Enjoy this special feed drop from our sister show 'In This Economy?!'

It's been a chaotic Q1 to say the least.

Between all the Truth Social posts from US President Trump and his geopolitical stunts across the world - the markets have taken a hit. It's led to big slumps from record highs for tech stocks, and the run-up to record highs for the energy sector.

Host Mike Eppel speaks to Colin White, CEO & portfolio manager, and Josh Sheluk, CIO & portfolio manager at Verecan Capital Management for a recap of the Canadian economy throughout Q1.

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A recent report from Statistics Canada found that Canadians' functional health is on the decline, especially so for younger folks.

Functional health has to do with our ability to perform everyday bodily functions - like see, hear, move, and feel. And according to the report, the decline in functional health is directly related to a lack of emotional health among younger Canadians.

Host Catherine Jette speaks to Dr. Louis Hugo Francescutti, a physician and professor at the School of Public Health in Alberta to break down the study's findings, what Canadians can do on their own to improve their functional health, and how big of an alarm bell this should raise to Ottawa.

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It was a moment in Canadian history that the former Federal Government believed was due for sweeping powers. More than four years and two rounds of court reviews later, enacting the Emergencies Act maybe wasn't the right choice.

Or if it was, Ottawa wasn't sufficient at proving why at the time.

Host Caryn Ceolin speaks to Paul Daly, Chair in Administrative Law and Governance at the University of Ottawa, to discuss the threshold the courts believe Ottawa missed back in 2022, why the new Liberal government is still fighting for the Trudeau era, and whether or not Canada is due for a revamp of the Emergencies Act.

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Quebec's secularism law, Bill 21, prohibits certain public servants from wearing religious symbols while on the job. It was passed in 2019 with a pre-emptive use of the notwithstanding law - a section of the Charter that protects legislation from court intervention if the legislation goes against other freedoms.

Last week, the Supreme Court heard arguments on how provinces should apply the notwithstanding clause, and whether or not its application should be subject to review after the fact.

Host Caryn Ceolin speaks to journalist Max Fawcett to discuss the historical context of the clause, what legal challenges come with Bill 21, and potential outcomes from the Supreme Court's decision.

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Decades ago, Ontario's colleges operated with a goal of improving local economies and regional communities. Now, Premier Doug Ford claims if you're not in a highly-skilled field, the baskets you're looking to weave are no where to be found.

With cuts to OSAP on the provincial level, and caps to student visas on the federal level, the mission of our colleges have seemed to have shifted towards keeping the lights on with as little investment as possible.

Host Maria Kestane speaks to Dr. Emilda Thavaratnam, an educator at Centennial College. She authored an article called 'Ontario’s colleges were founded to serve local and regional needs — have we forgotten that?'. The two discuss how the college system's ethos has shifted from locally-driven to profit-yielding, and how the province's most vulnerable are falling between the cracks.

We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future episodes. You can find us:

Through email at hello@thebigstorypodcast.ca

Or @thebigstory.bsky.social on Bluesky