The Current - The Current recommends World Report

Episode Date: February 1, 2025

As you know, important news can happen on the weekend when we at The Current are not around. For breaking updates on big stories, like the one today, we’d like to point you over to our colleagues at World Report. They’ll catch you up on the day’s news in just 10 minutes. Consider following them as a staple in your podcast diet. https://link.mgln.ai/BBMiEp

When a body is discovered 10 miles out to sea, it sparks a mind-blowing police investigation. There's a man living in this address in the name of a deceased. He's one of the most wanted men in the world. This isn't really happening. Officers are finding large sums of money. It's a tale of murder, skullduggery and international intrigue. So who really is he? I'm Sam Mullins and this is Sea of Lies from CBC's Uncovered, available now.

This is a CBC Podcast. As you know, news can happen on the weekends when we at The Current don't release a program for breaking updates on big stories like the one today. Want to point you over to our colleagues at World Report. You might consider following them. They will catch you up on today's news in just 10 minutes. This is World Report. Good morning.

I'm John Northcott. There's no two ways about it. It's the day many in this country have been dreading. Donald Trump is expected to unleash those punishing tariffs, 25% on Canadian and Mexican goods and 10% on China. We know he says they are coming today, but we don't know when. The CBC's Caroline Bargout begins our coverage from Washington. Caroline, it is still early, but what do we know at this point?

Well, what we know is that US President Donald Trump says that the tariffs will be coming today and there'll be a broad 25% on Canadian imports to the United States. Now, yesterday in the Oval Office, Trump said that Canadian oil and gas will also face import duties, but possibly at a lower rate, likely around 10%. And he said those could begin mid-February. He threw out a date, said February 18th. He promised to also put tariffs on computer chips, aluminum and steel and said that Canada could expect a lot of tariffs on steel. Now Trump said eventually he will also slap tariffs on copper too, but he said that's

going to take a little time. These tariffs are supposed to come into effect today, but Canadian officials say they've not received any documentation and we actually don't know exactly how we will find out how they'll be coming. So, Caroline, a question a lot of Canadians may be wondering this morning. Is there anything this country can do to stop this? It's a good question. Now for weeks, Trump has been saying that he would impose tariffs on Canada if it didn't

do more to stop illegal migrants and fentanyl from crossing into the United States. Now, as you know, Canada has promised to spend over a billion dollars to beef up border security in hopes of appeasing Trump. Yesterday, Trump was asked if there was anything Canada, Mexico and China could do to stop the tariffs. He said no. It's a pure economic. We have big deficits with, as you know, with all three of them. And in one case, they're sending massive amounts of fentanyl,

killing hundreds of thousands of people a year with the fentanyl. Now, for clarity, less than 1% of the fentanyl that gets into the United States is coming from Canada. Now, Trump was elected on a promise to make life more affordable for Americans. Yesterday he admitted that there would be some temporary short-term disruption but said people will understand. The CBC's Caroline Bargout in our Washington bureau. Thanks Caroline. Thanks. Caroline mentioned those oil and gas tariffs which are expected later this month

and at a lower rate than others. Sam Sampson reports though they're already causing uncertainty in Canada's oil patch. The demand for the end product is going to be reduced. So yeah, absolutely this is going to affect on the ground people. Frank Comance's french fries are getting cold as he pauses lunch to worry over Donald Trump's oil and gas tariffs. A sector the Albertan has worked for 40 years. A fewer shifts or out-rate project cancellations. Blackjack's Roadhouse just outside Edmonton is smack dab in oil country,

complete with stained glass art of oil workers and rigs. Almost all Canadian crude oil goes to the U.S. and most of that is from Alberta. So no one knows the worries of tariffs like these patrons and staff. It's scary because of the U.S. and most of that is from Alberta. So no one knows the worries of tariffs like these patrons and staff. It's scary because of the unknowns. Natalie Rehmann worries oil tariffs could affect her clientele and in turn her job as a server. It will be a huge hit that could affect people's jobs. We may not see them again with this impact of the tariffs potentially coming. Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has pushed for oil and gas carve-outs. She's also using this moment to try and resurrect old pipeline plans.

She and others argue if Trump becomes a tough customer, Alberta needs other ways to get oil to international markets. David De Tomasi, who studies and teaches geopolitics of oil at Queen's University, says Trump's actions may force Canada to have tough conversations. We should have a more integrated national idea of what we're trying to do economically. If it takes someone like him to convince us of this, maybe it's a bit of a blessing in a very, very deep disguise. But the risks to oil and gas workers who need to put food on the table seem very clear. Sam Sampson, CBC News, near Edmonton.

As we wait for the official word, there are those already reacting south of the border. food on the table seem very clear. Sam Sampson, CBC News, near Edmonton. As we wait for the official word, there are those already reacting south of the border. Republican Senator for Maine, Susan Collins, in a post on Axe writes, the Maine economy is integrated with Canada, our most important trading partner, and that certain tariffs will impose a significant burden on many Americans. She says she's working with the Trump administration to, quote, help its officials better understand the potential ramifications of certain tariffs and to potentially make exemptions for northern border states.

It's not just Canada, Mexico and China who are finding themselves in the path of Donald Trump's tariff threats. The US president is also indicating he could hit the European Union with hefty levies as well. Kugadasan has more. US President Donald Trump has already voiced some of his past grievances about the 27-nation bloc. The European Union is very, very bad to us.

They don't take our cars at all. They don't take our farm products, essentially. The EU tariff rate on passenger cars is about 10 percent compared to the US tariff rate of 2.5 percent. But the European Commission says there is a balance, pointing out it buys more services from the United States. The continent has heard Trump's complaints and threats before. During his first term in office, he slapped a 10 percent tariff on steel and aluminum

imports from the EU. It was only dropped when the bloc agreed to buy more American natural gas and soy products. Antonio Costa is the president of the European Council and says if Washington has an issue, the EU will obviously sit down to talk it out. Clark Packard is a research fellow at Cato Institute in Washington, DC. He says the new administration should consider working with allies to pressure China to alter its trade policies rather than picking fights with friends. I just fear that this pushes the U.S. and the EU further apart. About 20 percent of EU exports went to the United States in 2023, according to the US Census Bureau, a critical market for the continent.

Still, the bloc says it is ready to retaliate. And there appears to be some coordination between the EU and allies like Canada. In recent days, Minister of Foreign Affairs Melanie Jolie said she'd speak with officials in other countries on how to respond to US tariffs. Abby Kuo-Dawson in CBC News, Berlin. In other news, emergency crews are on the scene of a small medical transport plane crash in a densely populated Philadelphia neighborhood. The plane plunged to the ground shortly after takeoff last evening.

It hit a number of buildings, setting homes and vehicles on fire and spewing fiery debris over a wide area. Six people were on board the air ambulance. Philadelphia's mayor's office confirms that none survived. And the number of fatalities on the ground remains unclear. Tears erupt in Tel Aviv's hostage square as three more Israeli hostages are released by Hamas. Among the three men, U.S.-Israeli dual national Keith Siegel.

Siegel's wife Aviva is now reunited with her husband. Both were kidnapped by Hamas militants on October 7. Aviva was released after 51 days as part of the first hostage and prisoner swap between Israel and Hamas in 2023. Negotiations are expected to begin on Tuesday for the next phase of the deal. 183 Palestinian prisoners were also released by Israel today. And finally, the owners of a BC ostrich farm now have a court injunction to halt the call

of hundreds of their birds. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency had ordered the farmers to kill off their flock due to avian flu fears. Brady Strachan has more. We're super, super happy. God is good today. After weeks of stress and worry,

the court injunction is a major victory for Karen Espersen. She co-owns Universal Ostrich, a farm on a quiet rural property in BC's rugged interior with a flock of nearly 400 birds. You can see they're all healthy. We cried a lot, but these are really happy tears today. One month ago, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency ordered the farm to kill off the ostriches

after avian flu was detected. But on Friday, one day before the deadline, a federal court judge suspended the call and ordered a review of the CFIA decision to slaughter the flock. Espersen's daughter and a small group of advocates have waged an impassioned public campaign in an attempt to save the birds. That's attracted more than a dozen supporters to the farm who view the order to kill the birds as government overreach. Sarah Berker came here from Kelowna, nearly three hours away. There's a lot of people that love the animals and a lot of people that want to support what they're doing because they believe in it. Although the cull deadline is no longer in place, the flock may still have to be killed,

depending on the outcome of the court hearing. Close to nine million domestic birds in B.C. have been culled or died after being infected with avian flu. In a statement, the CFIA acknowledged the court's decision and said it's assessing its options. Brady Strachan, CBC News, near Edgewood, British Columbia. And that is the latest from World Report. This month we're asking you to follow World Report wherever you get your podcasts.

It helps us reach new listeners and helps you stay on top of the day's top stories. I'm John Northcott. This is CBC News. That's World of Port, a show that brings you the biggest headlines of the day in just 10 minutes. I listen to them for updates on days like today when it seems like everything is happening all at once. And so we might suggest, if we could, that you would give them a follow so that you know

what you need to know. Thanks for listening and we'll see you on Monday.