The World This Hour - The World This Hour for 2025/03/04 at 06:00 EST

Episode Date: March 4, 2025

The World This Hour for 2025/03/04 at 06:00 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, it's the World This Hour. I'm Joe Cummings. A trade war is now underway between Canada and the United States.

And it was the Trump administration firing the first shot, with its long threatened tariffs on Canadian imports now in effect. Steve Futterman reports. One minute after midnight Eastern time, the tariffs went into effect. There was no official release from the White House. Donald Trump did not post on social media. But just hours earlier, he said, any hope for a delay was out the window. Is there any room left for Canada and Mexico to make a deal before midnight?

No room left for Mexico or for Canada. No, the tariffs, you know, they're all set. They go into effect. Now both countries enter a period of uncertainty. The tariffs will bring chaos to the normal flow of goods between the two countries. But how much, how quickly, and what products will be most affected is unclear. U.S. investors gave their opinion on Monday, and it was a big thumbs down. After Trump said the tariffs were going to take effect, the Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped

nearly 650 points. The Wall Street Journal, often a supporter of Trump, has called his action the dumbest trade war in history. Steve Futterman for CBC News, Los Angeles. As for Canada's response, we'll be hearing later this morning from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, but he's already made clear that a Canadian retaliation plan has been finalized and is ready to be implemented. Rafi Boudjikaneen has more. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is not holding back, promising much what he did the last

time the US and Canada were on the cusp of a trade war a month ago, declaring that this country will impose counter tariffs, 25% against $30 dollars worth of goods immediately. We keep the lights on the 1.5 million homes in manufacturing in New York, in Michigan and in Minnesota. Ontario premier Doug Ford offered a big hint of one of those measures in an appearance on NBC. If he wants to destroy our economy and our families, I will shut down the electricity." Trudeau also calls Trump's tariffs unjustified, pointing out Canada has pushed resources like helicopters and boots on the ground at the border to crack down on fentanyl trafficking,

and says in 21 days Canada will impose more tariffs on $125 billion of goods. Rafi B. Jukani, CBC News, Ottawa. China is facing U.S. tariffs as well, and like Canada, it has announced plans to strike back. The Chinese Commerce Ministry says its tariff action against the U.S. will begin on March 10th. A wide range of American goods will be targeted from chicken, wheat, and corn to cotton. Meanwhile, away from the economic front, the Trump White House has announced it's pausing

all its military aid to Ukraine. U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance appeared last night on Fox News saying it's a move aimed at forcing Ukraine to consider a U.S. Russian ceasefire proposal. The president is actually taking a much more realistic perspective and saying this can't go on forever. We can't fund this thing forever. The Ukrainians can't fight forever. So let's bring this thing to a peaceful settlement. In the midst of all this, a proposed European defense plan worth more than $800 billion

is now in its final stages. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen says the Rearm Europe package will be put to the 27 EU leaders during a meeting in Brussels later this week. Abdequates for Next Generation 911 services are saying that Canadians won't be able to text or send emergency video for emergency help for at least another two years. The CRTC has delayed the transition deadline until March of 2027 but not because the telecoms aren't ready for the upgrade. It says because provincial, territory, and municipal emergency services still need time to implement the advancement. Proponents fighting for the move point out that this isn't the first time the CRTC has extended the

deadline. In fact, it promised that this year Canadians would have multiple ways to reach emergency services. And that is The World This Hour. For news anytime, go to our website cbcnews.ca. For CBC News, I'm Joe Cummings.