The World This Hour - The World This Hour for 2025/12/18 at 15:00 EST

Episode Date: December 18, 2025

The World This Hour for 2025/12/18 at 15:00 EST

If you want to hear daily news that doesn't hurt your soul and might even be good for your soul, check out As It Happens. I'm Chris Howden. And I'm Neil Kokesal. Every day we reach people at the center of the most extraordinary stories, like the doctor who restored a patient's eyesight with a tooth. Or a musician in an orchestra that plays instruments made out of vegetables. Take the scenic route through the day's news with As It Happens, and you can find us wherever you get your podcasts. From CBC News, the world this hour.

I'm Kate McGilfrey. Canada now has a better idea of what the U.S. wants to discuss when the review of the Canada-Mexico-U.S. trade agreement starts next year. The U.S. trade representative laid out a series of conditions yesterday, including more access for American products in Canadian markets. David Thurton has more on how leaders here are responding. When the Prime Minister and President Trump come up with a great deal for both countries, we'd be more than happy to bring in some maybe Kentucky bourbon.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford making it clear his province's drinkers love American booze. And it will return to store shells once Donald Trump's tariffs are gone. Until then, we're going to hold off. On Wednesday, American Trade Representative Jameson Greer listed Washington's demands when the Canada-U.S.-Mexico trade deal comes up for negotiations next year. Those include lifting bans on American booze, changes to laws that require U.S. web giants to finance Canadian media content. Plus, greater market access for American dairy, the Prime Minister, unwilling to budge on that.

We've been clear about our approach to supply management. We continue to stand by that. We'll continue to protect supply management. Mark Carney says a deal will only be signed. That's good for Canada. David Thornton, CBC News, Ottawa. The Prime Minister and Ontario's Premier have struck a deal to speed up projects in the province. The two governments say they'll streamline approvals for infrastructure and resource projects. We'll do that by only requiring approval through the Ontario environmental assessment process

and dropping the federal one altogether. Prime Minister Mark Carney says it reduces duplication. By working together, we'll be providing greater certainty to builders so we can turbocharge the construction of the infrastructure Ontario and Canada needs to build our economy strong. The two governments also agreed to complete assessment. of road construction to the ring of fire region by June of next year. That's a mineral-rich part of Ontario that the Premier is keen to mine.

Pablo Rodriguez made it official this morning publicly announcing his resignation as the leader of the Quebec Liberal Party. As Alexander Silberman tells us, that leaves the Liberals without a leader, 10 months before the next provincial election. I took this decision solely out of a sense of duty. An emotional Pablo Rodriguez, formally announcing, his resignation after six months, the shortest tenure in the history of the province as leader of Quebec's Liberal Party. For my party, for Quebec and for my country. Rodriguez's departure

comes after a month of political turmoil, including allegations of a cash for vote scheme during his leadership bid and an investigation by Quebec's anti-corruption police. Rodriguez maintains he's done nothing wrong, but says it all became a distraction when liberals need to be focusing on winning the next provincial election. The Liberals now face a short timeline to pick a new leader. A provincial election is in 10 months, and the separatist Percy Quebecois is surging in the polls. Quebec's liberals say it's now essential for them to rebuild fast and offer voters a viable federalist option. Alexander Silberman, CBC News, Montreal. And in Brussels. Now we have a simple choice, either money today or blood tomorrow.

That's Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk talking about a big decision facing the European Union. Should they use frozen Russian assets to help Ukraine finance its fight against the Russian invasion? It's seen as a critical test of the EU unity and strength. Tessk says it's key to combating the Russian threat to the wider Europe. I am not talking about Ukraine only. I am talking about Europe. And this is our decision to make. And only ours. All European leaders have to finally. rise of this occasion.

Belgium, which holds the bulk of the Russian assets, is afraid it would be left exposed to legal and financial risks and to Russian retaliation. Moscow has called the plan to seize about $245 billion U.S. in assets illegal. And that is the world this hour. For CBC News, I'm Kate McGilfrey.