Paul Gott, Lead singer and guitarist for Montreal Punk Rock band the Ripcordz and a journalism professor at Concordia, and Akil Alleyne, Reporter and commentator with extensive experience analysing legal, political, and social issues and Manager of the GemStar Circle of Excellence Scholarship Program.
Christian Dubé has resigned from his position as Quebec’s Minister of Health and will sit as an independent MNA.
In his year-end interviews, François Legault says that once Quebecers realize the PQ is dead serious about a referendum, their lead in the polls will evaporate. Is he right?
Quebecers bought less alcohol, but paid more for it this year. 
How would you recap 2025?

Paul Gott, Lead singer and guitarist for Montreal Punk Rock band the Ripcordz and a journalism professor at Concordia, and&nbsp;Akil Alleyne, Reporter and commentator with extensive experience analysing legal, political, and social issues and Manager of the GemStar Circle of Excellence Scholarship Program.
<ul>
<li>Christian Dub&eacute; has resigned from his position as Quebec&rsquo;s Minister of Health and will sit as an independent MNA.</li>
<li>In his year-end interviews, Fran&ccedil;ois Legault says that once Quebecers realize the PQ is dead serious about a referendum, their lead in the polls will evaporate. Is he right?</li>
<li>Quebecers bought less alcohol, but paid more for it this year.&nbsp;</li>
<li>How would you recap 2025?</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

The province is selling less booze, but you’re paying more for it. Plus: “Radar on steroids” comes to Quebec.

Elias Makos is joined by Andrew Caddell, columnist for the Hill Times and President of the Task Force on Linguistic policy, and Raphaël Melançon, political analyst for CTV Montreal and CJAD 800, columnist for the Montreal Gazette, and president and founder of Trafalgar Strategies.
The Artemis II crew set records yesterday afternoon and evening. Does this mission have your interest? Are you in favour of space travel?
Voting opens at 10 am this morning for members of the CAQ to elect their new leader and thus the new Premier of Quebec. But just a day before the opening of the vote, major news broke out of the Drainville camp. Drainville received support from Justice Minister Simon-Jolin Barrette, Health Minister Sonia Bélanger and Transport Minister Jonatan Julien.
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is striking a softer tone as his party launches a new advertising campaign aimed at affordability and national sovereignty.
More and more towns across Quebec are monitoring how residents live their lives, using water meters and incentive-based garbage programs to influence habits and make those who use the most pay more.
We are just over two months away from the FIFA World Cup. Montreal will not host any matches but a new investigative report by Radio-Canada's investigative program Enquête reveals we may have dodged a bullet. 
The American middle class is shrinking. According to research from the American Enterprise Institute, more households are actually moving up. About 31% of U.S. households now qualify as upper middle class — roughly triple the share in 1979 — making it the largest economic group in the country.

Elias Makos is joined by Andrew Caddell, columnist for the Hill Times and President of the Task Force on Linguistic policy, and&nbsp;Rapha&euml;l Melan&ccedil;on, political analyst for CTV Montreal and CJAD 800, columnist for the Montreal Gazette, and president and founder of Trafalgar Strategies.
<ul>
<li>The Artemis II crew set records yesterday afternoon and evening. Does this mission have your interest? Are you in favour of space travel?</li>
<li>Voting opens at 10 am this morning for members of the CAQ to elect their new leader and thus the new Premier of Quebec. But just a day before the opening of the vote, major news broke out of the Drainville camp. Drainville received support from Justice Minister Simon-Jolin Barrette, Health Minister Sonia B&eacute;langer and Transport Minister Jonatan Julien.</li>
<li>Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is striking a softer tone as his party launches a new advertising campaign aimed at affordability and national sovereignty.</li>
<li>More and more towns across Quebec are monitoring how residents live their lives, using water meters and incentive-based garbage programs to influence habits and make those who use the most pay more.</li>
<li>We are just over two months away from the FIFA World Cup. Montreal will not host any matches but a new investigative report by Radio-Canada's investigative program Enqu&ecirc;te reveals we may have dodged a bullet.&nbsp;</li>
<li>The American middle class is shrinking. According to research from the American Enterprise Institute, more households are actually moving up. About 31% of U.S. households now qualify as upper middle class &mdash; roughly triple the share in 1979 &mdash; making it the largest economic group in the country.</li>
</ul>

Mankind visits the moon and the CAQ heads to the polls. Plus: Montreal dodges the FIFA bullet.

Elias Makos is joined by Meeker Guerrier, commentator at Noovo and RDS and Jimmy Zoubris, Montreal businessman, longtime activist and former special advisor to Valerie Plante on The Big 5.
Despite last night’s loss to the New Jersey Devils, it is a great time to be a Montreal Canadiens fan right now.
Over the past five years, the number of people in Quebec who say that the main cause of their financial problems was gambling addiction has increased by 45%.
The Liberal government is pushing back on criticism of its $90-billion ALTO high-speed rail projec

Elias Makos is joined by Meeker Guerrier, commentator at Noovo and RDS and Jimmy Zoubris, Montreal businessman, longtime activist and former special advisor to Valerie Plante on The Big 5.
<ul>
<li>Despite last night&rsquo;s loss to the New Jersey Devils, it is a great time to be a Montreal Canadiens fan right now.</li>
<li>Over the past five years, the number of people in Quebec who say that the main cause of their financial problems was gambling addiction has increased by 45%.</li>
<li>The Liberal government is pushing back on criticism of its $90-billion ALTO high-speed rail projec</li>
</ul>

Est-ce que ça sent la coupe? Plus: Sports gambling plunging more Quebecers into debt, the Liberals fight back against high-speed rail criticism

Joining Elias on The Big 5 today were Sue Smith, Montreal journalist and broadcaster & Daniel Tran, Director of Communication and governmental relations at Casacom.

Among the topics discussed on The Big 5 were
The Quebec government has unveiled a new tool to track fuel prices across the province.
And as gas prices reach those historic levels, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is calling for federal gas taxes to be scrapped for the rest of the year, arguing the tax holiday would bring immediate relief to drivers facing rising fuel prices
Add Bloc Québécois leader Yves-François Blanchet to the list of people against the high speed rail project
Add Maple syrup to the list of things you can’t trust. Radio-Canada’s Enquête program began investigating the sweet stuff when a journalist opened a can that “seemed off.”

Joining Elias on The Big 5 today were&nbsp;Sue Smith, Montreal journalist and broadcaster &amp; Daniel Tran, Director of Communication and governmental relations at Casacom.
Among the topics discussed on The Big 5 were
<ul>
<li><a href="https://montrealgazette.com/news/quebec-launches-real-time-gas-price-map-as-costs-near-2-a-litre/">The Quebec government has unveiled a new tool to track fuel prices across the province.</a></li>
<li>And as gas prices reach those historic levels, <a href="https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/article/poilievre-urges-federal-government-to-cut-gas-taxes-as-fuel-prices-skyrocket/">Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is calling for federal gas taxes to be scrapped for the rest of the year</a>, arguing the tax holiday would bring immediate relief to drivers facing rising fuel prices</li>
<li><a href="https://www.journaldemontreal.com/2026/04/01/tgv-alto--blanchet-accuse-le-gouvernement-carney-dagir-de-maniere--autoritaire">Add Bloc Qu&eacute;b&eacute;cois leader Yves-Fran&ccedil;ois Blanchet to the list of people against the high speed rail project</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/bogus-maple-syrup-quebec-9.7149822">Add Maple syrup to the list of things you can&rsquo;t trust.</a> Radio-Canada&rsquo;s Enqu&ecirc;te program began investigating the sweet stuff when a journalist opened a can that &ldquo;seemed off.&rdquo;</li>
<li></li>
</ul>

The province is selling less booze, but you’re paying more for it. Plus: “Radar on steroids” comes to Quebec.

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