Your World Tonight - Landmark social media addiction decision, Air Canada CEO under fire, high speed rail opposition, and more

Episode Date: March 25, 2026

A California jury finds both Meta and Google liable for harming children who use their services. A 20-year-old plaintiff argued the companies got her addicted to social media as a child, and that exacerbated her mental health struggles. The jury awarded her $3 million US, and another $3 million in punitive damages.And: A message about a tragedy on the tarmac proves to be a public relations disaster for the CEO of Air Canada.Also: The proposed high-speed rail between Toronto and Quebec City is getting some pushback. The first phase of public consultations is wrapping up. It is billed as “nation-building”, but some rural residents worry it could end up tearing their communities apart.Plus: A check-in on Australia’s social media ban for kids, Iran rejects U.S. ceasefire plan, a tax break on new homes, and more.

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We'd love to talk, business. This is a CBC podcast. This is a victory and we all feel vindicated. But like until it has to be coupled with legislation because this could just be like, okay, this is just the cost of doing business. Parents react after a jury in the United States rules meta and YouTube knowingly put their children in harm's way, creating platforms that hooked young people into addictive behaviors,

even self-harm. Welcome to Your World Tonight. I'm Susan Bonner. It is Wednesday, March 25th, just before 6 p.m. Eastern, also on the podcast. One of his employees died. He died and he didn't even make the effort to read a message written by his team in French. A message about a tragedy on the tarmac is proving to be a public relations disaster for the CEO of Air Canada. One of the pilots who died in this weekend's crash in New York was a francophone from Congress. Quebec. When CEO Michael Russo released a video offering his condolences, he did it in English. That's leading to public complaints, calls for his resignation, and a summons to Ottawa.

A young woman in California blamed endless scrolling on Instagram and YouTube for her depression, anxiety, and self-harm. And she argued the addiction didn't just happen. It was by design. Today, a jury agreed and ordered META and YouTube to pay millions in damages. Alexander Silberman has more on a high-stakes battle with big tech that's just getting started. Crowds of supporters react outside a Los Angeles courthouse after a California jury found META and Google responsible for a young woman's mental health issues, awarding her $3 million U.S. Surreal. It feels surreal. The young woman's lawyers argued Instagram and YouTube were deliberately designed to be addictive

and that the companies knew the platforms were harming young people. The case, one of two major decisions against social media companies, in the span of two days. The jury answers yes. On Tuesday, a New Mexico jury determined meta-knowingly harmed children's mental health. It agreed with prosecutors that the company, which owns Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp, prioritized profits over safety and violated state law. META argued it's being blamed for complex social issues that can have many root causes. Raul Torres is the state's attorney general.

It should be a clear signal to everyone in this space and to Mr. Zuckerberg in particular, that enough is enough. The jury in New Mexico also determined META concealed what it knew about child sexual exploitation on its platforms. ordering the company to pay 375 million U.S. in damages. Both of these cases represent something of a reckoning for the entire tech industry. Karmie Levy is a tech journalist and analyst in London, Ontario. He likens the cases to the fight against big tobacco. They are watershed landmark moments in the fight to get social media platforms recognized as dangerous to their users.

The verdicts come as a wave of lawsuits against social media companies enter the courts, including in Canada. Several Ontario school boards are suing meta, TikTok, and Snapchat, alleging the platforms cause widespread disruption to education. What we really need is regulation. Duncan Embury is a lawyer at Ninstein-LLP, the firm representing the school boards. It gives us confidence that what we've been saying all along is, is, something that needs to be said and something that needs to be acted on. Meta and Google are expected to appeal the verdicts in California and New Mexico. The companies repeatedly insisted there is no scientific proof that social media damages mental health.

But with more lawsuits coming, the tech giants are facing the potential for more legal and financial losses that could force changes to how their platforms work. Alexander Silberman, CBC News, Rich on. The backlash against the CEO of Air Canada is getting bigger and louder. The Commission of Official Languages in Ottawa says it has received hundreds of complaints about Michael Russo. The airline's top executive did not speak in French in a video commenting on the victims of Sunday's plane crash in New York City. It's led to anger in Quebec. Federal government ministers mindful of how charged the issue is are lining up to hold Russo

to account. Tom Perry reports from Ottawa. Today is a very somber day at Air Canada. It was supposed to bring comfort. Instead, a video message posted by Air Canada's CEO, Michael Russo, has sparked political fury. Thank you. Merci. Except for two words.

Bonjour and merci. Russo's address was delivered entirely in English. This, despite the fact the plane involved in the deadly crash at LaGuardia Airport had just flown in from Montreal, and that one of the two pilots killed was a francophone from Quebec. He promised to bring the French. Quebec Premier Francoisle ago today pointed out Rousseau promised five years ago. Soon after he was named Air Canada CEO, he would do his best to learn French. This after a disastrous encounter with reporters in Montreal back in 2021, who asked Rousseau

why he hadn't picked up the language despite living in the city for more than a decade. I've been able to live in Montreal without speaking French. And I think that's a testament to the city of Montreal as well. Logo says if Russo still hasn't learned French in all this time, he should step down. It shows a lack of respect for his francophone staff and passengers, Lagos says. If he can't speak French, he should resign. On Parliament Hill, Black Quebecois leader I Francois Blanchet echoed that. You should leave.

You should acknowledge the fact that he doesn't have the requisite respect for Quebec society and all French Quebecers and French Canadians to keep the job he has presently. Prime Minister Mark Carney wouldn't go so far as to call on Rousseau to step down. But expressed in both official languages his dismay with what he calls the Air Canada CEO's lack of judgment and compassion. I'm very disappointed as others are, right. so in this unilingual message of the CEO. Opposition conservatives say Air Canada's board of directors needs to decide Russo's fate. The House of Commons Committee on official languages has summoned Russo to testify.

The Federal Language Commissioner, meanwhile, reports receiving hundreds of complaints about his online post. As for Air Canada, it's released a statement saying its CEO felt it was. important to speak personally immediately after the crash, but that despite Rousseau's efforts, his ability to speak French did not allow him to convey such a sensitive message as effectively as he would have liked. Tom Harry, CBC News, Ottawa. Coming right up, Ontario says it will drop the HST on some new home sales

in an attempt to temporarily boost construction jobs. Also, Ottawa's backing plans for a high-speed rail link between Quebec City and Toronto. But some people who live on the planned route are saying, not so fast. Later, we'll have this story. I'm Deanna Suminac Johnson in Toronto. Three months ago, Australia became the first country in the world to ban social media for kids under 16. So how has it been going? You know, I have mum's messaging saying, today we played in the backyard as a family.

We threw a ball and created a ridiculous game. we've never done before because we haven't spent the time doing that because the kids are off the screen. A reality check on the Aussie experiment and should Canada follow suit. That's coming up on your world tonight. It is a tax break on one of the biggest purchases you can make and Ontario wants to extend it to more home buyers. The province is hoping it will kickstart construction and bring down the cost. Michel's song reports. If your first time buyer second or a ten time buyer you're getting the HST deducted. Ontario Premier Doug Ford says now's the time to buy a home

as he's proposing to expand the existing HST rebate program from first-time home buyers to anyone buying eligible pre-construction homes. This rebate will deliver nearly $2.2 billion in tax relief, kickstart the construction of 8,000 additional homes, support up to 21,000 jobs, and bring the dream of home ownership in reach. builds valued up to $1.5 million will get a maximum rebate of $130,000. And then it will decrease proportionally to homes costing up to $1.85 million. But buyers will have to sign purchase agreements

between April 1st and March 31st of next year. Ford says the federal government will be covering its portion of the sales tax, about 5%. I'm still got to get the down payment, all this stuff, Although anything helps, Toronto resident Maddie Ricordi says home ownership still feels out of reach for him. Then again, my mortgage is still going to be more than I could afford. But supporters of the change say it will boost housing construction, leading to more supply and lower prices. This is something that's going to benefit homebuyers across the province. Scott Anderson is with the Ontario Home Builders Association. So this is the highest cost province to build in Canada.

the measure today is starting to turn that in the right direction. The province projects it will build about 70,000 homes this year. Far off the pace needed to reach the target of 1.5 million homes in 10 years. But Ontario is hopeful this program will spark 8,000 new builds. That's a really hard thing to estimate right now. Housing economist Mike Moffitt says it's hard to predict how well this program will work. And I think that's one of the kind of, kind of, genius ideas of making this a temporary one-year program where we can see, okay, did this work

over that year, did it go far enough? Did builders and developers end up absorbing some of the benefit for themselves? Each province deals with tax on home sales differently. There is no HST in Alberta, but where it does exist, Moffitt says provinces like New Brunswick or P.I. may follow Ontario's lead if the program is successful. Michelle Song, CBC News, Toronto. Prime Minister Mark Carney and Conservative leader Pierre Pauliev clashed over a number of issues today. Their public exchanges appeared to put an end to a brief stretch of support between the two rivals.

Kate McKenna has more from Ottawa. It was a return to the cut and thrust of Canadian politics. For the first time since returning from trips abroad, Prime Minister Mark Carney sparred in question period with conservative leader Pierre Pauliev, who continued his calls for the resignation of current and former immigration ministers. Will he fire them or will he just continue with the same liberal incompetence? Mr. Speaker, I'm blessed with a strong cabinet that's working hard for a strong country. And we are taking control of the immigration system.

It seems like a return to the status quo after a brief window where the conservative leader, in a series of interviews, offered kind words for the prime minister. He told former journalist Peter Mansbridge, the two leaders got to know each other while traveling to attend a vigil following the shootings in Tumblr Ridge. And I thought he performed very admirably as a prime minister on that trip. Telling Mansbridge, he found common ground with Carney. It made me think of, you know, we're both, we disagree on our politics, but we're both fathers, we're both proud Canadians, and in that sense, I think there's a mutual respect. Last week on the Joe Rogan podcast, Pollyev said he was in regular contact with the prime minister.

to discuss how his trip to the U.S. was going. I'm sending him a tax messages to tell him what's going on, to try and support his work, because what we both want what's best for Canada. And yesterday in the House of Commons, he said he would be debriefing the Prime Minister on his trip. And I look forward to meeting him with him to report on my findings, to compare notes. This marks a seismic shift in tone for Pollyev, who called Kearney's predecessor Justin Trudeau,

a wacko, weak and pathetic, and an embarrassment to all Canadians. Veteran political journalist Paul Wells says being too complimentary of Carney comes with some risk of alienating the conservative base. But among the broader electorate, he's been in danger of seemingly like a guy who couldn't really work with anyone, who couldn't get along with anyone. What he's found is that that stance was quite impressive to a large part of the conservative base, but it's not enough to seal the deal and win power. And the respect appears mutual. Carney nodded to the leader of the opposition at the National Prayer Breakfast also attended by Polyev. He named dropped the opposition leader's favorite philosopher.

I know there's some stoics in the room, so I will close by channeling Marcus Aurelius. Arise for the work of humankind. Be humble. However grand you are today or maybe to become tomorrow, you too will be forgotten. But back in the House, that brief detentee may already be over. Kate McKenna, CBC News, Ottawa. Iran and the United States disagree on almost everything about their current war. They do agree on one key point. Some form of exchange is underway aimed at bringing an end to the fighting.

But the two sides are far apart. Iran has rejected the latest proposals from the Americans and has come back with a list of its own demands. Breyer Stewart reports. In a defiant rebuttal to Washington's demand that Tehran have, military defeat, Iran released video of what it said were missiles fired at a U.S. aircraft carrier in the Gulf. And the top spokesperson for Iran's joint military command, Ibrahim Zofakari, scoffed at the U.S. claim that peace talks were progressing. Someone like us will never come to terms with someone like you, he said. Despite that strong and very public rejection of a reported

15-point peace plan from Washington, the White House stuck by its claim saying discussions are ongoing. Spokesperson Caroline Levitt said that some of the details reported in the media about the U.S. proposal are not accurate, but contains some elements of truth. We're not going to get into the nitty-gritty details that have been exchanged between the United States and Iran at this time. Iranian media has published what amounts to a counterproposal, insisting on Iranian control of the Strait of Hormuz and its flow of oil, one of several demands that crosses

America's red lines. There aren't any direct talks taking place between the two sides. Pakistan is acting as a mediator, and so is another one of Iran's neighbors, Turkey. At the Capicoi border crossing between the two countries, hundreds of Iranians go back and forth despite the bombing. One woman who only gave us her first name, Merriam, told us she left Iran for. for a week because of the stress of the war. I'm afraid for myself and my family, she said. We don't know what will happen. While she was heading back into Iran,

Saeed Sultani was heading out of the country from his home in the northern city of Tabriz. There apparently reports that there are negotiations going on. Yeah, I hope that it will happen very soon and we can come back to our daily life and common life. Still others say there can be new. No compromise. They killed our supreme leader and many high-ranking officials, one woman told us.

Revenge must be taken. Iran has said that more than 1,500 civilians have been killed by the U.S. Israel strike so far, and it has vowed to extend the war even further if the U.S. tries to occupy any part of the country. While the White House says U.S. President Donald Trump's preferences always peace, 2,000 U.S. paratroopers are being deployed to the region to join thousands of Marines who are already on route. Breyer-Stewart, CBC News, Vaughn Turkey. Ukraine's president says the U.S. is offering security guarantees that are needed for a peace deal with Russia. But Volodemir Zelenskyy says those guarantees are conditional on Kiev

ceding all of the country's eastern region of Donbass to Moscow. Zelensky says U.S. President Donald Trump has been pressing for a quick end to the war. but is also distracted. Because American side, it's not a secret there, very open with this, that their focus is Iran, that Ukraine is not the first priority. Zelensky insists he will not agree to any deal

to end the war that comes at the expense of Ukrainians. The result of the vote is as follows in favor 123 against three abstentions, 52. The United Nations, recognizing the transatlantic African slave trade as the gravest crime against humanity. The resolution proposed by Ghana was adopted in a vote today. It calls for an apology and reparations. The United States and some European countries opposed, arguing today's institutions

should not be held responsible for past wrongs. The transatlantic slave trade operated from the 16th to the 19th century, more than 12 million people were captured in Africa and taken to the Americas, where they were forced to work as slaves. This is Your World Tonight from CBC News. If you want to make sure you stay up to date and 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. The proposed high-speed rail between Toronto and Quebec City is getting some pushback. The first phase of public consultations is wrapping up.

The project is backed by Ottawa and has been billed as nation building. But some rural residents worry it could end up tearing their communities apart. Dan Takama explains. Rural Canada is not here to be sacrificed for citygoers to have easier transportation. Marcus Hafeelah's parents have been farming chickens and crops near Ottawa for decades, and he wants to carry on the tradition. But now he worries their property could be split in half by high-speed rail. It makes me feel terrible because I have no idea what my future has in store.

His family farm falls along the rough rail corridor being studied by Alto, the Crown Corporation behind the project. It's charged with connecting Toronto and Quebec City with five other stops along the way. The idea has support in urban centers like Gatno, Quebec. Getting onto the train, arriving downtown in the other city, like, it's just comfortable and easy. It'll be a game changer. But outside cities, there's been a different response. Hello, all right?

Farmers burned by past expropriation near Mirabelle Quebec, protested with tractors. And in eastern Ontario, No, Ocho, no, Ocho, no. Neighbors in the village of Camden East near Kingston gather on weekends, making their objections, loud and clear. I consider it the Great Wall of Alto. It's going to divide these communities and make getting across from one side to the other so difficult. Don Joyce voices one of the main concerns about the project.

A more than three meter high fence will run along the tracks with very limited crossings. That's a huge impact for getting to a hospital. Rally organizer Heather Patterson says everyone in the area has the same message. This is just another federal government boondog. Alto CEO Martin Mblot says his goal is to pick the route with the least impact, but the project must move forward. That's why we consult, we amend, we change and we'll do the best thing for Canada, but desperately needed for the prosperity and the growth of the country.

Standing on his property near Ottawa, Heifala says that prosperity shouldn't come at the expense of farmers. Canada is largely composed of rural areas. for that to be sacrificed is shameful. Alto plans to lay track between Ottawa and Montreal first, with environmental assessment set to begin this spring. A clearer picture for the rest of the route the train will follow isn't expected to be announced until next year.

Dan Takama, CBC News, Kingston, Ontario. Returning to our top story now and the effects of social media. A recent international happiness survey suggests young Canadian's satisfaction with life is down in part because of spending too much time on social media. Late last year, Australia banned social media for kids under 16. Many other countries say they plan to do the same. Deanna Suminac Johnson reports from Australia on how the ban is working three months in.

I just had this major fear of sitting back and thinking the strangers that you wouldn't welcome into your house are being welcomed onto their screens. Australian radio broadcaster and father of three Michael Whipley poured his passion for his children into advocacy for age restriction for social media use. At the end of last year, Australia became the first country in the world to ban social media for teens under 16. A move the government said was necessary to stem harms like the addictive nature of the platforms, cyberbullying and mental health impacts. These services must take reasonable steps to prevent under 16s from whole. holding accounts. In January, Australia's e-safety commissioners said platforms had so far removed about 4.7 million accounts held by under 16s. And three months in, Michael Whipley says it brought about some positive changes. You know, I have mum's messaging saying, today we played in the backyard

as a family. We threw a ball and created a ridiculous game. We've never done before because we haven't spent the time doing that because the kids are off the screen. But not everyone thinks the ban is working. A social media ban, It was a bit of a non-event for our family. We instead have policed our kids, parented our kids online always. Kate Gotham is a mom of three boys. She says what kids consume online

should be the parents' responsibility, not the government. Her eldest, Ilias, was 15 at the time the band kicked in and said he had no troubles fooling the age verification steps. Very easy. I didn't find any troubles getting online at all. That could have been because I'd settle my accounts.

to an older age. Without more data, it's hard to say how many other young people have managed to do the same. Experts say whether the ban is really working or not will be seen in longer term, looking at metrics like teen eating disorder rates and concentration in the classroom. And watching that Aussie experiment with eager eyes, Canadians, who say we need some sort of restrictions here, including Jenny Perez. The Vancouver mom is also a founder of the parent network, unplugged Canada who want an Aussie-style band here in Canada. We know about what happened with tobacco, with drunk driving,

and many other topics that require the norm to change. And I learned that things change only we all as a society step up, including parents, schools, leaders of the community and government. When asked, Prime Minister Mark Carney said that a possible age restriction on social media use in Canada merits a parliamentary debate, but internationally the momentum is growing. Indonesia's under 16 restrictions are kicking in this week and France's are just waiting for Senate approval. Deanna Sumanek Johnson, CBC News, Toronto. Finally tonight, a story about change and never forgetting where you come from.

Three geoscientists from Nova Scotia have just returned from a trip of a lifetime to Antarctica. Heather Pierce, Katie McIntosh, and Denise Brushett were part of an all-women research trip. Brushett and McIntosh knew how important that was as soon as their boat arrived. Yeah, I guess I cried. It took your breath away. And then there was whales jumping and big icebergs, so it just kind of set this really surreal picture. Stepping foot on a continent that so few people will ever step on.

and so few people in history have stepped on, especially women, women that work in science. So few have been there. It was a bit of an accident that three Nova Scotians ended up together. Each had taken a separate leap of faith to answer an online ad for the trip. Once together, have a listen to how they drop their equipment into the water each day. We're in the water. Heather Pierce says it was a special bond. We put her in the water. We were playing Stan Rogers, and we had our kitchen party going on our zodiac every day.

So it was really, we brought our maritime spirit with us down south. All three wanted to study the south for signs of what's changing in the north, like retreating ice sheets and changing food supplies for the whales and seals. They swam alongside. They now have those memories and months of data on climate change to pour over. and Pierce says they'll also be visiting schools to talk about their experiences. I did a career change when I was 27 and decided to go back to school to take science and engineering, and it was something that for a long time I didn't think I was smart enough or capable of doing. And so I want to be a influence and guiding light for someone else who might feel that maybe they have this inkling or desire to try something new. Thank you for joining us.

This has been Your World Tonight for Wednesday, March 25. Fifth, I'm Susan Bonner. Talk to you again. For more CBC podcasts, go to cBC.ca.ca slash podcasts.