The Big Five Podcast

Elias Makos is joined by Paul Gott, Lead singer and guitarist for Montreal Punk Rock band the Ripcordz and a journalism professor at Concordia, and Daniel Tran, Director of Communication and governmental relations at Casacom.

• Still lots of reaction coming in from our interview with Premier Christine Frechette yesterday.
• A new poll from Pallas Data for QC125 and L’actualité shows the provincial election is trending t...

On this Monday edition of the BIG 5, Elias was joined by Jimmy Zoubris, Montreal businessman, longtime activist and former special advisor to Valerie Plante and Raphaël Melançon, political analyst for CTV Montreal and CJAD 800, and columnist for the Montreal Gazette.

• You just heard our interview with the premier. What is your main takeaway from it?
• A war of words between the Quebec Liberals and the Parti Qué...

In an exclusive English language interview, CJAD 800's Elias Makos is joined by Quebec Premier, Christine Fréchette. The Premier discusses a potential English language debate ahead of an election, the CAQ's relationship with Quebec's English community, migrating the province's health care system to a digital era, the word 'nosh' being in the crosshairs of the OQLF, recent reports of discriminatory and racist acts in the SPVM a...

Trudie Mason ends the week with Raphaël Melançon, political analyst for CTV Montreal and CJAD 800, and columnist for the Montreal Gazette, and Lionel Perez, Former city councilor and former leader of the Official Opposition at Montreal City Hall.

• Opposition at the National Assembly are accusing Quebec Premier Christine Fréchette of going on a “witch hunt” in order to silence government sources. 
• Today is ...

Trudie Mason welcomes in Dan Delmar, Co-founder of the content marketing firm TNKR Media and co-host of the podcast Inspiring Entrepreneurs Canada, and Caroline Codsi, Founder & Chief Equity Officer, Women in Governance.

• U.S President Donald Trump says he does not want to renew the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement.
• The OQLF is asking a pair of restaurant owners to remove the words “nosh” and "nachos".
• The city...

Trudie Mason is joined by Jonathan Kalles, Senior Vice President at Vantage, a Government Relations and Strategic Communications Firm, and former advisor to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and Meeker Guerrier, Commentator at Noovo and RDS.

• New provincial polling this morning from Synopsis and Lapresse show the Quebec Liberal Party falling while the CAQ tries to make a comeback.
• The energy drinks ban saga continued yesterda...

Trudie Mason is joined by Akil Alleyne, Reporter and commentator with extensive experience analysing legal, political, and social issues and Manager of the GemStar Circle of Excellence Scholarship Program, and Political analyst Karim Boulos.

• The federal government is set to table a bill banning social media for those under the age of 16. 
• A new survey commissioned by the Brotherhood of Montreal Police Officers shows ...

Trudie Mason starts the week off with Jimmy Zoubris, Montreal businessman, longtime activist and former special advisor to Valerie Plante, and Andrew Caddell, columnist for the Hill Times and President of the Task Force on Linguistic policy.

• The Quebec Liberal Party held its final general council meeting this weekend before the fall elections. 
• Hundreds of weapons have been seized by police in Quebec schools in recen...

Elias Makos caps off the week with Neil Drabkin, is a lawyer who served as federal prosecutor and a political commentator who was a chief of staff in the Harper government, and Paul Gott, Lead singer and guitarist for Montreal Punk Rock band the Ripcordz and a journalism professor at Concordia.

• The government wants to fast-track a bill that would ban energy drinks for people under the age of 16. There is just one problem....

Elias Makos is joined by Caroline Codsi, Founder & Chief Equity Officer, Women in Governance, and Justine McIntyre, Co-Founder of  Civica Strategies and former city councillor.

• Under the headline ‘‘He yells: Mark Carney’s focus has Liberal MPs bristling,” Althia Raj tells readers of the most Liberal-leaning paper in the nation that the Prime Minister is not a nice man.
• Quebec's proposed co...

Sue Smith is a Montreal journalist and broadcaster, and Raphaël Melançon, political analyst for CTV Montreal and CJAD 800, and columnist for the Montreal Gazette.

• The Liberals under Prime Minister Mark Carney have hit a milestone not seen in more than 20 years. A new Postmedia-Leger poll puts Liberal support at 50 per cent among decided voters — a level of backing no governing federal party has reached in decades.
• P...

Elias Makos is joined by Political analyst Karim Boulos, and Victor Henriquez, Public affairs and crisis management specialist at Public Strategy and Conseil.

• Premier Christine Fréchette is signalling a softer approach after years of tension between the CAQ government and English-speaking Quebecers.
• A directive from the French Language Ministry is raising eyebrows in the municipal world. Since Monday, municipal employees ...

Elias Makos kicks the week off with Jimmy Zoubris, Montreal businessman, longtime activist and former special advisor to Valerie Plante, and Gabriel Retta, special advisor to the mayor.

• Religious event organizers say the city’s application of Quebec secularism law is confusing. 
• A racist rally in Shawinigan over the weekend is drawing widespread condemnation across political class.
• Despite tougher rules, illega...

Elias Makos is joined by Meeker Guerrier, Commentator at Noovo and RDS, and Dan Delmar, Co-founder of the content marketing firm TNKR Media and co-host of the podcast Inspiring Entrepreneurs Canada. The three discuss these topics:

• Tributes keep pouring in for Former Montreal Canadiens star and Stanley Cup Champion Claude Lemieux
• It's now or never tonight for the Montreal Canadiens in game five
• Prime Minister Mark Carney spoke ...

Elias Makos is joined by Lea Streliski, Best-selling author, comedian and columnist, and Paul Gott, Lead singer and guitarist for Montreal Punk Rock band the Ripcordz and a journalism professor at Concordia. They dicussed the following: 

• Habs lose 4-0. Are we toast?
• Talk of the looming Alberta referendum has everyone on a separatist or federalist hunt in Quebec City
• Prime Minister Mark Carney says a 50 percent plus one vo...

Elias Makos is joined by Justine McIntyre, Co-Founder of Civica Strategies and former city councillor, and Trudie Mason, veteran newscaster at CJAD 800. The three discussed these topics:

• CTV News has learned that former environment and climate change minister Steven Guilbeault will resign as an MP today
• Prime Minister Mark Carney says a 50 percent plus one vote to separate would not be enough for Quebec to leave Canada
• Montrea...

Elias Makos is joined by Raphaël Melançon, political analyst for CTV Montreal and CJAD 800, and columnist for the Montreal Gazette, and Sue Smith is a Montreal journalist and broadcaster.

•  The Habs lost game three of their series against the Carolina Hurricanes last night, 3-2 in overtime.
• Quebec Premier Christine Fréchette announced new tax relief measures yesterday. 
• Quebec Liberal Party leader Charles Milliar...

Elias Makos kicks the week off with Jimmy Zoubris, Montreal businessman, longtime activist and former special advisor to Valerie Plante, and Graham Singh, CEO of Releven.

• Tim Hortons says it will scale back its use of the Temporary Foreign Worker program and instead hire up to 10,000 local workers as it plans a major expansion of restaurants across Canada this year. 
• Premier Christine Fréchette is expected to announce a t...

Sue Smith is joined by Bonnie Feigenbaum, Conservative Party of Quebec candidate in last provincial election and a lecturer at Concordia & McGill University, media & government relations consultant, and Andrew Caddell, columnist for the Hill Times and President of the Task Force on Linguistic policy.

• After backing off on the Go Habs Go! message from the buses at the STM, the Office québécois de la langue française...