The World This Hour - The World This Hour for 2025/03/20 at 02:00 EDT

Episode Date: March 20, 2025

The World This Hour for 2025/03/20 at 02:00 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 Neil Herland. Canada is condemning China for executing four Canadian citizens earlier this year.

Foreign Minister Manani Jolie says they were dual Chinese-Canadian nationals convicted for drug crimes. Tom Perry has more. This is an issue that I've been following very very closely. Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Jolie says the families of the four dual national Chinese Canadians convicted and executed under Chinese law have asked for privacy. Zholi didn't name the four, but offered some insight into the accusations against them. They were all facing charges linked to criminal activities according to China linked to drugs.

Zholi says both Xi and former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, asked Beijing to show leniency. The conviction rate in China's criminal justice system is close to 100% and human rights groups say Beijing executes more prisoners than any other country, though the true numbers are a state secret. The Chinese embassy in Canada issued a statement saying, China is a rule of law country and whoever violates the law must be held accountable. Tom Perry, CBC News, Ottawa.

Starting Thursday, China is implementing retaliatory tariffs on Canadian agricultural products. It's in response to Canada slapping 100 percent tariffs on Chinese-made electric vehicles. Meantime, Canada's seafood sector is bracing for the impact of China's 25% tariff. As Heather Gillis reports from St. John's, new markets are hard to find and it could impact the price fishermen get for their catch. How could this possibly be happening? What is happening? Newfoundland and Labrador seafood processor Paul Grant is bracing for stormy seas. A 25% Chinese tariff on Canadian seafood exports is in effect. And a 25% tariff from Canada's largest buyer, the United States, is expected on April 2nd.

We're in a very difficult situation. Statistics Canada says last year, Canada exported 1.1 billion dollars worth of seafood to China, making it the country's second largest market. Newfoundland and Labrador has been trying to diversify, find other buyers. But alternatives like Japan have a weak currency. That's our crab. In Vancouver, there's no less anxiety. Greg Nelson, a seafood seller, says margins are too tight to absorb the tariff. I imagine with the tariffs, we won't ship any crap to China at this point.

Nelson says if tariffs last he worries it could force businesses to close. Heather Gillis, CBC News, St. John's. We could learn more about what caused a Delta Airlines plane to crash and flip over last month. Canada's Transportation Safety Board will release its initial findings Thursday. Everyone on board survived the crash in Toronto, but 21 people were taken to hospital. Some of the passengers are suing the airlines. Delta has offered $30,000 US to each survivor, saying the payment comes with no strings attached. Artificial intelligence is helping some phone scammers gain trust. As David Common reports in a CBC Marketplace investigation, AI can make fraudster sound like our family and friends.

Detecting scams is getting harder as scammers embrace artificial intelligence. Overseas scammers are harvesting our posts and videos from social media, cloning our voices to use against our family and friends. Did you believe it was your grandson in trouble? I did, I really did. A call to Marilyn Crawford's house outside Toronto was purportedly from the police. Her son Kevin recounts what the caller said next. They said here we have Ian here we're gonna put him on the phone. And he goes, hi grandma, yeah I got in trouble here. The police say they need some money to release me or they're going to keep me in jail.

The scammers even sent the grandmother a taxi to take her to the bank. But an alert teller stopped Marilyn from losing any money. All of it underscoring how much more sophisticated scams and scam busting have now become. David Kahn with CBC News, Toronto. And that is your World This Hour. I'm Neil Herland.