The World This Hour - The World This Hour for 2025/01/21 at 23:00 EST

Episode Date: January 22, 2025

The World This Hour for 2025/01/21 at 23:00 EST

Hi, I'm Matea Roach, and I like to think that I know a little bit about a lot of different things. But you know what's one thing I can never get enough of? Books. If you're anything like me, after you finish reading a great book, you probably have some burning questions for the author, you want to talk to all your friends about it. Every week, I talk to the biggest, brightest, and most interesting authors from Canada and around the world. You can find bookends wherever you get your podcasts.

From CBC News, the world this hour, I'm Neil Herland. Liberal cabinet ministers are discussing the best way to deal with Donald Trump's tariff threat at a two-day retreat in Quebec. The new American president says he could slap tariffs on Canada and Mexico starting February 1st. As Tom Parry reports, federal leaders are trying to stay calm. Let's not look at threats but opportunities. Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne has helped lead the government's efforts to stave off the threat of tariffs. Champagne was in Washington as Trump was inaugurated. He says he spoke with U.S. governors and other officials.

And reminding them that in the golden age as the president presented it of America what's good for America should be good for Canada because champagne and others have sought to remind the new administration Canada remains America's biggest customer and a reliable source of oil energy and natural resources those arguments have so far failed to sway Trump the US president launched a second trade bombshell on just his second day back in office, reportedly calling for the Canada-U.S.-Mexico

free trade agreement, which his administration negotiated in its first term and which is up for review next year to be reopened early. Tom Perry, CBC News, Montebello, Quebec. Meantime, Alberta Premier Daniel Smith is calling for diplomacy, not retaliation. Smith says Canada has a short window to defend against Trump's tariff threat. Well it was a big promise Donald Trump made to his supporters.

Now 1,600 of them convicted in the January 6th riot are being pardoned. The CBC's Katie Simpson was at the detention centre in Washington as some of the rioters were released. Some people shout at police demanding they respect President Donald Trump's sweeping pardons. Roughly 1,600 people convicted in the January 6th assault on the Capitol have been granted pardons while more than a dozen have had their sentences commuted, including the head of the Proud Boys and the Oath Keepers. Among the newly released,

47-year-old William Sarsfield of Texas. He was convicted on felony and misdemeanor charges for committing violent acts inside the Capitol. Trump's decision to grant pardons has also sparked intense criticism. I've been betrayed by my country. Former U.S. Capitol Police Officer Michael Fanon was beaten by rioters, suffering a heart attack and traumatic brain injuries. Fanon says he's not surprised Trump

went ahead with the pardons. After all, the pledge was part of his winning election campaign. Katie Simpson, CBC News, Washington. was part of his winning election campaign. Katie Simpson, CBC News, Washington. The largest seizure of cocaine in the history of the Toronto Police Service. Toronto's police chief is showing off 835 kilograms of seized drugs. The drugs have an estimated street value of more than $80 million. It's the result of an investigation that began in August. Six people have been

arrested. Police are looking for three more suspects. The last surviving member of the band has died. Garth Hudson was a versatile, innovative musician and one of four Canadians in the hugely influential rock group. Makda Garbasalase reports. Born in Windsor, Ontario, Garth Hudson would grow up to be part of rock music history. In the early 60s, the keyboardists, who could play multiple instruments, joined The Hawks, the backup group for Ronnie Hawkins. They would soon go out on their own as The Band, which included Robbie Robertson.

This is one of their classic songs, The Wait. The band broke up in 1976, but the music made a lasting impression. In 1994, the group was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In his later years, Hudson continued to make music. His death was confirmed by the band's Facebook page in a post that calls Hudson a musical genius who helped connect people to something greater. Garth Hudson was 87 years old. Makda Gebre-Selassie, CBC News, Toronto. And that is your World This Hour. I'm Neil Hurland.