The Big Story Frequency Podcast Network

Opposition leader Pierre Poilievre has promised to use the notwithstanding clause to enact criminal justice reform if elected. Liberals have pointed to this as an indication that Conservatives would use it for other things, including restricting abortion.

How much of this is political posturing from either side? How huge a precedent would using the notwithstanding clause this way represent? If a Conservative government went down this path, would access to abortion really be at risk? And what could the Liberals do now if they believed that to be the case?

GUEST: Daphne Gilbert, professor of criminal and constitutional law at the University of Ottawa

It's known as the third rail of Canadian politics, and maybe that's why we've never properly addressed it—but as long as Canada has had universal health care, people have been paying out of pocket for faster service. It's only in the past few years, though, as the public system has crumbled, that the trickle has turned into a flood.

What exactly qualifies as private health care in Canada, and who gets it? Where are the loopholes in the system that allow it to proliferate? And why does nobody in Ottawa want to talk about how to tackle a system that's not working for anyone?

GUEST: Christina Frangou, writing in Maclean's

For a number of years, some of the world's biggest brands painted themselves as shining lights of progressive values. There was more to it than altruism, of course—at the time it was seen as good for business. But now retail experts are wondering if the winds are shifting.

While "go woke, go broke" has always been a farcical maxim, it's worth asking why some companies have begun pulling back on showing off their dedication to social issues like diversity or sustainability, and what message that sends to their customers but also those watching where things might be headed...

GUEST: Emily Stewart, senior correspondent at Business Insider

A long weekend means it's time to go through the mailbag. And this time there is actual mail in it. When you report on Canada Post, it turns out, you get physical letters. So we'll read those, discuss meeting and trying to pin down Justin Trudeau and the making of our latest narrative series, and what might be coming next...

As always, get in touch with us, and you might find yourself in these episodes.

We've gained some new subscribers recently, and over the next few Sundays we want to help welcome them to the show by re-releasing some of our favourite episodes from the last few years. If you're new here, welcome! And if you've been with us for a while, we hope you enjoy this trip down memory lane.

----------------------------------------------------------

The promise was pretty clear: During his first successful campaign as Liberal leader, Justin Trudeau told LGBT voters that we would end Canada’s longstanding ban prohibiting men who have sex with men from donating blood. At the time, it seemed like a simple promise to keep. A few years later, he claimed it wasn’t so simple.

Now, it’s 2021 and Erin O’Toole is criticizing Trudeau for his failure as the Conservatives seek LGBT support. How is the blood ban still in place? When Trudeau claims his government will “follow the science” what is he referring to? Is a discriminatory approach really still necessary when technology has rapidly advanced and Canada needs blood more than ever?

GUEST: Justin Ling, investigative journalist

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 by calling 416-935-5935 and leaving us a voicemail

Or @thebigstoryfpn on Twitter

Patrick's family member is diagnosed with bipolar disorder and addicted to cocaine stimulants. Patrick and his wife have been trying to fund treatment through private means but are running out of money. They are worried long wait times and delays in the public system will be a barrier to care for their beloved family member.

Jordan speaks to Nadeem Esmail, senior fellow at the Fraser Institute who has studied the current state of mental health care in Canada and how we compare to other nations.

Do you have a money problem? Call us and leave a message at 416-935-5935. Or email us at hello@itepod.ca. You can also find us on Instagram and TikTok @InThisEconomyPod. Don't forget to leave a call-back number, so we can get in touch.