Your World Tonight - Kirk suspect arrested, new hate crime laws, electric school buses, and more

Episode Date: September 12, 2025

A 22-year-old Utah man is arrested in the killing of prominent right-wing activist Charlie Kirk earlier this week on a university campus. Authorities say Tyler Robinson’s family and friends convinced him to turn himself in.And: CBC News has learned the federal government plans to crack down on people willfully intimidating and obstructing others who are entering places of worship, cultural community centres, and schools.Also: More than a thousand electric school buses are pulled off the road in Quebec. The fear — they might burst into flames.Plus: Pierre Poilievre on Charlie Kirk, COVID-19 rates up, Canada’s oldest HIV service agency closes after 42 years, and more.

Hugh is a rock climber, a white supremacist, a Jewish neo-Nazi, a spam king, a crypto-billionaire, and then someone killed him. It is truly a mystery. It is truly a case of who done it. Dirtbag Climber, the story of the murder and the many lives of Jesse James. Available now wherever you get your podcasts. This is a CBC podcast. I hear all the time that words are violence. Words are not violence.

Violence is violence. And there is one person responsible for what happened here. And that person is now in custody and will be held accountable. The hunt for a suspect becomes a search for answers in the murder of American political activist Charlie Kirk. A 22-year-old man, now in custody, investigators probing his background, his social media, his beliefs, trying to piece together the killing that is splintering America. I worry for my family. I'll be honest with you. We have had very serious threats. As one country seethes in a culture war, the leader of Canada's official opposition wants to make sure things don't boil over here. This is your world tonight.

I'm Stephanie Scandaris. It's Friday, September 12th, coming up on 6 p.m. Eastern, also on the podcast. Think of a synagogue for the Jewish community, a mosque, a church. We want to add criminal provisions that would prohibit the obstruction of those facilities and the intimidation of the people seeking to use them. Protecting places of worship, the federal government wants to change the criminal code to crack down on protests and gatherings that intimidation. and obstruct outside of religious and cultural buildings,

new legal limits to prevent hate that could also test the boundaries of free speech. For two days, there were only grainy photos of someone in dark clothing lurking on the university campus where Charlie Kirk was shot dead. Now, police in the United States say the suspect is in custody

after a frantic manhunt that ended when a father recognized those images and his son was convinced to surrender. Paul Hunter has more from Washington. Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. We got him.

The relief in the voice of Utah Governor Spencer Cox palpable in announcing the arrest of Tyler Robinson, a 22-year-old from southwestern Utah, now accused in the brutal killing of prominent conservative activist Charlie Kirk. He was just shot.

He was just shot. Kirk, deeply allied with the MAGA movement of U.S. President Donald Trump, was shot in the neck and killed Wednesday during a large open-air event at Utah Valley University. Late last night, say authorities Robinson confessed to his family. I want to thank the family members of Tyler Robinson who did the right thing in this case and were able to bring him into law enforcement. The family said Cox also made clear to police that Robinson had become more political in recent years.

Including, he said, a stated dislike for Kirk and his politics. Cox also described a rifle and bullet casings found near the scene of the shooting. The casings had inscriptions with taunting, meme-style phrasings, such as, he said, Hey, fascist, exclamation point, catch exclamation point. Cox then made an impassioned and lengthy plea to all Americans calling Kirk's killing an attack on all of us, urging the country to step back from the ugly, increasingly violent politics of the moment. We can return hate with hate, and that's the problem with political violence.

This latest killing coming on the heels of a number of other recent attacks, targeting both Republicans and Democrats and Trump himself last year. At some point, we have to find an off-ramp, or it's going to get much, much worse. But see, these are choices that we can make. History will dictate if this is a turning point for our country. But every single one of us gets to choose right now if this is a turning point for us. We lost an unbelievable warrior. On Fox News this morning, Trump himself was asked directly.

How do we fix this country? How do we come back together? I'll tell you something that's going to get me in trouble, but I couldn't care less. Trump said radicals on the right are fueled by the crime they see on the streets. As for those on the left, the radicals on the left are the problem, and they're vicious and they're horrible. Meanwhile, Tyler Robinson awaits official charges, likely next week, and for now is held without bail in Utah. He may face the death penalty. His mugshot shows him hair disheveled, staring blankly into the camera. Paul Hunter's CBC News, Washington.

Pierre Pahliav is reflecting on security in this country in the wake of Charlie Kirk's killing. The leader of the official opposition sat down with CBC Radio's The House, where he talked about some major policy issues facing the federal government, as well as the political climate in Canada. Host Catherine Cullen joins me with details. So, Catherine, first of all, what did the conservative leader have to say about the possibility of violence here and the safety of Canada's political leaders? Well, Stephanie, it is public record that he's dealt with security concerns, including threats of violence against his wife. Both Pauliev and the Prime Minister responded to Charlie Kirk's shooting by saying political violence can never be justified.

I asked Pauliev if he was personally worried. I worry for my family, I'll be honest with you. We have had very serious threats to the point where the RCMP decided that it merited protection for my family and I for over a prolonged period of time. And they've been multiple and they have been serious threats. And I think we need to secure all of our political leaders, not just me. He said anyone who has faced a threat based on the RCMP assessment should get protection so that something like what happened to Kirk does not happen in Canada. He said he's not criticizing the government here.

There is risk, he says, and we should do everything we can to mitigate it. And what about the political climate itself? Pollyhaugh argues that it seems obvious Kirk was killed because he expressed a contrary point of view. It is worth noting we know little at this point about the suspect's mindset. Pahliav says this is a moment to make clear that you can't shut people down because you disagree with them. We talked about whether there's a line in terms of free speech. He says it can't cross over into harassment because that is infringing on someone else's freedom. Catherine, you've covered Pierre Paulyev for a long time now.

What else stood out for you in this discussion? It has been years, Stephanie. And while he talks a lot about selling more of Canada's natural resources to the world, I really haven't heard him talk very much about climate change itself. So I wanted to know, is that something he worries about? Sure, that's why I'm so disappointed with the very problematic approach of the liberal government, which has been to drive up energy costs and block projects from going ahead that would help the environment. So are you an environmentalist, Pierre Pahlia?

Sure, you can call me whatever you like. No, I want to know what you'd call yourself. I mean, we are talking about, like, sea levels rising, worried about loss of biodiversity. You worry about those things. Sure, and I also have solutions. That solution is selling Canadian energy abroad to displace more polluting forms of energy, like coal. He says, I asked if he worries about climate change. Why has he not committed to hitting emissions reduction targets?

He says that would be done easily if Canada could get credit for selling our less polluting forms of energy abroad. I will note, though, Stephanie, the way the system under the Paris Agreement works, it is unlikely that Canada would get such credit. Okay. Looking forward to hearing more of the conversation. Thanks so much, Catherine. Thank you. The host of CBC Radio's The House, Catherine Cullen, in Ottawa there. You can hear more of her interview with Pierre Pauliev on The House. That is on CBC Radio 1, Saturday at 9.30 a.m. Eastern Time, or wherever you get your podcasts.

CBC News has details of the Carney government's plan to address anti-Semitism, Islamophobia, and other forms of hatred. During the election, the Prime Minister promised to respond to what he called a horrifying rise in hate. As Tom Perry reports, the new legislation is expected to crack down on anyone intimidating people or blocking access to religious and cultural buildings. All Canadians must be able to get up, go to their church, temple, mosque, community center, and then come home and sleep soundly at night. And when our laws repeatedly fail to protect those basic rights, we need new laws. This fall, we will deliver, though.

Speaking to his liberal caucus this week in Edmonton, Prime Minister Mark Carney made clear new legislation is on the way to protect places of worship and other cultural institutions. Justice Minister Sean Fraser filled in some of the details. to see in the very near future the legislation dealing with intimidation and obstruction of those participating in their faith community, as well as hate crimes more broadly. A source tells CBC News the government will introduce a bill as early as next week, making it illegal to intimidate, scare, or obstruct anyone trying to access a religious building, school, or cultural center. Noah Shaq, CEO of the Center for Israel and Jewish Affairs,

wants to know more about the plan, but says the government should have acted long ago. Over the last two years, we've seen a skyrocketing of anti-Semitism, hate targeting the Jewish community all across Canada. Shaq says rhetoric around Israel's war in Gaza, a war that's killed tens of thousands of Palestinians and was launched after Hamas slaughtered 1,200 Israeli soldiers and civilians on October 7, 2023, has led to synagogues in Canada being firebombed, Jewish schools shot at and Jewish parents harassed while dropping their kids off at daycare. Muslim Canadians say they too have come under attack. Omar Kamisa, with the National Council of Canadian Muslims, spoke this week in Markham, Ontario,

after police charged a local man with threatening a Muslim family and mosque. We've seen threats against worshippers, assaults against Muslims that go about their daily lives. We've seen Islamophobia graffiti that says deport Islam, sprayed across various buildings. This needs to end. Camisa's group says it's waiting to see what's in the new bill before commenting on it. Some lawyers have argued the legislation could be redundant, as there are already laws that prohibit threats and intimidation. Opposition conservatives say they'll assess the new bill once it's tabled, but add they've

been calling for new measures to protect places of worship for two years, and the government failed to act. Tom Perry, CBC News, Ottawa. The United Nations General Assembly has voted overwhelmingly to endorse a two-state solution to the decades-long conflict between Israel and the Palestinians. 142 countries, including Canada, supported a declaration that condemns both Hamas for the attacks of October 7th and Israel for its actions in Gaza, causing a humanitarian catastrophe. The Palestinian observer at the UN called it a vote for peace.

Israel's U.N. ambassador says the Declaration doesn't recognize Hamas as a terrorist organization and devalues the lives of the hostages. The U.S. also oppose the declaration. Coming right up, bus stopped. Families across Quebec were left scrambling after a dramatic fire on board an electric school bus forced hundreds of vehicles out of service. And COVID-19 in 2025, new wastewater research shows levels of the virus are up in some provinces as vaccine makers try to target the latest variant. Thousands of Quebec parents couldn't put their kids on school buses today, but they may have felt relieved about that. On Tuesday, an electric school bus burst into flames in Montreal,

forcing hundreds of the vehicles to be pulled off the road. As Sarah Leavitt reports, the fire wasn't the first. A dramatic Tuesday morning in a Montreal neighborhood, an electric school bus empty and in flames, thick black smoke spewing into the sky. Valééé-Lééééééle-Tensoree witnessed it all. I looked outside and I saw a huge, huge fire. It was horrible.

Five kids safe. driver pulled over after smelling smoke. Transport Canada is investigating, but it's believed the heating system was to blame. Two other buses, both from the company Lion, caught fire in the past year, one in Ontario, the other in Quebec. Now the Quebec Education Ministry has grounded all 1,200 electric buses across the province for inspections. Jan Simone of LaBalle University says the company Lion was once lauded. It was a darling of the electric revolution in Quebec, Canada and North America. And the reason behind that was that it was, at a time of its inception, a pure electric bus maker. Simons says things for Lyons soon went south, though. In 2021, problems

surfaced in Prince Edward Island's fleet of more than 100, from engine issues to heating system problems. The province scrapped plans to buy more. As a result of what's happened in Quebec, PEI is doing additional maintenance checks. In the U.S., various school boards have have also been vocal over issues with Lyon. Andrew Dulliffe is the superintendent of schools in Yarmouth, Maine. The town received two Lion buses in 2023. Combined in the last two school years, they've been on the road for about three weeks because they have constant error messages.

In December 2024, Lion went into creditor protection with a group of investors then taking over. Some worry the powerful images from the fires will turn people off, electric buses. Nicole Roach is with Green Communities Canada. Kids with young lungs, they're more susceptible to asthma and other respiratory illnesses. So electric school buses significantly reduce any of those harmful particles that they would be breathing in. She says safety checks are important but notes there's less risk in an electric bus catching fire than a diesel one. In Quebec, the pulling of the buses led to hectic last minute drop off and pickups for some parents across the province. Many though, didn't mind.

If they're checking buses for the safety of the kids, that's the most important thing. I'm happy that they're doing this because it's a precaution. Lion has declined interviews but says it's collaborating with operators and transport Canada. Sarah Levitt's CBC News, Montreal. It's the time of year when cooler weather and more time indoors helps drive the spread of colds and the flu. According to new data, COVID is also making a comeback. It's at a much lower level than previous years. But with workers returning to the office, there could be a heightened risk.

Alison Northcott has more. At his lab at the University of Guelph, microbiology professor Lawrence Goodrich and his team fill vials with wastewater and screen it for the virus that causes COVID-19. Wastewater would tell us approximately 10 days to as much as a month ahead of time, ahead of clinical illness, what variants were entering the country and circulating. The latest federal wastewater data shows moderate levels of COVID across Canada

with higher levels in parts of BC, Alberta, Manitoba, Quebec and PEI. Goodrich says the current variant is called XFG or Stratus. That variant causes mild to moderate illness. And we also know that the current vaccines that are in production and will be available in the fall, should provide coverage. It's all kind of going in the same direction. Dr. Lenora Saxinger, an infectious diseases specialist at the University of Alberta, says while there's less monitoring of COVID than during the pandemic,

the available data showcases ticking up. There's been kind of a slow increase in COVID background numbers over the past month or two. And in some places, there's been some kind of more sudden-looking jumps in the wastewater levels. She stresses that people should know. not forget lessons learned from the pandemic, including the use of masks and keeping up with vaccinations. You can't remember when you last had one. It's probably time to consider getting another vaccine update. With more people back at work and school, there are more places for viruses to circulate. At Toronto's busy union station, some are unbothered. I've thrown out most

of my masks because I'm not really afraid of the next pandemic or anything. I've got like the COVID fatigue, right? Because you hear about it over and over and over again. Others remain cautious. just don't know what's around. And thinking about booking a fall vaccine. You know what? I thought I was up to date, but maybe I'm not. I will have to call my doctor. Canada's Vaccine Advisory Committee's latest guidance says people over 65, those who are pregnant or who have underlying medical conditions, should get an annual COVID shot.

Those over 80 or in long-term care should get it twice a year. For everyone else, Dr. Isaac Bogosh, an infectious disease specialist at Toronto General Hospital, says, ask your health care provider. For those who are most vulnerable to hospitalization and death from COVID, the vaccine does a very good job in reducing the risk of that. And with flu and other respiratory virus seasons on the horizon, Boghash says that kind of protection will be particularly important. Each province and territory will have its own vaccine rollout most starting next month.

Alison Northcott, CBC News, Montreal. Canada's oldest and largest HIV service agency is closing its doors. The AIDS Committee of Toronto, known as Act, has been helping people living with the virus for more than four decades. During that time, medical advancements have improved outcomes. But advocates say patients still need help from organizations like these. Nicole Williams reports. The purpose of this press conference is to announce the formation of the AIDS Committee of Toronto.

That press conference was in 1983 at the height of the AIDS HIV crisis. The committee's goal to combat the stigma mostly impacting gay men at the time. Act will work to prevent the fear about AIDS that has spread in the United States. Since then, the organization evolved to provide social and mental health services to members of the community in Toronto. Now, more than 40 years later, the AIDS Committee of Toronto or Act, is shutting down. The needs of the communities we serve has changed significantly

in the last 42 years. Ryan Lisk is Ack's current executive director. He says demand for its services has plummeted, as has both government funding and donations. We're not in a time where we have lots of money to be as innovative or responsive as we would like to be. That's because the circumstances of those living with HIV AIDS in Canada have changed. There are more resources for them than ever before, and treatment has also improved

dramatically. Dr. Jonathan Angel is an Ottawa-based physician who has been treating patients for the last 30 years. Medication is relatively simple and straightforward. People that are diagnosed reasonably early and take their medication to live long and healthy lives. Transmission rates are down, and the number of cases worldwide has dropped significantly. But according to statistics, Canada. An estimated 65,000 people were living with HIV in the country by the end of 2022. That's up 5% from 2020. Experts say many of those are newcomers immigrating from countries where treatment isn't as readily available. This is a heartbreaking moment. Shaman Mohammed Jr. is founder and president of the nonprofit organization Let's Stop AIDS.

He says the closure of act leaves behind a critical gap for the AIDS. HIV community. It was a space, a safe space where other individuals could come to learn about HIV, to get the services they need, and also be in a space that's welcoming to be part of this community. Owero Alberto says that's exactly what he found in Act when he moved to Canada more than 10 years ago, being HIV positive. I wasn't able to say one word in English. And the first thing that they do, they help me to be connected to English as a second language.

Act says it will begin winding. finding down operations over the next six months with a plan to officially close its doors by the end of March next year. Nicole Williams, 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. They are isolated and increasingly worried about wildfire. Residents of an island in the Bay of Fundy are dealing with the driest summer on record. And with wildfire risk up in Atlantic Canada, people in Grand Manan, New Brunswick are watching closely, knowing their geography will make an emergency even more dangerous. Kayla Hounsel reports. Grand Manan fire chief Philip Brown and his deputy are down by a pond hauling hoses into the water to fill their trucks in case the call comes. They're bringing the water back to the fire hall for a tank that usually fills with rainwater.

This summer, we've had no rain. It's been a lot drier than normal, and it's getting dangerous. Along with Digby across the bay in Nova Scotia, Grand Manan in New Bray, Brunswick has been the driest spot in the maritimes this summer. In fact, it's the driest summer on record. The only way to get to the island is by taking a 90-minute ferry ride from mainland New Brunswick, and the chief says that brings unique challenges when it comes to wildfire. There's only us until somebody else comes, and you can only chase it so long. You might wonder why an island is worried about running out of water, but Brown says his cruise can't use ocean water because the salt impacts the electronics in their trucks.

Hans and Brooks are dangerously low. There's no municipal water supply, and he says the fire risk is very real. A house fire earlier this month was fully engulfed by the time firefighters arrived. They fought to stop it from spreading into the woods. Take off. That concern is so real, residents formed a drone group, scanning the skies for smoke. If sooner we can get people on the fire, the better. Chris Spicer and his son have done 74 flights so far.

He says it started when smoke from a wildfire burning in Nova Scotia caused panic. If we're in trouble, we're in bad trouble because it would take hours, if not days for other departments to come and help us. I'll call this regular council meeting in the village of Graham and and order. It's a topic at village council meetings these days. Mayor Bonnie Morse says she's been forced to think about the worst case scenario. What if there is a wildfire and she has to get everyone off the island in a hurry? Recognizing you can't just get in your car and drive down the road if there is an emergency and you need to leave. Around 2,600 people live here.

With two ferries, we think in just over 24 hours, in theory, you could move everybody off the island, including tourists and visitors. She says she's already spoken with New Brunswick's Premier to let her know she might need some help, But Chief Brown, who's been a firefighter here for 45 years, says as they work to protect their island home. I know it's family. It's just we're a big family. What they really need is rain. Kayla Hounsel, CBC News, on Grand Manette Island, New Brunswick. We close tonight with the opening drive of a history-making football season.

Ready, break! Wolf's not me! They are pumped up on Prince Edward Island and ready to kick off a game changer for football in the province. The first all-girls tackle football team in PEI history. The Cornwall Timberwolves under 18 varsity team is just about ready to take the field. 14-year-old linebacker Brindley Letner can't wait. This is my fifth season and for there finally be a girls team. It's awesome.

So I feel like we've been pumped up for this, waiting for it, and it's finally here. Most of the team has experience on a football field, but until now, it's been on boys' teams or playing flag football. Letner says she's looking forward to the chance to go head-to-head against other girls, and it sounds like her opponents need to watch out. I just enjoy the thrill of it. I've always been a stronger person, taller person. So I've enjoyed getting to do the bashing, too. Like hitting people, especially when you're someone who can't get hit around too much. It's pretty fun to do the hitting.

The lineup is made up of players from across PEI. And as the first and only girls' team in the province, the Timberwolves are playing against teams from New Brunswick. The players say they're dedicated and don't mind traveling to games. Executive Director of Football P.E.I. Steve Letner says the sport is growing on the island. A lot of these females that are here also play on the high-level flag team. So with their athletic, they know they're just excited to have this opportunity. And to finally happen something, it might be their last year.

So to be able to do this before they leave the audience, awesome. The season and a new chapter for football and PEI all starts tomorrow night. This has been your world tonight. for Friday, September 12th. Thank you for being with us. I'm Stephanie Skandaris.