The Big Story

Plus: NATO ministers meet in Sweden, Ebola outbreak update, 12 Canadian activists have arrived in Turkey after being deported from Israel, Stephen Colbert's farewell, and is Eurovision a good fit for Canada.

Eurovision's director, Martin Green, has opened the doors for Canada to enter the Olympics of pop music. Historically, contestants of the music contest must be full members of the European Broadcast Union - Canada currently sits as an associate member. But so does Australia, yet they've been in on the action for more than 10 years. Host Caryn Ceolin speaks to Karen Fricker, professor of dramatic arts at Brock University to discuss the geopolitical implications of Canada joining, what Canadian artistic identity would look like on the global stage, and whether or not Canadians would embrace the contest.

Plus: Prime Minister Mark Carney condemns Israel's treatment of activists over an intercepted aid flotilla, generic versions of Ozempic are set to hit pharmacy shelves this week, Canada's first-ever PWHL championship goes to Montreal, and what's next for Tumbler Ridge?

It's been a little over three months since the small eastern British Columbian town of Tumbler Ridge was rocked after a shooter opened fire at the local secondary school. Eight people were killed and dozens were injured. In the weeks that followed, a number of lawsuits and investigations have ensued, as well as plans to demolish and rebuild the school where the shooting took place. Host Caryn Ceolin speaks to Trent Ernst, a publisher at Tumbler RidgeLines Newspaper, to discuss how the community's been grappling with the aftermath and what its members expect from the government at this point.

Plus: WHO officials speak on the Ebola outbreak, takeaways from U.S. primaries, Carney is in B.C., Quebec's Premier returns from France, and who controls your water? Ontario's privatization push.

The Ontario government is eyeing a shift in its water management operations. It's a move Premier Ford insists is nothing like what the Harris government did back in 2000, when seven people died and thousands fell ill after E. Coli was found in Walkerton's water drinking supply. Host Caryn Ceolin speaks to Meera Karunananthan, assistant professor at Carleton University to discuss Ontario's Water and Wastewater Public Corporations Act, the implications of allowing water operations to be overseen by for-profit models, and how Ontarians can fight back against the potential new changes.

Plus: The World Health Organization is warning about an Ebola outbreak in two African countries, the U.S. has called off military action against Iran, Three Canadian police officers have been arrested in Barcelona, allergy season in Canada is expected to be worse than previous years, and is Canada ready for another wildfire season?

At least 100 people were forced from their homes last week due to an evacuation order in an area of Woodlands County, southeast of Whitecourt, Alberta, thanks to a fast moving wildfire. It's becoming an increasingly common story in the province-- and across the country-- a decade after devastating fires wiped out Fort McMurray. And as Canada heads into this year's wildfire season, can we expect a repeat of the last three seasons, or something potentially worse? Host Maria Kestane speaks to Mike Flannigan, a wildfire expert and professor at Thompson Rivers University in British Columbia on how ready Canada is heading into the season, and whether or not we should expect a pattern in the years to come.

A recent report from Statistics Canada says our country hit a new fertility rating law in 2024, with over half of women aged 20 to 49 childless. Without immigration, the rate needed to maintain a steady population is 2.1 children per woman, but in Canada, it's now 1.25- below the 1.3 line that experts describe as "ultra-low". Host Catherine Jette is speaking with journalist Cara Stern from the Missing Middle Initiative, an organization dedicated to reviving Canada's middle class, about the many factors contributing to young people's decision not to have as many kids.

Enjoy this special feed drop of our sister show "In This Economy?!" "The K-shaped economy." From housing, to productivity, to wages, it's a phrase you hear more and more often these days. But what exactly does it mean? And how is it effecting your wallet? In this episode of In This Economy?!, co-host Kris Kris McCusker is speaking to economist Jim Stanford, director of the Centre for Future Work, to find out.