The World This Hour - The World This Hour for 2025/04/20 at 13:00 EDT

Episode Date: April 20, 2025

The World This Hour for 2025/04/20 at 13:00 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 Kate Rutherford. The election campaign is entering its final week. Conservative leader Pierre Pollyer is first to appear today, making this vow during a stop in Surrey, BC. I will axe the inflation tax. We will do this by cutting waste, capping spending, reducing deficits, taxes and inflation. We will cut bureaucracy, foreign aid, handouts to corporate insiders, special interest groups and consultants.

As for the other leaders, the NDP's Jagmeet Singh is expected to make an announcement later this hour on grocery prices. Liberal leader Mark Carney will be at his riding in his home riding of Nepean, while the Bloc Québécois' Yves-François Blanchet has local appearances scheduled. Then tonight, guests on Radio-Canada's talk show, Tout le Monde en parle. Green co-leaders Elizabeth May and Jonathan Pednot don't have any public events today. Early indications are that Canadians are keen to play their part in deciding who forms government. Elections Canada says that the number of voters on the first day of advance polls has set a record. Nearly 2 million people braved long lines to cast

their ballots on Friday. Francoise Engarde is with Elections Canada. She says there could be several reasons why Friday's turnout was so high. There are many factors and many factors that Elections Canada does not control, such as Friday was a holiday, the first day of a four-day weekend for many people. What also happened is, you know, that a lot of people decided to vote. We had already seen anecdotally that people voted a lot. Elections Canada says it's going to adjust over the next few days to handle the high traffic.

Advance polls remain open today and tomorrow from 9am to 9pm. Election day is Monday, April 28th. President Volodymyr Zelensky is urging his Ukrainian compatriots not to give up hope. In a recorded Easter message, Zelensky says Ukrainians know who they are fighting for and will not lose faith. He has accused the Russian president of not respecting his own temporary ceasefire. Zelensky and Russia says Russia has violated the 30-hour Easter truce. Israeli military officials are releasing the results of their investigation into last month's

killing of 15 Palestinian medics. The group was shot to death by Israeli soldiers during a response to an emergency call. Investigators conclude there were what they call professional failures and say a deputy commander will be fired. The probe says the individual mistook the medics for Hamas militants due to quote, poor night visibility. Investigators say there is no evidence backing claims the medics were executed. Pope Francis gave a brief Easter blessing during Sunday mass at the Vatican this morning. Today, leading up to his appearance before thousands in St. Peter's Square, the Pope met with US Vice President J.D. Vance. Reporter Megan Williams has the latest from Rome.

This morning, Pope Francis met privately with US Vice President J.D. Vance to exchange holiday greetings. Vance, a Catholic convert, has publicly clashed with the Pope over immigration. Francis has called the US crackdown a, quote, disgrace, and indirectly rebuked Vance for using Christian values to justify hardline immigration policies. The brief encounter came a day after Vance held more formal talks with senior Vatican officials that included migration and just before Francis delighted crowds from the balcony overlooking as St. Peter's Square festooned with spring flowers. The Pope wished the thousands below a happy Easter, though he was too weak to lead mass

or deliver his Urbi et Urbi, the traditional address to Rome and to the world. It called for a Gaza ceasefire, food for the starving and the release of Israeli hostages, as well as peace in Ukraine, Sudan and the Congo. Megan Williams, CBC News, The Vatican. And the Stanley Cup playoffs resume tonight with a high-profile matchup, a battle of Ontario with the Toronto Maple Leafs hosting the Ottawa Senators. That is Your World This Hour. I'm Kate Rutherford.