The Big Story

The livelihoods of some 500 Stelco workers are the crux of a recent showdown between Industry Minister Melanie Joly and the CEO of Ohio-based steel producer, Cleveland-Cliffs. Joly wants the company to reverse its layoff of Canadian workers, claiming it goes against the original agreement the company signed when they acquired Stelco back in 2024. Cleveland-Cliffs, however, says they haven't broken any terms. Host Caryn Ceolin speaks to Toronto Star business reporter Josh Rubin to breakdown the timeline of the Stelco drama, what legal action Ottawa could actually take against the steel giant, and whether or not the jobs lost are a chip within a complicated trade relationship.

Plus: The country's top court is set to hear legal arguments this week about the validity of a federal ban on hundreds of types of firearms, the CEO of NVIDIA is admitting to an affair and their shares are dropping, Russell Brand has been sentenced to serve over 10-years in jail, and British Columbia’s Human Rights Tribunal has ordered a private laboratory provider to pay thousands in damages for discriminating against transgender and non-binary patients.

"Masters of our Destiny" The title of Mark Carney's second federal budget since becoming Prime Minister. It outlines paths to build stronger Canadian sovereignty, including new spending to help at the grocery store, funding for local journalism, culture, and an ambitious goal to end homelessness—but it comes with a hefty price tag. Host Maria Kestane speaks with Craig Lord, a reporter and editor specializing in economics at The Canadian Press, about the message the government is trying to send with this budget, and how we're going to pay for it all.

Enjoy this special feed drop of our sister show "In This Economy?!" Just a few days after a U.S. midterm that ended with heavy losses for U.S. President Donald Trump's Republican party, many Canadians are hoping the new Democratic congress might be able to put a check on Trump's tariff agenda. The levies have helped to re-define trade across the border, and put tremendous pressure on Canadian businesses, no matter the size. Host Mike Eppel is speaking with Steve Freedman, the owner and President of The Chesterfield Shop, a small business in Toronto, about how the trade war has affected his company, and whether he takes any hope from this week's elections.

Plus: Canada's latest employment numbers are out, Health Canada has authorized Moderna's mRNA vaccine for flu season, Pope Leo is getting ready to tour South America, and did the Dems win or did Trump really lose the U.S. midterms - Caryn Ceolin hosts a new episode of The Big Story.

The Blue Tsunami is starting to sink in for the U.S. G.O.P. who suffered a devastating loss in the midterms this week. Not only did the Democrats take control of Congress, they were able to successfully flip quintessential red states such as Texas, Maine and Kansas. The question remains though, what is left of Trump's Republicans? Now that he essentially failed the referendum, the future of his power and party seems to be more unclear than ever. Host Caryn Ceolin welcomes back Aaron Rupar, publisher of the Public Notice newsletter to discuss where the reigning Democrats go from here, and how the Republicans will pick up the pieces.

Plus: Two more soldiers, injured in last month's devastating military base fire at C-F-B Wainwright Alberta, have been released from hospital. Canadian Astronaut Joshua Kutryk steps outside the international space station. Multiple flights in Europe have been diverted, or forced to make emergency landings, because of bomb threats. British actor Russell Brand is facing jail-time for rape and sexual assault.

Aquaculture was designed to relieve pressure off of the world's fish supply. Instead, it's compromised it. Small fish are farmed, cooked, and grounded into fishmeal at the more than 1400 fishmeal factories across the world - nine of which are located in Canada. The conditions inside and around these factories and boats threaten communities, local economies and dozens of lives. Host Maria Kestane speaks to Maya Martin and Susan Ryan from the Outlaw Ocean Project to discuss their investigation into the fishmeal industry, and what consumers should know before choosing tonight's dinner. To read the entire investigation, head to https://theoutlawocean.com/ Photo credit: Clément Tardif/Greenpeace

Plus: Unpacking the U.S. midterm election results on The Big Story podcast - looking at key races and Canadian implications. Prime Minister Mark Carney says Canada's ability to strike trade deals elsewhere is no longer a sticking point in its negotiations with Washington since his weekend conversation with U.S. President Donald Trump. Some fiscal watchers think the federal Liberal government painted itself into a corner with a raft of spending commitments over the summer. Carney says Russia will be barred from attending next month's World Junior Hockey Championship in Alberta.

Americans have overwhelmingly brought about a blue tsunami. Several deep-red states have been flipped blue, including Kansas, Texas, Maine, Iowa and others. Meantime, President Trump has agreed to acknowledge the midterm election results and work with the Democrats.   Host Maria Kestane follows along the races across the U.S. and breaks down the results so far with co-host Caryn Ceolin and Mitch Burke, managing editor and anchor for 680 NewsRadio Toronto.