More than 3.5 million pages of Epstein-related documents have been released under the Trump administration, fanning the flames of online conspiracy theorists who are determined to pinpoint a reality the rest of us 'can't see'. Including believers of Pizzagate or Qanon.

Another reality - one that majority of us can see - is the one where online conspiracy subcultures have made their way into the mainstream political discourse, heavily shaping how we make sense of politics, governance and power.

Host Caryn Ceolin speaks to Travis View, conspiracy theory researcher and host of the QAA podcast, to discuss how the release (and heavily redacted nature) of the Epstein files is giving new life to dangerous online social groups, and how Canadians can better make sense of what they're reading online.

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 @thebigstory.bsky.social on Bluesky

Note - episode audio has been edited since the original publication to remove a misnaming of Calgary Roughneck Radio. We regret the error.

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith recently announced that come October, Albertans will vote on nine referendum questions. Most of them have to do with immigration - including making it more difficult for non-citizens to access healthcare, and giving provinces greater control over how many immigrants they let in. It comes as the province also deals with a separatist movement that would see Alberta leave Canada, another referendum question widely expected to be added later this year.

Host Caryn Ceolin speaks to Stephen Carter, veteran campaign manager in Alberta, and President of Decide Campaigns. They discuss the political motivations behind the referendum, the implications of immigration on Alberta's economy, and the rising sentiment of separatism.

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 @thebigstory.bsky.social on Bluesky

As chaos ensues in the Middle East in the aftermath of US-Israel airstrikes on Iran - which killed supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei - talks of a post-Khamenei country are top of mind for millions. But the reality of a complete regime take-down seems father away than US President Trump made it out to be.

Host Caryn Ceolin is joined by Thomas Juneau, professor from the University of Ottawa's Graduate School of Public and International Affairs, and Nader Hashemi, an associate professor of Middle East and Islamic politics from Georgetown University. They discuss Canada's endorsement of Trump's military action, global response to the killing of Khamenei, and Iran's complex political future.

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 @thebigstory.bsky.social on Bluesky

Sam Altman's OpenAI was reportedly aware of potential danger from the Tumbler Ridge mass shooter, yet the company's privacy thresholds prohibited employees from alerting law enforcement of the disturbing content. Instead, nine people were killed.

In the aftermath of the update, federal AI and innovations minister, Evan Solomon called out the powerhouse behind ChatGPT, saying their failure to act was a failure in and of itself. Solomon is set to meet with Altman this week to discuss the incident further.

Host Caryn Ceolin speaks with Ebrahim Bagheri, a professor at the University of Toronto who founded and directed the NSERC CREATE initiative on responsible AI. They discuss what AI companies do when they find troublesome behaviours, the need to respect privacy, and what the government might be able to do to make sure a tragedy like this never happens again.

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 @thebigstory.bsky.social on Bluesky