The Big Story

Looksmaxxing. It's a term that's started to pop up everywhere, made popular by social media personalities like Braden Eric Peters, also known as "Clavicular." And as it's started to bleed into our common parlance, you can pretty much "-maxx" anything these days, as the concept turns into a kind of joke. But the normalization of the term hides a darker and dangerous connection to the ideas surrounding the phenomenon. Host Maria Kestane speaks with Dr. Jordan Foster, an assistant sociology professor at MacEwan University, about the "looksmaxxing" phenomenon, what it means, how it's grown in popularity, and what it means for men's sense of themselves.

Plus: The latest on revenue-sharing from the Gordie Howe bridge, actor Jared Leto is accused of sexual misconduct involving teenage girls, Prime Minister Mark Carney makes a housing announcement in Alberta, and what does Alberta’s decision to allow patients to pay out-of-pocket for surgery mean for the future of healthcare in Canada?

Starting in the fall, Albertans will be able to pay out of pocket for surgery. The government of Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says the move will allow people to get off waitlists, thereby getting people the surgeries they need while also shortening lists for those who can't pay. Critics, however, say it creates a health system that prioritizes the rich over the poor, and siphons resources from the public system, resulting in those who can't pay having to deal with even more understaffed hospitals and longer waits. Many also say it's a blatant violation of the Canada Health Act. Host Caryn Ceolin is speaking with Andrew Longhurst, a senior researcher and political economist at the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives about the legislation, what it means for the future of healthcare in Canada, and why the federal government seems to be doing nothing about it.

Plus: A study finds emergency room doctors across Canada are quitting, a wildfire in France stops growing just before a major heat wave rolls in, a Canadian with ties to China is arrested in Belgium on spying charges, a New York town honours a Canadian girl who was found dead there last year, and the debate over medical assistance in dying in Canada.

This episode contains discussion of mental illness, suicide, and death. Please take care. MAiD has caused contentious debate across Canada for years. This year marks 10 years since Ottawa allowed for certain adults to apply for medically assisted death, and since then there has been push to expand eligibility - beyond track two - to include those whose sole reason for application is mental illness. A recent parliamentary committee recommended against the idea, saying Canada isn't ready. Host Maria Kestane is bringing you both sides of the debate. Daphne Gilbert is Chair of the Board of Directors at Dying with Dignity Canada, an advocacy group calling for MAiD expansion. Jonathan Lai is the Executive Director at Autism Alliance of Canada. He argues against. If you or anyone you know is struggling with thoughts of suicide, you can call the national suicide hotline at 9-8-8 or head to their website.

Plus: crime rates in Canada are down for the second straight year, a poll finds many Canadians want Ottawa to retaliate against tariff threats from the U.S., three federal by-elections will be held at the end of next month, and the suspect in a terror attack at Berlin Pride celebrations is shot dead by police.

US President Trump echoed his promise to retaliate against Canada for our wildfire smoke drifting south. It comes as more than 900 fires actively burn across the country, with a number of communities evacuated from their homes. But the severity of our wildfire season should come as no surprise given Canada's track record since 2023. Yet somehow, the response from provinces and territories doesn't reflect back-to-back record-breaking seasons. Host Maria Kestane is speaking with John Gradek, an aviation expert and professor at McGill University to discuss how Canada needs to cut jurisdictional red tape, and improve access to aerial suppression efforts.

Enjoy this special feed drop from our sister show 'In This Economy?!'. The biggest World Cup ever is over – with 13 matches played on Canadian soil. The Canadian men’s team saw a fair bit of success on the pitch, but it’s more difficult to define success for the host cities, Vancouver and Toronto. Many contend there were some big positives to come out of the event – some of them unexpected. In this episode of In This Economy?! host Kris McCusker speaks to Royce Chwin, President and CEO of Destination Vancouver and Andrew Weir, President and CEO at Destination Toronto about how they measure success, why it might take time for all the “results” to be in, and how this could lead to more big events in the future.

Plus: B.C. businesses can access to a billion-dollar regional emergency fund if Canada-focused tariffs go into effect next month, Canadian officials celebrate the Gordie Howe International Bridge’s upcoming opening without their U.S. counterparts on hand, Alberta’s opposition leader raises concerns over the cost of the separation referendum, the Maritimes move to create a new regional electricity operator, and B.C. tightens its regulations on exotic cats.

It won't surprise you know that owning an exotic cat like a lion or tiger is illegal in B.C.-- it is in most places, and for good reason. Exotic large cat ownership has led to many preventable tragedies. But there is a middle ground of cat, of breeds much bigger than domestic cats but smaller than cheetah and other big cats, that has remained largely unregulated. Until now. Host Caryn Ceolin is speaking with Michelle Cyca, the conservation and fellowships bureau chief for The Narwal, who's been covering the issue, to discuss why the BC government is doing this, who it will affect, and what it means for those cats already raised in captivity.