The World This Hour - The World This Hour for 2025/02/28 at 03:00 EST

Episode Date: February 28, 2025

The World This Hour for 2025/02/28 at 03:00 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 Mike Miles. It's deja vu all over again in Ontario. Doug Ford's progressive conservatives

have won a third straight majority government. The party hasn't scored that kind of hat trick since 1959. Jamie Strashan reports. Oh, thank you so much. Ontario voters have handed Doug Ford the fresh mandate he was looking for. Ford called his winter snap election against the backdrop of looming US tariff threats, portraying himself as the only provincial leader capable of standing up to Donald Trump.

The NDP will remain the official opposition at Queens Park. Leader Marit Stiles promised to work alongside Ford in his tariff fight, but also hold his government accountable and make life more affordable for Ontarians. And that is the job that we are going to do with our usual fight and our determination. For the Liberals, it was a night of mixed results. The party gained seats and regained official party status, but leader Bonnie Crombie failed to win in Mississauga, where she was once mayor. I commit to you that I'll stay on as Ontario Liberal leader so that I can keep fighting for you.

Jamie Strash in CBC News, Toronto. There's a surge of measles cases across Canada. The disease was declared eliminated in this country, but the resurgence is pushing public health officials to do all they can to stop measles becoming entrenched permanently in Canada. Jennifer Yoon reports. In southwestern Ontario, public health officials are racing to contain the spread of measles. There are 119 confirmed cases of the highly contagious disease in the province.

It's the largest outbreak since measles was declared eradicated in 1998, after a high percentage of Canadians got vaccinated. But now, immunization rates have dropped, both abroad and in Canada, say public health authorities. Across Canada, there are 156 confirmed cases already this year. For comparison, last year there were 147 cases of measles in total.

It's devastating when you have to manage a vaccine-preventable disease that results in a fatality. Dr. Sarah Kahn is a pediatric infectious disease specialist at McMaster University. She's encouraging those who are hesitant to get the jab to speak with their doctor. Otherwise, Kahn says, measles could be back for good in Canada. Jennifer Yoon, CBC News, Toronto. A union representing federal immigration department employees warns plans cuts that would lay out 60 litigation branch analysts could further slow down federal courts, dealing with hundreds of delayed immigration court cases across the country.

Rafi Bajikanyan reports. Our folks are stressed and I'm sure what's happening next. Rubina Boucher is the president of the Canadian Employment and Immigration Union. She says it's been a month since her members have been bracing for the Federal Immigration Department to clarify where it will find more than 3,000 jobs to cut in the next three years. Now a picture is starting to emerge. CBC News obtained a copy of a letter official sent to litigation analysts,

telling them they have to choose between a buyout and possibly losing their jobs in year one of the government's three-year plan. officials sent to litigation analysts, telling them they have to choose between a buyout and possibly losing their jobs in year one of the government's three-year plan. Boucher says the analysts are crucial in advising government lawyers on how to proceed in court cases. The Immigration Department says it is hoping to achieve most staff reductions through attrition and internal redeployment, and it will reevaluate how to use existing resources as new pressures arise.

Rafi Bujikani on CBC News, Ottawa. Alberta's new budget includes a long-awaited personal income tax cut. Finance Minister Nate Horner says the tax cut is appropriate this year in the face of U.S. tariffs. The balanced budgets mean a lot to me. I don't want to put Alberta in a position long term where this task I'm about to take to provide a path back is even harder. But due to the uncertainty, due to the affordability concerns that we're seeing, it seemed like the right time. The spending plan also includes a $5.2 billion deficit this year

and projects GDP growth will slow in Alberta. That is your World This Hour for CBC News. I'm Mike Miles.