The World This Hour - The World This Hour for 2025/12/18 at 17:00 EST

Episode Date: December 18, 2025

The World This Hour for 2025/12/18 at 17:00 EST

Okay, so there's this new play about the Rogers family and their battle for control over the gigantic telecom empire, and I cannot stop thinking about it. I'm Alameen Abdul-Mahmoud. I host a pop culture show called Commotion. This week, we're talking about Rogers v. Rogers, and on the show, we'll get into what this corporate story actually tells us about our national mythology and why Canadian theater audiences are craving more and more homegrown stories. Find and follow Commotion on YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts. From CBC News, the world this hour. I'm Kate McIlfrey. Quebec's health minister has resigned. Christian Dubet is leaving his role and the Coalition Avenir Quebec Caucus after hinting that he was upset that Premier Francois Leco

backed away from many of his health care reforms. Alexander Silberman has the details. Christian Zubay says he's stepping down as Quebec's health minister and departing from the Coalition Avener Quebec, Quebec, He plans to sit as an independent member in the National Assembly until the end of his mandate. Dubet's resignation announced in a post on social media follows an intense period of negotiations between the provincial government and doctors. Zubay led an effort to push through controversial reforms, like Bill 2, that would tie a part

of physicians' pay to collective performance targets. The change was set to take effect at the start of the new year, but the impact was already being felt across the province when hundreds of Quebec doctors applied for a license in Ontario. The Quebec government and doctors union recently reached a tentative agreement, but Zubei says

the difficult negotiations are one of the reasons behind his departure. Alexander Silberman, CBC News, Montreal. 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 begins 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 provinces 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 Thurton, CBC News, Ottawa. The Prime Minister in Ontario's Premier have struck a deal to speed up projects in the province. The two governments say they will streamline approvals for infrastructure and resource projects. They'll do that by requiring approval through the Ontario Environmental Assessment Process only and dropping the federal assessment altogether.

Mark Carney says it will re-rength. reduce 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. Carney says increased regulation over the past two decades has suppressed business investment growth by 10%. The two governments also agreed to complete assessments of road construction

to the ring of fire region by June of next year. And 2025 was Canada's second worst wildest, fire year on a record, with nearly 9 million hectares burned. Environment and Climate Change Canada released a top 10 list of weather events for the year, and wildfires were number one. National Warning Preparedness Meteorologist Jennifer Smith says the fire season was shaped by repeated long periods of hot, dry, and sometimes windy weather. Many of the most impactful events weren't driven by a single storm.

They were shaped by persistent conditions. As Canada's climate continues to evolve, warming fast. faster than the global average. Understanding these patterns and preparing for them is just as important as tracking the next storm on the map. The list also includes drought across much of the country, powerful thunder and hail storms, and heat waves. And that is the world this hour. For news anytime, you can always visit our website. CBCNews.ca.

I'm Kate McGilfrey. Thank you.