Claim OwnershipThe Big Five Podcast
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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.
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On this Friday edition of the BIG 5, Elias is joined by Justine McIntyre, co-founder at Civica Strategies and former city councilor and Daniel Tran, director of communication and governmental relations at Casacom. Closing in on a week since the war in Iran kicked off, and if you’re struggling to figure out just what Canada’s official position is in this conflict, you are not alone. Speaking of the Middle East, six days after U.S.-Israeli military strikes began, there are still Quebecers and Canadians abroad trying desperately to get home. Chinatown residents are saying enough is enough: "It is time to stop making Chinatown a dumping ground for misery."
Elias Makos was joined by Bonnie Feigenbaum, Conservative Party of Quebec candidate in last provincial election and a lecturer at Concordia & McGill University, media & government relations consultant & Caroline Codsi, Founder & Chief Equity Officer, Women in Governance. Among the topic discussed were Break out the star charts, it's time to determine where Canada stands on the war in Iran New nugget out from that Leger polling conducted for Journal de Montreal, and it should send a message to Quebec finance minister Eric Girard and to the other political parties who want to win the election in October. 61 percent of Quebecers say that the government should cut services if it's the only way to avoid increasing taxes CAQ leadership candidate Bernard Drainville says he would cut certain services to asylum seekers if elected Premier A judge in Hamilton has put Ontario’s official sexual offenders registry in jeopardy after ruling it unconstitutional
Elias Makos is joined by Meeker Guerrier, Commentator at Noovo and RDS, and Paul Gott, Lead singer and guitarist for Montreal Punk Rock band the Ripcordz and a journalism professor at Concordia. Speaking in Washington on Tuesday, the U.S. administration continued to make their case that allowing Iran to continue their reign of terror was not an option. Mark Carney finally spoke to journalists after avoiding them for almost a week. And he took the opportunity to walk back some of the support he gave to the bombing of Iran on Saturday. The Parti Quebecois are now barely holding on to their lead while the Quebec Liberal Party is cementing their comeback in the polls.
Elias Makos is joined by Dan Delmar, Co-founder of the content marketing firm TNKR Media and co-host of the podcast Inspiring Entrepreneurs Canada, and Raphaël Melançon, political analyst for CTV Montreal and CJAD 800, columnist for the Montreal Gazette, and president and founder of Trafalgar Strategies. The OQLF will begin a Bonjour-Hi verification blitz in the coming months. War in Iran: Questions remain about how long this military action will last, with Trump telling reporters the mission is ahead of schedule while providing various timelines ranging from two to six weeks. Here at home, there are questions about how Prime Minister Mark Carney is handling the situation. Concessions on Canada's dairy supply management system, one of the main sticking points for Washington,
Elias Makos kicks the week off with Jimmy Zoubris, Montreal businessman, longtime activist and former special advisor to Valerie Plante, and Trudie Mason, veteran newscaster at CJAD 800. U.S. President Donald Trump says operations in Iran could take"four weeks or less," and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says his country's strikes "will increase even more in the coming days." CTV News described the scenes on the streets of Montreal as “pure jubilation” as Iranians living here celebrated the downfall of the Iranian regime. Prime Minister Mark Carney says he supports destroying Iran's nuclear program, but ruled out Canada’s military participation in the Middle East conflict. What should Canada’s stance be here? It has been a busy couple of days for the OQLF as they have been targeting multiple people and businesses over the use, or lack thereof, of French on their social media pages. The CHU de Québec-Université Laval hospital has been under fire since Thursday because of a Facebook post. The message was about HPV screening but added that the screenings were for "all people with a cervix". The words "people with a cervix" were changed to the word "women," by Friday afternoon.
On this Friday edition of the BIG 5, Elias is joined by political analyst Karim Boulos 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. Dozens of Montreal school staff have been let go, suspended or resigned following the province’s expanded secularism bill and religious symbols ban comes into full effect. It’s official: Quebecers have the Chronically Online Disease. The average screen time jumped an extra hour a day compared to last year. Should the Quebec government be doing business with TicketMaster?
Elias Makos is joined by Victor Henriquez, Public affairs and crisis management specialist at Public Strategy and Conseil, and Dan Delmar, Co-founder of the content marketing firm TNKR Media and co-host of the podcast Inspiring Entrepreneurs Canada. Quebec’s Finance Minister Eric Girard says just the thought of a referendum is costing the Quebec government $20 million a year. Pierre Poilievre is undergoing a makeover - the Conservative leader has determined that if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em, and will start to miss more and more time in the House of Commons to work on other things like economic speeches and trips. Has anyone seen Immigration Minister Lena Diab lately? She has not been visible as of late and many including her colleagues inside the Federal Liberal party have taken notice. Sweden wants to drastically increase the number of deportations involving convicted immigrants.
Elias Makos is joined by Trudie Mason, veteran Newscaster here at CJAD 800, and Justine McIntyre, Strategic consultant and former city councillor. A new poll out from Pallas Data, Qc125 and L’actualité this morning shows a neck and neck race in Quebec, with the PQ having a mere three-point lead over the new-and-improved Charles Milliard Liberals. The province is getting very close to a recession. That is what the Institut du Quebec has revealed in its latest economic growth figures. Speaking this week on CNN, one of the apparent frontrunners for Democratic presidential nomination, Gavin Newson, said that his party needs to be more “culturally normal.” Is he right? The more you take out the trash, the more taxes you will pay. That is what a family in the lower Laurentians discovered after getting a $460 tax increase for having their garbage collected every week. Angus Reid now shows a 13-point lead by the Liberals over the Conservatives. Canadians also overwhelmingly approve of how Mark Carney is handling the U.S.
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 Raphaël Melançon, political analyst for CTV Montreal and CJAD 800, columnist for the Montreal Gazette, and president and founder of Trafalgar Strategies. The Parti Quebecois added another seat for their party at the National Assembly yesterday by winning the Chicoutimi by-election The Conservatives are teeing up a politically charged debate in the House of Commons today. They’re introducing a motion to review and potentially restrict health benefits for asylum seekers under the Interim Federal Health Program. A 52 year old woman has been forced to go $40 thousand in debt in order to get treated in the private sector for her neck problems. Canadian Olympic medallist Laurent Dubreuil painted a bleak picture this morning of Canadian Olympic athletes this morning in the Journal de Montreal.
Elias Makos begins the week with Jimmy Zoubris, Montreal businessman, longtime activist and former special advisor to Valerie Plante, and Anthony Koch, Former National Spokesperson for Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre and current managing principal at AK Strategies. Canada finished with 21 medals including 5 gold medals. It's the lowest number of medals since the 2002 Olympics in Salt Lake City. Reaction poured in over the weekend to a story published by The Globe and Mail on Friday morning. The striking headline of the story is “How Canada became poorer than Alabama.” Bombshell news in the Wall Street Journal as the weekend started. The paper reported that employees at OpenAI had previously raised alarms about the Tumbler Ridge shooter. We can’t go to Florida, we’re boycotting the U.S. We can’t go to Cuba, the country’s a mess due to U.S. oil blockades. And now, the travel plans to Mexico are on hold, after violence erupted in Mexico over the weekend after the killing of drug cartel kingpin ‘El Mencho.’
Elias is joined on this Friday edition of the BIG 5 by Meeker Guerrier, Commentator at Noovo and RDS and Lea Streliski, Best-selling author, comedian and columnist The White House says it’s about to pull back the curtain on one of the most enduring mysteries in history. President Donald Trump is promising to declassify government files related to UFOs — or what the Pentagon now calls UAPs, unidentified anomalous phenomena. It’s official, we will have a referendum… in Alberta. The toonie turned 30 years old this week. Released on February 19, 1996, it was Canada’s first bimetallic coin. What is the best thing you can buy for two dollars in 2026?
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. Massive reaction and pushback to the story we told you about yesterday - the Quebecker who was awarded $500 after a south shore hair salon didn’t offer a “non-binary” haircut option on its appointment booking website. A man from Lebanon convicted of possessing fentanyl for the purpose of trafficking was supposed to be deported back in December of 2019. Ontario Premier Doug Ford had some choice words for students complaining about recent cuts to his province’s student assistance programs: Stop studying in useless fields and focus on an education that gives you a shot at the plethora of in-demand jobs. Reuters reports that the U.S. Department of State is developing a new online portal — hosted at freedom.gov — that would allow users in Europe and elsewhere to access content banned by their own governments
Elias Makos is joined by Sue Smith is a Montreal journalist and broadcaster, and Justine McIntyre, Strategic consultant and former city councillor. Radio-Canada reports this morning that Quebec's Human Rights Tribunal has ordered a hair salon to pay $500 to a non-binary person for only offering “men’s” and women’s” haircut options. Quebec solidaire, slumping in the polls and desperately trying to turn things around, could have a star candidate for the next election. There’s only one problem: He’s a man. A Montreal senior is calling for the return of all benches removed inside the Alexis Nihon plaza, saying the change has made daily outings more difficult for people who rely on adapted transport. Meta is looking to make your social media presence immortal.
Elias Makos is joined by Jonathan Kalles, Vice President at McMillan Vantage, a national public affairs firm, and former advisor to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and Graham Singh, Pastor at St-Jax Church. The Gallant Commission report on the SAAQclic fiasco was revealed yesterday. Journal de Montreal has the story of a Quebec man who had a vasectomy at age 22 so that his girlfriend wouldn't have to take birth control. One of Quebec’s biggest unions is proposing a new tax to help ensure public services. The target of the tax? Sugary drinks. U.S. TV personality, radio host, and sports analyst Stephen A. Smith continues to openly muse about running for the Democratic nomination for President.
Elias Makos is joined by Jimmy Zoubris, Montreal businessman, longtime activist and former special advisor to Valerie Plante and Daniel Tran, Director of Communication and governmental relations at Casacom The Quebec Liberal Party has welcomed Charles Milliard as its new leader, signaling a fresh start after months of uncertainty and controversy. The Supreme Court of Canada has annulled the federal byelection in Terrebonne, where Liberal candidate Tatiana Auguste was declared the winner by a single ballot. The challenge stemmed from a mail-in vote that wasn’t counted because of an error on the return envelope — a mistake tied to Elections Canada. If you were waiting for a true American reaction to Mark Carney’s Davos speech from January, you got one for Valentine’s Day. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio brought the Trump administration’s speech to Europe over the weekend, speaking at the Munich Security Conference.
Elias Makos is joined by Justine McIntyre, Strategic consultant and former city councillor, and Raphaël Melançon, political analyst for CTV Montreal and CJAD 800, columnist for the Montreal Gazette, and president and founder of Trafalgar Strategies. Today is the deadline to apply to be leader of the Quebec Liberal Party, and it's all but official – with no opposition, Charles Milliard will become the new leader of the Liberals on Sunday. A CAQ MNA says there should be limits placed on columnsists. Valérie Schmaltz made the comments after being annoyed by a column in the Journal de Quebec by Rémi Nadeau. Several public institutions are using artificial intelligence to create photos for their social media platforms. Tim Hortons is making changes. The company announced that it will soon distribute a new and improved English muffin, add fountain drink machines and debut a new piece of equipment for their espresso.
Elias Makos is joined by Caroline Codsi, Founder & Chief Equity Officer, Women in Governance, and Trudie Mason, veteran newscaster at CJAD 800. We’re finding out more about the suspect in the mass shooting in Tumbler Ridge B.C. The independent investigation into the Quebec Liberal Party fiasco was unveiled yesterday. With indications that the Swiss bid to host the 2038 Winter Olympics may fall through, Canada is considering swooping in to host those games. Convinced that her life was in danger, a Montreal woman handed over more than $250,000 in gold bars and cryptocurrency to fraudsters in four days.
Elias Makos is joined by Meeker Guerrier, Commentator at Noovo and RDS, and Sue Smith is a Montreal journalist and broadcaster. 10 people are dead and 25 others are injured following a mass shooting inside a B.C high school yesterday afternoon. The SPVM released its 2025 results yesterday, and Police Chief Fady Dagher says the data is clear: Montreal is safe. The United States hockey squad will sleep in the Athlete’s village for the entire tournament, embracing the dorm-room lifestyle for two weeks. Team Canada will visit the village for two days - but then go live in a five-star hotel once the games actually begin. Who’s got the better Olympic spirit? In what should have been a celebration of an olympic medal for a Norwegian athlete, turned into a beg for forgiveness live on air.
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 Dan Delmar, Co-founder of the content marketing firm TNKR Media and co-host of the podcast Inspiring Entrepreneurs Canada. U.S. President Donald Trump is threatening to “not allow” a new bridge between Windsor, Ontario, and Detroit, Michigan, to open unless the United States is “fully compensated for everything” it has given Canada. The Quebec government has no intention of reviewing its funding of concert giants Evenko and Live Nation, despite questions about how the companies favour English in concert bookings. Opening statements made yesterday in a landmark trial that claims Meta and YouTube created ‘Digital Casinos.’ Despite being told by several travel agencies that we should not be worried about going to Cuba, Air Canada, Air Transat and WestJet have all suspended flights to the Caribbean destination.
Elias Makos is joined by Jimmy Zoubris, Montreal businessman, longtime activist and former special advisor to Valerie Plante, and Political analyst Karim Boulos. What does it say about Canadian culture that our number one TV event is a U.S. sporting event for a league that doesn’t have teams in Canada? The Globe and Mail is reporting this morning that Prime Minister Mark Carney and Ontario Premier Doug Ford have been talking behind the scenes of a plan for a spring federal election. Journal de Montreal reports that the latest batch of Epstein documents released by the U.S. Department of Justice reveal that the convicted sex offender and financier loved Montreal.
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