The World This Hour - The World This Hour for 2025/04/18 at 12:00 EDT

Episode Date: April 18, 2025

The World This Hour for 2025/04/18 at 12:00 EDT

When they predict we'll fall, we rise to the challenge. When they say we're not a country, we stand on guard. This land taught us to be brave and caring, to protect our values, to leave no one behind. Canada is on the line and it's time to vote as though our country depends on it. Because like never before, it does. I'm Jonathan Pedneau, co-leader of the Green Party of Canada. This election, each vote makes a difference. Authorized by the Registeredleader of the Green Party of Canada. This election, each vote, makes a difference. Authorized by the registered agent of the Green Party of Canada.

From CBC News, the world this hour. I'm Gina Louise Phillips. Advance polls are open and federal leaders are returning to the campaign trail with just over a week left. Pierre Polyaev is repeating a pledge about plastics that's long been part of the conservative platform. Julia Wong explains. This isn't about science it's about symbolism and control. They're not about saving the planet they're about punishing all of us to make themselves feel good. As he stood in an East End Montreal plastics recycling business

conservative leader Pierre Pauliev committed to repealing the federal plastics ban if his party forms government. It prohibits single-use plastic grocery bags, cutlery and straws. Polyev calls that impractical and expensive. We will end the liberal ban on convenience. We will base policy on evidence and affordability, not on elite virtue signaling and bureaucratic power grabs. The ban was intended to reduce the amount of single-use plastic waste ending up in landfills and oceans. It was ruled unlawful by the courts in 2023 but remains in effect while the federal government's appeal is ongoing.

Julia Wong, CBC News, Ottawa. Undecided voters may have been watching last night's English language debate for some last-minute inspiration to push them in one direction or the other, but as CBC's Pippa Reid finds out, it may not have helped. He's kind of dry, he's kind of technocratic. Seeking more substance from party leaders in the debate showdown, Undecided voter Grace Pang was left disappointed. Poor Billy was kind of treated as this bundled issue of all these different things that make it up. It was a sentiment echoed by fellow undecided voters Trent Daley and Savannah Stewart.

The costs are rising, wages are stagnant, what are they going to do specifically? Housing is another big one, it doesn't really seem to be addressed. All three voters were watching the debate closely and are still on the fence. Calgary pollster and political commentator Janet Brown cautions. Debates really don't matter that much, particularly when they come this late in the campaign. She says Canadians are exceptionally dialled in and many have already made their choice. You know, maybe it really speaks to the fact that we're headed to an election with high voter turnout.

If our three undecided voters were looking for an epiphany last night, they didn't find one. Pippa Reid, CBC News, Edmonton. Airlines are shifting their routes and schedules as more Canadians abandon plans to travel to the U.S. The weak dollar and tense political environment has the airline industry adjusting its own travel plans. Paula Duhatschek explains how this could result in cost savings for travelers. Definitely avoiding US travel. I'm gonna go to Toronto, I'm gonna go to Europe and I'm not going to US this summer. Travelers at the Calgary International Airport say they have no plans to go south of the border this summer. They've got plenty of

company. Analytics firm Sir Sirium, looked at data from third-party booking websites and travel agencies. It says summer bookings between major Canadian cities and popular US destinations are down nearly 20% compared to last year. This is particularly unusual that you're going to see softening of demand between Canada and the United States.

Mike Arnett is a spokesperson for Siriam. He says airlines are ramping up domestic capacity, bookings between popular Canadian destinations trending up about 11% for July compared to last year. WestJet has also introduced new flights from Halifax to Amsterdam and Barcelona. Air Canada has announced a new flight to Edinburgh and more capacity to Paris, Rome and Athens. Paula Duhaczek, CBC News, Calgary. Ukraine is announcing plans to forge a minerals deal with the U.S. Kiev says the memorandum of intent creates an important economic partnership with Washington.

The critical raw materials are used in many electronic products and the U.S. wants more of them. Ukraine had linked a deal to U.S US security guarantees in any future ceasefire agreement with Russia but there is no indication yet that they got this. The deal is expected to be finalized next week. And that is the World This Hour. You can listen to us anytime on voice-activated devices like Google Home. For CBC News, I'm Gina Louise Phillips. Thanks for listening. And I'll see you next time.

Bye!