Your World Tonight - Liberal leader Mark Carney’s first day on the job, federal Conservatives ready for election, the King marks Commonwealth Day and more

Episode Date: March 10, 2025

One day after his landslide victory, new Liberal Leader Mark Carney gets down to business by meeting with caucus members, and working on a transition plan to take over from Justin Trudeau as Canada’s next prime minister.The federal Conservative leader wastes no time going after Carney, honing his messaging on the former Bank of Canada governor, and preparing his team for an election race that could begin in days.Also: Ontario’s premier follows through on his promise to hike the charge on energy exports to the U.S., and promises more price pain could be on the way if President Donald Trump imposes tariffs on Canada.Plus: King Charles marks Commonwealth Day with a call for unity amid economic threats to Canada and world turmoil, U.S. economic concerns, violence in Syria and more

When a body is discovered 10 miles out to sea, it sparks a mind-blowing police investigation. There's a man living in this address in the name of a deceased. He's one of the most wanted men in the world. This isn't really happening. Officers are finding large sums of money. It's a tale of murder, skullduggery and international intrigue. So who really is he? I'm Sam Mullins and this is Sea of Lies from CBC's Uncovered, available now.

This is a CBC Podcast. Welcome to Your World Tonight. I'm Susan Bonner on Parliament Hill in Ottawa. It is Monday, March 10th, just before 6pm Eastern, and the sound and fury of the next federal election campaign is already thundering through the nation's capital. So Donald Trump thinks he can weaken us with his plan to divide and conquer. Pierre Poiliev's plan will leave us divided and ready to be conquered. The Liberal establishment has installed Justin Trudeau's economic advisor as the next liberal leader to trick Canadians into giving Liberals a fourth term in power. I'm ready to go tomorrow, if that's what Mark Carney decides.

But I think it's the time now to put in place some of these protections before we go to election. If Mr. Carney was to start an election in the coming minute, we're ready. Let's go. After a landslide leadership win, Mark Carney is expected to be sworn in as prime minister in the coming days. One of his first acts will likely be calling an election.

With fighting words already flying, federal leaders are framing their arguments against each other and Donald Trump. All happening against the backdrop of a trade war launched in Washington. Believe me when I say I do not want to do this. I feel terrible for the American people because it's not the American people

who started this trade war. I'm Tom Harrington in Toronto. The Ontario government is firing back at the U.S. with a power play, slapping a 25% surcharge on electricity being sent south of the border. That's happening as financial markets are feeling a jolt. Stock values are fizzling after the president admitted his aggressive trade tactics could trigger a recession.

But we begin with Susan on Parliament Hill. It's the beginning of a new political era here in Ottawa and it's set to unfold at warp speed. New Liberal leader Mark Carney is now Canada's Prime Minister-designate. His commanding win last night has the party buoyant and itching for an election. And opposition opponents are saying, bring it on. We have extensive coverage for you tonight, beginning with Tom Perry and the Liberals.

Just had a long meeting with the Prime Minister. We discussed the most important issues for our country, obviously including Canada and U.S. relations. Day one of Mark Carney's on-the-job training. The newly elected Liberal leader fresh off his landslide win sitting down with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, the man he's about to replace. The transition between the Prime Minister and myself, that transition will be seamless and it will be quick.

Carney is expected to take over within days. Today he met with liberal MPs who right now are more hopeful than they've been in a long time. I think the future is very bright. I mean what a difference a few months makes. New Brunswick MP Wayne Long was among the first members of the Liberal Caucus to call on Justin Trudeau to step down. To him, Carney has given the party a fighting chance at a critical moment when US President Donald Trump is waging a trade war against Canada and musing about taking over the country. You know, I think the country is faced with this arguably at its greatest threat to our sovereignty,

our democracy, our economy, and I think the decision is very black and white. Mark Carney is the one prepared to defend Canada and defend our country and I'm pumped and ready to go. Carney had strong words for the U.S. and its president in his acceptance speech last night, warning Americans are after Canada's resources, water and land, and that Trump seeks to divide and weaken Canadians. To Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Jolie, it was a tough but necessary message. Well, I think when it comes to President Trump, it's clear that he respects strength.

And I think that Canadians right now, because of what's going on with the tear floor that the U.S. launched against us, Canadians are mad. Carney has said he'll maintain Canada's retaliatory tariffs until the U.S. shows Canada respect. For now though, he must focus on naming a cabinet and preparing for an election that's expected soon. Ontario MP Carina Gould, who placed a distant third in the Liberal leadership race, says the party is ready.

And I know that now that we have a new leader, people are going to be excited to run for us, so I don't have any worries about us finding excellent candidates for the upcoming election That election whenever it comes will be Carney's first for the new liberal leader There's much to learn many issues to tackle and a pressing need to get up to speed fast Tom Perry CBC News Ottawa Turning to the federal conservatives now their party is about to get what it has been demanding for nearly a year, an election. But as Kate McKenna reports, Donald Trump's dizzying return to power has changed the political landscape and not necessarily to Pierre Pauliev's advantage.

Carney puts himself first, conservatives will put Canada first. Conservative leader Pierre Polyev now talks like he's running against both Mark Carny and Donald Trump, an indication of how quickly Canadian politics has changed. We need to break our dependence on the Americans by building east-west pipelines. Polyev's message was laser focused on affordabilityability and last year they saw their support surge. But now the gap between the Liberals and Conservatives has shrunk. At the end of the year the Liberals were barely hitting 20 percent in the horse race today. In some polls they're ahead, our poll they're not far behind.

They're up almost 10 points in two months. That is unprecedented. David Coletto is the CEO of Abacus Data. I think Donald Trump creates a huge problem for Pierre Polyev and it's in the simple fact that one in three of his own supporters like Donald Trump and two-thirds don't. And so navigating what is a really big wedge right through the conservative coalition I think has been Pierre Polyev's problem since Trudeau announced he was stepping down. Poliev says he's the one best situated to protect and grow Canadian jobs but in his remarks today he stopped short of directly criticizing the president. Instead he focused on drawing ties between the old liberal leader and his replacement. His staff handed out an image of Carney and Justin Trudeau embracing before the opposition leader gave his prepared remarks. He's just like Justin and he's more of the same. We have the same liberal MPs,

the same liberal advisors, the same liberal promises who will produce the same liberal results. Still, Poliev's conservatives say they're ready and they still have a lead in public support. Their campaign war room is already open and operating. They've got 258 candidates nominated, about 100 more than the Liberals. The other opposition parties say they're also ready to go. If Mr. Carney was to start an election in the coming minute, let's wait. We're ready. Let's go.

Bloc Québécois leader Yves-François Blanchet has seen a drop in support since Trump started threatening tariffs. But he says the campaign will help. I will do as I always did, answer questions, ask questions as honestly as I can and people will make their mind after the debates or the campaign or whatever. The NDP has also seen a drop in support but leader Jagmeet Singh says the New Democrats are planning to run a fully funded campaign. I'm ready to go tomorrow. If that's what Mark Carney decides, we're gonna go.

We're gonna fight. The election is likely to be called in the coming weeks. And as Donald Trump has shown, that's a long time in politics. Kate McKenna, CBC News, Ottawa. Catherine Cullen, the host of The House with me here on Parliament Hill. Catherine, quite striking that both Mark Carney and Pierre Pauliev are accusing each other of being on bended knee, that same language, before Trump. What do you make of that? I think it's basically the most provocative

political attack you can make right now, Susan, that your opponent won't defend Canada at a time when Canadians are gripped by this terrafore with the United States and these attacks on our sovereignty. Now it's important to note that there is a difference between what the two are saying. Carney says Poliev quote, worships at the altar of Donald Trump so that he is like Trump, that he would be weak in the face of the US president. That despite Poliev making his Canada first pitch to voters. Poliev's attack on Carney is different. He's saying Carney will sell out this country for his own financial to voters. Poliev's attack on Carney is different. He's saying Carney will sell out this country

for his own financial benefit. Now, Poliev doesn't have any evidence about what Carney's investments are. He's trying to use that lack of disclosure on Carney's part to ascribe some pretty insidious motives to Carney. It's all just a reminder that both parties feel the question of who can best stand up to Trump will dominate in this country.

And it's not unusual that Canada-U.S. relations play a part in our politics, think back to 1988 and the great free trade debate, but the tone this time feels quite different. It's remarkable, Susan, to hear the incoming Prime Minister say to Canadians last night that the United States is a country we can no longer trust. Not the U.S. government or the president, but the country. Now, Polieva said the United States is stabbing its best friend in the back.

There's no question Canadians are angry. Many might agree with those sentiments, but it does tell us something about how much the relationship is straining. It's also the subject of international interest, Susan. I've been doing interviews today with Sky News, BBC News Scotland, even the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. They've been doing interviews today with Sky News, BBC News Scotland, even the Australian

Broadcasting Corporation. They're interested in Kearney's win, but the questions are very much about how he'll manage in the face of Trump and the threats to Canada as a country. And Catherine, as you say, Canadians are angry, but as counter-terrorists remain in place, how much of Canada's resolve depends not just on politicians but on how Canadians respond. Yeah, I mean, Susan, it's clear people are hungry for this kind of talk right now, this standing up to the United States, but when they notice the groceries are more expensive or if Trump starts exacting more economic pain, will that still be the case?

And that's what makes this political moment so important. This is about leadership. Certainly, yes, negotiations with the United States but also who can keep this country united and determined in the face of intense pressure. Catherine, so nice to work with you in person. You as well Susan. That's Catherine Cullen, the host of the House here on Parliament Hill. Ontario Premier Doug Ford has followed through on his threat to impose a 25% surcharge on electricity going to the United States.

The move will impact one and a half million homes and businesses, with Ford not ruling out cutting off the power completely. Katie Nicholson has details. Until the threat of tariffs is gone for good, Ontario will not relent. Flanked by his Energy Minister, Ontario Premier Doug Ford launched his latest volley in the trade war, a 25% surcharge on electricity exports to the US, albeit somewhat reluctantly.

I feel terrible for the American people because it's not the American people who started this trade war. The increase will affect 1.5 million customers in three states, Michigan, New York and Minnesota. And Ford again promised he's willing to go further. I will not hesitate to increase this charge. If necessary, if the United States escalates, I will not hesitate to shut the electricity off completely.

Ontario's energy is cheap and makes up a relatively small part of the supply in each state. At HEC Montreal, a business school, energy policy specialist Pierre Olivier Pinot says that's why this surcharge won't likely hit hard. It would again be a small increase overall, so it wouldn't make a big difference and most likely in the market it wouldn't make a big difference and most likely in the market, it wouldn't be perceived by most consumers. Robert Johnson is the senior director of research at the Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia University. He largely agrees with that assessment.

But if the weather changes and it gets a lot colder all of a sudden, or if a major unit goes offline somewhere in Michigan or New York, what happens is the price goes up dramatically, and then this type of a price increase can have a big impact. And as for Ford's threat to cut off power, he warns of possible blowback. The real danger is that it would send a signal to the U.S. that Canada's not as reliable a partner, and they might look to build more of their own generation,

which again would take time, but could happen. Even as the United States goes back and forth, tariffs on, tariffs off, some tariffs on, some tariffs off, there's a greater consistency to what we're doing. Over at the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy at the University of Toronto, Drew Fagan is watching Ontario's strategy closely. It's the first time that either side has invoked a surcharge, if you like. We're taxing our own exports to make them more expensive. Normally, it's the reverse.

And while American consumers may not feel too much pain, the surcharge provided enough cannon fodder for the governors of New York and Minnesota to launch an attack on the Trump administration's tariffs on social media. That's one small victory for Ontario. In addition to the three to four hundred thousand dollars a day it expects the surcharge to generate money it intends to put toward helping those impacted by the trade war. Katie Nicholson, CBC News, Toronto. And now to Tom Harrington with the rest of the day's news. Hey Tom. Hi Susan, thanks. Coming up on the podcast.

Tariff turbulence. The financial markets take another hit as the president says, full speed ahead. Plus, a Syrian sequel. Months after taking control of Syria, more violence is forces loyal to the former dictator fight back. Later, we'll mark Commonwealth Day, with the Royals showing some subtle support for Canada in its row with the US. Canadian politics aren't the only area being upended by Donald Trump's trade war. American financial markets are also struggling with the growing uncertainty, especially with new concerns about a possible recession.

Katie Simpson reports from Washington. The U.S. president is digging in, telling reporters onboard Air Force One he's standing by his tariff plan despite the growing backlash. All I know is this we're gonna take in hundreds of billions of dollars in tariffs and we're gonna become so rich you're not gonna know where to spend all that money. Donald Trump has warned Americans to brace for what he calls a disturbance when it comes to the cost of living sparking fears of a possible recession after

he did not rule out the possibility during an interview on Fox News. Are you expecting a recession this year? I hate to predict things like that. There is a period of transition because what we're doing is very big. We're bringing wealth back to America. That's a big thing. Adding to the volatility, China's tariff retaliation plan kicked in today.

Beijing targeting American farm products, imposing new tariffs on a wide range of exports, from wheat and corn to chicken, pork and beef. All of it rattling investors, the markets closing significantly lower. The head of the National Economic Council is asking for patience. There are a lot of reasons to be extremely bullish about the economy going forward. Kevin Hassett is trying to reassure business leaders,

promising there will be stability and clarity about Trump's trade policies soon. It's going to be resolved in early April, as President Trump has said. And so I think that we're pretty close to having the uncertainty behind us. And as you know, when that happens, then the economy really lifts off. The Trump administration's plan is coming out in phases. Twenty five percent tariffs on all steel and aluminum imports, including from Canada, are expected to start Wednesday. Then broader tariffs targeting all U.S. trading partners start April 2nd.

The president says those will be based on what he calls fairness, targeting countries that impose tariffs on U.S. goods or have policies he thinks hurt American businesses. We are absolutely convinced that no one wins from tariffs. European Trade Commissioner Maros Selfkovic says he has tried repeatedly to meet with American officials to try to stave off widespread tariffs. But in the end, as it said, one hand cannot clap. The U.S. administration does not seem to be engaging to make a deal. Trump has stated multiple times a company can avoid tariffs if they build plants in the U.S. He sees this as an investment building tool that will pay off for Americans in the long run.

Katie Simpson, CBC News, Washington. The Ukrainian president is in Saudi Arabia, ahead of talks he hopes will lead to a truce with Russia. Volodymyr Zelenskyy is on a three-day visit to the Arab nation. He will meet with Saudi officials, including the Crown Prince. But he will not be involved when Ukrainian and U.S. officials sit down tomorrow. Those discussions will be the first between the two sides since last month's White House blowup between Zelenskyy and President Trump. The Oval Office incident led Washington to temporarily halt military support for Kiev.

The United Nations says Gaza could be thrown into another hunger crisis if aid and electricity are not soon restored. Israel cuts supplies and power to the territory over the weekend. The measure has two objectives, pressure Hamas into releasing the remaining hostages and making them agree to extend the cease-fire's first phase. A desalinization plant in central Gaza has stopped, affecting fresh water to more than half a million people. Hamas calls Israel's actions cheap and unacceptable blackmail. It's been described as a massacre of civilians and the worst

fighting in Syria since the end of a long civil war last year. More than 1,000 people are dead following days of regent revenge attacks targeting a minority religious group. Senior international correspondent Margaret Evans on what happened and why some fear it may spark a return to wider violence. and why some fear it may spark a return to wider violence. Syria still shuddering in the wake of brutal sectarian violence over the weekend. Social media shows unidentified armed men lobbing grenades into buildings. Another video shows bodies in civilian clothes lining a road, both in the coastal province of Latakia, where gunmen loyal to the recently-deposed al-Assad regime are thought to be hiding.

Syria's new rulers blame the loyalists for ambushing government troops. Others say the atrocities, including reports of executions, came from militants linked to the new government carrying out revenge attacks. Civilians caught in the middle say they only want peace. We want to build this country and get away from problems, says Latakia resident Muhammad Ali. We don't want anything that harms people. We want to coexist. But the violence is stoked fears never far from the surface that Syria's long civil war could easily reignite. Latakia is an Alawite stronghold home to the minority sect of the former president and dictator Bashar al-Assad,

including many members of his regime. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, based here in the UK, says most of the civilians killed over the weekend were Alawite. Syria's self-designated interim president, Ahmed al-Shara, who led a consortium of rebel forces including his own Sunni Islamists against Assad, has vowed to punish those responsible for the violence. We find ourselves facing a new danger, he says, represented by remnants of the former regime and the external parties behind them. That's seen as an accusation aimed at Iran, one of Assad's key backers. A spokesman for Iran's foreign ministry called the accusations baseless and aversionary. Humanitarian workers on the ground say the violence is a new blow for Syrians who

greeted the fall of Assad with great hope for the future. It poses a serious challenge to Ahmad al-Sharah, seeking international legitimacy but viewed with suspicion by many for his former role as head of Syria's al-Qaeda affiliate. But he's also just received a major breakthrough in a deal with the Syrian Kurds who control the country's northeast. It includes an eventual merging of Kurdish troops supported in the past by Washington into the new Syrian army in exchange for guaranteed constitutional rights for the Syrian Kurds. Margaret Evans, CBC News, London. There are worries of a major environmental disaster in the North Sea.

A Portuguese ship carrying toxic materials collided with an anchored American oil tanker off the coast of England. The tanker was transporting jet fuel for the U.S. Air Force and the collision triggered a large fire. Officials say both vessels are badly damaged. Thirty-six people have been pulled from the waters. One is still missing. 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 or wherever

you get your podcasts. Just find the follow button and lock us in. As Canada faces a trade war with its closest ally, some have wondered about the support coming from another close friend. Today is Commonwealth Day and British royal watchers say there are signs the palace has our back. You just have to look very closely. Chris Brown has more from London. On a day to celebrate the Commonwealth, King Charles, Queen Camilla, and other senior royals came to London's Westminster Abbey to deliver a message of solidarity. In these uncertain times, the King said in a statement, where it is all too easy to believe our differences are problems, the Commonwealth's remarkable collection of nations and peoples

come together in the spirit of support. For Canada, support is the key word. With 56 countries representing 2.6 billion people, the Commonwealth is a big club of nations with historic ties to the UK. That could potentially bolster Canada as it looks for allies in its economic fight with the United States. What I think it does is to make us even more determined to stand with all of our friends and to work together. Baroness Patricia Scotland, the Secretary General of the organization, said Canada will remain a stalwart sovereign country despite the bluster of US President Donald Trump.

It's very easy for an individual to make a comment which causes anxiety and trauma. And I think you can't change what people say. The only thing you have control over is your own reactions and what you do. I'm full of admiration for what they tried to do there. Of late, King Charles has taken on the role as a figure of assurance. He met with Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky

after Trump berated him in the Oval Office. I look forward to sitting down with His Majesty tomorrow. And last week he met with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. British media have suggested the friction between Canada and the U.S. is on his mind, and there have been some subtle but notable signs of support from the royals. The King has been seen in public wearing his Canadian medals and at the Abbey today, Catherine, the Princess of Wales, wore red with a white necklace. Nothing happens by accident with the royal family. Ralph Goodale, Canada's High Commissioner to the UK, says allies are lining up behind Canada.

We all have to fight our own battles in organizations like the Commonwealth and many other multilateral organizations. Canada's reputation is strong. The Commonwealth has diverse members and vast inequities and the organization is beset with questions about its usefulness. But boosters say it's underutilized with room to improve trading links in new markets which Canada needs. Chris Brown, CBC News, London.

We close tonight with closure for the family of a Canadian soldier. The soldier missing in action. The family missing some answers. With new colours to take with them, the lads from the lakehead are headed for the boat which will take them home. An Army Newsreel from 1945 reporting on the return of the Lake Superior Regiment. Not every soldier who left for Europe was on that boat.

Based in Thunder Bay, the regiment landed in France in July 1944, then marched onto Belgium and the Netherlands. It was there one night in February 1945 Private Arthur Van Ants came under heavy German machine gun fire He was badly wounded and when his unit was forced to retreat the private was left behind we heard the story that he was by a river and he volunteered to go and When he didn't come back they presumed him missing. And it's been that story we know all these years.

Tina Romanuk is Venance's great niece. For 80 years the family struggled with what happened. And out of the blue they got a phone call earlier this year. A tip from an independent research team in Europe led to an investigation by the Department of National Defense. It confirmed, Vanance was buried in an unmarked grave at the Holten Canadian War Cemetery in the Netherlands. It was a shock really when I got the call from the War Department because I was like, oh, okay, and very happy and relieved, I would say, to finally know where he is.

A headstone rededication ceremony will be held for Venance later in 2025, which also happens to be the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the Netherlands. This has been Your World Tonight for Monday, March the 10th. For Susan Bonner in Ottawa, I'm Tom Harrington. Thanks for listening tonight. Stay safe and take care of each other.