The World This Hour - The World This Hour for 2025/02/20 at 20:00 EST

Episode Date: February 21, 2025

The World This Hour for 2025/02/20 at 20:00 EST

In Scarborough, there's this fire behind our eyes. A passion in our bellies. It's in the hearts of our neighbors. The eyes of our nurses. And the hands of our doctors. It's what makes Scarborough, Scarborough. In our hospitals, we do more than anyone thought possible. We've less than anyone could imagine.

But it's time to imagine what we can do with more. Join Scarborough Health Network and together, we can turn grit into greatness. Donate at lovescarborough.ca. From CBC News, the world this hour. I'm Tom Harrington. The RCMP have arrested two people for allegedly bilking hundreds of Canadians out of millions of dollars.

The Mounties say the accused impersonated bank, government and law enforcement officials. Inspector Lina Dabbitt. Evidence indicates that the scale of their operation was enormous. We allege that these individuals are responsible for millions of dollars of loss to victims across Canada. The Ontario RCMP has so far compiled a list of at least 570 victims coast to coast. DeBitt says they suspect nearly every bank in the country was hit. Two people are charged with fraud, unauthorized computer use, money laundering, unauthorized possession of credit

card data and possessing the proceeds of crime. They're expected to appear in court on Friday. It's been three days since a Delta Airlines plane crash landed, ending up on its roof. The plane has been removed from the tarmac, but delays and cancellations remain at Toronto's Pearson Airport. Lisa Shing has the latest. They should come to the table and pony up something. Steve Kennedy drove two hours to Toronto to catch a flight to Mexico. On the way he found out Sunwing cancelled his trip so he rebooked on another airline. He is just one of many whose trips were cancelled by Sunwing. The Vacation Airline told CBC News it was doing that to prioritize the return

of customers delayed at their destinations. On Monday afternoon Delta flight 4819 arriving from Minneapolis crashed and flipped upside down on the tarmac at Toronto's Pearson. 21 people on board were sent to hospital. All of them now released. The plane now removed from the runway but travel for many is still interrupted. Duncan D is the former chief operating officer at Air Canada. Anyone who is traveling by air right now will be impacted. Sunwing did not say for how long the disruptions would last. Lisa Sheng, CBC News, Toronto.

Ottawa unveiled a new plan for the CBC today. It includes a mechanism that would take funding decisions out of the hands of politicians. But whether it becomes a reality could likely depend on the outcome of an expected spring election. David Thurton reports from Ottawa. It's now or never the time for any person who wants to be the next prime minister to commit to making sure that we have a viable public broadcaster for the next century. Heritage Minister Pascale St-Auges outlining her plan for CBC Radio Canada. A plan that would make the news ad free and eliminate subscriber fees. St. Ange is also proposing to boost overall public funding. Making sure funding

is anchored in statutory legislation and not subject to the whims of politicians. CBC does not belong to the Liberals, it does not belong to the Conservatives, and it does not belong to any other political parties. It belongs to the Canadian people. Conservative leader Pierre Poiliev was also asked today about his vision for CBC Radio Canada. We're going to cut wasteful spending, not just there, but across the government. Poiliev has repeatedly promised to defund the public broadcasters' English arm.

David Thurton, CBC News, Ottawa. Life Labs workers in B.C. began strike action today. There will be rotating closures across the province, which the company says could lead to delays at locations that remain open. Life Labs performs medical tests for patients. The workers are represented by the B.C. General Employees Union, which says they've been without a contract since last April. The United States is turning up the financial pressure on its NATO allies. Donald Trump wants to end the war between Russia and Ukraine, but with the Europeans taking a bigger role afterward.

His National Security Advisor Mike Walz says all member nations must spend at least 2 percent of GDP by the next NATO Summit in June. The minimum needs to be met. We need to be at 100% in this June at the NATO Summit. And then let's talk about exceeding it, which is what President Trump has been talking about with 5% of GDP. Europe needs to step up for their own defense as a partner. Only a handful of NATO countries currently spend that 2% amount on defence. Canada has committed to doing so over the next few years. And that is your World This Hour. For CBC News, I'm Tom Harrington.

Thanks for listening.