The World This Hour - The World This Hour for 2025/03/24 at 06:00 EDT

Episode Date: March 24, 2025

The World This Hour for 2025/03/24 at 06:00 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, it's the world this hour. I'm Joe Cummings. The federal election has been called and the campaign is underway.

Who's ready to act some taxes? Who's ready to build some homes? At a rally last night in Toronto, that is Conservative Party leader Pierre Polyev. As for NDP leader Jagmeet Singh, he launched his campaign in Montreal. I have to start this campaign here in Montreal, in Quebec. It's so important to be here. That's Singh saying it's important for the NDP race to start in the city of Montreal because it's the birthplace of the late NDP leader, Jack Layton.

And Liberal leader Mark Carney opened his campaign on the East Coast in St. John's, clearly underscoring that the campaign, from his party's point of view, is about sovereignty. Tom Perry has more. Mark Carney. Day one of the campaign and Liberals like Fisheries Minister Joanne Thompson are sounding confident. The party has seen a remarkable turnaround since Justin Trudeau stepped down and Donald Trump started talking about making Canada America's 51st state.

Who is ready to stand up for Canada? In his first rally of the campaign, Liberal leader Mark Carney spoke repeatedly about the threat to Canada coming from the U.S. They want our country. Never. They can't have it. Carney took aim as well at Conservative leader Pierre Poliev, a man he calls the worst person at the worst time. But as Carney delivered his speech, police were keeping a close eye on dozens of crab

fishers protesting outside. When we heard that the Prime Minister was going to be here. Protesters are angry about cuts to snow crab quotas and want change. Tom Perry, CBC News, St. John's. In B.C., Green Party co-leader Elizabeth May is insisting the Greens are the only party focusing on climate change during this election, while in Quebec City, Bloc leader Yves-Francois Blanchet says the number one issue for Quebecers

is the threat posed by the White House and US President Donald Trump. That's generally what we'll be seeing from the campaign trail for the next few weeks, but away from the stump speeches, there are the campaign election ads, which according to Yvette Brand, range from celebrity endorsements to playing up the importance of family. What are the two seasons in Toronto? Winter and construction. Wow, we really are Canadian. It only took this ad featuring Liberal leader Mark Carney and comedian Mike Myers a day

to reach 10 million views. UBC political scientist Stuart Press says the Liberal message is clear. It's all invoking this idea that this is Team Canada. It didn't appeal to Conservative voter Al Schliegel. It's important to me, but it's not genuine. But it's a common theme. Pierre Pauliev's slogan is Canada first, and his wife voices some of his ads.

His children know him in French, Spanish, and English as Papa. Prest says it's all part of Pauliev building his image. So introducing himself and his family is a kind of a first family vibe, if you like, to show that this is a family like any other. NDP leader Jagmeet Singh jumped into a TikTok trend in this video viewed by 4 million people. I retime my turban at least once a day. Evette Brand, CBC News, Vancouver. The genetic testing company 23andMe has filed for bankruptcy protection in the United States.

The move comes two years after the company experienced a data breach and was sued for failing to protect the privacy of nearly 7 million customers. That suit led to 23andMe paying out a $30 million settlement. Controversial French actor Gerald Depardieu will appear in a Paris court today on sexual assault charges. Depardieu is accused of assaulting a set designer and an assistant director during the filming of a movie in 2021. Depardieu is considered one of the most public figures in France to be swept up in the MeToo

movement. The 76-year-old is also facing allegations of rape or sexual assault from more than a dozen other women. This trial is the first time he'll appear in court to answer questions. And that is The World This Hour. For CBC News, I'm Joe Cummings.