The World This Hour - The World This Hour for 2025/05/15 at 08:00 EDT

Episode Date: May 15, 2025

The World This Hour for 2025/05/15 at 08:00 EDT

Okay, so I'm Tom Power. I host the award-winning interview show Cue, and it's not just about art. It's also a podcast that delves into conversations with artists as to why we create at all. Like you'll hear boy genius member Lucy Dacus open up about why she's dead dissatisfied with the way we talk about love. You'll hear Cate Blanchett describe what it's like to forget the sound of your own voice. And you'll hear how Coleman Domingo actually honed his acting skills in the circus. Listen to Q with me, Tom Power, wherever you get your podcasts. From CBC News, it's the world this hour. I'm Joe Cummings.

Under the shadow of the Trump tariff campaign, today is Budget Day for the Ontario government. It's the first Ontario budget since the start of the trade war and the first for the progressive conservatives since Premier Doug Ford's re-election. Jamie Strashan reports. Let's not rely on President Trump any longer. Ontario Premier Doug Ford says reducing reliance on American trade and becoming more self-reliant will be priorities in today's budget.

There's been a flurry of pre-budget spending already. Billions of dollars to speed up housing growth, retrain workers and reduce tolls. Also a plan to defer billions in taxes. Ontario Finance Minister Peter Bethenfalse. That is what the budget is going to be about. Boosting our economic prosperity, thinking big and championing nation-building projects. All of this will come at a cost. Ontario's relatively small $1.5 billion deficit could swell

and shelve plans to balance the books by next year, says the province's former chief economist, Brian Lewis. We are seeing slower economic growth so that's going to affect government revenue projection. Beyond Trump, Lewis says health care is a priority. Things like addressing hospital wait times, also much needed money for the province's university and colleges. Jamie Strash in CBC News, Toronto. Meanwhile in Ottawa, the Carney government has identified housing as one of its immediate priorities. But the opposition is already suggesting that Housing Minister Gregor Robertson, the former mayor of Vancouver,

has a credibility problem. Rafi Boujikaneen has more. We need to build a lot more across Canada. Housing Minister Gregor Robertson fresh into the job with a strong opinion on what should happen. We need to deliver more supply. We need to be delivering more affordable housing. Robertson was the mayor of Vancouver from 2008 to 2018. During that time, data from the Canada Mortgage Housing Corporation shows the average price of single-family and semi-detached homes rose 179% across the Metro Vancouver area.

That's already put him in the crosshairs of opposition leader Pierre Poliev. But Robertson is defending his record. I wasn't getting the help I needed from the federal government when I was mayor, or the provincial government, of all stripes. Robertson will be spearheading a new government agency in charge of building affordable homes, a campaign promise from Prime Minister Mark Carney. Carney has also pledged to remove the GST on the purchase of a home at or under $1 million for first-time buyers.

Rafi Bajikani on CBC News, Ottawa. Hospital officials in southern Gaza say more than 60 people have been killed in overnight Israeli airstrikes on the city of Hanunas. The night before, airstrikes across northern and southern Gaza killed at least 70 people. The strikes come as US President Donald Trump is in the Middle East visiting Gulf states, but not Israel. It was hoped that Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky

would take part in peace talks today in Turkey with Russian President Vladimir Putin. But while Zelensky is there, Putin isn't, with Moscow instead sending a delegation of low-level officials. Donald Trump is saying today that he might be willing to fly to Istanbul, but only, quote, if it's appropriate. A big win last night for the Edmonton Oilers.

Edmonton has won the game and the series! Kasperi Kapanen in overtime! With that 1-0 overtime victory in Game 5, the Oilers eliminate Las Vegas and move on to the NHL's Western Conference Final. They'll be facing either Dallas or the Winnipeg Jets. And that series could wrap up tonight. Game 5 set in Winnipeg with the Stars leading three games to one. Meanwhile in Toronto. It goes into the box as a thorough 6-1 victory for the Panthers here in Game 5.

As Florida Panthers beating the Maple Leafs and taking a 3-2 series lead, Florida can finish off the Leafs with a win at home tomorrow night. As for the PWHL playoffs, the Toronto Scepters have been eliminated by the Minnesota Frost. The Frost beating Toronto 4-3 in overtime last night to take that best of seven series in four games. Minnesota now advances to the championship final where they'll face either Ottawa or Montreal. And that is The World This Hour. For CBC News, I'm Joe Cummings.