The Big Story

Tipping-- it's one of those things everyone has an opinion on, and that opinion is normally shaped by what side of it you're on. And the number of services you're expected to tip for-- and the suggested tips on machines-- seem to be going up.

So it comes as little surprise that a new H&R Block survey found 67% of Canadians think tipping culture has gone too far.

Host Maria Kestane speaks to Dr. Wayne Smith, the Director of the Institute for Hospitality and Tourism Research at Toronto Metropolitan University, to discuss Canada’s tipping history, and how our culture has gotten to this point.

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It's a war between Israel, the US and Iran...but how did Lebanon get dragged into it?

Its militia group, Hezbollah, is a loyal proxy of the Iranian regime, placing tens of millions of Lebanese citizens at risk in the name of loyalty to its top financier and ally. More than 1000 people have been killed, and more than a million have been displaced.

Earlier this week Israel's Defence Minister said his country plans on annexing a large portion of southern Lebanon for security purposes, a move Canada denounced.

Host Maria Kestane speaks to Aurel Braun, a political science and international relations professor at the University of Toronto to discuss the Lebanese government's complex relationship with Hezbollah, how Canada and other NATO countries could help the government dismantle the militia, and what comes next for its civilians.

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It's unsure when exactly the war in the Middle East will come to an end - even the White House seems to be conflicted on a timeline, but one thing for certain is the impact Canadians are feeling to their wallets.

Gas prices continue to fluctuate, with no real stabilization in sight. But the question is, for a country that's rich in domestic oil, why are our prices so dependent on the state of the Strait of Hormuz?

Host Caryn Ceolin speaks to Heather Exner-Pirot, Director of energy and natural resources and environment at the Macdonald Laurier Institute to discuss Canada's pipeline infrastructure challenges, the geopolitical significance of the Hormuz, and whether or not Canadians will be getting a reprieve at the pumps anytime soon.

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Plus: Two pilots killed in the Air Canada Jazz plane crash in New York have been identified, TSA security lines in the U.S. continue, most Canadians say they are satisfied with how the government handled the COVID-19 pandemic, and police in Vancouver say a woman fell asleep behind the wheel of a self-driving vehicle

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A pair of Air Canada pilots were killed as a result of a crash between the plane they were landing at New York's La Guardia airport and a fire truck on one of the runways. And as investigators piece together what led to the crash, the public can't help but try and make sense of what happened with the audio recording of the air traffic controller.

This unfolds as more than a dozen airports across the country make space for ICE agents to accompany them at security checkpoints, as a partial government shutdown brings TSA to a slug, and as a result, the rest of the country.

Host Maria Kestane speaks to Karl Moore, aviation expert and associate professor at McGill University to discuss the state of air travel across the US, what Canadians need to know amid the DHS shutdown, and how the both the US and Canada need to beef up their air traffic control roster.

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

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Plus: Parliament resumes after winter break, and TSA agents will be deployed at airports across the US.

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

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Canada's wealth inequality gap is widening, so much so that the concentration at the top makes up for a large chunk at the bottom.

A recent report from Canadians for Tax Fairness and BC Policy Solutions found that 86 billionaire families held as much wealth as Canada’s 6.2 million least wealthy families in 2023. 

Host Caryn Ceolin speaks to Dylan Dusseault, Executive Director of Patriotic Millionaires Canada, an organization comprised of wealthy Canadians advocating for tax increases on the wealthy to combat extreme inequality. The two discuss why some of Canada's richest individuals believe they should be taxed more to even the playing field, and what kinds of tax code reforms are necessary to narrow the gap. Then, Caryn is joined by Jim Stanford, economist and director of the Centre for Future Work, to break down some of the loopholes rich Canadians are taking advantage of - including capital gains tax preferences.

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

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Enjoy this special feed drop from our sister show 'In This Economy?!'

The war in the Middle East has pushed global markets into turmoil, throwing early forecasts right out the window.

And even before this crisis began, Canada was already on a shaky trajectory, with the biggest economic risk expected to come from upcoming trade negotiations with the United States.

Host Mike Eppel speaks to Dr. Eric Kam, professor of economics at Toronto Metropolitan University, to discuss the challenges facing policymakers right now—and, more importantly, what Canada needs to do to finally break out of the boom‑and‑bust cycle tied to global energy markets.

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

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