Your World Tonight - Fuel tax relief, Israel/Lebanon talks, GLP-1 for fatty liver disease, and more

Episode Date: April 14, 2026

One day after gaining a clear majority government by sweeping three byelections in Ontario and Quebec, Prime Minister Mark Carney announces a temporary suspension of the federal excise tax on gas and diesel. The move is expected to cost government coffers about $2.4 billion, and last until Labour Day.And: The U.S. State Department says today’s historic Israel-Lebanon talks were a productive first step toward full negotiations. Without specific commitment, there are already plans to talk again. And with just eight days left in the U.S. - Iran ceasefire, pressure is mounting for them to restart their stalled dialogue.Also: A new study shows GLP-1 drugs can treat fatty liver disease — even in patients who don’t lose weight. The patients can take lower doses of the drug and still benefit, so they may be able to avoid the side effects. The Canadian Liver Foundation says the disease affects at least 25 per cent of Canadians, and can be fatal if left untreated.Plus: Protesting changes to refugee health care, opposition position in face of Liberal majority, and more.

In a nearly unprecedented set of circumstances, Mark Carney has won his majority government. I'm Jamie Poisson, host of the Daily News podcast, Frontburner, which is really worth a follow this week because the political drama is far from over. How durable is this majority government? Does it spell the end of Pierre Polyev's conservative leadership? Follow Frontburner so you can stay on top of this fast-moving story. This is a CBC podcast. We accept the results with both humility but also determination because it's a vote for the government's plan, those deputies and for the government plan. We know we need to continue to work with all parliamentarians. We will do so.

A sweep of all three by-elections, a prime ministerial promise to make parliament work. But the opposition says Canada didn't vote for this liberal majority. This is your world tonight. I'm Stephanie Scandaris. It's Tuesday, April 14th, coming up on 6 p.m. Also on the podcast, Not good enough. Canadians cannot afford to gas their tanks. We want all gas taxes eliminated for the rest of the year.

The liberals aren't doing that. Prime Minister Mark Carney is introducing a short-term fuel tax holiday, as Canadians feel pain at the pumps. But is it a responsible temporary measure? Or as the conservative leader says, too little too late. Plus, Israel and Lebanon hold their first direct talks in decades. Mark Carney has come a long way in a short time, from never holding a seat in Parliament to securing a majority government all in roughly a year.

The Liberals, of course, are calling it a victory. The opposition calls it betrayal. It's certainly an unusual path to more power. So let's hear what it means for Canadians. Marina von Stackleberg begins our coverage from Ottawa. Fresh off his biggest political win yet, Prime Minister Mark Carney laced up his hockey skates at a rink in Ottawa for a photo op with the Finnish president and a victory lap. After scoring a minority government last spring, the liberals have now clinched a majority. Those goals now have a smoother path with more power in parliament.

Carney used the moment to announce a new affordability measure, a temporary tax. cut on gasoline and diesel and a promise of an update on federal finances in two weeks. Very clearly, Canadians want government to govern to take action. Winning three by-elections last night, two in Toronto and another north of Montreal, gives Carney a razor-thin majority of just a few seats. It means the liberals won't have to woo any votes from the opposition to pass legislation or get blocked by political tactics. There's a difference between real testimony, real substance, getting to issues, debating aspects of law advancing.

That's the job of parliamentarians and showboating. We're going to have less of that. A liberal majority adds stability. Each confidence vote won't risk triggering an election. Carney may be able to govern for years until the next fixed election date. The Prime Minister says he has no plans to send Canadians to the polls anytime soon. We do have a parliamentary majority now, and that is the product in the last 24 hours of strong support. It's also the result of five floor crossings. Never before has a Canadian government cobbled together a majority in this way. Carney did it by wooing conservatives and new Democrats alike.

One of those new MPs, Dolly Begham, left her job as the Ontario NDP's deputy leader to run for the federal law. liberals. I think people are right now looking for unity, looking for stability. Polls show Carney remains popular with voters. In a Toronto subway station, commuters have mixed views on his new majority. I think it's kind of a travestia in terms of how many people actually cross the floor. I don't know how we can, you know, really accept that in Canada. I just think it's a vote of confidence. I just think it makes him more powerful. And in this case, that's a good thing. Carney's majority is a remarkable comeback story for the Liberals,

who less than a year and a half ago were headed for total defeat. Marina von Sackleberg, CBC News, Ottawa. Opposition parties have been slamming the Prime Minister for the way he's pieced together this majority government, as you heard from Marina, convincing several elected opposition members to leave their parties and join the Liberals. Most of those floor crossers were conservatives. Kate McKenna has more on what that party may do next. This Prime Minister has manufactured a costly majority

that Canadians rejected in the last election. Conservative leader Pierre Pollyev is bowing to hold on to his job, even after floor crossers from his party gave the liberals what the Canadian public did not, a majority government. Polyev is taking no blame. And I will continue to lead that fight in this House, across this country, and in the next election, when we as Conservatives will work to restore the country that we all know and love.

Thank you very much. Are there any lessons learned from last night's results? None. Publicly conservative MPs like Costas Menagakis say they're standing behind their leader. He's awesome. He's fantastic. He's well-informed. He has the experience. He's on top of the issues.

He cares about Canadians. Despite clearing major hurdles, Poliev can't seem to put questions about his leadership to rest. In January, he sailed through... a leadership review with 87% support. Last month, he was applauded for representing Canadian interests on major international podcasts. But last week, a fourth conservative MP crossed the floor,

and liberal sources say more could be coming. His hold on the leadership remains fragile and tenuous. Conservative strategist Regan Watts says what happens next will be a test for the conservative leader. The next few days and weeks are going to be critical to deciding whether or not he can maintain his leadership of the part. party or whether the change will be ready. Behind the scene, sources say caucus morale is low. And while some MPs are pleased there's no election looming, others are frustrated about being years away from

potentially forming government. The Conservative caucus could vote to remove Polyev's leader. That's what happened to former leader, Aaron O'Toole. Sources say that avenue has been discussed by some caucus members, but they're not aware of any active push to get the 28 signatures required to start the process. The Prime Minister was asked whether Pollyev should step aside. I don't. That's an unfair question. I don't, I can't look into the heart of Mr. Poliyev. I respect him as a parliamentarian as I do the other leaders of the other parties and we'll continue to work with him. What that looks like will probably change. With a majority, the liberals can take control of parliamentary communities.

committees giving conservatives like ethics critic Michael Barrett less control and calling and questioning witnesses. But that doesn't mean that we're going to stop advancing, you know, those accountability measures. All opposition parties will need to adapt to the new reality if the majority holds through the next three years. Kate McKenna, CBC News, Ottawa. The Carney government says it's focused on affordability. That fuel tax cut announced today will start on Monday. 10 cents per liter for gas, $0.4 cents per liter for diesel. For some, it's welcome news, since gas prices have spiked over the past two months. For others, it's not nearly enough. Peter Cowen reports from St. John's. In St. John's, drivers at the gas station are paying $1.92 a liter. So a 10 cent a liter cut in gas taxes, has people pumped.

It's great. Price has been going up so much. It's good to have some relief. I think that's fantastic. Any savings is good savings, I guess. The federal tax won't come off until Monday and will only last until Labor Day. The government says it's giving up almost $2.5 billion in revenue. Prime Minister Mark Carney says it can afford to because higher oil prices mean higher revenues for the federal government. Today's cut to the fuel excise tax is a responsible temporary measure. Today, Conservative leader Pierre Pollyev said the cut should be extended until the end of the year. But Franco-Terosano from the Canadian Taxpayers Federation wants it to last even longer.

though it's temporary, it should be permanent, but making life more affordable by cutting taxes is a good thing. Truckers will save four cents a liter on diesel. Airlines are expected to save $40 million this summer by not paying the $4.cent a liter tax on jet fuel. But Pedro Antunas, chief economist at Signal 49, says don't expect flight prices to fall. I think we're already seeing fuel surcharges on airfare, and I don't know that this will be enough for those surcharges to come off. go, but it's still about 46 cents a liter higher. Even lower gas prices on Monday aren't guaranteed. After all, it's not taxes that have driven prices higher this year.

It's the war in the Middle East. Patrick DeHan, who's in charge of petroleum analysis for gas buddy, says a lot of oil production is still shut down. There is the potential with energy markets and oil prices very volatile, that if something does escalate later this week on Thursday or Friday, that may offset part of that 10-7-0-1-7-liter savings coming to gasoline and 4 cent a liter savings coming to diesel. Refiner's are also moving to a summer blend of fuel, another price pressure.

Without access to Middle East oil, the world is dealing with a shortage. And reducing the price could increase how much Canadians use. Joe Kalnan, with the Canadian Global Affairs Institute, says the government needs to encourage people to cut back. Maybe through programs to help push people to use public transit more, maybe encourage working from home. Back at the pumps, Any savings is good savings these days, whatever we can to save money.

For those who do drive a lot, they'll take whatever help they can get. It's better in my pocket. Peter Cowan. CBC News, St. John's. Coming right up with just over a week until the end of the temporary ceasefire, there are signs the U.S. and Iran could restart talks, while Israel and Lebanon are talking face-to-face for the first time in more than 30 years. And Canadian researchers unlock an unlikely treatment. for a severe form of illness.

We've got the latest twist in the use of GLP1 drugs. Later, we'll have this story. Major changes are coming to the federal refugee health care program. The move comes as the program's costs continue to grow. We are going to unfortunately see a downstream explosion in emergency room visits. But critics say the move may backfire and impact an already vulnerable population. I'm Jamie Strachan in Toronto. story coming up on your world tonight.

The U.S. State Department says today's historic Israel-Lebanon talks were a productive first step toward full negotiations. Without specific commitment, there are already plans to talk again. And with just eight days left in the U.S.-Iran ceasefire, pressure is mounting for them to restart their stalled dialogue. But fighting between Israel and Hezbollah and the uncertainty surrounding the Strait of Hormuz could shatter that fragile truce. Katie Nicholson has more.

This is a process, not an event. This is more than just one day. This will take time. Secretary of State Marco Rubio cautioning against hopes of rapid progress as representatives from Israel and Lebanon met in Washington for face-to-face talks for the first time since the early 1990s.

All of the complexities of this matter are not going to be resolved in the next six hours, but we can begin to move forward to create the framework where something can happen, something very positive, something very permanent. One of the goals to hammer out a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, the Iranian-backed militia group embedded inside Lebanon. Though Hezbollah doesn't have a seat at the table and says it won't honor any agreements that come from the meetings.

All while, another second set of talks between Iran and the U.S., now looking likely, says U.N. Secretary General Antonio Gutierrez. The indication we have is that it is highly probable that these talks will restart. After last weekend's 21-hour negotiation session went nowhere, the U.S. instituted a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, targeting all ships entering and exiting Iranian ports. Today, Guterres urged against escalation. International navigational rights and freedoms,

including in the Strait of Hormuz, must be respected by all parties. criticism of the U.S. blockade has piled up from China, whose foreign affairs spokesperson called it a dangerous and irresponsible move in the International Chamber of Shipping. I think it's a retrograde step. German designate John Denham. The whole world trade is based on freedom of navigation. We don't want tolls, we don't want debargoes, we don't want blockades.

Clayton Siegel is an energy expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies and he floated the idea of a U.S. blockade last month. My proposal for the blockade was really to send a message and to send a signal that Washington can also apply leverage on Tehran. Siegel's thinking was that a blockade would only need to be in place for at most a week or two as leverage to get back to the negotiating table. I'm not really sure what the Trump administration's intentions are in the application of this blockade.

I do have some optimism that it might not get worse from here. But there is already plenty of damage done by this war in its knock-on effects of strangled marine traffic and oil flows through the street. The International Monetary Fund's chief economist Pierre Olivier Gorincha had been hoping to ride a wave of financial momentum into 2026. A war in the Middle East has halted this momentum. The IMF delivered three possible economic scenarios with distinctly more grim outlooks today. The impact of the war will be uneven, it said, but it will be worse for Iran's neighbors in the Gulf. Katie Nicholson, CBC News, Washington.

In Lebanon, the effect of the war runs much deeper than economics. Hezbollah and Israel are far apart on how to end hostilities, while people caught in the middle cope with devastating Israeli attacks. Chris Brown reports from Beirut. In Washington, the talk may be able to, about peace, but in Beirut, they're still digging for the dead as the war between Israel and Hezbollah rages. Lebanese health officials say more than 350 people were killed six days ago, as Israel claims it hit 100 Hezbollah targets in just 10 minutes. At this site in central Beirut,

recovery workers are still expecting to find bodies amid the twisted steel in concrete. Israel make a fire on this building, which is my family. An Israeli rocket hit right next to Ahmed Zainadine's store and his apartment across the street. His previous home was destroyed in Beirut's enormous port explosion in 2020. This time, it was from a deliberate act of war. I have a son two years old. When he hear a small voice or anything, he put his hand on her ease. traumatized.

Yeah. Scared. The Lebanese have been dealing with conflicts, occupation, and chronic instability as long as most people here can remember. And last week's attacks are testing the country's resilience yet again. Sabah El-Kurdie was among

the more than 1,000 people reported injured. Her legs were shredded by fragments from an Israeli missile. The shockwave hit me in a way I know, I will never fully overcome, she said. Hezbollah invited the media to visit another site where it says Israeli missiles killed innocent people, including 19-year-old hotel management student Abbas Harredin.

His father, Mohammed, says his son was just sitting at home. He had no weapons or nothing, and Israel never provides any evidence for their crimes, he said. The unmistakable smell of decaying flesh rose from the debris where other bodies remained. buried. Israel says the attacks were directed at Hezbollah headquarters and infrastructure. The militant group has said talking to Israel is pointless and it rejects the whole idea of the Washington negotiations.

We asked prominent Hezbollah politician Hussein Al-Haj Hassan what peace with Israel looks like to him. He said dignity and pride cannot discriminate. Everyone deserves it, implying Lebanese people are being wrong. robbed of both. It was no time for a follow-up, though, because of a sound every Lebanese knows by heart, the high-pitched wine of an Israeli drone flying overhead.

It quickly broke up the gathering. Chris Brown, CBC News, Beirut. Advocates across the country held rallies today protesting changes to health care for refugees and asylum seekers. Starting next month, they will have to cover a share of the costs of some services. and prescription drugs. Jamie Strassion explains why and the mounting pushback. We are here today joining 12 cities in eight provinces and territories across the country.

To say no to... In Toronto and in cities across the country, a warning about changes coming to refugee health care. People are going to get sicker. They're going to delay seeking care. As of May 1st, refugees and refugee claimants will have to cover 30% of supplemental coverage, things like mental health care.

dental care and vision, and a $4 fee for each eligible prescription medication filled or refilled. Dr. Rithika Goal, a Toronto family doctor, predicts the impact will be felt immediately. Blood pressure medication is a great example. Very cheap, very easy to access, but if you can't pay for it, then you're more likely to have a heart attack or a stroke. Dr. Samantha Green, who sees many refugee patients in her Toronto practice, says the increased cost around mental health services, concerns her most. Many do experience symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder and without essential mental health supports, it will be difficult for those people to recover, to integrate into Canadian society, to thrive here. There has been growing pressure to rein in the interim federal

health program or IFHP that provides health care to refugees, refugee claimants and those who have had claims rejected but remain in Canada. In 2020, the program, taxpayer is around $200 million. This year, nearly $900 million, growing to an estimated $1.5 billion by 29. Ottawa says these changes will protect services for eligible beneficiaries. I think that we are going to unfortunately see a downstream explosion in emergency room visits. Constance McIntosh, director of Dalhousie's Health Law Institute, says the plan changes may end up costing taxpayers even more.

People's as health care conditions are going to deteriorate to the point that they require that ER care, which will in fact be covered. So we are saving dollars now and spending far more dollars later. In 2012, former Prime Minister Stephen Harper's government cut most supplemental benefits covered by the program. A federal court struck down those changes, calling them cruel and unusual. Macintosh predicts these changes being made by the Liberals could see a similar fate. Jamie Strasson, CBC News, Toronto. You're listening to Your World Tonight from CBC News.

And if you want to make sure you never miss one of our episodes, follow us on Spotify, Apple, wherever you get your podcasts. Just find the follow button and lock us in. Toronto's new WNBA team has signed its first Canadian, Ontario's own Kia Nurse. Little me in Hamilton, 20 years ago, this would have been in my wildest rooms. And I wouldn't even have thought this was a possibility. So this is absolutely insane.

Nurse revealed the news on social media. The 30-year-old has been in the WNBA for seven years and is a former All-Star. She's also played for Canada in three Olympics. The Toronto Tempo kick off their first season, May 8th. It's a home game against Washington. They were made for diabetes, became famous for weight loss, and now GLP-1 drugs are showing real promise for treating a severe form of fatty liver disease. It's a condition that affects millions and until now had few effective treatments.

Canadian researchers say they have figured out why the drug works, even when patients don't lose any weight. Senior health reporter Christine Birak explains. This new finding, I think, is. really exciting for us. Dr. Daniel Drucker is the Canadian scientist whose lab discoveries made Ozempe and Wagovi possible. Standing in his lab at the University of Toronto, he says most experts thought GLP1 drugs like somagliteide improved people's liver function due to weight loss. Turns out that's not entirely true. What our lab has discovered is that there are very important

rare cells in the liver that do respond to somaglactide. completely independent of weight loss. The findings published today in the journal Cell Metabolism suggests, based on mouse models, GLP-1s show real promise for treating mash, a serious fatty liver disease that can lead to cirrhosis or liver failure. The condition affects about one in four Canadian adults and is the leading cause of liver transplants.

I think you're wise not to usually report on mouse studies because most things we do in mice don't translate perfectly well to humans. I think in this case, what they're using the mice for is to explain an observation that we really are seeing in people. Dr. Jordan Feld is a researcher and liver specialist at the University Health Network in Toronto. He says researchers showed GLP1 drugs act directly on the liver, activating rare cells that reduce inflammation. Feld says that suggests patients may not need very high doses,

potentially lowering the side effects. Mice that didn't lose weight saw liver improvement, a finding that matches human trial data. Even people that aren't getting up to the level of actually achieving weight loss with this drug, they may still see a significant benefit in terms of their liver disease. I did a non-invasive test. I found out that 70% of my liver had fat. Michael Battelle is the president and founder of the Fatty Liver Alliance in Toronto. He says fatty liver disease is driven by genetics, diet, and inactivity,

and cases are rising quickly. Recently, Health Canada conditionally approved Wagovi as the first drug treatment, for the disease. The fact that we now know that patients treated with GLP1 can benefit from the liver improvement regardless of the weight that's lost, it means that more people will get benefit because they won't stop therapy early. They have still hope. And for researchers, this finding opens a new chapter of understanding into how GLP medications actually work. Christine Barrack, CBC News, Toronto. Finally tonight.

That's Toronto cobbler Alizar Bayonnei at work. Not long ago, he feared he'd have to close his small business after 23 years. His crucial patching machine had broken down impossibly expensive to replace. That's when customer Marcia Shander stepped in. I brought my boots in and I wanted the zipper fixed. And Alazar looked sad and said, actually, my machine is broken. There's no way I can do this for you. it costs $11,000 to get a new machine

and I can't get this one fixed. Shander sprang into action with an online fundraiser. Contributions from nearby and all over the world soon paid for a new machine and then some $15,000 raised in all. Bayonne and his family, including his two daughters, are thrilled. Beyond my expectation, you know, how it blows up like, it goes like a viral.

He's definitely dedicated to his craft. So it's amazing to see that he's getting that recognition. Back in business, Bayonne is paying it forward. The extra cash is going to a group that fights for the rights of garment and footwear workers. This has been your world tonight for Tuesday, April 14th. I'm Stephanie Skanderas. Good night. For more CBC podcasts, go to cbc.ca.ca slash podcasts.