The Big Five is the quintessential Montreal podcast, and the best way to get caught up on the top stories impacting the city. Every weekday, host Elias Makos and a roster of Montreal thought leaders debate and inform.

On today's Big 5: Sue Smith, Montreal journalist and broadcaster, and Dan Delmar, independent political analyst, media strategist, and co-founder of TNKR Media.
• European Union officials are in Montreal for a summit, leaving observers divided over whether a proposed closer partnership represents a major geopolitical shift or just a symbolic branding exercise.
• Premier Paul St-Pierre Plamondon boycotted yesterday's major Canada-EU dinner, drawing heavy criticism from Liberal leader Charles Milliard after nearly every other living former premier attended.
• Language tension has surfaced at the summit after EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen delivered her entire 20-minute opening speech in English, despite being fluent in French.
• A potential Montreal Olympics bid is gaining traction after Secretary of State for Sport Adam van Koeverden backed Mayor Sorraya Martinez Ferrada's aspirational goals to bring the games back to Canada.
• Mayor Sorraya Martinez Ferrada is facing skepticism after giving herself a 7/10 score for her first year in office while promising Montrealers they will not see tangible results on the homelessness crisis until 2027.
• A Gatineau family doctor is blasting federal public servants, claiming that over 90 percent of requests for work-from-home medical notes following the new four-day in-person mandate are completely unjustified.