Burning time: How bureaucracy hinders Canada’s wildfire response

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 reach their website here: https://988.ca/ 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: 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. 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.

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.  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.

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. 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: 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. 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.

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. 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 premiers agree to remove interprovincial trade barriers on alcohol sales, Canadians are feeling the pressure to keep up with artificial intelligence, the Bloc Quebecois leader’s X account is hacked, Canadian jazz legend Oliver Jones dies at 91, and a Quebec town grants rights to trees. 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.

Update since publication: The Big Story would like to formally recognize Ricardo Rey as the author and initiator of the 'Universal Declaration of Tree Rights', and La Compagnie des Papillons Bleus as its founding organisation and official institutional steward. André Desrochers helped bring the existing Declaration to local attention but did not create, author or initiate it. Ms Trépanier is a member of the Terrasse-Vaudreuil Environmental Committee and her explanation represents her personal interpretation, not the authorized interpretation or official English translation of the Declaration. The episode refers to the “Universal Declaration of the Rights of the Tree.” The official English title is “Universal Declaration of Tree Rights.” The Universal Declaration of Tree Rights consists of three foundational articles. The four rights stated in the Terrasse-Vaudreuil municipal resolution — life, natural growth, integrity and regeneration — are distinct municipal provisions. They are not the three articles of the Universal Declaration of Tree Rights. The official page explaining the procedure and legal scope of adoption by local authorities is available here: https://www.declarationuniverselledesdroitsdelarbre.org/local-authorities-universal-declaration-tree-rights/ An official English-language explanation of the nature, purpose and scope of the Declaration, including what it is and what it is not can be found here: https://www.declarationuniverselledesdroitsdelarbre.org/understanding-the-universal-declaration-of-tree-rights/ The trilingual institutional framework governing the Declaration’s origin, stewardship, representation, uses and authorisations can be found here: https://www.declarationuniverselledesdroitsdelarbre.org/cadre-officiel-de-la-declaration-universelle-des-droits-de-larbre/ The detailed legal analysis explaining the progression of the Declaration’s three articles from the legal characterisation of the Tree, through the scientific foundation of the dependence of Life upon trees, to the resulting normative responsibility of humanity can be found here:https://www.declarationuniverselledesdroitsdelarbre.org/fondements-juridiques-declaration-universelle-droits-arbre/ For certainty - Ms Trepanier is not the author or co-author of the Universal Declaration of Tree Rights, a representative of La Compagnie des Papillons Bleus, an authorized institutional spokesperson for the Declaration; a person authorized to translate, define or reinterpret its three articles; or a person holding a written mandate to represent the Declaration’s international institutional framework. We regret the errors. A Quebec town of 2000 people just west of Montreal has become the first place in Canada to recognize the rights of trees. Inspired by Ricardo Rey, the author and initiator of the 'Universal Declaration of Tree Rights', La Compagnie des Papillons Bleus, its founding organization and official institutional steward, as well as André Desrochers, Quebec filmmaker, the Terrasse-Vaudreuil city council adopted a resolution that protects a tree's right to growth, life, integrity and regeneration, while also signing on to the Universal Declaration of Tree Rights Host Caryn Ceolin speaks to Sylvie Trepanier, a member of the Terrasse-Vaudreuil Environmental Committee to discuss their case for legally protecting the trees, and why other parts of the country may want to consider doing the same. 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 Big Story podcast looks at why President Donald Trump is pushing for more tariffs on Canada right now, U.S. officials could be sending billions more to fund the ongoing war in Iran, Canada's "grocery code of conduct" has some glaring issues, and trade tension is now spilling onto the Gordie Howe bridge between Windsor and Detroit. 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.

Another round of 50% tariffs are coming for a number of Canadian goods, ranging from dairy, hockey sticks to hair wigs. Prime Minister Carney has since agreed to intensify negotiations in the coming weeks. US President Trump's reason for the tariffs was to address what he calls Canada's "discrimination against and unreasonable and unequal treatment of U.S. commerce". Host Caryn Ceolin speaks to Joseph Steinberg, economics professor from the University of Toronto, to discuss whether or not the new duties should be interpreted symbolically, and how Canadian businesses should brace for impact. 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.