World Report - March 13 Thursday's top stories in 10 minutes

Episode Date: March 13, 2025

Canadian ministers, Ontario's premier head to Washington to "lower the temperature" on trade talks.How Canadian shoppers will be affected by retaliatory tariffs.Canadian veterans say they feel betrayed by recent comments from the US government.

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This is World Report. Good morning, I'm John Northcott. There's a saying here in Quebec, on notre pain sur la planche, it's true, we have a lot of bread on our plate. Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Jolie tells her G7 counterparts they have a full agenda. Canada's hosting the two-day summit in Charlevoix, near Quebec City. Among them, the newly appointed US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The CBC's Kate McKenna is there, Kate.

John, Canada's Foreign Minister Melanie Jolie stood next to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The CBC's Kate McKenna is there. Kate? John Canada's Foreign Minister Melanie Jolie stood next to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio when the G7 foreign ministers paused their meetings for a photo. She has long said they have a good relationship, even as Canada's relationship with the United States hits historic lows. Rubio and Jolie met privately this morning. She said she'd bring up tariffs, including the new tariff on steel and aluminum, and that she'd work to shore up support from European countries to present a united front. But it's a packed agenda. In her opening remarks, she outlined some

of the things they're planning to discuss. Peace and stability is on the top of our agenda, and I look forward to discussing how we can continue to support Ukraine in the face of Russia's illegal aggression. And we all want to see just and lasting peace in Ukraine. Of course we want to foster long-term stability as well in the Middle East. Marco Rubio hasn't answered any questions from journalists since arriving. He's been asked repeatedly whether he agrees with his boss Donald Trump's assertion that Canada should become an American state.

Each time he's ignored the question. The Italian Foreign Minister did answer a question about the potential annexation of Canada saying Canada will continue to be Canada. John? Thanks Kate. The CBC's Kate McKenna and Charlevoix Quebec. Trump is threatening to retaliate against the European Union's counter tariffs. In a social media post, the US President says if the EU does not immediately abandon its 50% tax on American whiskey, he will impose a 200% tariff on European

wines, champagnes and other alcohol. US Commerce Secretary Howard Lufnick told Bloomberg this should come as no surprise. How many times do I have to say national security is important and if you do like the EU and you respond by putting a tariff on Kentucky bourbon, which used to piss off Mitch McConnell, which doesn't really matter anymore, you got to wonder, really, really, do I have to deal with this stuff? But, alas, we do. Meanwhile, Lutnick says he wants to lower the temperature of the trade war with Canada.

He's hosting Ontario Premier Doug Ford, industry minister Francois-Philippe Champagne, and finance minister Dominic LeBond today in Washington, along with Ambassador Kirsten Hillman. Now that the detailed list of Canada's retaliatory tariffs is public, we're getting a clearer picture of how shoppers in this country will be affected. Janice McGregor has been taking a close look from our Parliamentary Bureau. Janice, we know there is a price to pay for hitting back at the US with counter tariffs. What is that price? John, if you need stuff for a summer camping trip, the axe you cut your firewood with,

the candles, lamps or flashlights you use to see at night, the sleeping bag you crawl into, all those things are now going to be 25% more expensive if they come from the US. Where possible, it appears the government has targeted things that are nice to have, not things you need to have with this list. You don't see a lot of food on it. It's not really targeted this time, although some of the dishes you need to eat that food are. There's equipment for hobbies like golf clubs that are getting hit

Because Canada exports more steel and aluminum to the US in dollar terms than it imports in return to match the value of this tariff Dollar for dollar the government had to hit things beyond just metal products But finance minister Dominic LeBlanc also said yesterday that they're still studying the US list to tally up its impact on Canada. And it is possible that Canada is going to have to add more to this list if it finds its estimate of about $30 billion worth of impacted trade was actually a bit too low. And of course, there's another list in the wings of additional US products that Canadians will start paying tariffs on if the Trump administration proceeds with plans to apply more global tariffs in early April. LeBlanc was asked if it's going to be awkward to implement that if there's an

election underway by then. He said civil servants can just press go on the longer list when it's warranted, bringing the total value of U.S. goods facing tariffs in Canada as high as $155 billion. Janice McGregor in Ottawa. Thanks, Janice. You're welcome. Meanwhile, Liberal leader Mark Carney will be sworn in as prime minister tomorrow morning. So will his new cabinet at a ceremony at Rideau Hall in Ottawa.

CBC News has learned that Carney's cabinet will be much smaller, perhaps just 15 to 20 ministers, down from Justin Trudeau's 37. But key members, including Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Jolie, Finance Minister Dominique LeBlanc, and Innovation Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne, are expected to remain. In other news, many Canadian veterans say they're feeling betrayed by the new US administration after fighting alongside American troops in Afghanistan. They say it hurts to see President Donald Trump threaten Canada's sovereignty and withdraw support for Ukraine. They're making their feelings known online. Murray Brewster reports.

Canada should honestly become our 51st state. President Donald Trump's trolling gets under the skin of Canadian veterans. But it was the skin of Canadian veterans. But it was the bullying of Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky that prompted the online meme that said, We went because you were attacked. We didn't ask for your thanks. Neither did 158 of us who died for you.

Wednesday marks the 11th anniversary of Canada's military withdrawal from Afghanistan, a war many Canadian soldiers feel was fought to help defend the United States. If 9-11 were to happen again, I honestly don't think I would be as willing or ready to help the Americans. Retired Corporal Bruce Moncourt was wounded in Kandahar in a friendly fire incident that involved an American warplane. He says he simply can't believe Americans have

elected a president that, in his words, is so dumb. Other former soldiers are quick to make the distinction between the Trump administration and the US military. It's not about the United States Army or the United States Armed Forces. It's about the president of the United States. Retired Major General Dennis Thompson commanded Canadian and American troops in Kandahar and says he stays in touch with many of them. In many cases, they're ashamed. They cannot believe what their president is saying. None of them can accept that Russia is the United States friend.

It's just for them, it just gobsmacks them that he speaks this way. Canada fought alongside the U.S. in Afghanistan for more than 12 years at a cost of 158 dead and 2,000 wounded. speaks this way. Canada fought alongside the U.S. in Afghanistan for more than 12 years at a cost of 158 dead and 2,000 wounded. Marie Brewster, CBC News, Ottawa. Five years after COVID was declared a pandemic, scientists are warning of the possibility of another. This one, the H5N1 virus or bird flu. The virus mutates and spreads quickly and can infect humans. As Jennifer Yoon reports, Canadian public health experts are working to contain the threat. You're preparing the plate with the antigen and then...

Dr. Linda Hwang examines a blood sample at the Public Health Lab at the BC Centre for Disease Control. She's developing an antibody test for bird flu and one of many Canadian scientists ramping up preparations against the virus many fear could cause the next pandemic. It's a matter of when not so much if when avian influenza will affect humans. A recent study suggests H5N1 is just one mutation away from being more transmissible between humans. There have already been two severe cases in North America. A BC teen who was hospitalized for two months and a senior in Louisiana who died. It's circulating widely in wild birds and in American cows.

These infectious agents don't respect borders. Toronto family doctor Andrew Pinto leads a federally funded project preparing Canada for the next pandemic. He worries scientists will have a hard time sharing data, research and information quickly. If a new pandemic was to hit tomorrow we would struggle with certain things. We would struggle with kind of information coordination, making sure the same evidence is reaching different decision makers. International cooperation is

crucial in monitoring and curbing the spread of bird flu, he says. And with birds starting to fly north this year, it'll be crucial that American and Canadian scientists keep collaborating. Jennifer Yoon, CBC News, Toronto. Quebec company Couchetard is still pushing ahead with its efforts to take over Japan's 7-11 chain of convenience stores and today it made its case directly to the Japanese public CEO Alex Miller. We believe there'll be significant interest in what we are doing. We will stand that up with world-class management, world-class infrastructure, and really high quality sites.

CouchTard, which owns Circle K, is offering $47 billion to the owner of 7-Eleven. It's been pursuing this takeover since last August. If it's successful, CouchTard would control about 20,000 convenience stores in the United States alone, but there are 85,000 7-Elevens globally. So far, its owner is stonewalling the bid. And that is the latest national and international news from World Report. If you're enjoying the World Report podcast, and we hope you are, please tell a friend or rate and review us. It helps to spread the word. I'm John Northcott. This is CBC News.

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