The World This Hour - The World This Hour for 2025/01/29 at 20:00 EST

Episode Date: January 30, 2025

The World This Hour for 2025/01/29 at 20:00 EST

You don't have to face debt alone. We're here to help you regain control of your finances with Trusted Solutions. Visit Canada.ca slash debt-solutions and take control today. A message from the Government of Canada. From CBC News, the world is ours. I'm Tom Harrington. Will they or won't they? The White House says those American tariffs on Canadian goods will be announced on Saturday.

But Donald Trump's nominee for Commerce Secretary says there could be no tariffs imposed. Howard Lutnick says a reprieve is possible if Canada stops the flow of fentanyl across the border. Caroline Bargout has more from Washington. Shut your border and stop allowing fentanyl into our country, killing our people. This is what Howard Lutnick says Canada would need to do if it wants to avoid tariffs. Those potential levies came up multiple times at a Senate confirmation hearing today. It was clear Lutnick is very pro-tariff and believes in US President Donald Trump's plan to generate wealth through duties.

Here's what else he said about what Canada would need to do. Respect America. If we are your biggest trading partner, show us the respect. Shut your border. US customs and border officials say less than 20 kilograms of fentanyl was seized along the border with Canada last year. Compare that with the 9,000 kilograms that was seized along the U.S. border with Mexico. Canada has also promised to spend more than a billion dollars to secure the border and try to appease Trump and avoid duties. Caroline Bargoud, CBC News, Washington. Public safety minister David McGinty is responding to Lutnick, saying Canada is beefing up border security.

I think we should take Mr. Lutnick's comments seriously. I think we should take Mr. Lutnick's comments seriously. I think we should take them at face value. And I think we should continue reminding our American neighbors how far we've come and Canadians how far we've come. We had a very strong border. We have an even stronger border today. And I'm quite convinced that the evidence that's being presented to the administration will break through. McGinty says data shows from October 2023 to October 2024, 43 pounds of fentanyl went from Canada to the U.S. That's compared to nearly 22,000 pounds from Mexico. The accounting firm KPMG has surveyed Canadian business leaders about the threat of U.S. tariffs. It found eight in ten want

Canada to respond with targeted dollar-for-dollar retaliatory levies. The survey also found the majority of businesses are delaying capital investments until the details of the American plan are known. 94 percent of respondents say Ottawa and the 13 premiers must show a united front against the United States. The Bank of Canada has lowered its key interest rate again. It dropped it by a quarter of one percent to three percent. Governor Tiff Macklem says inflation has remained at the target level and economic activity

is growing. But that stability is in danger if the U.S. carries out its threat to put those tariffs on Canadian goods. Macklem says the bank is preparing. As we consider our monetary policy response, we will need to carefully assess the downward pressure on inflation from weakness in the economy and weigh that against the upward pressure on inflation from higher input prices and supply chain disruptions. The bank has lowered its GDP growth projections to 1.8% for 2025 and 2026.

U.S. Senators gave Robert F. Kennedy Jr. a rough ride during his confirmation hearing today. He is Donald Trump's nominee to lead the Department of Health and Human Services. As Chris Reyes reports, R.F.K. Jr. faced scrutiny for his long-standing reputation as a vaccine skeptic. I promised President Trump that if confirmed, I will do everything in my power to put the health of Americans back on track. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. spent most of his three and a half hour Senate hearing defending his controversial views. RFK Jr. insisted he's not an anti-vaxxer

despite past public statements questioning the safety of vaccines. Democratic Senator Sheldon Whitehouse demanded this. Americans are going to need to hear a clear and trustworthy recantation of what you have said on vaccinations. If confirmed, RFK Jr. would head dozens of agencies, including the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Republican Senator Ron Johnson. I can't say as I'm surprised by the hostility on the other side. I'm highly disappointed in it. RFK Jr. can only afford to lose the votes of three Republicans for his confirmation to pass. Chris Reyes, CBC News, New York.

And that is Your World This Hour. For CBC News, I'm Tom Harrington.