The World This Hour - The World This Hour for 2025/08/13 at 15:00 EDT

Episode Date: August 13, 2025

The World This Hour for 2025/08/13 at 15:00 EDT

It's summer, and it's going to be a hot one in Canadian politics. I'm Catherine Cullen. Join me and some of CBC's best political reporters as we bring you all new summer programming, focused on everything from negotiating with Donald Trump to Canada's climate goals, to the future of the Senate, and more. We'll talk to the chief of the defense staff and a top senator. We'll visit the Maritimes to learn about the future of energy production there. Catch the House Saturdays wherever you get your podcasts. From CBC News, The World This Hour, I'm Gina Louise Phillips. Air Canada will start canceling flights tomorrow ahead of a potential strike by its flight attendants.

More than 10,000 workers could walk off the job this weekend. The airline says the two sides have reached an impasse in negotiations. Jela Bernstein reports. We know we can get there. It's just a matter of can we get back. Grant Brinton arrived at Toronto's Pearson Airport today to fly to Halifax, only to learn about the looming strike threat. Because of that, we're not sure if we're going to go or not.

Though the flight attendant strike wouldn't start until this weekend if it goes ahead, Air Canada is planning to cancel some flights starting tomorrow to allow for a more orderly shutdown. McGill University's John Graddock says he doubts the two sides will reach a deal in time. It's not been a classical labor relation process and Canadians will be paying the price. Air Canada says it is offering refunds and will do its best to rebook travelers affected. Anyone traveling between Friday and Monday can change their flights for free if their tickets were purchased before or as of today. Jela Bernstein, CBC News, Montreal. Firefighters continue to battle out-of-control wildfires in Newfoundland and Labrador.

The blazes have already destroyed homes, forced thousands to leave, and put tens of thousands on evacuation alerts. And on top of all that, police are now investigating a series of overnight fires in downtown St. John's. Here's Constable James Cadigan of the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary. There were five fires total that we're aware of connected to this investigation. But what we can tell you is that our investigation to this stage has determined that these fires are suspicious in nature. We do have a suspect, but we're still working through information. Police are asking the public to contact them,

they have any information or video from around the sites of the fires. On the other side of the country, a raging wildfire on Vancouver Island has grown to 20 square kilometers in size. The fire near Port Albarnie continues to burn out of control. It has already led to evacuation orders in the area, and it has cut off power to the nearby community of Bamfield. In New Brunswick, there are now 16 wildfires burning up from six yesterday. Premier Susan Holt is calling the situation very serious, and she's asking residents to do their part. We continue to see fires, backyard fires, campfires, and we continue to see two out-of-control fires in this province.

So we need to continue to ask people to stay off Crownlands, to stay out of the woods, clearing the way so that our resources can go where they are needed. Only two of the fires are classified as out-of-control, The one burning near Miramishie has burned 1,300 hectares, while a new one near Irish town has burned about 45 hectares. U.S. President Donald Trump says his upcoming summit with Russia's Vladimir Putin could set the stage for a second meeting. One where Ukraine's president can take direct part in the peace talks. European leaders today voice their concern around Ukraine's future being decided without its involvement. Lisa Singh reports.

I would rate it at 10, you know, very, very friendly. U.S. President Donald Trump speaking about a call with European leaders focused on Ukraine's future. He says if all goes smooth on Friday, there could very well be a trilateral meeting that would include both Russia and Ukraine. The second meeting, which will be more productive than the first, because the first is I'm going to find out where we are and what we're doing. Trump appears to support Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's biggest demand. We hope that the central topic will be that's his fire, immediate cease fire. These talks coming amid growing concerns in Kiev and among European allies, Trump could try and broker a peace deal at the cost of territorial concessions.

On Wednesday, EU leaders made clear only Zelensky can negotiate Ukraine's territory. Lisa Sching, CBC News, Washington. And that is the world this hour. For CBC News, I'm Gina Louise Phillips. Thanks.