Overcrowding & reduced sentences: what's going on in Ontario's jails?

At one point in time, Canada was ranked as the 5th happiest country out of 147 countries across the globe. 10 years since that ranking, and Canada has dropped to 18th place...a ranking that's continued on a steady decline since 2020. But why? How do Canadians express happiness? How much of their well-being is shaped by the economy, their friends, their perception of the world around them, or all three? And what can we do if we want to climb back to the top 5 area?Host Pooja Handa speaks with Felix Cheung, Canada Research Chair in Population and Wellbeing, and assistant professor at U of T’s department of psychology, about this year's World Happiness Report to discuss why Canadians seem to have a declining outlook on the overall perception of happiness, and what the future generations can focus on if they're interested in making their way closer to the top of the list.You can read the 2025 World Happiness Report here: https://happiness-report.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/2025/WHR+25.pdfYou can read the 2024 Canada Happiness Report here: https://cheung.artsci.utoronto.ca/canadian-happiness-report-2024/ We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future episodes. You can find us:Through email at [email protected] Or @thebigstoryfpn on Twitter

It's one of the most popular social networks in the world and it's fighting for survival in both Canada and the U.S. But it appears TikTok Canada will not go down without a fight, even it means spending millions in advertisements or pulling the plug on big name sponsorships.It's all in response to the federal government's recent decision to shut down its sales office over national security concerns in relation to its Chinese ownership. What does that mean for Canadian users of TikTok?Host Mike Eppel speaks to Michael Geist, Professor of Law, Canada Research Chair in Internet and E-Commerce Law, Faculty of Law at the University of Ottawa, to see what the future holds for TikTok's Canadian's branch. We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future episodes. You can find us:Through email at [email protected] Or @thebigstoryfpn on Twitter

In Provincial Ombudsman, Paul Dubé's, latest report, he calls on the Ford government to take a closer look at Ontario jails, sounding the alarm on what he calls a growing crisis. According to his findings, overcrowding, unlawful treatment, and the high volume of inmates awaiting trial all shine a bright light on the current realties inside some of the most secretive places in the province. But how did we get here? And who will bear the cost of changing the system? Host Maria Kestane speaks to Jessica Evans, Associate Professor at Toronto Metropolitan University's criminology department, about what exactly is going on in correctional facilities across Ontario, and what the province can do to ensure the safety and rights of everyone involved.We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future episodes. You can find us: Through email at [email protected]  Or @thebigstoryfpn on Twitter

There are few things more precious in this world than your morning coffee - and add that to the list of things that have become more expensive this year.So what's the cause? Are the reasons legitimate? Is it tariffs or is it greed?Host Richard Southern talks to Robert Carter, President of the Canadian Coffee Association. We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future episodes. You can find us:Through email at [email protected] Or @thebigstoryfpn on Twitter

Perhaps you’ve used it to help spruce up a resume, write a report or find a recipe — but have you ever turned to artificial intelligence for your mental health?A.I. therapy is a growing trend, but could turning to a bot for deeply personal life advice be a problem in itself?Host Melanie Ng speaks with psychotherapist Roxanne Francis about the benefits and potential dangers around using algorithms to process emotions.Read more about Roxanne Francis here: https://www.francispsychotherapy.com/about We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future episodes. You can find us:Through email at [email protected] Or @thebigstoryfpn on Twitter

The civil service in Ottawa is bracing for layoffs. It comes after Finance Minister Francois-Phillippe Champagne was tasked with finding $25-billion dollars in savings to offset the biggest increase in defense spending in a generation. So how does that play in to our federal government's massive deficit? And how does that trickle down to you? Host Mike Eppel speaks with Dr. Wayne Petrozzi, Professor Emeritus in the Department of Politics and Public Administration at Toronto Metropolitan University. We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future episodes. You can find us:Through email at [email protected] Or @thebigstoryfpn on Twitter

School is out for the summer, and for most teens, that means unlimited access to doom scrolling and binge watching! And while a little celebratory, post-exam screen time is warranted, the slippery slope of a constant screen in your teen's face presents real threats to their emotional and behavioural development. But how do we get ahead of the algorithms that are designed to keep its users engaged for hours? And how do we set a better example for our teens as we navigate how to mitigate our own over-use? Host Pooja Handa speaks to Dr. Alexandra Gold, Licensed Clinical Psychologist at Mass General Brigham and Faculty at Harvard Medical School, about tangible steps towards a more healthy relationship between your teenager and their devices.We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future episodes. You can find us: Through email at [email protected]  Or @thebigstoryfpn on Twitter

Shocking news this week out of Quebec where charges have been laid in an alleged plot involving a militia to take over a portion of Quebec City. Dozens of combat-like weapons were seized and it's alleged the group was running a recruitment strategy through Instagram.Investigators allege among the four men charged are two, active Canadian Armed Forces members but fall short of naming who, or how long they've been a part of the force. The charges range from terrorism-related offences to possession of explosives and prohibited devices.Host Richard Southern speaks to post-doctoral fellow at the University of Guelph, Dr. Dax D'Orazio, to break down the charges, and dissect the intersection of politics, misinformation and radicalism. You can listen to Dr. D'Orazio's podcast at https://www.daxdorazio.com/. We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future episodes. You can find us:Through email at [email protected] Or @thebigstoryfpn on Twitter

It's a story about a city that constantly surprises. A random bunny spotting turned into a near-obsession for a Toronto journalist. He was trying to track down the answer to a seemingly simple question, "Are there more bunnies in Toronto?" Turns out, it's a pretty tricky question to answer. Host Kris McCusker speaks to Nicholas Hune-Brown, executive editor at The Local, about his trip down a literal rabbit hole to find out what’s going on and why you may (or may not) be seeing more bunnies in your backyard. We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future episodes. You can find us:Through email at [email protected] Or @thebigstoryfpn on Twitter

The Calgary Stampede is known as the greatest outdoor show on earth. It's a must attend event for most Calgarians, but more importantly for Canadian politicians.It's an event that can make or break someone - from what they're wearing to how they flip pancakes. Host Mark Day speaks to CityNews reporter Sean Amato in Alberta about why the Stampede is so important and a look at everything's that's happened this year so far. We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future episodes. You can find us:Through email at [email protected] Or @thebigstoryfpn on Twitter