The Big Story

Housing affordability is a buzz word lately but how likely is it that it will actually become reality? Actual action on the issue has been really slow and housing starts aren't running at a pace that's it would need to be from a supply standpoint to make a meaningful difference. So what are the issues? What are the barriers to fixing this serious problem? Host Mike Eppel talks to Jordan Thomson, Director , Infrastructure Advisory at K-P-M-G Canada.

It was one of Carney's shiny campaign promises with a deadline of Canada Day, but the way Parliament has hit the ground running on it has various groups across the country sounding the alarm. Bill C-5, 'An Act to enact the Free Trade and Labour Mobility in Canada Act and the Building Canada Act', is the Liberal government's latest effort to breakdown any barriers to interprovincial trade in light of Trump's tariffs. However, several Indigenous, environmentalist, and other underrepresented Canadian groups are speaking out against the speed at which it's being passed, and the lack of power their voices have in the process. Host Maria Kestane speaks to Sonia Aslam, 1130 NewsRadio Vancouver journalist about what these groups are calling on the Carney government to do, and the potential outcomes that could arise if Bill C-5 gets passed by July 1.

There is a new war in the Middle East. Israel and Iran have been trading missile strikes as Israel seeks to bring an end to Iran’s nuclear program. There are huge implications for regional and global security, as the world waits to see whether the U.S. will intervene. Host David Smith speaks with Professor Elliot Tepper, distinguished senior fellow at the Normal Patterson School of International Affairs at Carleton University in Ottawa.

The opening date for a long suffering transit project in Toronto is a running joke across the GTA. The Eglinton L-R-T, a 25 stop above ground transit line, was set to open back in 2020. Since then, it's been continually pushed back because of a number of legal and construction issues. The cost ballooned from $5 billion dollars to $13 billion dollars, and dozens of businesses have shut down, blaming the impact from the years of construction. Although it's expected the L-R-T will start running September, there is no firm opening date although the project reached a critical milestone this week. Host Richard Southern talks about the project with CityNews journalist Nick Westoll.

It was already an eventful day at the G7 before we learned last night that U.S. president Donald Trump was leaving early. The White House says he was returning home because of what's happening in the Middle East, as the conflict between Israel and Iran enters day 5. In terms of what was accomplished today, there's word of potential trade deal between Canada and the U.S. to be worked out in the next 30 days. How did Carney do at his first G7 as PM? And what else happened behind the scenes? Host Mark Day speaks to our Parliament Hill reporter Cormac Mac Sweeney who's covering the G7 in Alberta about all of today's developments before Trump returned to Washington.

The Carney government has announced a plan to massively increase Canada’s defense budget. The plan will see Canada meet NATO’s 2% of GDP spending target by the end of the year. Why now? After decades of underspending, Canada’s allies are demanding we step up as the world looks to reduce reliance on the US for security. Host David Smith speaks with Canadian defense expert Richard Shimooka about what’s in the Carney defense plan, and how Canada fits into the wider global security picture.

On this weekend listen, we're re-visiting a story from March about a topic that just won't go away - how much social media is too much? Research out of the University of British Columbia shows there’s a way to manage your mental health while staying up to date on your favourite apps. Host Melanie Ng speaks with lead study author and psychology professor at UBC, Amori Mikami, about their findings. More info: pearl.psych.ubc.ca

On Sunday, world leaders of some of the top democratic economies in the world will gather in Alberta for the G7 summit, to discuss everything from the war in Ukraine, to trade to wildfires. But what will be achieved at the meeting? Will U.S. president Donald Trump create drama like the last time he was on Canadian soil, and what should we make of the controversial decision to invite the leaders of India and Saudi Arabia? Host Cormac Mac Sweeney speaks with John Kirton, a University of Toronto Professor Emeritus and the head of the G7 research group., who's been to almost every G7 since 1988.

It is one of the worst airline disasters in decades in India. On Thursday, an Air India passenger plane bound for London, England, crashed minutes after takeoff. 242 people were onboard, including one Canadian, a woman from the Toronto area. Officials confirming only one surviving passenger at this point. On the ground, dozens more casualties after the plane crashed into a residential area and burst into flames near the airport in Ahmedabad. Host Melanie Ng speaks with aviation expert John Gradek about early indications of what may have went wrong and next steps in the investigation.

Today's Big Story is about the economy and the potential impact to Canada from Trump's so-called "Big Beautiful Bill". The bill could potentially have implications for Canadian investors and pension plans. Host Mike Eppel breaks down what it all means with guest Stephen Johnston, Director of Asset Management for Omnigence.