Your World Tonight - Fires in Los Angeles, Liberals meet, Greenland rebuffs Trump, and more

Episode Date: January 8, 2025

Fires are out of control around Los Angeles. Tens of thousands of people have been told to evacuate. Thousands more are on standby. There have been deaths and injuries, and over 1000 homes and businesses have been lost. Hurricane force winds have prevented firefighters from getting control of the fires. The weather has shifted over time, so instead of fire seasons, officials now talk about a year of fire.And: Two days after Justin Trudeau said he would leave, the Liberal party caucus met and talked about what’s next. One big name has already said he won’t run: Finance Minister Dominic LeBlanc. The main concern for whoever does step up: How to deal with the Donald Trump administration in the U.S.Also: Canada’s government isn’t the only one trying to respond to Trump. Greenland is trying to make it clear: The territory is not up for grabs. Yesterday, Trump would not rule out using military force to take it over.Plus: How does Meta’s change of heart on fact-checking affect Canada? How can doctors who move here find work? And more.

Mama, look at me. Brum, brum. I'm going really fast. I just got my license. Can I borrow the car, please, Mom? Kids go from 0 to 18 in no time. You'll be relieved they have 24-7 roadside assistance with intact insurance. This is a CBC Podcast. There's no words to even describe how heartbreaking the memories are gone. That's a life, that's your entire life. You don't get that back. Absolute loss in Los Angeles as devastating and deadly wildfires rage,

hillside mansions and entire neighborhoods are burning to the ground. Scenes of real destruction in a city built on Hollywood make believe. And with the wind not letting up and the water running short, the effort to fight the flames is being pushed to the limit. Welcome to Your World Tonight. It is Wednesday, January 8th, just before 6 p.m. Eastern. I'm Susan Bonner, also on the podcast. There's a lack of leadership right now at the federal government and someone has to stand up.

Our country's not for sale. It will never be for sale. With Justin Trudeau vowing to step down, Ontario's premier is taking a lead role, fighting the heat coming from Donald Trump. Just days away from taking power, the President-elect is stepping up his threats against Canadian trade and sovereignty.

Widespread disaster, zero, containment. All hands on deck. What sound like blockbuster movie titles are actually some of the phrases California fire officials are using to describe the situation in Los Angeles tonight, as they urge more than 70,000 people to escape multiple raging wildfires. Two people are dead. More than a thousand homes and businesses destroyed. Yvette Brand reports. I grew up on this block. I saw the other Algenia fires and it was nothing like this. Nothing like this. J.D. McCurdy watched his neighborhood go up in flames. He spoke as he drove away. He's one of tens of

thousands of Californians scrambling to leave. In the Los Angeles neighborhood of Pacific Palisades, long lines of cars crawled to a stop. Tricia Consentino escaped the gridlock and ran for her life. There were flames on either side of us. The car was very quickly getting smoky. We had wet towels over our faces. Many others fled their cars. We got in the car to go and then all the cars were abandoned so I had nowhere to go. So I just had to get out of my car and start walking. The smoke is so bad.

Altadena resident Mark Simington, thankful. He stood hugging family outside smoking remnants of their home. We did take all of our family pictures and a few valuable paintings out last night. So, you know, all the stuff that's here is replaceable. of their home. We did take all of our family pictures and a few valuable paintings out last night so you know all the stuff that's here is replaceable people are not so so having the family is the most important thing. Homes, businesses burned in Pasadena to the east the ferocious Eton fire forced the evacuation of a large synagogue and a senior center where this man carried residents to safety as people gathered in pajamas in the chaos of a dark smoky parking lot.

It's tough. It's tough. They can't get up. They're stuck on the wheelchairs. We've got to lift them up, put them in the vans and then take the wheelchairs at the same time. So you got to get everybody out of here. LA firefighter David Ortiz described the fight to save houses forced to make tough decisions with water and short supply. To defencify work. Once the fire gets into the attic it's really not an efficient use of resources so we're going to try to find a better opportunity to save a building that hasn't been touched yet. In Los Angeles, Universal Studios theme park and Disney closed headquarters. Major networks like

ABC and CBS shut down production on big ticket shows given the threat of fire and choking smoke. U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris's home was evacuated. President Joe Biden is grounded in LA where he's been debriefed by fire officials. Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Morrone had a clear warning. The National Weather Service has predicted a continued red flag weather event with strong winds and low humidities placing all residents of Los Angeles County in danger. So for now the deadly winds aren't letting up. Yvette Brent, CBC News, Vancouver. Those severe winds are a regular occurrence in southern California.

What's different here? The hurricane strength and the timing. Combined with other climate factors that's creating the perfect firestorm. Science reporter Anand Ram explains. Mother Nature's in charge here and we're just reacting to it. Firefighters in Los Angeles County may feel like they're at nature's mercy right now, but these are known forces at work. Dry brush. Powerful winds, the kind of conditions that wildfires need and thrive in. But what's shocking right now? The timing.

Lyndon Pronto is a fire expert at the European Forest Institute. Destruction on this scale is not often seen in the month of January. We basically have a year-round fire season in California. Three factors are coming together. The first, hot, dry conditions. This is typically a rainy part of the year for the region. But... We also had a drought in Southern California over the last six or eight months or so. So the summer has been very dry." Stefan Dohr is a global wildfire expert at Swansea University in Wales.

He says this recent dry spell came after two years of drought-breaking rain, which unfortunately helped the second factor in these fires. We've had quite a good vegetation growth over that period. So now we have a lot of vegetation that has become very dry during that drought. Then comes the factor Californians expect. The Santa Ana winds racing down from the mountains at speeds sometimes greater than 100 kilometers per hour. Further drying out the fuel and helping flames jump. It's like taking a leaf blower to a campfire.

Sylvia D is a climate scientist at Rice University in Houston. She says our warming planet driven by humans pumping fossil fuels into the atmosphere has added hotter and drier conditions overall. What's worse, these fires create a feedback loop. And so it's really a double whammy of the carbon emissions from the burning trees themselves. But we're also losing that carbon sink from the landscape as these trees burn down. And with those strong winds expected until the end of the week, people in the hills may wake up to more red sunrises and may have to leave at a moment's notice.

Anand Ram, CBC News, Toronto. Coming up on the podcast, the urgent push to prepare for a Donald Trump induced trade war. Canada's federal and provincial politicians scramble and it's not just Canada rocked by Trump's expansionist plans. Canadian politicians are scrambling to figure out how to manage Canada's tense relationship with incoming US President Donald Trump as he continues to threaten massive tariffs and muse about Canada becoming part of the US. Kate McKenna has the latest from Ottawa.

I know the premiers have a strong plan but we want to see where the federal government stands right now. Ontario Premier Doug Ford says the provinces are stepping up as the federal liberals are in turmoil. There's a lack of leadership right now in Ottawa. Today Ford pitched a plan to boost the energy partnership between Canada and the United States. It's his latest charm offensive to convince President-elect Donald Trump to abandon his plan to slap big tariffs on Canadian goods. Canada's premiers met this afternoon to talk about those tariffs and Trump's latest threat to use economic force to annex and acquire Canada. The near daily Trump taunting about making Canada into a state has hit a chord.

They'd have to find us on a map, it'll take them maybe a few years. Federal Immigration Minister Mark Miller has some harsh words for Trump. It's silly, it's unbecoming frankly of a president, any president that would say that but we do have to take it seriously. Trade Minister Mary Ing says these comments can't be taken lightly. We are taking it seriously and we will respond seriously as well. Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Andrew Fury agrees. The threat and our sovereignty is completely unacceptable. Sovereignty comes at an incredible price. A price paid by blood by Canadians and Newfoundlanders and Labradorians. And to try to take that away is going to come at a significant cost.

I think we should stop trying to psychoanalyze him, wondering if it's leverage. Louise Blay is a former Canadian ambassador to the United Nations. I think we have to take him at his word at this point. It is what he has clearly said. He's not retracted. It's not been, his staff didn't come back and say no, no, no. This is not what he meant. He went, it is now the policy of the United States of America.

All of this is unfolding during a period of major upheaval in Ottawa. This week, the Prime Minister announced he will resign once a new liberal leader is chosen and pause parliament for nearly three months. I think it could be really bad. As I said, I think it's one of the most consequential economic moments this country has been in for quite some time. Robert Asselin speaks for the Business Council of Canada. He says those tariffs would mean big layoffs. The situation is not ideal, obviously, given what happened this week, but it is what it

is. And as I said, this is the prime minister right now, and he needs to face the situation. A senior government source says Canada is finalizing a retaliatory tariff list. The source says it'll include goods intended to put maximum political pressure on Americans. The list could include steel products, ceramics and glassware. And they're debating whether to publish the list before Trump's inauguration. This says premiers are set to meet with the Prime Minister next week and travel to Washington next month.

Kate McKenna, CBC News, Ottawa. Running parallel to the turmoil over Trump's threats to Canada, the race to replace Justin Trudeau. While the list of official contenders is still small, we know of at least one big name not planning to enter. Tom Perry has the details. Justin Trudeau on his way into a meeting with his caucus, a meeting to chart his way out as prime minister and liberal leader. While liberal insiders weigh whether to enter the race to replace Trudeau, one of his long-time

lieutenants, Dominic LeBlanc says he's out of the running. Last night and then after sleeping on it this morning I decided that the most important thing I should do over the next few months is my job as Minister of Finance and Intergovernmental Affairs. LeBlanc says right now his priority is Canada's economy and the dangers posed by incoming US President Donald Trump. And I will be solely focused on the real economic threat that American tariffs represent to the Canadian economy and to Canadian workers.

Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Jolie says she too is preoccupied with what's going on in the US, though a leadership bid is still a possibility. I very much know that I'm the Minister of Foreign Affairs at a time where it's extremely difficult with the American administration, the incoming one. And so that's why I'll continue my reflection. Others are reflecting as well, including Employment Minister Steve McKinnon

and Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson. And I am continuing to have discussions with my colleagues. At the end of the day, I want to ensure that this is a race that is a robust race that discusses important issues. And I have not yet made a decision, but I'm certainly actively considering it. There are other names in the mix. Former Deputy Prime Minister Christia Freeland, former Bank of Canada Governor Mark Carney, and former BC Premier Christy Clark. Whoever comes out on top will have a tight time frame to take the reins of their party, take over as Prime Minister, and head into an election, all while dealing with whatever policies come out of Washington. Liberal MPs like Ken MacDonald admit the timing isn't ideal. We're right into a leadership race now and a bunch of people stepping up to say I want to be prime minister and so on so it's going to be a it's only rough couple of months

I think with people beating each other to this. Justin Trudeau will meet with the Liberal Party's executive tomorrow to work on hammering out the rules for this race with the clock ticking on an election here at home and the return of a highly unpredictable administration in the U.S. Tom Perry, CBC News, Ottawa. It's not just Canada dealing with threats from Donald Trump. Politicians in Europe making it clear today Greenland is not up for grabs after Trump asserted his plans to take control of the Arctic Island. Chris Brown now with a closer look at the threat and how people in Greenland are responding.

Like Canadians, people in Greenland's capital, Nook, are struggling to understand how seriously to take Donald Trump's threats. Would you like to become an American? asked the reporter. Not me. I don't want that, he said. You can visit us, says a woman, but nothing else. We need it for national security. That's for the free world. Trump stunned the world by suggesting Denmark

should turn the giant island over, and he said he wouldn't rule out using force to get it. Greenland is immensely rich in minerals, and its Arctic location makes it strategically important. Its 57,000 mainly indigenous people have been a self-governing territory of Denmark for centuries, although the US does have leases for military bases on the island. Arriving in Copenhagen earlier on Wednesday, Greenland's Prime Minister Mute B. Öhl called Trump's comments serious and added Greenland belongs to Greenlanders. Denmark's foreign minister gave a cautious

response. I don't think we're in a foreign policy crisis, says Lars Rasmussen. I see a president on his way into the White House who has a heightened focus on the Arctic." But Trump's remarks, implying using force against a NATO ally and unilaterally redrawing national borders, have rattled Europeans. Every country must adhere to the inviolability of borders, said Germany's Chancellor Olaf Scholz. France's Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barreau said talk of changing national borders is a non-starter.

Have we entered an era that sees the return of the survival of the fittest? The answer is yes. And so should we let ourselves be intimidated, let worry take over? Of course not. Incredibly beautiful place, the people are incredible, the welcome was... Trump's son Don Jr. flew into Nook for a few hours on Tuesday, presumably to underscore his dad's seriousness. But Danish security analyst Lin Mortensard says until Trump actually makes an official move, caution by the Danish government is likely wise. They've been extremely diplomatic in their response

and emphasizing that we need to keep calm and maintain friendships and alliances and not disrupt them. Greenlanders were already in the midst of an emotional debate over their island's future, with many determined to end its colonial status and dependency on Denmark. But few appear to believe swapping Danish rulers for American ones is a serious option.

Chris Brown, CBC News, London. A man convicted for his role in the January 6th attack on the U.S. Capitol has been arrested in Canada. Anthony Vaux was part of the crowd that stormed the Capitol in 2021 to protest Trump losing the election. He was arrested and sentenced to nine months in jail. But rather than reporting to prison in June, he came to Canada to claim asylum. Vaux says January 6 rioters have been subjected to unfair treatment. He said he's expecting a full pardon once Trump takes office. Canadian Border Services says he was arrested in Whistler on Monday. Social media is one of the most influential forces on the planet.

And finding the truth on one of the biggest players could soon get tougher. Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, is ditching its fact-checking program in the U.S. for free speech. of Facebook and Instagram is ditching its fact-checking program in the US for free speech. So far, changes are not affecting Canadian feeds, but some analysts suggest it may just be a matter of time. Anis Hidari explains why. Hey everyone. I want to talk about something important today. The CEO and founder of Metta, Mark Zuckerberg, announcing in an online video

changes are coming to Facebook and Instagram. The recent elections also feel like a cultural tipping point towards once again prioritizing speech. One of the ways he plans to do that? First, we're going to get rid of fact-checkers. Instead of some posts having their accuracy double-checked, other users will be able to post a community note, essentially calling out if a post seems fake or inaccurate to them. It's how things are done on X, formerly known as Twitter.

And that suggests that it will be a bit more of a free for all. And I think that will certainly create some discomfort. Michael Geist is the Canada Research Chair in Internet and E-commerce Law at the University of Ottawa. He says meta-clawing back on fact-checking is part of a swing away from heavier moderation when it comes to incorrect or harmful posts online. Given the Trump administration, the end of the online harms bill in Canada, and the changes is I think going to affect not just Facebook and Instagram users, but it is likely to be replicated by other social media and internet platforms as well.

A proposed Canadian law that would create a new online harm regulator has evaporated because the Liberals prorogued Parliament. Though Metta's move to get rid of fact-checkers isn't happening here yet, the company told CBC News it will be working on the US first before rolling out elsewhere. But social media companies track records are often spotty when it comes to monitoring content. The platforms cannot be counted on. That has been true. This doesn't change it that much.

Angus Bridgman is the director of the Media Ecosystem Observatory at McGill University. And he says another problem, it's about to get harder to know what to trust. Because US companies like Metta don't provide a lot of information about how their sites work. So both experts and average regular Facebook users can't fully assess what's going on. And that's just enormously problematic in a time when our public conversation, we're going into a leadership race for the liberals and then we're going to likely go into a federal election. At a time when Canadians are paying attention and need to understand

how the information ecosystem and how the online conversation is being shaped by, by the way, American actors. There are some changes Facebook and Instagram users may notice right away. There's no longer a ban on saying 2SLGBTQ plus people suffer from mental illness if they say they're gay, lesbian, or transgender. And a word that starts with R used to insult those with developmental disabilities, it's not banned anymore either. Any sadari, CBC News, Calgary. Israeli forces say they have recovered the body of a hostage who is being held by Hamas

in Gaza. The IDF recovered Yosef Al-Zayadna's body from an underground tunnel in the southern city of Ra'afah. The IDF also says it has evidence that raises concern about the life of Al Zayedna's 22-year-old son. The two were among about 250 people taken by Hamas during the October 7th attack in 2023. Officials say dozens of hostages are still alive. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken says talks in Qatar for a ceasefire deal include the release of hostages. We're very close to a ceasefire and hostage agreement.

We've talked about this too in recent days. I hope that we can get it over the line in the time that we have left, but if we don't, then the plan that President Biden put forward for a ceasefire hostage deal will be handed over to the incoming administration. And I believe that when we get that deal and we'll get it, it'll be on the basis of the plan that President Biden put before the world back in May. The U.S. is also engaged in the region militarily. It carried out a wave of strikes in Yemen. The military says it was targeting underground arms facilities used by Iran-backed Houthi rebels. The group has been targeting ships in the region, saying they're supporting Hamas in its war with Israel. Many of you know the stats.

More than six and a half million Canadians don't have access to a family doctor. Our immigration system may contribute to the shortage. Some experts say newcomers must overcome several barriers to practice here, despite international training. They are not alone. A recent survey by CBC News suggests 9 in 10 immigrants struggle to find work in their field. Vanessa Lee looks at some of the challenges. I have faced so many hardships, you can say financially, emotionally, physically.

Faiza Amer never expected the process of getting her doctor's license in Canada would be so difficult. She was a physician in Pakistan and Dubai. She heard about the doctor shortage here and wanted to help, arriving in Surrey, British Columbia three years ago. As she studies for her second Canadian medical exam, she is desperately searching for a job to provide for her family. They say bring us Canadian experience. So from where we will bring if we are not working?

My dreams and my passion, which is to be a doctor. Ismenda Ramirez is also a trained physician from the Dominican Republic. Despite passing her exams two years ago, she hasn't been able to land a residency, a crucial stage where doctors gain hands-on experience. I just think it should be like more transparent and just telling us what is it that we need to do. A major issue is the lack of residency spots. The Canadian Resident Matching Service says last year, 95% of graduates from Canadian

schools landed a placement, but only 42% of international medical graduates were successful. That means 931 didn't get a placement. Stephanie Price is with the Federation of Medical Regulatory Authorities of Canada. In order to put more people into a residency program, you have to have more people there to be the mentors. And so I think that is a significant bottleneck. Another complication, all 13 provinces and territories have separate licensing requirements. Dr. Joss Reimer says as the president of the Canadian Medical Association,

even she finds the process difficult to understand. So the complexity is really challenging for somebody who's coming to Canada, trying to figure out what exams they need to write and what other types of process might be required. It's really challenging for somebody who's coming to Canada, trying to figure out what exams they need to write and what other types of process might be required. It's really complex. An alternate path, something called a practice-ready assessment, is also an option in nine provinces. The first step, candidates are evaluated under the supervision of a physician

for at least 12 weeks. But to qualify for the program, they must have recently worked as a doctor. To me, I just feel we are letting talents waste. Ogeni Figo Akpomi had to go back to her home country of Nigeria last year to get that experience. It's a big challenge because there are lots of things going back home. It's not safe. In Ontario and Quebec, advocacy groups say

there are more than 3,500 international medical graduates with the vast majority not working in their field. There are fears doctors will simply leave if changes aren't made to make the process more simple and transparent. Vanessa Lee, CBC News, Toronto. Returning to our top story, the severe wildfires raging across Los Angeles. One of the largest and most destructive is happening in the Pacific Palisades and the fire is turning a neighborhood many movie stars call home into a real-life disaster scene.

We really need people to move their cars so that these fire trucks can get up there. It's really, really important. Thank you for talking to us live, sir. What's your name? My name is Steve Gutenberg. Steve, do you live in this area? I live in the area, I live right up the hill. And they can't evacuate because it's stuck on Palisades Drive. Yeah, and you're an actor?

Yeah, I'm an actor. Okay, now you look familiar to me now. That's Hollywood actor Steve Gutenberg being interviewed by a local news crew. The upscale neighborhood is favored by celebrities and stargazing tours. Residents include Tom Hanks, Steven Spielberg, Eugene Levy, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry. Standing in my driveway getting ready to evacuate. We've got a lot of planes going over. Actor James Woods posted a video of the moment he was forced from his home last night.

This morning Woods was at a hotel telling CNN about the frantic moments he helped rescue a 94-year-old neighbor before the flames destroyed everything. You know, there was so much chaos. It was like an inferno. And he got him out, and the house burned down about an hour later. He would have been in there alone.

It was just... And then Robert called us and told us that that house had gone and the house below that and then the house on the other side. And then that everything I own is in this room. Every single thing that I own is in this room. We got a basket of laundry, glasses, pills, and then the keys to our car. The fires are forcing the cancellation of several star-studded events in LA,

including movie premieres and nominations for the Screen Actors Guild Awards. Thank you for joining us. This has been Your World Tonight for Wednesday, January 8th. I'm Susan Bonner. Talk to you again.