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The Big Story

The inevitable demise of the Hudson's Bay Company

Mar 31, 2025

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Episodes

What were once positioned as the four stripes that were recognizable by Canadians worldwide now sparingly lace abandoned shelves across the country dressed with 'clearance' tags. The Hudson's Bay Company has begun the process of liquidating all but six stores Canada-wide, with those remaining - three in Ontario and three in Quebec - still very much up for grabs if the company doesn't present a comprehensive restructuring plan moving forward. But the question on many people's minds still remains: how did Canada's oldest company fall into the hands of creditor protection? A name once emblematic of Canadian retail, history and culture, now grasping onto whatever capital (and hope) it can to sustain a presence in an online-dominated retail landscape. Host Gurdeep Ahluwalia speaks with retail expert, Gary Newbury, about what lead to the slow burn of the Hudson's Bay Company, and if the writing was on the wall-post pandemic for the fate of the country's first company. The two discuss what the next months could look like for HBC, and what notes other retailers should be taking if they aren't interested in falling next in line. 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 @thebigstoryfpn on Twitter.

At one point in time, Canada was ranked as the 5th happiest country out of 147 countries across the globe. 10 years since that ranking, and Canada has dropped to 18th place...a ranking that's continued on a steady decline since 2020. But why? How do Canadians express happiness? How much of their well-being is shaped by the economy, their friends, their perception of the world around them, or all three? And what can we do if we want to climb back to the top 5 area? Host Pooja Handa speaks with Felix Cheung, Canada Research Chair in Population and Wellbeing, and assistant professor at U of T’s department of psychology, about this year's World Happiness Report to discuss why Canadians seem to have a declining outlook on the overall perception of happiness, and what the future generations can focus on if they're interested in making their way closer to the top of the list. 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 @thebigstoryfpn on Twitter.

Foreign election interference is back in the news after week one of the federal election campaign. Questions about foreign interference followed both Pierre Poilievre and Mark Carney on the campaign trail this week. Poilievre again defended his refusal to obtain security clearance, while Carney was pressed to explain why the Liberals dropped a candidate with ties to the Indian government. Host David Smith speaks with University Ottawa criminology professor Michael Kempa about the latest developments and how foreign interference may play a role in this election race.

The federal election is several days in and it’s already been a wild ride. This vote has been framed as an existential election for our country, amid the trade war and sovereignty threats from the US. While President Trump’s tariffs are having a massive impact on the campaign there are also many policy promises, questions around security clearance and business dealings, and gaffes from some of the leaders. Host Cormac Mac Sweeney is checking the pulse of the race to form the next federal government, by speaking with Lori Williams, a political scientist at Mount Royal University.

It’s been a busy first week on the campaign trail for federal leaders. One storyline that's stood out is the early election poll tracking. All the major polling firms are showing a huge surge in support for the Liberal Party under new leader Mark Carney. But how full a picture do the polls show? Host David Smith speaks with Darrell Bricker, CEO of Ipsos Public Affairs, about what goes into a modern election poll.