The Big Story

Enjoy this special feed drop of our sister show "In This Economy?!". With Thanksgiving days away-- it's time to start thinking about Christmas. At least that's the case for PricewaterhouseCoopers Canada, an accounting firm which has done their annual survey on where families and individuals are at in terms of budgets as they head into the holiday season, and what it could mean for retailers. Host Mike Eppel is speaking with Adam Boutros, National Consumer Markets Leader Partner at PwC, about consumer trends, what people are planning to spend, a generation divide, and how AI factors in to it all.

Plus: The chief executive of Stelco's U.S-based parent company says hundreds of Southern Ontario steelworkers facing temporary layoffs will be recalled if Canada and the U.S. reach a trade deal on steel. Former Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne says she saw parallels between herself and Christine Frechette as Quebec's election results came in. Canadian poet Anne Carson won the Nobel Prize in literature, but not much is known about her personal life. Also, what we know and don't know about the Russian lab tech that died, her work with the plague, and if we should be worried or not.

The death of a lab worker in Russia has raised fears of the plague. Authorities claim she died of pneumonia from an unknown origin, but have yet to release any other details surrounding if there's a connection to the lab she worked at. Host Maria Kestane is speaking with Angela Rasmussen, a virologist and the Science Chair for the Save America movement, then she's joined by Maria Popova, a political scientist from McGill University. They discuss what we know about the pneumonic plague, its chances of breaking out into another global pandemic, and about the challenges of dealing with an authoritarian country like Russia, when communication is so key in a potential crisis.

British Columbia NDP leader David Eby says Ottawa needs to impose minimum standards on all social media companies and AI companies requiring that threats of violence be reported to the police. Canada’s Defence Minister is in Alberta to highlight the billions of military dollars being spent there, with less than two weeks to go before Albertans vote on whether it’s time to quit confederation. The Parti Quebecois says it's asking for a recount in a Montreal-area riding that it lost to the Liberals by a narrow margin. Canadian poet Anne Carson wins the Nobel Prize in Literature.

When a person hacks a government website, it's illegal. But when a rogue AI agent does it, it's an incident that needs 'further investigation'. Canada has invested billions of dollars into AI infrastructure and education, and although safety is a top priority according to Ottawa, robust legislation and regulation to govern the software has not kept up with the momentum. Host Maria Kestane is speaking with Takara Small, a technology journalist, about who's held to account for AI's mass destruction, and why top-down legislation isn't the end-all be-all for a solution.

Plus: Christine Fréchette is resigning as leader of the Coalition Avenir Québec, but will stay on as premier until her P.Q. successor is sworn in. Prime Minister Mark Carney will visit Turkey from October 21st to 23rd as Canada seeks stronger trade, defence and investment ties with the NATO ally. Countries around the world are pushing Russia for more information about the death of a 28-year-old researcher who worked at a lab studying plagues in Siberia.

Paul St-Pierre Plamondon has been voted in as Quebec's newest Premier. His party, Parti Québécois, secured their minority government on Monday night's election with 59 seats, up from three seats back in 2022. Among his plans for the province, he eyes holding a referendum in a push to separate Quebec from Canada. And although Plamondon promised to wait until US President Trump left the White House, the new Premier would still need to gain the support from the other provincial parties. Host Caryn Ceolin speaks to André Lecours, a political science professor at the University of Ottawa to discuss what PSPP's win means for the province, its future in Canada, and for Prime Minister Carney's tenure.

Plus: Health care and taxes dominate the election campaign in British Columbia with the Conservatives criticizing the NDP's record, the Manitoba government is proposing changes that would eliminate window coverings on all cannabis storefronts because of safety concerns, the head coach of Canada's men's soccer team says he has a unique perspective when it comes to speaking out on political issues, and what Avi Lewis thinks of Ottawa's Bill C-39.

Ottawa is furthering its pursuit of building a stronger, more sovereign Canada. Bill C-39, the Build Canada Strong Act is the latest omnibus legislation that aims to reform parts of the Canadian Labour Code, as well as streamline projects deemed of 'national interest' . Critics, however, say the bill throws environmental protection, Indigenous consultation and workers' rights all into limbo. Among those critics is Federal NDP Leader, Avi Lewis.  Host Caryn Ceolin speaks to Mr. Lewis to discuss who he thinks gets left behind in the bill, what tweaks are needed to protect workers, and why Prime Minister Carney's goals seem to be less in the interest of Canadians and more in the interest of foreign investors.

Plus: Cornell's Jane Doe has received multiple threats to withdraw her lawsuit, Florida voters are deciding whether to scrap property tax with Canadians potentially having to foot the bill, a dozen people are isolating after a lab worker dies in Russia from pneumonia of an 'unknown origin', a new report says screen time and social media use should be deemed a public health issue, and how can Canada improve on its universal child-care system?