The World This Hour - The World This Hour for 2025/05/31 at 08:00 EDT

Episode Date: May 31, 2025

The World This Hour for 2025/05/31 at 08:00 EDT

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Find an agent today at Desjardins.com slash business coverage. From CBC News, the world this hour. I'm Trisha Kindleman. Prime Minister Mark Carney has convened an incident response group as wildfires rage in various parts of the country. Thousands of people across the prairies have been forced from their homes by the fires, including 17,000 in Manitoba and more than 8,000 in Saskatchewan. Meanwhile, the Prime Minister and premiers are heading to Saskatoon. The premiers will be bringing their wish list for major resource projects they want federal help with.

But as host of the House, Catherine Cullen, tells us, those ambitions could face some challenges. A core priority of this government is to build projects of national significance. Prime Minister Mark Carney says he is ready to fast-track some projects that are a national priority, such as mines, ports or nuclear facilities. Ontario Premier Doug Ford and his counterparts are all coming to Monday's meeting with a wish list for Carney. He's asked all the Premiers to give him a list of five priorities.

Premiers are also hoping for money to build. Yeah, I think it'll be like the Hunger Games. New Brunswick Premier Susan Holt says by the end of the meeting, the premiers expect to know which projects are successful. A government document obtained by CBC News describes how the review process for select projects will be streamlined, describing a more flexible process for regulatory decisions and emphasizing speed. Carney has promised to work closely with Indigenous peoples and respect Canada's constitutional

obligations. Catherine Kellen, CBC News, Ottawa. U.S. President Donald Trump is stepping up his trade war with the world. He says he'll double tariffs on steel and aluminum imports to 50 percent next Wednesday. Reporter Steve Futterman has the latest. Donald Trump's latest tariff proclamation is not what Canadians want to hear. We're going to bring it from 25% to 50% the tariffs on steel into the United States of America, which will even further secure the steel industry.

The increase will impact both steel and aluminum brought into the U.S. not just from Canada, but from every foreign nation. Trump's comments came in Pittsburgh as he addressed steelworkers and executives announcing a partnership between US Steel and Japan's Nippon Steel. On his social media site, Truth Social, Trump said the increased tariffs will go into effect next week, and Quebec's premier Francois Lagault says if they actually go into effect next week and Quebec's premier Francois Lagault says if they actually go into effect the new tariffs will hurt both the Canadian and US economies.

Steve Futterman for CBC News, Los Angeles. And industry minister Melanie Jolie says she will meet in the coming days with Canadian steel and aluminum producers to advance Canada's plans to fight back against those US tariffs. And US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth is calling on Indo-Pacific allies to raise defense spending to counter what he calls a threat from China. Hegseth was speaking at an annual gathering of defense leaders in Singapore. Patrick Fock has more. The United States is not interested in the moralistic and preachy approach to foreign policy of the past. It was a highly anticipated address before global defense leaders.

Pete Hegseth is the most senior level Trump administration official to touch on Indo-Pacific policy since President Trump returned to office. His message, America is here to stay and that it won't be pushed out of the region by Beijing. And a stark warning to Indo-Pacific nations that the China threat could be imminent. It was a departure from previous U.S. administrations that insisted conflict was neither imminent nor inevitable. Higgs had also urged Asian nations to increase defense spending and said that countries must prepare for war in order to deter war.

The speech may have answered some questions on Washington's commitment to the Indo-Pacific, but it could also have raised fears among nations, hoping China and the U.S. might dial down tensions. Patrick Fock for CBC News, Singapore. And that is your World This Hour. Remember, you can listen to us wherever you get your podcasts, updated every hour, seven days a week. For news anytime, you can also visit our website cbcnews.ca. For CBC News, I'm Tricia Kindleman.

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