The Big Story

The annual Hunger Count report has been released, and the startling numbers have set yet another record. In fact, the number of people using food banks to fill the fridge has doubled since 2019. The struggles of many Canadians to handle the cost of living crisis has led to calls for the federal government to take action. Host Cormac Mac Sweeney speaks with Kirstin Beardsley, CEO of Food Banks Canada about the report, the troubling trends, and what she wants to see from the Carney government.

Nothing beats a good cup of coffee, but nothing also beats a good night's sleep. With the switch back to standard time right around the corner, our bodies will once again feel the disorientation of the 1 hour shift. The sun will rise and set earlier, and maybe it's time we move with the light instead of trying to ignore nature's clock. Host Maria Kestane speaks to Dr. Elizabeth Klerman, a professor of neurology at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School to break down the dos and don'ts of sleep, how to take advantage of the time change to catch some extra zzz's, and how it's important to actually listen to your body when it's telling you something.

The Governor of the Bank of Canada, Tiff Macklem, announced the fourth policy interest rate cut this year, down by a quarter of a percentage point to 2.25%, signaling a steadiness in inflation, while simultaneously warning of a weakening economy. It comes in the midst of a volatile U.S.-Canada trade war, and ahead of a later-than-usual federal budget, with a projected deficit of close to $70 billion. Host Mike Eppel speaks to Barry Schwartz, President and Chief Investment Officer at Baskin Wealth to get a pulse check of the Canadian economy ahead of the upcoming November 4th federal budget.

It was a quick post-and-delete from the Ontario government, after Premier Ford's $75M anti-tariff commercial broadcasted on American televisions, pissed off President Trump, and received some harsh penalties in return. Trump said the content in the ad was fake, and went as far as suspending all trade negotiations with Canada as a result. A few days later, it seemed a new fury arose from the White House, with Trump slapping an additional 10% tariff on Canadian goods for not taking the commercial down fast enough. Trade negotiations have been going on for months, but after Prime Minister Carney returned from two U.S. trips with no trade deal, Canadian leaders seem to be having a hard time sitting on their hands in the meantime. Host Richard Southern speaks to John Wright, CEO of Canada Pulse Insights, to discuss the fallout of the premier's move, and what Carney needs to do to make sure all of Canada remains on the same page on the fight against Trump.

Alternative medicine is nothing new. Although it can be risky and sometimes harmful, people with chronic pain or debilitating health complications are usually open to seeing what other treatment options can ease their pain - even if it's illegal and very much inaccessible. A recent North American study found that one supervised dose of lysergic acid diethylamide or LSD - commonly known as acid - eased anxiety symptoms for several months. But the research on psychedelics being used to treat mental health issues is still very much in its premature phase, with nothing conclusive or substantial enough to enact changes from Health Canada. Host Maria Kestane speaks to Dr. Roger McIntyre, professor of psychiatry, and professor of pharmacology and toxicology at the University of Toronto to discuss the potential that psychedelics hold in the future of health and wellness, and whether or not it's suitable for everyone.

Getaway motorbikes, 7 minutes, and a crane positioned to an open balcony of the Louvre. The scene of a carefully orchestrated jewellery heist at the world's most famous museum in France, after a group of thieves stole about $143 million Cdn worth of crown jewels and fled the scene. A pair of suspects have since been arrested, one of them at the Charles de Gaulle Airport as he prepared to allegedly board a flight to Algeria. But millions of dollars worth of France's history, and more suspects remain nowhere to be found, with the country now grappling with an internal blame game. Host Richard Southern speaks to Anthony Amore, an art theft expert and Director of Security at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston to discuss the Hollywood-like heist, and how museums across the world could use the carefully calculated ransack to improve how they protect their valuables.

Gold is having a moment - trading above $4,000 just a few months after hitting $3,000. It's up by more than 50%t this year, on track for its best year since 1979. And volatility seems to be ticking higher too. Gold has long been viewed as a safe haven in times of uncertainty - and let's face it, there's a lot of that right now. But could that role be changing, and does crypto currency become a factor in it all? Host Kris McCusker speaks to Luis Seco - a professor in mathematics at the University of Toronto to get his take on what's happening, and whether it’s too late to invest.

No one likes checking their credit score and seeing a hit to the rating - even the Canadian government. Credit rating agencies are bracing for the upcoming November 4th federal budget, and with a lack of fiscal updates since the last federal budget under the Trudeau government, economists aren't quite sure what they should expect when it comes to the deficit. So just how deep could the red ink run? And will the minority federal government receive the backing from any of the opposition parties to get it passed through the House? Host Mike Eppel speaks to Randall Bartlett, Deputy Chief Economist at Desjardins to discuss what former-banker-turned-Prime Minister, Mark Carney, has up his sleeve for the upcoming budget, and what he plans to do about a potentially ominously large deficit.

Top Trump administration officials have been in Israel this week to shore up a fragile and uncertain ceasefire in Gaza, after recent flare-ups of violence punctured the brief calm, with each side accusing the other of violations. The truce faced fresh challenges this week after a bill applying Israeli law to the West Bank passed a symbolic vote in Israel’s parliament, revealing cracks between factions in the country’s right-wing parties, and underscoring the challenges ahead in ensuring both Israel and Hamas hold up their sides of the fragile ceasefire. Host Caryn Ceolin is joined by Akaash Maharaj, senior fellow at the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy, to discuss the obstacles that loom over Middle East peace, and the role Canada can play in delivering it.

A note to our listeners, this episode discusses sexual assault. Please take care. Prince Andrew’s ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein thrust the British royal family into crisis again this week, with the release of a harrowing posthumous memoir by one of Epstein’s main accusers.   For years, Virgina Giuffre has accused Prince Andrew of sexual assault, an allegation he denies. But her book is likely to keep Andrew’s friendship with Epstein in the spotlight, throwing fuel on a cascade of scandal shadowing the King’s brother and a monarchy grappling with diminished public support.   Host Caryn Ceolin is joined by Sarah Sahagian, co-Host for The Reheat and publisher of rabble.ca, to discuss Andrew’s fall from grace, the calls for further action against him, and why he may never lose the title of prince.