The World This Hour - The World This Hour for 2025/12/18 at 01:00 EST

Episode Date: December 18, 2025

The World This Hour for 2025/12/18 at 01:00 EST

This ascent isn't for everyone. You need grit to climb this high this often. You've got to be an underdog that always over-delivers. You've got to be 6,500 hospital staff, 1,000 doctors, all doing so much with so little. You've got to be Scarborough. Defined by our uphill battle and always striving towards new heights. And you can help us keep climbing.

Donate at lovescarbro.cairbo. From CBC News, the world this hour. I'm Neil Hurland. For the first time, we're getting a clear picture of the demands the Trump administration is making of its biggest trading partners. Washington is laying out what it will insist on to stay in a three-way trade deal with Canada and Mexico. The demands will set the stage for the review of the agreement known as Kuzma. The CBCC, Katie Simpson has details from Washington. Think booze and think dairy. You're going to be hearing a lot about both in the months ahead. It's a big deal that we finally have some specifics, given how important this trade agreement is for Canadian workers and Canadian businesses. The top American trade official, U.S. Trade Representative Jameson Greer,

submitted a list essentially of complaints about Canada and Mexico to Congress, outlining the concessions it is seeking in order for the U.S. to rea. remain in this three-way trade deal known in Canada as Kuzma. Here is just some of what the U.S. wants from Canada. An end to those provincial bans on the sale of American alcohol, making it easier for American farmers to sell dairy products into Canada. It has some problems with the Online News Act, which forces some American tech giants to pay for Canadian news content, and it says Alberta is treating energy producers in Montana

unfairly. Katie Simpson, CBC News, Washington. U.S. President Donald Trump delivered a prime time address tonight largely focused on past grievances with his predecessor, Joe Biden. As Chris Reyes reports, Trump blamed Biden for high consumer costs. Wages are up. Prices are down. Our nation is strong. In a prime time address from the White House, President Donald Trump rehashed old grievances against his predecessor Joe Biden and declared one victory after another on the border, jobs, health. care and America's reputation around the world.

America is respected and our country is back stronger than ever before. Trump also repeated attacks against Somalians in Minnesota to underscore his hard line on immigration and his continued focus on delivering an America First agenda. The speech comes as some polls show Trump's approval ratings dropping and the Democrats gaining ground on a key election issue, the economy. ahead of the midterms in 2026. And it's not done yet, but boy, are we making progress? Nobody can believe what's going on.

Trump signaled that he'll be focusing on affordability in the upcoming year to bring down the cost of living, a core campaign promise that some Americans say he's yet to deliver. Chris Reyes, CBC News, New York. The federal liberals are one seat shy of a majority, and the prime minister believes they can get there without going to the polls. In an interview with CBC News, Mark Carney suggests there could be more floor crossing. Kate McKenna reports.

Prime Minister Mark Carney is not ruling out the possibility of more MPs crossing the floor and joining his party. Carney sat down for a year-end interview with CBC's chief political correspondent, Rosemary Barton. Are you comfortable getting a majority government through people crossing the floor? I am comfortable commanding the confidence of the House of Commons and getting through the House of Commons, getting support in the House of Commons and votes, obviously votes and support in the House of Commons, for legislation that is going to protect Canadian communities, that's going to build this country, is going to make our country more independent, more sustainable more. Over the last few weeks, two MPs, Chris Dantremont and Michael Ma, left the Conservative Caucus and joined the Liberals, leaving the government just one seat shy of a razor-thin majority. When Carney was asked whether he's actively trying to recruit other opposition MPs, He hinted more may be coming, but didn't share any names.

Kate McKenna, CBC News, Ottawa. After six months, as head of the Quebec Liberal Party, CBC has confirmed that Pablo Rodriguez has resigned. That puts an end to weeks of turmoil inside the provincial party. He made the announcement during a virtual caucus meeting Wednesday. Rodriguez was a former federal minister in the old Trudeau Cabinet. And that is your world this hour. I'm Neil Hurland.

Thank you.