Elias Makos welcomes in Jimmy Zoubris, Montreal businessman, longtime activist and former special advisor to Valerie Plante, and Paul Gott, Lead singer and guitarist for Montreal Punk Rock band the Ripcordz and a journalism professor at Concordia.
“Montreal’s Olympic Stadium started 2026 the same way it began the 1976 Games: under construction and without a roof.”
Despite Montreal’s size and appetite for the FIFA World Cup, we will be sitting on the sidelines
The Quebec Liberal Party leadership race kicks off today
New evidence suggests that political pressure is cratering overdose deaths.

Elias Makos welcomes in Jimmy Zoubris, Montreal businessman, longtime activist and former special advisor to Valerie Plante, and Paul Gott, Lead singer and guitarist for Montreal Punk Rock band the Ripcordz and a journalism professor at Concordia.
<ul>
<li>&ldquo;Montreal&rsquo;s Olympic Stadium started 2026 the same way it began the 1976 Games: under construction and without a roof.&rdquo;</li>
<li>Despite Montreal&rsquo;s size and appetite for the FIFA World Cup, we will be sitting on the sidelines</li>
<li>The Quebec Liberal Party leadership race kicks off today</li>
<li>New evidence suggests that political pressure is cratering overdose deaths.</li>
</ul>

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.

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.

The Big Five Podcast

The latest audio and podcasts from CJAD 800 Montreal.

The latest audio and podcasts from CJAD 800 Montreal.

CJAD 800 - The Latest Audio and Podcasts

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.

The Big Five

Should Montreal have World Cup regrets? Plus: 50 years of the Big O.

Elias Makos ends 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 Anthony Koch, Former National Spokesperson for Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre and current managing principal at AK Strategies.
Big weekend for the Federal Liberals as they’ve assembled in Montreal. The party is in a celebratory mood, welcoming another floor crosser with rumours of more to come.
Big weekend for the CAQ as they will select their new leader - but not before they play a 45-minute video montage honouring François Legault. Up for the top job, Bernard Drainville and Christine Frechette. Who should the party pick and why?
The new leader of the NDP wants to cut grocery prices by anywhere between 30 and 40 percent at a cost to the federal government.
Paul St-Pierre Plamondon gave an interview to Rebel News. The Quebec media class is not happy about it.
A self-driving car in Austin, Texas has hit and killed a mother duck, sparking neighborhood outrage.

Elias Makos ends 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&nbsp;Anthony Koch, Former National Spokesperson for Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre and current managing principal at AK Strategies.
<ul>
<li>Big weekend for the Federal Liberals as they&rsquo;ve assembled in Montreal. The party is in a celebratory mood, welcoming another floor crosser with rumours of more to come.</li>
<li>Big weekend for the CAQ as they will select their new leader - but not before they play a 45-minute video montage honouring Fran&ccedil;ois Legault. Up for the top job, Bernard Drainville and Christine Frechette. Who should the party pick and why?</li>
<li>The new leader of the NDP wants to cut grocery prices by anywhere between 30 and 40 percent at a cost to the federal government.</li>
<li>Paul St-Pierre Plamondon gave an interview to Rebel News. The Quebec media class is not happy about it.</li>
<li>A self-driving car in Austin, Texas has hit and killed a mother duck, sparking neighborhood outrage.</li>
</ul>

Mark Carney and his Liberals celebrate, the CAQ deliberates, and the push for government-run grocery stores.

Elias Makos is joined by Justine McIntyre, Co-Founder of  Civica Strategies and former city councillor, and Paul Gott, Lead singer and guitarist for Montreal Punk Rock band the Ripcordz and a journalism professor at Concordia.
Marilyn Gladu is the latest MP to jump to Mark Carney’s squad. 
MNAs won’t return to the National Assembly until May, giving the CAQ’s new leadership time to get organized.
It is official, renters will not be able to lend their units on Airbnb in Montreal during the Formula 1 weekend, at the end of May. 
About 20 per cent of Gen Z and Millennial Canadians spank their kids.
Canada’s Wonderland is tired of teenagers causing havoc inside their amusement park. 
With Quebec struggling to keep up with the maintenance of its road, one town in the Laurentians is arguing for a return of gravel roads instead of asphalt.

Elias Makos is joined by Justine McIntyre, Co-Founder of &nbsp;Civica Strategies and former city councillor, and Paul Gott, Lead singer and guitarist for Montreal Punk Rock band the Ripcordz and a journalism professor at Concordia.
<ul>
<li>Marilyn Gladu is the latest MP to jump to Mark Carney&rsquo;s squad.&nbsp;</li>
<li>MNAs won&rsquo;t return to the National Assembly until May, giving the CAQ&rsquo;s new leadership time to get organized.</li>
<li>It is official, renters will not be able to lend their units on Airbnb in Montreal during the Formula 1 weekend, at the end of May.&nbsp;</li>
<li>About 20 per cent of Gen Z and Millennial Canadians spank their kids.</li>
<li>Canada&rsquo;s Wonderland is tired of teenagers causing havoc inside their amusement park.&nbsp; With Quebec struggling to keep up with the maintenance of its road, one town in the Laurentians is arguing for a return of gravel roads instead of asphalt.</li>
</ul>

Another floor-crossing, but this one’s different. Plus: Is it time to ban spanking in Canada?

Elias Makos welcomes in Kyle Matthews co-founder and Executive Director of the Montreal Institute for Global Security, Daniel Tran, Director of Communication and governmental relations at Casacom, and Akil Alleyne, Reporter and commentator with extensive experience analyzing legal, political, and social issues and Manager of the GemStar Circle of Excellence Scholarship Program.
Iran, the United States and Israel agreed to a two-week ceasefire in an eleventh-hour deal that gave U.S. President Donald Trump room to step back from threats of a sweeping bombing campaign against Iran. 
Francois Legault says he was not lying when he said he wanted to try and run again before ultimately resigning as Premier of Quebec.
Québec Solidaire MNA Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois says the province’s three-tier school system is partly responsible for the difficulties encountered by boys.
One of the leading A.I. companies right now, Anthropic, says it has built a model so powerful it won’t release it to the public.

Elias Makos welcomes in Kyle Matthews co-founder and Executive Director of the Montreal Institute for Global Security, Daniel Tran, Director of Communication and governmental relations at Casacom, and Akil Alleyne, Reporter and commentator with extensive experience analyzing legal, political, and social issues and Manager of the GemStar Circle of Excellence Scholarship Program.
<ul>
<li>Iran, the United States and Israel agreed to a two-week ceasefire in an eleventh-hour deal that gave U.S. President Donald Trump room to step back from threats of a sweeping bombing campaign against Iran.&nbsp;</li>
<li>Francois Legault says he was not lying when he said he wanted to try and run again before ultimately resigning as Premier of Quebec.</li>
<li>Qu&eacute;bec Solidaire MNA Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois says the province&rsquo;s three-tier school system is partly responsible for the difficulties encountered by boys.</li>
<li>One of the leading A.I. companies right now, Anthropic, says it has built a model so powerful it won&rsquo;t release it to the public.</li>
</ul>

Should Montreal have World Cup regrets? Plus: 50 years of the Big O.

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