The Big Five Podcast

Elias Makos is joined by Caroline Codsi, Founder & Chief Equity Officer, Women in Governance, and Jonathan Kalles, Vice President at McMillan Vantage, a national public affairs firm, and former advisor to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Montreal city councillor Craig Sauvé has announced he's running for mayor with a new political party called Transition Montréal. Prime Minister Mark Carney has announced quotas and tariffs on non-U.S. steel imports in a bid to protect Canada’s steel industry, in a move that targets China. Is this elbows up or elbows down? Montreal's parking agency is warning drivers not to scan QR codes on parking meter signs, saying they are fraudulent. Quebec restaurants can now charge up to $10 per person for no-shows, under new rules that take effect today.

Akil Alleyne, Reporter and commentator with extensive experience analysing legal, political, and social issues and Manager of the GemStar Circle of Excellence Scholarship Program, and Anthony Koch, Former National Spokesperson for Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre and current managing principal at AK Strategies. Mark Carney has changed his tune, and is now bracing Canadians for a future where U.S. tariffs against Canada remain in place regardless of a trade deal or not. Should immigration status ever factor in criminal sentencing? The SAQ is tightening its return policy to curb revenue losses. While Quebec is banning cellphones in schools starting this fall, electronic sports (e-sports) programs that involve hours of video gaming are expanding in high schools and CEGEPs.

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 Justine McIntyre, Strategic consultant and former city councillor. Is there room for a new municipal party, this late in the game? The movement Futur Montréal has just been granted official party status by Élections Québec Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre wants the country to tap the brakes on immigration. The cover of the new issue of New York Magazine is a stunner. Under the red headline of “You Have No Idea How Furious the Canadians Are,” a giant beaver strangles a bald eagle. Did you know that less really is more when it comes to your shower routine? How often do you shower?

Elias Makos begins the week with guests Gabriel Retta, is a Montrealer active in politics and government service at all three levels for the last 20 years and currently serving as Chief of Staff to the Official Opposition at Montreal City Hall, and Jimmy Zoubris, special advisor to the Mayor. A powerful thunderstorm swept through Montreal on Sunday causing major disruptions across the city. A new Léger survey ranking happiness levels across Quebec shows Saint-Augustin-de-Desmaures as the happiest city, with Montreal landing in 50th place. Verdun borough councillor Enrique Machado has resigned from Projet Montréal after making a derogatory comment comparing Venezuelans to Indigenous people on social media. Mark Carney has agreed to set up a conflict-of-interest screen with the Ethics Commissioner and will recuse himself from any discussions involving 103 different companies.

Elias Makos ends the week with Meeker Guerrier, Commentator at Noovo and RDS, and Political analyst Karim Boulos. Donald Trump is once again threatening Canada with steep tariffs, this time a 35% duty starting August 1st. Turns out that as our elbows go up, the amount we care about climate goes down The Gazette released its inaugural Rich List, which ranks the province’s 25 wealthiest individuals and families.

Elias Makos is joined by Neil Drabkin, is a lawyer who served as federal prosecutor and a political commentator who was a chief of staff in the Harper government, and Sue Smith is a Montreal journalist and broadcaster. Montreal’s public health authority is raising serious concerns about the pilot project allowing six convenience stores and grocery stores to sell SAQ products until 11PM, warning this increases health risks linked to alcohol consumption A new poll from the Montreal Economic Institute reveals that two-thirds of Quebecers believe the federal government under Prime Minister Mark Carney is spending too much and mismanaging taxpayer money Customers are criticizing Pizzeria Sofia in Brossard’s Dix30 district for refusing to offer free tap water. A Montreal handyman is raising concerns about the city’s parking app, claiming it shortchanges drivers by shaving seconds off the time they pay for.

Elias Makos welcomes back Akil Alleyne, Reporter and commentator with extensive experience analysing legal, political, and social issues and Manager of the GemStar Circle of Excellence Scholarship Program, and Catherine Hogan, high school teacher at Westwood Senior High in Hudson. Former Amazon workers in Quebec rallied to demand unpaid severance and denounce poor working conditions Members of the Canadian Armed Forces, have been arrested for allegedly planning to form an anti-government militia Video footage is circulating of a Montreal police officer shooting a dog that was reportedly being aggressive Are you for or against fireworks? Some are debating the relevance of fireworks in today’s world.

Elias Makos is joined by Justine McIntyre, Strategic consultant and former city councillor, and Raphaël Melançon, a political analyst for Noovo and CTV Montreal News at 5. He is also the president and founder of Trafalgar Strategies. Ottawa is pushing cabinet ministers to find deep savings ahead of the 2025 federal budget Quebec Premier François Legault will officially trigger a by-election today in the riding of Arthabaska A Montreal woman, Paula Callejas, has been detained by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) since April

Elias Makos kicks the week off with Christina Chough, Chair of the modern languages department at Dawson College, and Paul Gott, Lead singer and guitarist for Montreal Punk Rock band the Ripcordz and a journalism professor at Concordia. The C.D. Howe Institute says the combination of Liberal election promises and new commitments to defence spending means the deficit would hit $77 billion a year Big Five panelist Raphaël Melançon penned a piece in the Montreal Gazette last week entitled “It’s time for Quebec to keep religion out of CEGEPs and universities” A Quebec judge just threw the book at someone convicted of road rage, handing out a 14-month sentence to a 57-year-old man

Elias Makos is joined by Anthony Koch, former national spokesperson for Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre and current managing principal at AK Strategies 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 on The Big 5. A majority of Canadians no longer feel welcome in the United States, according to a new Léger poll. The survey, conducted in late June, found 53% of Canadians feel unwelcome, with trust in the US government at its lowest since Donald Trump’s first term. Another gambling-related scandal from the world of sports to tell you about. This time it’s from Major League Baseball. Cleveland Guardians pitcher Luis Ortiz has been placed on paid leave as the league investigates a suspicious level of betting surrounding two pitches made by the hurler this season. Montreal woman wins lottery and takes weekly payments over lump sum.

Elias Makos is joined by Caroline Codsi, founder & chief equity officer, Women in Governance and Sue Smith, a Montreal journalist and broadcaster on The Big 5. A new report from the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives warns that the Liberal government’s plan to save $13 billion annually by 2028–29 through “increased efficiency” would amount to a 24% cut in public service spending, mostly targeting non-defence departments. Residents in a Laval neighbourhood are raising concerns over a neighbour whose front yard has become a dumb site. The Office québécois de la langue française (OQLF) has reversed its stance and now allows the use of the English word “Go” to cheer for sports teams, although it still prefers “Allez.

Elias Makos is joined by Andrew Caddell, a town councillor in Kamouraska, and President of the Task Force on Linguistic policy and Neil Drabkin, is a lawyer who served as federal prosecutor and a political commentator who was a chief of staff in the Harper government on The Big 5. Over the past 11 years, more than 17,500 foreigners with criminal records have been cleared to enter Canada. Five years after protestors brought down the statue of John A. Macdonald in Dominion Square/Place du Canada, the city of Montreal has still not begun restoration work on it. The Legault government is launching a pilot project which will last 12 months, allowing stores in Laval, Gatineau and Saint-Georges-de-Beauce to stay open until 8 PM on weekends instead of 5PM.

Elias Makos is joined by Dan Delmar, co-founder of the PR and content firm TNKR Media and Caryma Sa’d, lawyer sole practice and Journalist independent / freelancer based in Toronto on a National Edition of the Big 5. Happy Canada Day! This year certainly seems like a special one. Many would say that Donald Trump’s talk of annexing Canada has sparked a defensive nationalism. Let’s talk trade, shall we? Of course by now we all know that Canada caved to the Trump administration’s demand to ditch the Digital Services Tax on tech giants. Let’s talk trade, shall we? Of course by now we all know that Canada caved to the Trump administration’s demand to ditch the Digital Services Tax on tech giants.

Elias Makos is joined by Jimmy Zoubris, special advisor to the Mayor and Raphaël Melançon, a political analyst for Noovo and CTV Montreal News at 5. He is also the president and founder of Trafalgar Strategies on The Big 5. Is it a Carney Capitulation or a brilliant 3D-chess move the rest of us will figure out eventually? A Quebec judge has authorized a class-action lawsuit against Tim Hortons after the company mistakenly emailed about 500,000 customers in April 2024 claiming they had won a $64,000 boat. A family in Stoneham, Quebec, now eats vegetarian meals a third of the time and saves $30 a week.

Elias Makos is joined by Anthony Koch, Former National Spokesperson for Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre and current managing principal at AK Strategies and Political analyst Karim Boulos on The Big 5. Two months after the federal election, Prime Minister Mark Carney is enjoying strong support in Quebec, with nearly 60% approval and the Liberals leading at 44% in the polls. A new report from the Montreal Economic Institute warns that Canada’s proposed federal homebuilding agency, Build Canada Homes, could repeat the failures of New Zealand’s KiwiBuild program. Do we swear too much? The week began with an exasperated Donald Trump dropping an F-bomb.

Elias Makos is joined by Caroline Codsi, Founder & Chief Equity Officer, Women in Governance 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 on The Big 5. The front page of Journal de Montréal says it all - Nothing is going right for François Legault. 50% of Quebecers want him to go away according to a new Leger poll. Once again this week, Prime Minister Mark Carney called Canada “the most European of non-European countries.” It’s a line that the PM has repeated before A new Statistics Canada report shows asking rents in Montreal have surged nearly 71% since 2019,

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 Jonathan Kalles, Vice President at McMillan Vantage, a national public affairs firm, and former advisor to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Prime Minister Mark Carney is committing that Canada – along with other NATO allies – will invest five per cent of GDP on defence by 2035. Advocacy groups are sounding the alarm over Bill C-2, warning it could give police sweeping powers to access Canadians’ personal data without a warrant. A U.S. judge has ruled that an Artificial Intelligence company did not violate the copyright of authors when it used millions of books to train their AI.

Dan Delmar, in for Elias Makos, is joined by Meeker Guerrier, Commentator at Noovo and RDS and Gabriel Retta, a Montrealer active in politics and government service at all three levels for the last 20 years on The Big 5. Montreal is celebrating Fête Nationale today with a full day of festivities. U.S. President Donald Trump announced a ceasefire yesterday between Israel and Iran. The Fédération autonome de l’enseignement (FAE) is calling for Quebec Education Minister Bernard Drainville to resign.

Dan Delmar, in for Elias, is joined by Jimmy Zoubris, special advisor to the Mayor and Justine McIntyre, strategic consultant and former city councillor on The Big 5. Following U.S. airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney urged all parties to return to negotiations and avoid further escalation in the Middle East. Despite an ongoing extreme heatwave, most schools in Montreal, Laval, and other regions will remain open for the last day of classes. A Montrealer has joined the growing list of Canadians to win an NBA title as the Oklahoma City Thunder claimed the NBA Championship

Sue Smith ends the week with Anthony Koch, Former National Spokesperson for Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre and current managing principal at AK Strategies, 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. As war between Israel and Iran intensifies, European ministers are meeting today with Iran’s foreign minister in Switzerland to propose renewed nuclear negotiations Canada’s Competition Bureau is calling for an end to Montreal-Trudeau Airport’s monopoly on international flights Montreal is still lagging behind other cities when it comes to simple, contactless payment for public transit

Sue Smith is joined by Caroline Codsi, Founder & Chief Equity Officer, Women in Governance, and Jonathan Kalles, Vice President at McMillan Vantage, a national public affairs firm, and former advisor to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. A three year old missing toddler was found alive after three days alone near Highway 417 in Ontario, following a massive search The Liberal government’s Building Canada Act (Bill C-5), spearheaded by Prime Minister Mark Carney, is drawing sharp criticism for granting cabinet sweeping powers to fast-track major industrial projects Montreal’s STM is reinstating its anti-loitering policy across eight metro stations until April 2026

Sue Smith is joined by Dan Delmar, Co-founder of the content marketing firm TNKR Media and co-host of the podcast Inspiring Entrepreneurs Canada, snd Neil Drabkin, is a lawyer who served as federal prosecutor and a political commentator who was a chief of staff in the Harper government. Many observers praising Mark Carney’s handling of a tricky situation at the G7 A Montreal commuter is seeking authorization for a class-action lawsuit against the STM over major service disruptions caused by a maintenance workers’ strike A new poll shows the Quebec Liberal Party surging under newly elected leader Pablo Rodriguez, jumping to 26% support According to a new survey, A majority of Canadians don’t think they’ll be able to retire

Sue Smith welcomes back Meeker Guerrier, Commentator at Noovo and RDS, and Justine McIntyre, Strategic consultant and former city councillor. At the G7 summit in Kananaskis, Alberta, U.S. President Donald Trump left early to address escalating tensions between Israel and Iran Should Russia be at the G7? Santé Québec has awarded over $310 million in no-bid contracts to Microsoft to manage its data

Sue Smith kicks the week off with Jimmy Zoubris, special advisor to the Mayor, and Paul Gott, Lead singer and guitarist for Montreal Punk Rock band the Ripcordz and a journalism professor at Concordia. The Quebec Liberal Party has elected Pablo Rodriguez as its new leader Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is set to meet U.S. President Donald Trump for a one-on-one discussion early this morning at the start of the G7 Summit in Kananaskis The Canadian Grand Prix will remain in Montreal until at least 2035

Sue Smith caps off the week with Anthony Koch, Former National Spokesperson for Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre and current managing principal at AK Strategies, and Neil Drabkin, is a lawyer who served as federal prosecutor and a political commentator who was a chief of staff in the Harper government. Israel has launched a large-scale airstrike on Iran, targeting nuclear and military sites The G7 summit kicks off this weekend in Kananaskis, Alberta, with world leaders facing massive global challenges The Quebec Liberal Party will choose its new leader this Saturday

Sue Smith is joined by Justine McIntyre, Strategic consultant and former city councillor, and Gabriel Retta, is a Montrealer who has been active in politics and government service at all three levels for the last 20 years. He is currently serving as Chief of Staff to the Official Opposition at Montreal City Hall. Prime Minister Mark Carney has appointed Michael Sabia, the current president of Hydro-Québec and a seasoned business and public sector leader, as Canada’s next Clerk of the Privy Council In preparation for the influx of tourists during the Formula 1 Grand Prix, the City of Montreal launched a last-minute beautification blitz to hide unsightly construction zones Quebec has officially designated today June 12th as the province’s first-ever Buy Local Day

Suse Smith welcomes back Dan Delmar, Co-founder of the content marketing firm TNKR Media and co-host of the podcast Inspiring Entrepreneurs Canada, and Political analyst Karim Boulos. A scathing new report by Auditor General Karen Hogan reveals widespread mismanagement in federal contracts awarded to GCStrategies Quebec’s proposed Bill 106, which ties 12% of family doctors’ pay to performance indicators As Montreal’s public transit strike enters its third day, negotiations between the STM and its 2,400 maintenance workers are set to resume today

Sue Smith is joined by Akil Alleyne, (Alean) Reporter and commentator with extensive experience analysing legal, political, and social issues and Manager of the GemStar Circle of Excellence Scholarship Program, and Jimmy Zoubris, special advisor to the Mayor. The SPVM’s latest annual report shows that Montreal police response times for the most urgent calls have increased by nearly a minute over the past decade Quebec, Montreal, and local partners are investing over $3.5 million to boost social intervention services in the Place des Arts area Prime Minister Mark Carney has announced $9.3 billion in new military spending, allowing Canada to reach NATO’s 2% GDP defense target this year The Canadian Competition Bureau is taking legal action against DoorDash, accusing the company of misleading customers by inflating advertised prices through hidden mandatory fees

Sue Smith kicks off the week with Jonathan Kalles, Vice President at McMillan Vantage, a national public affairs firm, and former advisor to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and Paul Gott, Lead singer and guitarist for Montreal Punk Rock band the Ripcordz and a journalism professor at Concordia. On Sunday, 2,000 National Guard troops began arriving in Los Angeles on orders from President Donald Trump Prime Minister Mark Carney has unveiled the “One Canadian Economy” bill Montreal's STM maintenance workers are set to strike from June 9-17, disrupting transit service across the city

Elias Makos is joined by Anthony Koch, Former National Spokesperson for Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre and current managing principal at AK Strategies, and Andrew Caddell, a town councillor in Kamouraska, and President of the Task Force on Linguistic policy. The once-close alliance/bromance between Donald Trump and Elon Musk dramatically collapsed this week in a public social media feud Prime Minister Mark Carney and U.S. President Donald Trump have been in touch since their Oval Office meeting last month, holding direct talks in recent weeks amid the ongoing trade war between the two countries Towns in northern New York are offering special deals to lure back Canadian tourists, especially Quebecers, amid a steep drop in cross-border travel. Quebec plans to cut its annual permanent immigration targets to as low as 25,000 people, down from around 64,000, unless Ottawa agrees to halve the number of temporary residents in the province A Canadian man with past ties to Osama bin Laden and a terrorism conviction in the US has been arrested in Montreal after allegedly threatening to kill “a large number of people

Trudie Mason is joined by Christina Chough, Spanish teacher and Chair of the modern languages department at Dawson College, and Neil Drabkin, is a lawyer who served as federal prosecutor and a political commentator who was a chief of staff in the Harper government. The federal government has already spent over $1 million in legal fees to prepare its challenge of Quebec’s secularism law (Bill 21) at the Supreme Court of Canada Quebec Premier François Legault is considering boosting financial aid to steel and aluminum companies in response to Donald Trump’s new tariffs A landlord in Sorel-Tracy, Quebec, is facing over $7,000 in cleaning costs after discovering her rental unit had been turned into a filthy dump by a tenant who even defecated on the floor Have you changed your mind about going to the US?

Trudie Mason is joined by Akil Alleyne, Reporter and commentator with extensive experience analysing legal, political, and social issues and Manager of the GemStar Circle of Excellence Scholarship Program, and Gabriel Retta, is a Montrealer active in politics and government service at all three levels for the last 20 years. He is currently serving as Chief of Staff to the Official Opposition at Montreal City Hall. Justice Minister Sean Fraser says the federal duty to consult Indigenous communities on major infrastructure projects does not amount to giving them veto power The Carney government is proposing sweeping immigration reforms aimed at streamlining the system and tightening border security Climate activists from the group Dernière génération Canada shut down Saint-Denis Street in Montreal for several hours on Tuesday Montreal is reworking its decades-old noise bylaw to better support cultural venues while respecting residents’ peace

Elias Makos is joined by Justine McIntyre, Strategic consultant and former city councillor, and Dan Delmar, Co-founder of the content marketing firm TNKR Media and co-host of the podcast Inspiring Entrepreneurs Canada. Prime Minister Mark Carney and the Premiers met yesterday to discuss the fast-tracking of major energy and infrastructure projects April was the busiest month for asylum seekers entering Quebec at the Lacolle border crossing since Roxham Road was closed in 2023 The number of complaints to Quebec’s language watchdog, the OQLF, over violations of French-language rules has hit a record high for the eighth consecutive year Nadia Poirier, who ran for Québec solidaire in the recent Terrebonne by-election, has left the party to join the Parti Québécois

Elias Makos starts the week with Jimmy Zoubris, special advisor to the Mayor, and Sue Smith is a Montreal journalist. The Royal Bank of Canada is refusing to reimburse dozens of customers who were scammed out of $10,000 A 24-year-old Laval woman who robbed 11 seniors of nearly $90,000 will not have a criminal record Canada’s premiers are meeting with Prime Minister Mark Carney in Saskatoon to propose which major infrastructure projects should be prioritized for fast-tracking under Carney’s plan to cut federal approval times After successfully contesting unfair rent increases at Quebec’s housing tribunal (TAL), a tenant named Steve says he’s now blacklisted by landlords

Elias Makos ends the week with Neil Drabkin, a lawyer who served as federal prosecutor and a political commentator who was a chief of staff in the Harper government, and Dan Delmar, co-founder of the content marketing firm TNKR Media and co-host of the podcast Inspiring Entrepreneurs Canada. A Quebec cross-party committee is recommending that children under 14 be banned from using social media without parental consent Do we need more communal child discipline? In a surprising political move, former Montreal mayor Denis Coderre has endorsed Conservative Party of Quebec leader Éric Duhaime Quebec’s language watchdog, the OQLF, contacted Montreal’s transit agency at least six times over nine months to push for the removal of the word “go” from bus displays supporting CF Montréal The Toronto band Martha and the Muffins are taking yet another stand against Conservative Party Leader Pierre Poilievre and his use of their song Echo Beach at campaign rallies

Elias Makos is joined by political analyst Karim Boulos and Meeker Guerrier, Commentator at Noovo and RDS. Immigration Minister Jean-Francois Roberge has passed a new law The CAQ is opposing a court ruling that would recognize more than two parents for a child. Groupe Jaspe has lost a constitutional challenge In a few weeks, wines, spirits, and even champagne normally sold in branches of the SAQ will find their way to the shelves of six depanneurs and grocery stores in the Montreal area.

Elias Makos is joined by Antonine Yaccarini, Political Analysts, PR Expert and former PQ and CAQ staffer, and Anthony Koch, Former National Spokesperson for Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre and current managing principal at AK Strategies. In King Charles III’s speech from the throne, he delivered a series of subtle but pointed messages that many say were aimed at Donald Trump Hours after that speech seeped with declarations of sovereignty, Donald Trump took to social media yesterday to once again bring up Canada becoming the 51st state Quebec’s National Assembly unanimously passed a motion to cut all ties with the monarchy

Elias Makos is joined by Caroline Codsi, Founder & Chief Equity Officer, Women in Governance, and Paul Gott, Lead singer and guitarist for Montreal Punk Rock band the Ripcordz and a journalism professor at Concordia. King Charles and Queen Camilla conclude their brief Canadian visit today with a ceremonial parade through downtown Ottawa and a historic throne speech in Parliament Prime Minister Mark Carney will attend his first question period on Wednesday but will not continue Justin Trudeau’s tradition of answering all questions in the House of Commons on that day Montreal police will now have to clearly tell people they are allowed to leave during police checks Montreal has a goal of zero waste landfills by 2030 but the goal is facing resistance from residents

Elias Makos kicks off the week with Jimmy Zoubris, special advisor to the Mayor, 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. King Charles and Queen Camilla are arriving in Ottawa today for their first Canadian visit since the King’s coronation The RCMP has warned of a sharp rise in terrorism activity in Canada, reporting a 488% increase in terrorism-related charges over the past year A Laval pharmacist is facing a criminal charge for allegedly refusing to hand over an EpiPen to police officers trying to save a six month old baby in anaphylactic shock A listener says they're considering going ‘au naturel’ this summer when they were confronted with a sale price of $14.99 for a stick of deodorant

Elias caps off the week with Neil Drabkin, is a lawyer who served as federal prosecutor and a political commentator who was a chief of staff in the Harper government, and Meeker Guerrier, Commentator at Noovo and RDS. A public inquiry into Quebec’s SAAQclic digital platform has revealed that external IT contractors saw their hourly rates soar from $82 to $350 without proper justification The National Post this morning writes about just how different things are under Carney, saying “ministers get called out, punctuality matters and patience is on short supply” In shock news coming out of the US the Trump administration has revoked Harvard University's certification to enroll international students

Elias Makos welcomes back Anthony Koch, Former National Spokesperson for Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre and current managing principal at AK Strategies, and Raphaël Melançon, a political analyst for Noovo and CTV Montreal News at 5. He is also the president and founder of Trafalgar Strategies. A Quebec City bar sparked outrage after posting a job ad on Facebook seeking a barmaid who was not “woke,” pro-Liberal, pro-CAQ, or supportive of COVID-19 health measures A new Leger poll shows that 61% of Quebecers now support lowering the legal blood alcohol limit for driving from 0.08% to 0.05% Elbows up! Except if you're the Canada Pension Plan. The CPP fund’s U.S. exposure has grown to 47%, despite calls for it to increase investments at home

Elias Makos is joined by Justine McIntyre, Strategic consultant and former city councillor, and Political analyst Karim Boulos. Canada is in discussions to join the U.S. “Golden Dome” missile defence program, according to the Prime Minister’s Office The Plante administration will be testing an urban innovation in the neighbourhood east of the Jacques-Cartier bridge that turns residential areas into giant cul-de-sacs Quebec’s culture minister Mathieu Lacombe is set to table a new bill which will require major streaming platforms like Netflix and Spotify to boost visibility of francophone content

Elias Makos kicks off the week with Paul Gott, Lead singer and guitarist for Montreal Punk Rock band the Ripcordz and a journalism professor at Concordia, and Andrew Caddell, a town councillor in Kamouraska, and President of the Task Force on Linguistic policy. Canada Post has received a strike notice from the union representing 55,000 postal workers, who plan to walk off the job starting Friday, amid ongoing collective agreement talks New polling from Leger reveals that a majority of Quebecers want an end to the province’s carbon pricing scheme and think that a pipeline for Alberta’s oil coming through Quebec would be a good idea Police in Kingston, Ontario are using drones to catch distracted drivers using their smartphones behind the wheel Up at Bordeaux prison it seems that prisoners have managed to illegally access cell phones

Dan Delmar, in for Elias Makos is joined by Akil Alleyne, reporter and commentator with extensive experience analysing legal, political, and social issues and Manager of the GemStar Circle of Excellence Scholarship Program and Jimmy Zoubris, special advisor to the Mayor on The Big 5. Prime Minister Mark Carney has confirmed that his government will present a full federal budget this fall. Former Montreal mayor Denis Coderre criticized the Quebec Liberal Party's leadership race Will apps like TikTok and Youtube one day soon impact hockey watching?

Elias Makos caps the week off with Justine McIntyre, Strategic consultant and former city councillor, and Andrew Caddell, a town councillor in Kamouraska, and President of the Task Force on Linguistic policy. Elections Canada confirmed that five ballots arrived late in Quebec’s Terrebonne riding due to an envelope with an incorrect postal code Quebec Premier François Legault says he’s open to new pipeline projects in light of Donald Trump’s tariff threats Despite saying he’ll lead the CAQ into the 2026 election, François Legault may be weighing whether to step down The “Original Sin,” which describes the behind-the-scenes mental and physical decline of Joe Biden

Elias Makos is joined by Anthony Koch, Former National Spokesperson for Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre and current managing principal at AK Strategies, and Jonathan Kalles, Vice President at McMillan Vantage, a national public affairs firm, and former advisor to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Does the Prime Minister need to reign in his troops? Most Quebecers believe the province should reduce its record $14 billion deficit by taxing the wealthy, not by cutting public services Anthony's piece in the National Post on major changes in the UK on immigration

Elias Makos welcomes back Dan Delmar, Co-founder of the content marketing firm TNKR Media and co-host of the podcast Inspiring Entrepreneurs Canada, and Sue Smith is a Montreal journalist and broadcaster. Prime Minister Mark Carney unveiled his cabinet yesterday. And the names and roles announced have turned quite a few heads. Bloc Québécois candidate Nathalie Sinclair-Desgagné is weighing her options after a judicial recount saw her lose the Terrebonne riding by just one vote to Liberal Tatiana Auguste A new poll shows that Quebecers may be ready for something new… The CAQ has dropped to third place in voter intentions with just 20% support A devastating government report shows that the healthcare network's payroll modernization project costs have already risen from $202 million to $430 million

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 commentator with extensive experience analysing legal, political, and social issues and Manager of the GemStar Circle of Excellence Scholarship Program. When Prime Minister Mark Carney unveils his cabinet this morning, more than half of its members will be fresh faces, CTV News has confirmed Add another layer to the Terrebonne byelection story. A judicial recount gave the Liberals the win in the riding by just one vote over the weekend. But now, Elections Canada is confirming that an envelope provided to a voter by Elections Canada to vote by mail had the wrong postal code Quebec’s Higher Education Minister Pascale Déry is urging students to help identify those behind a stream of hateful, racist, and violent messages posted on a Discord channel used by Quebec medical school applicants Should we take graffiti more seriously?

Elias Makos kicks off the week with Gabriel Retta, is a Montrealer active in politics and government service at all three levels for the last 20 years and currently serving as Chief of Staff to the Official Opposition at Montreal City Hall, and Jimmy Zoubris, special advisor to the Mayor. The future of the Formula 1 Grand Prix in Montreal is uncertain as negotiations between the promoter (Octane, owned by Bell) and funding partners have stalled Montreal mayoral candidate Soraya Martinez Ferrada, who once served as federal parliamentary secretary for housing, is under scrutiny for illegally demanding a $2,850 security deposit and $175 cleaning fee from tenants both forbidden under Quebec’s Civil Code A group chat for over 1,400 aspiring medical students in Quebec - and some would say that number represents almost all the aspiring med students in the province - was taken over by anti-semitic, homophobic, misogynistic, and racist vitriol

Elias Makos ends the week with Sue Smith, a Montreal journalist and broadcaster, and Andrew Caddell, a town councillor in Kamouraska, and President of the Task Force on Linguistic policy. Yesterday in a historic and some say unexpected move, an American cardinal named Robert Francis Prevost, originally from Chicago has been elected pope A report in La Press this week that some new seniors’ homes were costing the Quebec government as much as $1.8 million dollars a unit, the Minister for Health and for Seniors The Quebec student cellphone ban walkout (strike?) is supposedly happening today

Elias Makos is joined by Caroline Codsi, Founder & Chief Equity Officer, Women in Governance, and Meeker Guerrier, Commentator at Noovo and RDS. A viral TikTok video is urging Quebec high school students to skip class this Friday in protest of a new government directive banning cellphones The Legault government is set to introduce a controversial bill aimed at making Quebec doctors more accountable for improving access to medical services Do we need to do more to restrict porn access, like the 20 U.S. states that require government ID verification, in this country? Clothing brand Garage is facing backlash over sexually suggestive products, including a t-shirt with the phrase “This top looks better wet.” Podcaster Joe Rogan says Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre declined an invitation to appear on his podcast