The World This Hour - The World This Hour for 2025/03/04 at 18:00 EST

Episode Date: March 4, 2025

The World This Hour for 2025/03/04 at 18:00 EST

What do you see when you look around? Lively cities, growing neighborhoods, things that connect us. For those into skilled trades, it's a world they helped create. Discover more than 300 careers, paid apprenticeships, and the unmatched feeling of saying, I made that. Learn more at Canada.ca slash skilled trades a message from the government of Canada from CBC News the world this hour I'm Tom Harrington the first day of the

Trump tariffs may not see a second day one of the president's key advisors is now signaling there may be some relief for Canada, China and Mexico. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick says an announcement could be imminent after a frantic day that included major slides on the U.S. markets. Megafest Patrick has more from Washington. U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick says he was on the phone all day with Canadian and Mexican government representatives who were vowing to do more to secure their borders with the US. And the president's listening because you know he's very very fair and very reasonable. Canadian finance minister Dominic LeBlanc was among those who were in touch with Lutnick.

On Monday Trump said there was no more room for negotiation, but Lutnick is signaling that could change. I think he's going to figure out you do more and I'll meet you in the middle some way, and we're going to probably be announcing that tomorrow. Trump was surely watching the market reaction, which was far from positive, and hearing concerns from major retailers like Target, who warned the cost of food for Americans

could go up within days. The president will be giving a primetime speech Tuesday night to Congress, where he's expected to highlight his love of tariffs as a negotiating tool. Megan Fitzpatrick, CBC News, Washington. And CBC Radio will have live coverage of that speech with the Canadian context and analysis you need. Join your world tonight's Susan Bonner and as it happens, Neil Cooksell, for CBC News

special. It starts at 9 Eastern on CBC Radio, Sirius XM and the CBC News Special. It starts at 9 Eastern on CBC Radio, SiriusXM and the CBC News app. Now I want to speak directly to one specific American, Donald. The Prime Minister addressed the U.S. President directly during his news conference in Ottawa earlier today. Justin Trudeau spoke shortly after 25 percent tariffs on Canadian imports went into effect. Canada wasted no time responding. Levees on $30 billion in U.S. goods are now in place. That will rise to cover another $120 billion in American imports in 21 days.

Trudeau saved some of his most pointed words for the president. Now, it's not in my habit to agree with the Wall Street Journal. But Donald, they point out that even though you're a very smart guy, this is a very dumb thing to do. Trudeau also spoke directly to the Canadian people. He says the trade war now underway is going to be tough, but adds Canadians will pull together because that's what we do. Provincial leaders joined in on Ottawa's retaliation to the tariffs. Premiers have been announcing their own strategies. As Guadalupe Noduro reports, they range from taking direct action against the U.S. to looking for new buyers for their goods.

Today our province and our entire country faces a reality that we haven't seen before. New Brunswick's Premier Susan Holt speaking about how the government will support the province's residents. Among the measures they are launching a Made in New Brunswick campaign to make it easier to find local items. Newfoundland and Labrador and BC say they are looking to send their goods to new markets. We need to be ready to escalate using every tool in our toolkit. In Ontario, Premier Doug Ford is threatening a 25% surcharge on power sent to several US states and taking US alcohol off shelves at the province's distributor. Manitoba, another of several provinces, targeting American booze.

Quebec's government says it has a new program called Frontiers. It will help provide loans to help businesses weather the economic storm in the short term. Premiers across the country are calling on Ottawa to reduce the inter-provincial trade barriers, saying it will develop the nation's economy. Kubin Oduro, CBC News, Montreal. Two other news now. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says it is time to make things right. Nobody wants an endless war.

In his nightly address, Zelensky said no one wants an endless war. Zelensky's statement comes just hours after the U.S. suspended its military aid to Ukraine. And that is your World This Hour. For CBC News, I'm Tom Harrington. Thanks for listening.