The World This Hour - The World This Hour for 2025/01/25 at 07:00 EST

Episode Date: January 25, 2025

The World This Hour for 2025/01/25 at 07:00 EST

Hi, I'm Jamie Puezo and every weekday I host a news podcast called Frontburner. We do one story a day and we try to give you a deep but not overwhelming amount of information and context. Lately, there has been a ton of political news to keep on top of. Canada is facing a pivotal election, there's a power struggle at the heart of the Liberal Party, and the uncertainty of Trump's second term looms over all of this. So if you want to keep up with what's happening, follow Fran Berner. From CBC News, the world this hour, I'm Gina Louise Phillips.

Developing news in the Middle East. The latest group of Israeli hostages released by Hamas is now in Israel. The four female soldiers were transferred into the care of the Red Cross in Gaza to be reunited with their families. Satra Petrissic explains. The ceremony organized by Hamas militants in Gaza today was clearly meant for the cameras. There were rows of Hamas militants. There was a stage with a banner

that said Zionism has no future. And then a signing ceremony with the Red Cross handing over the four female soldiers who were being released today. In exchange, Israel is setting free 200 Palestinian prisoners who were convicted by Israeli courts and held in Israeli jails. 121 of these were convicted of serious offenses and were serving life terms. And it has a lot of Israelis upset, but the release of the hostages is paramount in people's minds and there is a lot of joy that that is happening and that the ceasefire process is continuing. Sasha Petrosik, CBC News, Jerusalem. With the Supreme Court agreeing to hear a court case against Quebec's controversial secularism law,

Bill 21, the federal government continues to say it will intervene in court. But with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's expected departure in early March, questions hang over that promise. Rafi Boujikaneen reports. The Quebec law bans some public workers in positions of authority like judges or police officers from wearing religious symbols while on the job. Religious groups like Muslims and Jews say it discriminates against them. The Quebec government says the legislation is to protect secularism and denies it singles out anyone faith.

It has threatened to use the notwithstanding clause to override charter rights. For years now, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has said his government would intervene if the Supreme Court of Canada hears legal challenges against Bill 21. But now the court has said it will do that while Trudeau is eyeing the exit door. Karina Gould, former government House leader who did not commit to intervening at the Supreme Court but did say

The role of the federal government is to defend the rights of all Canadians. In statements, the campaigns for former Bank of Canada Governor Mark Carney and former Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland told CBC News they want the federal government to intervene in court. Rafi Boudjikan, YonCBC News, Ottawa. The jury in a coroner's inquest in BC has ruled the 2018 death of a woman with Down Syndrome as a homicide.

Florence Gerard weighed only 50 pounds when she died of starvation in the home of her caretaker. Lindsay Duncombe reports on what the jury has recommended. The 13 recommendations come after a week and a half of testimony, revealing a system in what one witness described as crisis mode, a crisis that contributed to the tragic death of 54-year-old Florence Gerard. The jury says family members of people in care should be compensated to care for them at home if they want to. It also called for a living wage for caretakers and a new case management system to ensure

people are getting the care they need. Florence Gerard had been living with Astra Dahl at the time of her death, part of a program funded by the Crown Corporation Community Living BC. Dahl was convicted in 2022 of failing to provide the necessities of life for Girard. Community Living BC has an annual budget of $1.6 billion, which it uses to support 29,000 eligible people. About 4,200 of those people live in a home-share arrangement. Lindsay Duncombe, CBC News, Vancouver. Manitoba Premier Wab Kanu says the province is preparing two budgets in response to Donald

Trump's threats of U.S. tariffs. One will account for assistance to affected industries. The province also plans to launch a new website and phone number Monday for people to call to ask questions about the tariffs. And that is Your World That's's Our. For CBC News, I'm Gina Louise Phillips.