The World This Hour - The World This Hour for 2025/04/03 at 22:00 EDT

Episode Date: April 4, 2025

The World This Hour for 2025/04/03 at 22:00 EDT

The world we live in isn't perfect. This is all wrong. I say put mental health first. But it doesn't get any better on its own. I stand before you as a concerned citizen. That's why we talk to activists about how they do what they do and what inspires them to keep going. Because we're all about change.

Listen to stories that give us all hope on all about change wherever you get your podcasts. From CBC News, the world this hour, I'm Mike Miles. The markets have reacted and trillions have been wiped out. Finance Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne says the chickens are coming home to roost with the Trump tariff plan. Markets are tumbling, businesses are putting investments on hold, and unions are watching the first job losses happening.

We're blessed with a lot of talents. We have very strong industries from cars, from ships, from aircrafts. We have mining, we have oil and gas, we have critical minerals, we have abundant energy. We're the only G7 country with a free trade agreement with all the other G7 nations. So when you look at the fundamentals of Canada, that's what gives me confidence. Champagne says he'll be meeting with provincial and territorial finance ministers tomorrow to discuss dismantling interprovincial trade barriers. Alberta Premier Danielle Smith wants Albertans

to leverage any collections they have south of the border and use it to ward off tariffs. Smith was part of a panel about Canada-U.S. relations held in Calgary today. She says she supports Prime Minister Mark Carney's response to U.S. tariffs, but adds there's still work to be done. I believe that this is a president

who will be very heavily swayed by the wealth creators and job creators in his own country and saying, hey, my ability to create jobs and wealth in this country depends on having a great supply chain and relationship with Canada. So I would hope that you would use your networks to be able to do that. Earlier this week, Smith said she will continue her strategy of speaking with far-right media to limit the impact of tariffs in Alberta. Of course, Tariff Talk is dominating the conversation on the campaign trail.

The main party leaders are pitching their response, trying to show Canadians they're best suited to take on Donald Trump. Tom Perry reports from the Conservative campaign in Ontario. Conservative leader Pierre Polly-Eve acknowledging what other federal leaders have come to accept, that when it comes to trade, Canada can no longer count on the United States. I'm saddened to say that because I love the American people, but there's no denying that there is a president right now who consistently shows that he has been unreliable to deal with.

Despite that, Polyev says if elected, he'll look to renegotiate a new trade deal with Donald Trump. In the meantime, he's promising a new $3 billion fund to provide loans to businesses directly affected by US tariffs to preserve jobs, and also pledging to eliminate the GST on the purchase of new Canadian-made vehicles. Axing the GST on a $50,000 Canadian-made automobile will save $2,500 to the car buyer.

Poliev urging provinces to drop provincial sales tax on these vehicles to save consumers money and prop up Canada's auto sector. Tom Perry, CBC News, Kingston. The NDP's latest campaign pitch is a throwback to the Second World War. As Canada finds itself in the middle of a trade war, the New Democrats wants to issue a new kind of victory bond.

Janice McGregor explains. Jagmeet Singh positioned himself in front of the National War Memorial to make a pitch that's a throwback to the Second World War, bringing back victory bonds. With the threats of Donald Trump, Canadians are really wrapping themselves in the flag and saying, I want to do my part and here's the way Canadians can do their part. New Democrats say the proceeds from this patriotic investing could build infrastructure and strengthen Canada's economy. Instead of the interest on this debt being owed to big banks, the payout on these five or ten year guaranteed investments

could go back to the Canadians who step up. Singh said he gets that in this tough economy, not everyone has extra to invest right now. Still, there's always a climate where people make some investments. We want to give people a choice to invest in Canada. Janice McGregor, CBC News, Ottawa. Ontario Premier Doug Ford says he'll visit areas affected by prolonged power outages since last weekend's ice storm. Provincial utility Hydro One says tonight more than 150,000 customers still don't have electricity, many losing it in the past 24 hours because of high winds. Crews from Quebec and Saskatchewan are helping with repairs.

That is Your World This Hour. For CBC News, I'm Mike Miles.