Your World Tonight - Indigenous Veterans Day, More U.S. flight cancellations, Small town hockey, and more

Episode Date: November 8, 2025

First Nations, Inuit and Metis peoples have a long history of military service to this country. Though every major conflict -- and in times of peace. From before Canada was even a country, up to the present day. Their contributions are being honoured across the country today - as part of Indigenous Veterans Day.Also: Canadians so far are dodging the worst of American flight cancellations brought on by a U.S. government shut down that shows no signs of ending. But hundreds of flights are still being cancelled or delayed for many Americans - as the busiest travel holiday of the year looms.And: It's far from the bright lights of the NHL. But for fans of the Northern Premier Hockey League, it might be even better. Putting up high quality games and fierce local rivalries in some of Ontario and Quebec's smallest hockey towns. We'll take you to Lindsay, Ontario for one of them.Plus: Microplastics in Nova Scotia lobsters, the CFL's financial woes, and more.

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Donate at lovescarbro.cairbo. This is a CBC podcast. My father served in the Korean War when he was just 17 years old. He found it safer to fight in the Korean War than to go to school. Canada's indigenous veterans face tough battles, both abroad and at home. The country's marking Indigenous Veterans Day to Day, shining a light on wartime experiences and the discrimination that awaited those who returned.

Welcome to Your World Tonight. I'm Kate McGilfrey. Also on the podcast, Canadians are so far dodging the worst of American flight cancellations brought on by a U.S. government shutdown that shows no signs of ending. And... I want to ensure that when autism is represented in media, that we're consulted with, and I think this show really sets the precedent of what that can look like. A new show puts the interviewer's mic in the hands of autistic Canadians and celebrities in the hot seat.

This latest attempt to represent neurodiversity on TV, aiming to succeed where other shows fail. First Nations, Inuit and Métis people have a long history of military service to this country. Through every major conflict and in times of peace, from before Canada was a country, up to the present. Their contributions are being honored across the country today as part of Indigenous Veterans Day. Michelle's song has our story. We want to honor them and give them something and let them know we appreciate them. Dozens of veterans, active service members, and their families gathered in front of Toronto City Hall. They lined up each with a handful of tobacco to throw into a sacred fire to honor soldiers who died in battle.

And with the traditional song, they commemorated Indigenous. Veterans Day. Thousands of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit men and women served in the military, from the War of 1812 to the two World Wars and in Afghanistan. This is his country, our country, to begin with. Grandmother Liz's father volunteered to serve in the Korean War at just 17 years old, all in hopes to escape the Nova Scotia residential school he attended. So he found it safer to fight in the Korean.

war than to go to school where they dealt with horrific conditions in the school. Even though her father fought for Canada, she says when he returned, he continued to face discrimination. When he came back, it was worse because he wasn't recognized. He had no voting rights. He had nothing when he came back. Starting as a grassroots movement in Winnipeg in the 90s, Indigenous Veterans Day soon became a national event.

But this year is the first time the day was officially recognized by the province of of Manitoba. And in that city where it all began, a pow-out to commemorate those veterans. Randy Gage served in the Vietnam War for the U.S. military and has lived in Canada for about 35 years. She says she's been fighting for Manitoba to recognize this day for decades. When they finally said yes, I cried, and I'm not a cry. The Manitoba government recently passed Bill 210.

The Indigenous Veterans Day Act. In Lactubani, Manitoba, the Manitoba Métis Federation acknowledged the veterans with a song, a moment of silence, and a prayer. Amen, Marcy, Megwitch. I think by joining the military, it gives us a voice. Ray Deer is a veteran and the president of the Royal Canadian Legion's Mohawk Branch 219 in Quebec. He says serving in the military gave him the chance to share his culture with his comrades. It gives us a voice that can be heard amongst the Canadians and the Americans

because they know we serve alongside them. Without doing that, without serving alongside them, you're more than invisible. And for those First Nations, Inuit and Métis veterans across Canada's history, their community hopes they will be remembered by all Canadians, and not just today. Michelle Song, CBC News, Toronto. U.S. senators are spending the weekend working on a deal to end the federal government shutdown now well into its second month. So far, there's no agreement, and even if there was, it's coming too late for travelers

who continue to navigate hundreds of canceled or delayed flights, all as the busiest travel holiday of the year is looming. Chris Reyes has that story tonight. It spent all day in the airport yesterday, and by the time I got to Dallas, there were no flights to Orlando, so the airline did give me a voucher for a hotel, and an Uber and a meal. Crystal Whitaker is just one of many U.S. travelers who are still in limbo as the Federal Aviation Administration cuts to flight capacity extend to this weekend.

Other passengers are having to go above and beyond just to get to their destination. We've been here since 4 this morning, but the thing is, there's no flight to Syracuse. So we're going to Raleigh, North Carolina, then we're going to Buffalo, then someone has to pick us up. Well, I'm here about an hour or two earlier than I would. would normally get to the airport. So yeah, I'm a little concerned. The FAA started with a 4% reduction of flights on Friday at 40 of the busiest airports in the U.S., including Atlanta, New York, and Los Angeles. The FAA cited safety concerns in making the cuts. TSA agents and air traffic controllers are on the federal payroll, and with the U.S. government shut down,

many of them have been working without pay. Some just don't show up and others are stretched to the limit. Dan McCabe is with a National Air Traffic Controllers Association. They feel desperate, hopeless, mad, and there just appears to be no end in sight, and it's a problem. By next week, cuts could increase to 10% of flight capacity across the U.S. So far, international flights are exempt. About 400 flights travel between the U.S. and Canada daily. Mike Arnott is with Sirium, an airline analytics company. He says the FAA. is more likely to concentrate on cutting domestic routes with Delta, United, and American Airlines. Working with those three major carriers in the United States, they can ease the burden on U.S. ATC air traffic

control much easier than the relatively small number of Canadian flights. So Canadians, I think, should feel comfortable with their travel plans in the future and certainly over the next couple of weeks. Are not adds that the real concern might come in a few weeks when Thanksgiving and Christmas hit. The number of passengers that are going to fly on the Wednesday to Sunday of Thanksgiving are going to exceed last year by 2%. In fact, Thanksgiving Sunday will be the busiest U.S. domestic travel day of the year. So that is a major challenge that's looming for all of the parties involved,

airlines, customers, and the FAA. Mr. Crapo, I. The Senate opened debate for an emergency Saturday session, but the wrangling between Republicans and Democrats continues. Both sides blaming the other for refusing to pass a funding bill needed to reopen the government. The shutdown is now in its 39th day, the longest in U.S. history. Chris Reyes, CBC News, New York. A grounded container ship on Newfoundland's west coast is being damaged by extreme wind and rough seas.

The Canadian Coast Guard says the MSC Baltic 3 has been hit hard over the last few days. The storms caused the bow and stern to move, and salvage crews report damage to the ship's equipment and debris floating to shore. The ship ran aground in Lark Harbor back in February, and the Coast Guard says they probably won't be able to get it out until next summer. Cruise continued to work to remove the fuel oil on board before it can leak into the ocean. Still ahead, it is far from the bright lights of the NHL, but for fans of the northern premier hockey, hockey league, it might be even better, putting up high-quality games and fierce local rivalries in some of Ontario and Quebec's smallest hockey towns. That's coming up on Your World Tonight.

From Nova Scotia comes a new study confirming an unsettling reality. Microplastics are everywhere. In this case, it was lobsters under the microscope. A team at Dalhousie University looked at the edible portions of Nova Scotia lobsters and found tiny pieces of plastic in every bite. But as Frances Willick tells us from Halifax, it's still not clear whether that's enough to affect human health. I wasn't too surprised to learn that there were microplastics present. Lead researcher Amber LeBlanc says she wasn't shocked when microplastics were found in lobster meat because the particles are so widespread. Of the 16 lobster tales her team studied from four commercial fishing areas, every single one had microplastics, about six to seven particles in every gram of

meat. The size of them, though, was very surprising. Just, they're so, so small. And then just the fact that they seem to potentially be coming from so many different sources. The sources include polyester fibers from clothing and marine-grade plastics. Each particle is invisible to the naked eye, about 30 times smaller than the diameter of a human hair. So to find them, the researchers used a special dye that makes the microplastics glow under a microscope. There are a growing number of studies on the occurrence of microplastics in humans and wildlife. Memorial University chemistry professor Carl Jobst studies the impacts of microplastics on health. His work has found microplastics are present in human blood and placentas, though there is still uncertainty

if the exposure is high enough to cause adverse health effects. Job says the lobster studies results are important, but it's too early to draw conclusions about potential health effects. I think it's important to study the matter, but I'm not sure I'd be ready to conclude that consuming lobster would represent a significant source of exposure. We should be I'm careful to draw too many conclusions. Stuart LeMont is with the Tangier Lobster Company, which exports Nova Scotia lobsters to 13 countries. He says he's not overly concerned about the study's effects on lobster consumption.

Lamont notes microplastics have been found in a wide variety of foods. And unlike some other proteins, lobster is a celebration food eaten just a few times a year rather than several times a week. But he says he'd like to see. more research. What is the circumstance in beef? What is the circumstance in poultry, fruit and vegetables, pork, you name it. I think it's a widespread issue. Both the researchers and seafood industry representatives say, given the small sample size, more research is needed to determine the potential health effects of microplastics on the lobsters and on consumers. Francis Willick, CBC News, Halifax.

Dr. Mike Smith, who plays bubbles on the show Trailer Park Boys, has been charged with sexual assault. Police in Halifax laid the charges early last month for an alleged assault in 2017. These allegations have not yet been tested in court. In a statement, the show's production company says Smith has stepped away from his role as managing director. He's expected to appear in court on Monday. Smith was previously arrested and charged in 2016 for domestic battery in Los Angeles. Those charges were later dropped. U.S. President Donald Trump has exempted Hungary from sanctions over its purchasing of Russian oil.

The White House says the exemption will last for one year. It's a major victory for Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who has previously said that the sanctions would ruin Hungary's economy. But it came at a hefty cost. As part of the deal, Hungary's agreed to buy U.S. natural gas for hundreds of millions of dollars. The U.S. imposed sanctions on two of Russia's largest oil companies last month and threaten sanctions on any country that buys from them. It's a tragedy that sparked a protest movement. The collapse of a concrete canopy at a Serbian rail station last November

killed 16 people. It also created an anti-corruption movement in the country that is still going strong a year later. Freelance reporter Guy Delani went to commemorations in the city of Novi Sad last weekend and brings us this report. It's the day before the commemoration of the Novisad Railway Station disaster. and it seems like half of Serbia's second city has turned out to welcome people

who've travelled in by foot and bicycle to pay their respects. This crossroads in the centre is absolutely packed and it's a party atmosphere. What I expect from this commemoration gathering is for even more people to wake up, even more people to realise that we cannot keep living in a system that is corrupt this much.

Alexandra studies automotive electronics at Novisad University. She helped to coordinate the commemoration. Something needs to change, and every single person has to do something to try to change these things. Because if we just keep ignoring the problems, the problem will not disappear. Students across Serbia have maintained the protests for a full 12 months. Initially, they demanded accountability and transparency for the railways. station disaster. Now, they're simply calling for elections to root out the endemic corruption they blame for the canopy collapse, which killed 16 people. But what makes the student-led protests

really stand out is their resilience. The young people see these ruling classes as obstacles to their future and well-being. Sartjan Sviich is a political scientist at the Belgrade Center for Security Policy. This entire youth was described in the polls as apolitical, apathetic, and all sorts of things that really I think sociologists should be asking and pollsters themselves a question, what did they get wrong in all of this? Serbia's president Alexander Vucicic has struggled to quell the protests. He's tried everything from removing his prime minister to accusing the students of taking orders from unnamed foreign powers.

But ahead of the commemoration, he took a different tack. He apologized for his behavior and called for reconciliation. I invite those who are protesting to come, to express their wishes, and to participate in the conversation, the debate, says the President, not through ultimatums, but through dialogue. That didn't convince the students. They want elections, not talks. and it seems like tensions are rising again in Serbia's capital, Belgrade.

This week there have been disturbances in front of the National Assembly, where the mother of one of the victims of the railway station disaster is staging a hunger strike demanding justice. Some supporters of the governing progressive party mocked Diana Harka, whose son Stefan died in Novi Sad. She insists that Serbia has to change what she calls its rotten system. I'm only interested in justice. I want to know who killed my child, she says.

As long as I stand on my feet, I won't give them peace. They'll be held accountable for this because this is a crime. One year on from the Novisad disaster, a meaningful resolution seems as far away as ever. Winter in Serbia may once again see temperatures rising. Guy Delaney, for CBC News, Novisad, Serbia. It's a big day in the Canadian Football League. This afternoon, the Montreal Alouettes won the Eastern Final against the Hamilton Tiger Cats. The Alouettes advanced to their second Great Cup match in three years.

They'll face the team that wins the Western Final. tonight with the Saskatchewan Rough Riders playing the visiting BC Lions. Today's winning teams will face each other next Sunday in Winnipeg for the 112th Grey Cup. But for all of that drama and excitement, it comes against the backdrop of a league that has been struggling for years, both to draw crowds and to stay afloat financially. Here with more is sports journalist Ed Klyman in Hamilton. Ed, we've heard that the health of the CFL has been an issue for many years. Where do things stand now?

Well, Kate, I have to admit that I'm old enough to remember the heyday of the CFL back in the late 1970s, early 1980s. And I also remember when the CFL was facing an existential threat back in the mid-1990s. I would say we're kind of somewhere in between there. You know, back in the 90s, when they had those big problems, they expanded into the United States into Shreveport and Baltimore and Sacramento. And it didn't work out too well. They left all those places. But they managed to survive as a league. And here we are now today.

And I would say right now, it depends where you are. If you're in Winnipeg or you're in Saskatchewan, the CFL is an amazingly good shape. Winnipeg, they sold out every one of their games, over 32,000 fans per game. First time in franchise history, they've sold out every game. And in Regina, the smallest market in the CFL, they're not too far behind at over 28,000 games. But how about in Canada's largest market? In Toronto, only 15,000 per game. So if I look across the league, according to Stuart Johnson, the new head of the CFL,

seven of the nine teams are not into profitability right now, but they have very stable owners who are patient and hoping to get there. The other two I mentioned Winnipeg and Saskatchewan. They've got no issues there whatsoever. So I'd say things aren't great for the CFL, but they're not horrible. And I think this league still does have a future. All right. Well, there are more and more sports leagues coming to Canada these days.

There's more competition for eyeballs. What does the CFL need to do? This is the big question for Stuart Johnson. And if I look at his predecessor, Randy Ambrosey, his priority was to get a team in Eastern Canada, whether that was in Halifax or Quebec City. It's long been felt that the league needs to get to 10 teams. That didn't happen. And when Stuart Johnson came in, he said, I'm going to put expansion on the back burner.

What I want to do is get things stabilized financially and try. to grow what we already have. In his mind, how do they do that? And he feels that it's changing the rules of the game. And this is actually very controversial. So next year, there'll be some minor modifications. The following year, there'll be some major modifications where the actual dimensions of the field will change, where they put the uprights will change. It will actually be more in sync with football play in the United States, which has a lot of people upset up here, including Nathan Rourke, the star Canadian quarterback for the BC Lions. A lot of other people think This is bang on. This is exactly where they need to go because the National Football League is so popular here.

So no matter what new leagues come in, the NFL, it's going to do really well in Canada. It's proven it's on an upward trajectory. And the CFL has kind of, in some respects, ridden the coattails of the NFL. In other respects, they're kind of competing with them a little bit. If they can be a little bit more in sync with the NFL, the thinking goes young people who are really into the NFL will also get into the CFL. We'll see if that all pans out. Okay. Journalist Ed Clyman in Hamilton. Thanks, Ed.

Thanks, Kate. Halton Hills, Tilbury, Lindsay. These small Ontario towns aren't known nationally as hockey hotspots, but that doesn't mean you can't find high-quality hockey there. It might not be the NHL, but as freelance journalist Denis Grignon tells us, it's the next best thing. Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, let's make some noise where you're Lindsay and

Mark there. I've been coming to this arena since it's been built. It's the best hockey that's ever been in this arena. Kevin West is pumped. It's the home opener for his beloved barn cats at his local arena in Lindsay, Ontario. The first in a 20-game season with the Northern Premier Hockey League. In the small towns that host the teams, this level of hockey is a big deal. Just something to rally around. There's tough times out there. It's just something to feel good about. The NPHL features a kind of hodgepodge of players, ranging in age from early 20s to mid-40s, some who played major junior A or high-level university, to many who were once pros in Europe, the American Hockey League, and even the NHL.

Yeah, we get the chance to play the way it's meant to be played, you know. At 36, Evgeny Petrenko is the oldest member of the Westport Lumberjacks, tonight's Barncats' opponents. When we're out there, nothing else exists, and we want to win the game and give it everything we got. Giving it their all for no compensation, though travel is covered. So why not just stick to a more casual game of shinny with buddies? Barncats forward Sam Dunn played pro in France last year,

before that with the Quebec ramparts, coached by NHL Hall of Famer, Patrick Walk. Pick up hockey situation, kind of just out there to have fun, float around, do a couple too many moves on defensemen. And coming out and playing a game like this, where it is really competitive, that's a little more interesting for me. And the hockey is interesting, fast, exciting, with plenty of hits, and yes, even the occasional fight. Two of them on this night, in fact. Sherry Trumbull, sister to brother Steve, who co-owns, manages and sometimes coaches his barn cats, Is the team's physiotherapist, so she can vouch firsthand for the toll this game takes on players' bodies. They're bringing it every game. So, yeah, I do a lot of work on them before the game.

It could be emergency stuff in between the periods. This is full on and it's exciting. It's true hockey. Barncat's centerman, Darren Doherty, is on the sunnier side of 40, though his chiseled body would suggest otherwise. By day, he sells barbecues. He speaks to the intent. that can lead to that emergency stuff between periods. There's lots of guys who don't like each other. Most of the times you can have a beer after and say, hey, let bygones be bygones. But there definitely is some hatred out there. Not quite the NHL, but arguably not amateur either.

So says devoted Barncats fan and a kind of local legend in these parts, 60-something John Bukaboon, who won a Memorial Cup and played pro in the Detroit Red Wing system. They all can skate, they all can pass. rather watch them the junior games. They have to go to work the next day. If this had been available to you, would you have taken it if they came to you and said, hey, John, please? I think so. If it was here, I had an opportunity. I was still in shape, yeah. Because it's in your blood, you're not playing for money. Denny Grignale, for CBC News, Lindsay, Ontario.

In the new CBC show, the Assembly, Canadian celebrities, face a group of 30 interviewers. Those interviewers have one thing in common. They're all autistic. The Assembly has had many versions around the world and has been both celebrated and criticized. Magda Gabra Salase reports. Welcome to the Assembly. It's the show that promises no question is off limits. In the hot seat, Canadian celebrities like musician Jan Arden, comedian Howie Mendel, and actor Maitre Ramakrishna.

On the mic, interviewers who are on the autism spectrum. Do you love yourself? What led you to have an affair? What is your biggest insecurity? That's Margo Wask asking Howie Mendel that last question. Being on the show for Wask was groundbreaking. I want to ensure that when autism is spoken about or represented in media that were consulted with, and I think this show really sets the precedent of what that can look like.

But at first, Wask was hesitant about taking part. It had to do with how autism is represented. presented on other shows, like the dating series, Love on the Spectrum. Cheers to us autistic people. It can be very infantilizing a lot of times where, you know, specific music is played over and the way that it is edited is just kind of diminishing what an autistic person is potentially capable of. That show has been a success for Netflix, but culture writers like Sarah Kurchick have given it

mixed reviews as well as the assembly's many versions around the world. I do feel in its presentation it can be a little tokenized in terms of like, we have no filter, what questions will come with it. Kirchik is autistic. She's written about how autism is depicted on fictional shows like The Good Doctor, and programs featuring real people too. While she's happy autistic and neurodivergent people are being centered in the assembly, she's critical of how some audience members have reacted to shows like this.

the viral clips that are passed around are always like, oh, it's so sweet, it's so heartwarming. And you know what, autistic people can be sweet and heartwarming, like any people can. But there is more to our experience than that. Executive director, Sean DeVries, says expanding the audience's understanding is a goal for the show. Because it's a great show and a great interview, not a great interview by autistic and neurodivergent folks, but just simply a great interview. What I say about it. Wask is pleased with her experience, but is aware of something. of the negative reactions to other shows.

You're never going to be able to please 100% of people with your approach. But she says you can do your best. Magda Gepra-Salesa, CBC News, Toronto. We'll end tonight with a nod to Canada's unheralded rock and roll heroes, who, thanks to a 2005 video game, could reach for guitar greatness from their own living rooms. Guitar Hero was released 20 years ago today, arming players with a plastic guitar-shaped controller. It introduced a generation to the classic rock hits of decades gone by.

To score points, players hit fret buttons on their controllers in time to the music on screen. All that strumming and banging making its own plasticy rhythm along with the songs, sounding something like this. Since guitar, Hero first came out, there'd been nearly 20 versions on multiple platforms, often promoted by real rock stars like Slash and Lenny Kravitz. The last one came out 10 years ago, and though game critics liked the more realistic plastic guitar that came with it, sales were underwhelming. And the franchise put down its pick.

But for all of you with a plastic axe still sitting somewhere tucked away in a closet, why not take it out? Maybe you're finally ready to name. the Freebird solo. This has been your world tonight for Saturday, November 8th. I'm Kate McGilvery. Thanks for being with us and rock on.

Good night. go to cbc.ca slash podcasts.