recommendations? And how do we make sure their words actually translate into action? 

GUEST: Sarah Boesveld, Freelance journalist. You can read her inquest coverage in The Guardian here

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After nearly 50 years, the repeal of Roe v Wade happened on June 24th. Immediately reproductive rights advocates, took to the streets in America to protest the U.S. Supreme Court's decision.

Here in Canada, and across the world, people also took to the streets in solidarity... on both sides of the issue.

In Canada the worry isn’t as much over losing the right to abortion…in 1988 abortion was decriminalized... the worry is how our neighbours to the south might start to sway the political and ideological arguments around reproductive rights taking place within our borders.

Canada is also accepting of those seeking abortions coming our way from the U.S.

What will that mean for an already taxed healthcare system? What happens next? How does this play out? And what other choices are left for people seeking abortions?

Guest host: Garvia Bailey, journalist, and co-founder of Media Girlfriends based in Toronto.

Guest: Hilary Beaumont, investigative journalist based in LA.

We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future episodes. You can find us:

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