The World This Hour - The World This Hour for 2025/11/18 at 14:00 EST

Episode Date: November 18, 2025

The World This Hour for 2025/11/18 at 14:00 EST

You may have heard of the sex cult nexium and the famous actress who went to prison for her involvement, Alison Mack. But she's never told her side of the story, until now. People assume that I'm like this pervert. My name is Natalie Robamed, and in my new podcast, I talked to Alison to try to understand how she went from TV actor to cult member and what she thinks of it all now. How do you feel about having been involved in bringing sexual trauma at other people? I mean, I don't even know how to answer that question. Alison, after nexium from CBC's Uncover, is available now, wherever you get your podcasts. From CBC News, the world this hour, I'm Stephanie Skanderas.

Mark Carney's minority government faces another confidence vote today. It comes on the heels of the Liberals narrowly surviving last night's budget vote, avoiding a snap federal election. 170 MPs, all Liberals and the lone Green voted for the budget, 168 MPs, against. David Thurton has more on what to expect today. Good day for Canada. Moving forward. Prime Minister Mark Carney, the day after his budget passes, albeit by a razor-thin margin. There are more votes, of course, to come through the budget process, but an important step for a country. As Carney said, his minority liberal government is not out of the woods.

More confidence votes are on the way. Those votes are keeping liberals, like House leader, Steve McKinnon, on their toes. I have very good advice for everyone. If you want to be comfortable, don't enter federal politics. The next steps comes as soon as this afternoon. It involves a ways and means motion. That's a procedural step which in this case allows the government to table its budget implementation bill.

That contains the budget's fine print. Both are typically considered confidence votes. David Thornton, CBC News, Ottawa. The pace of new home construction. fell by 17% in October compared with the month before. The Canada Mortgage in Housing Corporation says it's mostly due to a sharp decline in Ontario and BC, but it was offset by an increase in housing starts in markets like Montreal, Calgary, and Edmonton.

Montreal, for example, posted a 104% increase in new home builds year over year. A recount is now underway of votes cast in one electoral district of Newfoundland and Labrador. The provincial liberals challenged the victory of a progressive conservative candidate in Topsyl Paradise. Paul Dinn won by just over 100 votes in the October election. The PCs overall won a slim majority. That could turn into a minority if the liberals managed to flip the district. The recount is taking place at the province's Supreme Court in St. John's. It's expected to last two days. The king and queen of Sweden have begun their three-day state visit to Canada. King Carl Gustav and Queen Sylvia were welcomed by Chief Justice Richard Vogner on the grounds of Rideau Hall.

He's filling in for Governor General Mary Simon, who's recovering from a respiratory illness. For the Swedish Royals, it's their first visit to Canada since 2006. They've since met with Prime Minister Mark Carney. Later tonight, they'll be the guests of honor at a state dinner. Saudis, crown prince, received a royal welcome at the White House. Mohammed bin Salman's first visit to the U.S. in more than seven years comes with a promise of hundreds of billions of dollars in Saudi investments. The agreements on trade and defense also include the sale of American F-35 fighter jets.

Amidst all that, as Willie Lowry reports, the president downplayed questions about the Saudi human rights record. A military flyover for one of America's closest allies in the Middle East, once a pariah and now welcomed with open arms. Saudi Arabia's crown prince Mohammed bin Salman and President Donald Trump were all smiles at the White House. We've been really good friends for a long period of time. We've always been on the same side of every issue. Bin Salman said Saudi Arabia would seek stronger ties as the two nations increased their economic and security partnership.

We are going to increase that $600 billion to almost $1 trillion of investment, real investment and real opportunity by details in many areas. The two leaders deflected on issues around human rights, including the 2018 killing of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi, a CIA assessment accused bin Salman of ordering the killing. Trump dismissed those criticisms saying things happen. Willie Lowry, CBC News, Washington. And that is the world this hour. For CBC News, I'm Stephanie Scandaris.