World Report - June 5: Thursday's top stories in 10 minutes

Episode Date: June 5, 2025

Statscan: Canada posts largest merchandise trade deficit on record in Apri.Israeli forces have recovered the bodies of two hostages, including Canadian citizen, Judi Weinstein-Haggai. An estimated 30,000 people are on the move in two western provinces, Manitoba and Saskatchewan from out-of-control wildfires.  

Hi, I'm Gavin Crawford, the host of Because News, Canada's funniest news quiz. Every week we make jokes out of the headlines with help from a panel of brilliant comedians like Alice Moran. Hi there, I'm a sweet little Alberta dirtbag with very gentle takes. They call me light, sweet, and crude. Half your job is making jokes, but the other half is scoring points. What subjects do you net the most points in? Sports, but also space, because I went to space camp so much as a kid, not to brag.

That's the exact amount of knowledge you need for this show. Stay vaguely informed while in good company. With me. Listen to Because News, available wherever you get your podcasts. This is a CBC podcast. This is World Report. Good morning. I'm Marcia Young. We now have a clearer picture of the price of US President Donald Trump's tariffs on Canada's economy.

Statistics Canada has released its report on this country's exports for the month of April. They show staggering drops. And the biggest trade deficit this country has seen on record. The CBC's Scott Peterson has more. So what we're seeing this morning is we're going from the theoretical, how might the tariffs affect the Canadian economy, to seeing some real physical hard evidence about how dramatic these tariffs are impacting our exports in particular. Starting with these numbers, the difference between the two, our merchandise trade deficit

was $7.1 billion. We imported a lot more than we exported. That deficit, 7.1, is the largest that we've ever had on record. Exports down 11% to $60 billion. Imports, too, down about 3.5%. So that difference was a deficit and, again, the highest on record. Another metric to use here is the exports of motor vehicles and parts. The imports of motor vehicles down 11% but our exports down dramatically about 17 and a half percent passenger cars like trucks down 23%. And finally, the exports

of consumer goods exports down about 15 and a half percent to about $7 billion in April. That's the lowest value since December 2023. So considering all of our exports are a good majority, but 76% goes south of the board of the US economy. This is a direct result of the tariffs and hence the pullback. Crude oil exports down and the response so far has been quick.

Economists calling this surprisingly ugly, saying that Canada will not be out of the woods for a few months and really underlining the problem going forward is the uncertainty or the certainty of more confusion regarding the tariffs and the implementation of tariffs in the future. Scott Peterson, CBC News, Toronto. Israel has confirmed the recovery of the remains of two hostages. Canadian citizen Judy Weinstein Hagge and her husband Gaddi were killed in the October 7 attacks. The recovery was part of an Israeli military operation last night. Crystal Gomancing is in Tel Aviv's Hostage Square.

And Crystal, tell us about this operation. Well, it was a joint military operation that started last night in the area of Hanunis. Israel Defense Forces responding to written questions from the CBC saying that the operation was based on precise intelligence from the hostage task force. Now regular forces and special forces were involved but specific details were shared with CBC. Forensic teams did confirm the remains were of Judy Weinstein Hagge and her husband Gaddy Hagge. The families and members of their kibbutz near Oz have been notified. And how are they being remembered today? Well you know their kibbutz near

Oz released a statement earlier in the day paying tribute to the couple noting their four children, their seven grandchildren, and they highlighted Judy's creative spirit. She was a poet and a teacher and someone described as being committed to peace and coexistence. Niroz is on the border with Gaza. Gatti, also a creative type, remembered as a jazz musician and someone described as having a love of the land. Now here in Hostage Square in Tel Aviv, where I am, people are saying that they're happy for the family, but there's still so many hostages that need to be returned. So there's this real push-pull situation

that they're describing, a sort of relief and pain, saying the government has to do more to get all 56 back right now. Thank you, Crystal. You're welcome. That is the CBC's Crystal Goman saying in Tel Aviv's hostage square. The Trump administration's latest effort to limit travel to the US is being called discriminatory. US President Donald Trump signed a sweeping order banning travel from 12 countries.

It also restricts travel from several others. Steve Futterman has the details. Trump announced the travel ban last night, at one point using very blunt language. We don't want them. The ban, which will bar travel into the US, affects citizens from 12 countries, primarily in Africa

and the Middle East, including Afghanistan, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. Trump's explanation is similar to the one he used in 2017 during his first term to announce similar bans in travel. Very simply, we cannot have open migration from any country where we cannot safely and reliably vet and screen those who seek to enter the United States. Trump referred to an attack this weekend in Colorado, where an Egyptian man who entered the U.S. legally but then didn't return when his work permit expired, attacked a group of people who were calling for the release of hostages held in Gaza. In the 21st century, we've seen one terror attack after another carried out by foreign

visa overstayers. Seven other countries will have travel restrictions, but not total bans, including Cuba, Laos, and Venezuela. Trump's order does allow some exceptions, including those who already have green cards and athletes and coaches who will be taking part in next year's World Cup soccer tournament and the 2028 Olympics here in LA. Steve Futterman for CBC News, Los Angeles. Tributes are pouring in for the first Canadian in space. Former astronaut and Liberal cabinet minister Mark Garneau is dead. His family issued a statement last night. Kate McKenna has the details.

He really had a devotion to not that we didn't have a devotion to Canada, but his was different. Canadian astronaut Roberta Bondur says for her former colleague Mark Garneau, it was always about Canada. For Mark, it was really not just him showing Canadians that we had a place and a role in Canada in the space program. But it was also really to show the Americans that we had not just the talent of a Canadarm, but we had people who could back it up. As Canada's first astronaut to go to space, Garneau is being remembered as a trailblazer with a passion for space and public service. The man was a giant. He left a mark on his former colleague, Liberal MP James Maloney.

From 2008 until 2023, Garnot was an MP for a Montreal area riding, serving in Justin Trudeau's cabinet as Minister of Transport and Foreign Affairs. The thing I'll remember about him here is he was a gentleman. I mean, this is a place where people, you know, politics gets in the way of a lot of things and people behave in ways that is not acceptable in any other place, but Marc Garneau never did that. That message echoed by conservatives, including MP Gerard Deltel. As a cabinet minister, when I rose some issue with them, you always want to reach out, okay,

what will be the best solution to this issue. Others paying tribute on social media include astronaut Chris Hadfield, former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Governor General Mary Simon, a testament to a life that Gurnot himself described as a most extraordinary ride. He was 76 years old. Kate McKenna, CBC News, Ottawa. Canadian Steel Company executives and union officials are in Ottawa today. They're looking to convince the federal government to respond to US President Donald Trump's latest tariff

hike. They want Ottawa to implement matching tariffs and retaliation to the Trump administration move this week. Prime Minister Mark Carney is insisting his government will take time to craft a response and it will continue to hold talks with US officials. To the wildfires in Manitoba and Saskatchewan, more than 30,000 people are on the move. Officials are starting to get a sense of the scale of the damage so far with the fire simply not letting up in some areas. Cameron McIntosh is in Prince Albert. Pumping water for the firefight at the village of Dener Beach. Crews saw winds from Saskatchewan's Wolf fire kick the lake up. Gourbel footage shows black smoke engulfing buildings as the fire blew in.

Staying at a hotel in Prince Albert, Patsy Janay knows her brother's home is gone. She's not certain about hers, not far away. I pray that I'll go home to a home. A community of 700, full damage is yet to be assessed, but provincial officials are already saying. Largest single area of value impact is in the Dener beach area. Fires also surround nearby Creighton and Flynn Flawn, Manitoba.

Evacuated for a week now, the firefight, a physical and logistical battle. Flynn Flawn's mayor says they're having trouble getting food to firefighters. There would be a couple of days of not being able to have enough food to provide to all these men. Across Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta, about 35,000 people in total are out of their homes with hundreds of firefighters trying to contain what they can. In La Ronge, Saskatchewan, helicopters bombed the downtown with water. Two businesses were lost but the flames were pushed back.

A victory for now, says Mayor Joe Hordaiski. These fires still out of control and spreading with little relief from the weather in sight. Cameron McIntosh, CBC News, Prince Albert. And that is the latest national and international news from World Report for News Anytime, cbcnews.ca. I'm Marcia Young.