All NATO members are required to spend the equivalent of 2% of GDP on their military, and Canada has always fallen short of that benchmark. But now, more frequent domestic crises, mounting geopolitical turmoil, and harsh rhetoric from south of the border, may mean that it's time to put up or shut up when it comes to military spending.

So where do the biggest gaps in our capabilities exist? How difficult will it be to remedy them? And what sort of military do we as Canadians actually want?

GUEST: Matt Gurney, Columnist, Co-founder of The Line

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On what is a sweltering weekend across much of Canada, we thought we'd revisit an episode that takes place in cooler climes. It's the quirky story of how a war fought using bottles of whisky led to the establishment of Canada's first and only land border with Europe. Enjoy!

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ORIGINAL SHOW NOTES:

50 years ago, a dispute arose between Canada and Denmark over Hans Island, a piece of land that exists almost exactly halfway between the coast of Nunavut and Greenland, a Danish territory. The island holds value as a hunting ground for local Indigenous populations, but holds no strategic or economic value for either nation. And yet, for five decades our two countries were unable to reach an agreement over ownership of the island. Canadian and Danish troops would, reportedly, exchange bottles of booze with one another, which is why the conflict is sometimes called the 'whisky war'.

Recently, Canada, Greenland and Denmark reached an agreement that brought the conflict to the close. Essentially, they drew a line down the middle of the island, thus creating the first land border between Canada and Europe.

So what does that actually mean in a geopolitical sense? Why did it take half a century to come up with a solution that sounds like it was written by a third grader? And as wider swathes of the region become accessible due to climate change, could the resolution serve as a framework for future Arctic diplomacy?

GUEST: Martin Breum, Danish journalist and Arctic expert.

We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future episodes. You can find us:

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Or by calling 416-935-5935 and leaving us a voicemail

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This month, schools across the country will be closing for the summer. And the kids? Well, their parents will have to figure out what to do with them. Nowadays, there's a lot of pressure to register kids for expensive camps and classes, but is all that really necessary? Can the kids just do nothing all summer?

Jordan speaks with Alyson Schafer, one of Canada's leading parenting experts, to find some affordable ways to make sure the kids are safe and occupied this holiday.

Here's a link to the episode about having kids!

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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 by calling 416-935-5935 and leaving us a voicemail

Or @thebigstoryfpn on Twitter