Is Canada's future European?

PLUS: A global airline industry group says it has some major concerns about Prime Minister Carney's plan to open up operations of Canada's four largest airports to privatization. Canadian auto parts mogul Frank Stronach will be sentenced on December 11th, but won’t face jail time. Canada has the potential to bolster Europe's energy security through the new alliance. The Royal Canadian Air Force has welcomed the first two of its new trainer aircraft, the C-T-1-5-7 Siskin two. it's the same planes that will replace the old Tutor jets flown by the Snowbirds aerial demonstration team. We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future episodes. You can find us: Through email at [email protected] Or @thebigstory.bsky.social on Bluesky Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Prime Minister Mark Carney has made history in Europe. On September 16th, he became the first foreign world leader to ever attend the State of the European Union address, delivered by President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen. During that address, von de Leyen invited Canada to become the first ever "associate member" of the EU. On the 17th, Carney himself addressed the European parliament, acknowledging the invitation, and expressing Canada's desire to become closer to Europe.Host Caryn Ceolin is speaking with Dr. Kurt Hübner, professor in the European studies department at the University of British Columbia, about what it might mean to be an associate member, why Canada and the EU are reaching for each other, and what the future of Canada and Europe might be in the age of Donald Trump. We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future episodes. You can find us:Through email at [email protected] Or @thebigstory.bsky.social on Bluesky Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

PLUS: 9-1-1 service across the country appears to be getting back to normal after intermittent outages were reported. A sentencing hearing will be held today for billionaire Canadian auto parts businessman Frank Stronach on the historical offence of indecent assault. The prospect of a referendum on Quebec sovereignty took centre stage last night as the leaders of the main political parties squared off for a second television debate ahead of the October provincial election. A documentary about the life and legacy of Rush drummer Neil Peart made its world premiere at TIFF. We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future episodes. You can find us: Through email at [email protected] Or @thebigstory.bsky.social on Bluesky Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Ottawa has confirmed plans to open up Canada’s four largest airports to private investment. It comes after Prime Minister Carney hosted some of the world's wealthiest business leaders, tech tycoons, and financiers in Toronto this past week at a chance at attracting foreign investment to fund Canadian projects. Host Caryn Ceolin speaks to Simon Enoch, a senior researcher with the Canadian Centre for Policy alternatives to discuss why privatization hasn't been proven to be successful according to efforts from other countries. She's then joined by Mark McQueen, a former adviser within former Prime Minister Brian Mulroney's office, to discuss why Canadians shouldn't write the plans off too soon. We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future episodes. You can find us:Through email at [email protected] Or @thebigstory.bsky.social on Bluesky Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

PLUS: Former Prime Minister Stephen Harper delivered closing remarks at Canada's first-ever national investment summit - Premier Danielle Smith's office is blaming a split among Conservative votes along with a low overall turnout after a stunning NDP byelection win - The Canadian Real Estate Association says home sales in August were down - More acts are leaving Ed Sheeran's global tour after he kicked out fellow artist Macklemore. We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future episodes. You can find us: Through email at [email protected] Or @thebigstory.bsky.social on Bluesky Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Among the steel, aluminum, and auto sectors, Canada's softwood lumber industry has also fallen victim to US tariffs. But levies on Canadian lumber are nothing new, and neither are tensions between the two countries surrounding lumber exports. Host Caryn Ceolin speaks to Russ Taylor, a global wood business and market consultant, about the impact of tariffs on Canada's lumber sector, how the industry has long been a point of tension between our two nations, and what Canada can do to better support its wood business.   We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future episodes. You can find us:Through email at [email protected] Or @thebigstory.bsky.social on Bluesky Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Plus: The New Democrats have taken a long-term Conservative stronghold with a byelection win in the Calgary-Shaw riding, the European Parliament is opening an office in Ottawa, and a tribute to Canadian actor Catharine O'Hara at the 78th Emmys. We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future episodes. You can find us: Through email at [email protected] Or @thebigstory.bsky.social on Bluesky Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The eastern Germany state of Saxony-Anhalt has elected far-right populist party, Alternative for Germany (AfD) in last week's election. The party was three seats shy of forming a majority, so they must now look to other parties to form a coalition, or poach individual outside members to join their party. Germany's domestic intelligence agency has classified the AfD as an extreme right group, shielded against entering mainstream politics by use of the country's firewall agreement. However, this victory puts the firewall at threat. Host Maria Kestane speaks to Jordan Leichnitz, Canada Director for the Friedrich Ebert Foundation to discuss the rise in far-right groups across Europe and how North American politics is affected by this election win. We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future episodes. You can find us:Through email at [email protected] Or @thebigstory.bsky.social on Bluesky Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Plus: The Canada investment summit is underway, new poll finds federal Liberals lead over Conservatives, Google is bringing age assurance tech to Canada, remembering George Chuvalo, and Canada's new sanctions on West Bank settlers. We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future episodes. You can find us: Through email at [email protected] Or @thebigstory.bsky.social on Bluesky Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Canada recently joined the UK and France in sanctioning all settler trade with the West Bank. In a joint-statement written by the three Prime Minister's, Israel's advancement of the E1 settlement, as well as the ongoing violence in the occupied strip jeopardizes the possibility of a two-state solution.Host Maria Kestane speaks to Jon Allen, the former Canadian ambassador to Israel and a senior fellow at the Bill Graham Centre for Contemporary International History at the University of Toronto. They discuss whether or not Israel could announce counter sanctions on Canada like they did with the UK, and how the Canada-Israel relationship has hit an all-time low. We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future episodes. You can find us:Through email at [email protected] Or @thebigstory.bsky.social on Bluesky Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.