World Report - December 10: Wednesday's top stories in 10 minutes

Episode Date: December 10, 2025

The Bank of Canada holds key interest rate at 2 point 25 per cent.Alberta Premier Danielle Smith's government passes bill invoking notwithstanding clause for fourth time. US Senate is set to vote Thursday on new Republican health care bill, seen as an alternative to "Obamacare".Mark Wiseman, longtime friend of the Prime Minister, being considered to replace Kirsten Hillman as Canadian ambassador to the United States. Maria Corina Machado's daughter accepts her Nobel Peace Prize, as the Venezuelan opposition leader travels to Oslo. Beloved author Robert Munsch holds final interview with CBC after announcing he has been approved for medical assistance in dying. Shopaholic author Sophie Kinsella dies at age 55 of an aggressive form of brain cancer. 

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. This is a CBC podcast. This is World Report. Good morning. I'm Marcia Young. Today, the governing council maintained the policy rate at two and a quarter percent. Bank of Canada, Governor Tiff Macklam announcing its key rate will remain unchanged. The central bank is making its final rate decision of the year. After lowering the benchmark rate by a quarter point in October,

CBC's senior business correspondent, Peter Armstrong, is in studio with more. And Peter, why no change? You know, as widely expected, I think, the Bank of Canada is citing the frankly meager improvements we've seen in the economy, both in terms of growth and the labor market, as just enough evidence to warrant staying on the sidelines for now, at least. It is interesting to note that the bank, it doesn't even mention the fact that it believes monetary policy, changes to interest rates, have a kind of limit in terms of what they can do. to help the economy right now, which was the main thing it cited in its last decision. Instead, the central bank is really firmly focused on these better than expected batches of

economic data that we've seen since really the middle of this year, since the summer. The economy posted slight but measurable growth in the third quarter, avoiding at least the technical definition of a recession. The unemployment rate came down off recent highs. This doesn't mean, of course, that the economy is doing well. barely keeping your head above the water is not exactly doing great, but it is, as I say, doing better than expected. The bank does have this usual caveat, though. It says uncertainty remains elevated and if the outlook changes we are prepared to respond, the bank is focused on ensuring

that Canadians continue to have confidence in price stability through this period of global upheaval. So it will act if anything changes. For example, if the trade war worsens or if tariffs increase or if the upcoming Kuzma talks falter in some way. But for now, the central bank looks at the economic landscape and sees just enough reason to sit tight and see where things are truly headed. All right. Thank you so much, Peter. You bet. The CBC's senior business correspondent, Peter Armstrong. In the early hours this morning, Alberta's governing United Conservatives passed a bill affecting transgender citizens. It confirms Alberta will invoke the notwithstanding clause to protect three new laws from legal challenges. Those laws will police names and pronouns in school.

ban transgender girls from participating in amateur female sports and restrict gender-affirming health care for youth under 16. NDPMLA, Janice Irwin, opposed the bill in the legislature. Let me tell you, this is a UCP government that's going to have big regrets about the decisions they made this past session. And let me tell you, we're tired, for sure. We're a bit beaten down, but we are going to fight harder than ever before. The notwithstanding clause allows provinces to override parts of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms for five years.

Premier Daniel Smith's government has now invoked it four times in less than two months. Canada is about to get a new ambassador to Washington. Kirsten Hillman announced her resignation yesterday. She says it was her choice to leave. Now the top candidate being considered to replace her is a longtime friend of the Prime Minister. The CBC's Katie Simpson reports. It seemed like the most effective time to leave that would be the least disruptive. Ambassador Kirsten Hillman says it was her decision to resign

and that she'll stay in her post until early next year to ensure there's a smooth transition for her replacement. Her departure comes at a volatile moment in the Canada-U.S. relationship. Talks to remove or lower tariffs remain stalled. And the fate of Kuzma, the Canada-US-Mexico trade deal, will be decided when the pact is reviewed next year. It's the right time to put a team in place that's going to be here to see those discussions through. So it just seemed like a natural point. Sources tells CBC News one of the contenders under consideration to replace Hillman is Mark Wiseman, a longtime friend of Prime Minister Mark Carney, who is a former chief executive of the

Canada Pension Plan Investment Board. Wiseman was added to the PM's Canada-US Relations Advisory Council earlier this year. Katie Simpson, CBC News, Washington. The U.S. Senate will vote on new legislation and new Republican health care bill. It is seen as an alternative to the Democrats' proposal to extend current health care subsidies under the Affordable Care Act. Those subsidies expire at the end of the year. The CBC's Willie Lowry joins me now from Washington. Willie, what is in this plan? The Republicans have been scrambling to find an alternative to the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, four months. This plan, put forward by Senators Mike Crapo and Bill Cassidy, would let the ACA subsidies expire and focus instead on health savings accounts.

These are tax-advantaged accounts where people can put money aside specifically for medical needs. Under the plan, eligible people will receive between $1,500 in their HSA accounts. The legislation makes clear, though, that it would not extend to gender-affirming services or abortions outside. of specific situations. Senator John Thune says it's a good proposal. The proposal we'll put out there will bring insurance premiums down. It will be fiscally responsible. And it'll get us away from the practice of giving the money all to the insurance companies

and put it back in the hands of the patients. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer slammed the proposal. We're always willing to sit down negotiating with someone who would lower costs. Their bill was absolutely not lower costs. Democrats are calling for. for the Affordable Care Act subsidies to be extended for three years. What are the chances this bill will pass? Very, very slim.

Republicans hold a 51 to 46 advantage in the Senate. For any legislation to pass, it would require 60 votes. With competing Republican and Democratic proposals on the table, it's unlikely either will garner anywhere near that number. Senator Thune said the votes will take place tomorrow. He's honoring the deal Republicans. brokered with a handful of Democrats last month to end the 43-day-long shutdown. Thank you, Willie.

My pleasure. The CBC's Willie Lowry in Washington. Venezuela and opposition leader Maria Corrina Machado is expected to arrive in Oslo soon, but she did not arrive in time to accept her Nobel Peace Prize. Instead, her daughter accepted the award. She wants to live in a free Venezuela, and she will never give up on that purpose. Machado is being honored for her campaign against President Nicholas Maduro and her efforts to bring democracy to Venezuela.

But it has put her in danger at home. The Maduro government said if she left Venezuela, she would be considered a fugitive by authorities. Even so, her daughter says she will return. We all know and I know that she will be back in Venezuela very soon. Machado has been in hiding for the past 11 months. Robert Munch is calling it his last hurrah. The beloved author sat down for an exclusive interview

with CBC chief correspondent Adrian Arsano. His first since revealing, he's been approved for medical assistance in dying. Munch lives with dementia and Parkinson's disease. And as Adrian Arsno tells us, he has a parting gift for his fans that could yield stories for generations to come. In his basement office at home, basically a temple to childhood. Robert Munch sits in his walker and smiles a big, glorious Munch grin. And there's laughter always.

There's also news about his books, good news that comes with a terrible catch. When's the next one coming here? I don't know. There's about 50 stories in that. When I'm dead, they'll still be putting out Robert Munch books. His publisher confirms the man behind Love You Forever, Mortimer, and dozens more, may indeed have one book a year released after he does. dies. Munch has dementia, Parkinson's disease, and has been approved for medical assistance

and dying. I tell people I'm fine. I'm not fine. What does not fine really mean for you? Well, I fall down. I forget words. I can't open anything. There's all these little things that you take for granted. Living, he does not take for granted, soaks in every moment he can with his wife Anne and kids and understands that his fans may be worried about him. To them, he says, Don't worry, I'll be okay. His departure, as it were, is not imminent,

but this, he suggests, is his last interview. This is really my last hurrah. Robert Munch now is busy caring for his treasured stories. His archives will go to the public library near his home in Guelph. The stories, the kids, have carried him for decades, and he's hanging on to them as long as he can. Adrian Arsena. CBC News, Gwelf. Sophie Concella, the British author of the best-selling shopaholic novels, has died.

She was diagnosed with an aggressive form of brain cancer three years ago. Concella's first shopaholic book, The Secret Dream World of a Shopaholic, came out in 2000, and fans around the world have been charmed by her main character, Becky Bloomwood, ever since. Kinsella wrote nine shopaholic books that have sold more than 50 million. in copies in over 60 countries. Sophie Kinsella, who was 55 years old. That is the latest national and international news from World Report.

I'm Marcia Young.