The World This Hour - The World This Hour for 2025/03/16 at 16:00 EDT

Episode Date: March 16, 2025

The World This Hour for 2025/03/16 at 16:00 EDT

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 Julienne Hazelwood. Mark Carney is about to leave on his first foreign trip as Prime Minister,

but earlier today he was in Montreal to meet with Quebec Premier Francois Lagot and join the city's St. Patrick's Day parade. Why are you a fat St. Patrick's move? Carney not only celebrating the holiday but also his 60th birthday. The trip will take him to Paris tomorrow and then to London for talks on Russia's war on Ukraine as well as Trump's tariffs. Carney is also expected to have an audience with King Charles. On his way back to Ottawa, he will visit Iqaluit, where Arctic security will be on the agenda.

And in Iqaluit this weekend, NDP leader Jagmeet Singh says he would cancel a contract with the United States to deliver US-built F-35 fighter jets. Singh questioned how Canada can purchase military equipment from a country that has threatened Canadian sovereignty. To maintain those aircraft and to upgrade them as one has to do that requires an American company providing the software updates, the maintenance. It's entirely going to be coming from the states. What's to say that Donald Trump in some way delays that, stops that, prevents that from happening. It is not in our security interest and not in our national interest to continue with that project.

Singh's announcement comes after Canada's defense minister said the government would look at alternatives to F-35s. The leader of Yemen's Houthi militants is responding to the US vow to continue targeting them. Abdul Malik al-Houthi says his rebels will keep firing on ships in the Red Sea. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres is calling for both sides to cease military activities warning they could further destabilize the region. It may sound early but this weekend marks the start of wildfire season in PEI in Nova Scotia, meaning there's daily restrictions on burning depending on conditions. Last year, Nova Scotia experienced

a dramatic decrease in wildfires after the historic 2023 season that's had 25,000 hectares burned in the province. Karen McCarty is the wildfire mitigation program manager for the Halifax region. She says nearly all wildfires in the Maritimes are caused by humans. You know in Nova Scotia we're looking at anywhere from 97 to 99 percent human caused fires, which is unique for Canada. If you look across Canada a lot of the provinces have a high percentage of lightning caused fires and we don't have that here in the Maritimes. A lot of reasons, you know, because of our weather, the amount of lightning storms we get and things like that. McCarty says last year's low numbers of wildfires can be partly attributed to a

$25,000 fine for breaking fire restrictions. New Brunswick's wildfire season begins next month. And in Alberta, more than six months after wildfires ravaged Jasper, many people are facing the reality they won't be able to return home. More than 600 people in the town have applied for interim housing, but other residents who lost their homes have decided it's time to move on. Bill Nixon found a placement in supportive housing for seniors in the town of Stony Plain. He's leaving Jasper after 13 years. I met a lady online and she cast a spell over me and I moved to Jasper. And she left so

did most of my social life. So I was kind of a lame duck there anyway. I have a daughter with four grandkids so I just figured you know what it's just it was an easy call for me rather than staying in a motel for an unknown period of time. Nixon lived in a seniors lodge that burned down. Of its 33 residents, only two have moved back to Jasper. The world's getting its first look at Pope Francis in more than a month. He's being treated in hospital for double pneumonia. The Vatican has released a photo showing the Pope celebrating Mass in the hospital chapel. Outside some dancers are trying to lift

the pontiff's spirits. The sound of the tango, a favorite dance of Pope Francis. Both have Argentine roots. One of the dancers called it a way to send some energy and love through movement, while an onlooker said the experience deepened his sense of faith and human connection. And that's your World This Hour. For CBC News, I'm Julie-Ann Hazelwood.