Your World Tonight - LNG pipeline, Iran/U.S. talks, Manitoba time change change, and more

Episode Date: April 24, 2026

Ottawa has approved a $4 billion expansion for a natural gas pipeline in British Columbia. Energy Minister Tim Hodgson says construction will get underway this summer. While the government touts the speed of its approval, the Opposition is asking — what took so long?And: It’s unclear who will be talking to whom. Washington is sending delegates to Islamabad to talk about the U.S.- Iran war. Tehran is also sending someone to Islamabad. But it’s not clear there will be any direct negotiations. We have the latest on the ceasefire, and whether the end of the war is in sight.Also: Manitoba is the latest province to consider giving up the twice-a-year time change. Alberta and B.C. have also said they’ve moved their clocks for the last time.Plus: U.S. considers retaliation on NATO allies, neurologist not guilty on 48 counts of sexual assault, Punjabi music drawing crowds and dollars, and more.

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This is a CBC podcast. We'll add more than $3 billion to Canada's GDP. Oh, finally. They took them forever. Ottawa gives the green light to expand a major natural gas pipeline calling the BC project, good news for Canada's economy. But it's news on oil that the opposition and Alberta really want to hear about. This is Your World Tonight. I'm Dave Seglins. It is Friday, April 24th, coming up on 6 p.m. Eastern. Also on the podcast? I think the days of Manitoba switching the clocks twice a year are pretty much at the end.

Manitoba chimes in on whether to scrap a time-honored tradition that more and more Canadians say is on borrowed time. In the middle of a global energy crisis and the ongoing U.S. trade war, Ottawa has announced approval of a $4 billion plan by Enbridge to expand the natural gas pipeline system in British Columbia. This announcement comes as BC and Alberta disagree over the root of a potential oil pipeline. Olivia Stefanovic has more on these projects and what might come next. This project, the Sunrise Project, will add more than $3 billion to Canada's GDP. Energy and Natural Resources Minister Tim Hodgson in Toronto. a newly approved natural gas pipeline expansion project in BC

as a highlight of his government's work on nation building. At peak production, it will create 2,500 new jobs, including for local indigenous communities. Dubbed the Sunrise Expansion Program, the $4 billion project will add about 140 kilometers of new pipeline to Enbridge's existing natural gas line in BC, work that will be done in partnership with 38 First Nations, with construction expected to start this summer.

Finally. They took them forever. This is a... Conservative leader Pierre Pollyev says the federal government took far too long to greenlight the expansion, something also acknowledged by Enbridge's executive vice president, Matthew Ackman. We've been at this project almost four years already and still don't have a shovel in the ground. So Canada is going to have to move fast.

in order to compete. Polyev is urging the federal government to move more quickly to approve other energy projects, including a new oil pipeline. Has no permit, no path, no investor. An Alberta government officials says negotiations with Ottawa over a new oil pipeline continue. The source says Ottawa wants Alberta to consider every option, including a route that could follow the Transmountain Pipeline system through southern BC to Vancouver. I'm a bit skeptical. Alberta Premier Daniel Smith is pushing for a route through northern BC. A deep water port with very little navigation needed for channels and a rapid way of getting to South Korea and Japan and other Asian markets. And when you look further up the coast,

you can cut three days off transatlantic or trans-Pacific transit. But with an oil tanker ban in effect from the northern tip of Vancouver Island to the BC Alaska border and strong opposition from coastal First Nations, BC Premier David Eby says his position isn't changing. There is not a world in which the BC government would support a pipeline that required the ships to transit through the tanker ban area. It's just as simple as that. Alberta still plans to submit its proposal to the major project's office by July 1st.

detailing several possible northern routes for a new oil pipeline. Olivia Estefanovich, CBC News, Ottawa. As Canada expands its oil and gas infrastructure, it's also joining new international talks on how to reduce the world's reliance on fossil fuels. More than 60 countries are meeting in Colombia, hoping to make some progress, where the United Nations climate talks have struggled.

Science reporter Anandrom has the story. Get into Hernan Sarmiento's tiny shop in Colombia, and you hear the buzzing that lets him know his produce is being kept fresh. Because he only makes money when that fridge runs, and his runs on solar power, thanks to a pilot project from the government. Right now, I'm feeling a little more relieved because my electricity bill has really gone down a lot.

A small green effort in Sarmiento's seaside city of Santa Marta, where nearly 60 nations are gathering to talk about a much bigger effort transitioning away from fossil fuels. I think the very fact that this conference is taking place is in and of itself success. Nikki Reich is there with the Center for International Environmental Law. Even the idea of talking about the direct cause of climate change is promising because doing it at United Nations conferences has been frustrating. There is no mitigation if we cannot discuss transitioning away from fossil fuels. Last year, a coalition of willing countries decided time for our own meeting,

where ideas from subsidies for oil and gas to legal challenges are all on the table. It is, in many ways, a response to decades of deadlock in the UN climate talks, where a handful of countries have really managed to hold climate action hostage and make fossil fuels taboo. She's talking about oil-producing Gulf states like Saudi Arabia, not at this conference. Neither is the U.S. nor China. Canada is attending. You can't solve a crisis fueled by fossil fuels by producing more fossil fuels. But Zippora Berman, founder of the Fossil Treaty Initiative, says Canada needs to get serious

as it continues to support its industry to the tune of billions of dollars. This government has insured approvals of new projects. The bottom line is if Canada is really committed to fossil fuel phase out, then Canada needs to stop expanding the problem. For its part, the federal government told CBC News it appreciates this conference and is still committed to reaching net zero by 2050. Reich says having Canada there is worth it. It's really critical to have producer countries at the table because it's in their interest to reduce continued reliance on fossil fuels going forward. Keep in mind the whole point is to not be a cop conference.

That's still going to happen later this year in Turkey. The hope in Colombia keep talking about fossil fuels so that the side chat is as important as the main conversation. Anandram, CBC News, Toronto. The NDP's small federal caucus may be about to get even smaller. Sources have told Radio Canada that Quebec MP Alexandra Boulorice will announce he's leaving to run provincially for Quebec Solidare. That would reduce the NDP to just five seats among a total of 343 in the House of Commons. Coming up, mixed messaging. The U.S. says a second round of talks to end fighting with Iran,

are a go, but questions still linger about who's going and who will be at the table. Plus, seasonal disorder. We'll tell you about the latest province mulling a plan to ditch the changing of the clocks twice a year. And later we'll have this story. I'm Aina Sadiou in Calgary where there is major concert buzz. It's for two of Punjabi music's biggest stars, Diljith Dosange and Garnagla, on country-wide tours. With mass appeal and a massive demand for tickets, arenas from Vancouver. to Toronto are expected to sell out.

I've always been a Diljid fan my entire life. I've never liked any other artists as much as I've liked the Ljith. I like his vibe. I like his essence. I like his aura. Why fans say these concerts are more than just about the music. I'll have the story later on your world tonight. The prospect for more peace talks between the U.S. and Iran is uncertain tonight.

Negotiators from both sides are heading to Pakistan with seemingly different agendas. The U.S. says discussions with Iran will continue tomorrow. Iran says there won't be any face-to-face talks. Sasha Petrissik has the latest. The streets of Islamabad are in lockdown, the city waiting for more peace talks almost two weeks after they broke off in disagreement. The Iranians want to talk.

They want to talk in person. White House spokeswoman Caroline Levitt announcing that U.S. envoy are on their way. The vice president, I understand, is on standby and we'll be willing to dispatch to Pakistan if we feel it's a necessary use of his time. Iran's foreign minister has also arrived in Pakistan.

Though amid a U.S. naval blockade and much distrust, the path forward is uncertain, says an Iranian government spokesman. U.S. President Donald Trump tells reporters he's in no hurry to end the conflict, despite political pressure in the U.S. from rising inflation and gas prices. We have all the time in the world, and we're not anxious for a deal.

Trump's Secretary of War, Pete Hegeseth, promises that the blockade will only intensify, saying the U.S. Navy seized two Iranian ships after chasing them into the Indian Ocean. He chided European allies for the war. not helping. Free-riding, as he put it, the U.S. has decided to flex its muscle, says military analyst and retired major Mike Lyons, regardless of criticism or consequence. Well, now we're back to straight military power, MacArthur type, patent type, the kind that countries have to sit up and take notice to. At the moment, European countries are focusing on something else, says EU President Antonio Costa.

And the strait of Ormos must immediately reopen. Worrying about the continuing global economic impact more than anything else. Sasha Petersik, CBC News, Toronto. U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly threatened to pull out of NATO, which he claims has failed to support the war in Iran. Now a leaked internal Pentagon email seen by the Reuters News Agency shows the U.S. is making plans to punish NATO. allies. Anna Cunningham has the details.

Like Spain has been terrible. Spain actually said that we can't use their bases. Last month, as the U.S. initiated joint strikes with Israel on Iran, President Donald Trump expressed his annoyance with two European nations. I'm not happy with the UK either. Very surprised. This is not Winston Churchill that we're dealing with. The leaked Pentagon email appears to suggest the Trump administration is seeking to punish nations, it believes, failed to support its military action on Iran. The email reportedly suggests the US could review its support for what it describes as imperial possessions, highlighting the Falkland Islands, a British overseas territory in the southwest Atlantic Ocean. And that is a real

pressure point for the UK. In 1982, the UK went to war with Argentina after it invaded the Falkland Islands. The UK may have won that war, but decades on, Argentina still dispute sovereignty of the Falkland Islands. It would appear that the details of this leaked email could favour Argentinian President Javier Malé, who is a Trump ally. The US spotlight is also on Spain. This Pentagon memo suggesting the US could seek to have Spain removed from NATO, something unlikely to be achieved. The North Atlantic Treaty contains no provisions for suspension or expulsion of any member state. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez Friday said we do not work based on emails.

He said Spain has full cooperation with its allies, but added it is always within the framework of international law. Spain believes the US acted illegally in Iran. If the details of this Pentagon email are a work in progress for the US, then the fractious relationship the Trump administration has with a number of European nations, may well have widened. One thing is certain. The Falklands, as the islands are called in the UK, remains a touchy subject. UK Prime Minister Kirstama's spokesperson Friday said sovereignty, rests with the UK, and self-determination is paramount. The timing of all this cannot be ignored. Coming just days ahead of King Charles's visit to the US, the monarch is also head of state of the Falkland Islands.

Anna Cunningham, CBC News. London. Manitoba could soon follow other provinces like Alberta, BC and Saskatchewan, and scrap the twice yearly changing of the clocks. Studies have linked seasonal time changes to higher risks of heart attacks, strokes, car accidents, and mental health challenges. But as Karen Paul's reports, while time changes may be on borrowed time, there's still no agreement on which time to settle on. I think the days of Manitoba switching the clocks twice a year are are pretty much at the end. But for Manitoba Premier Wob Canoe,

the question is permanent daylight saving time or permanent standard time. My personal choice is I think we should go to Saskatchewan time year round. It's better for the health benefits. But most people, they want to go the other way. They want the extra hour of sunlight in the summertime. Most of Saskatchewan is on central standard time all year round. It hasn't changed its clock for daylight saving time since 1966.

Canoe says it's prime time for this debate. So Manitoba will do some consulting over the next few months. We asked Winnipeggers what they think. Just be nice not having to change back and forth. I don't know. Which is the standard and which isn't? I'm driving around in December. I love looking at the Christmas lights.

And it's like, what, four o'clock, five o'clock? But July, I feel like I love when the sun is out longer. You know what I mean? But experts seem to agree. Standard time is really what's healthier for people. Patricia Lake. Deakin Thomas is a biology professor at York University. She says standard time aligns with our natural circadian rhythm. Sleep, wake cycles, body temperature, hormones. It's mainly set by the sunlight that we get in the morning.

Daylight saving time shifts light later into the evening, increasing the risks of sleep deprivation and related health issues. Because our body wants to clue into the sunrise and the sunrise hasn't risen yet. And we're trying to get up before that. We're out of sync. It damages our health. Lake and Thomas points out that the U.S., UK, and Russia have tried year-round daylight saving time. People hated it when they got up in the winter on dark winter mornings. After one or two winters, it was so bad that they quit. Manitobans watch out what you ask for. You may have buyers regret. With the Western provinces making or musing about the move,

Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston is also open to the idea. I'm interested in it, but it's not something that Nova Scotia would do on its own. This is always something that we said we'd have to do with the region. Back in Manitoba, Canoe has another thought, which may be ahead of its time. If Alberta moves to permanent daylight, Saskatchewan stays where they are, and if we move to permanent standard time, you could have a prairie time zone. Lakin Thomas doesn't think that's a great idea. It doesn't matter what the neighboring jurisdictions are doing.

What should you really be doing so that your clocks locally are best aligned for health? Amidst the debate, the Canadian Society for Chronobiology and National Sleep Organizations are calling on the federal government to hold a conference to look at the impacts of time change and explore a uniform. Some might say timeless approach. Karen Paul's CBC News, Winnipeg. Some tense moments in a courtroom today in Kitchener, Ontario, as a former neurologist was acquitted of nearly 50 charges of sexual assault, involving intimate exams of female patients.

The Crown argued Jeffrey Slocke acted with sexual intent, but as Philip Lyshanock reports, the judge ruled they failed to prove it. There is no justice, none. Three of the women who accused Jeffrey Slocke of sexually assaulting them, console one another outside the Waterloo Region courthouse in Kitchener, Ontario. Their identities protected by a publication ban. He walked away free. And I don't think any one of us was prepared for what actually happened.

We weren't. We acquitted. The system is broke. There are tears and cries of shame in court after the former neurologist was found not guilty of 48 counts of sexual assault. Justice Craig Perry found that the complainant's evidence was unreliable in the likely influenced by media reports and an earlier ruling by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario stripping Slocke of his license to practice. A disciplinary panel determined he'd sexually assaulted at least four patients between 2010 and 2017. Police laid charges in 2019. All he ever wanted out of this

was a fair trial. And he got a fair trial. Defense lawyer David Humphrey said the judge's 1,000-page ruling was unwavering and dismissed claim Slocke used his neurology clinic as cover to perform unjustified medical examinations for sexual purposes. The patients, all female, ranging in age from 17 to 51, had come to him for treatment for migraines and head injuries. They testified Slocke asked them to undress so he could perform examinations, including breast and pelvic exams. Slocke testified in his own defense and claimed he performed medical procedures in line with his training. Humphrey said the judge agreed. He concluded that there were no sexual assaults of any patients.

He accepted that Dr. Slocke had a medical purpose for all the impuged physical examinations in this case. It was surreal to hear not guilty on all charges. Sarah Castleman attended the trial. She's the executive director of the Waterloo Rue. Regent Sexual Assault Support Center. Today there was 48 women, but there was 70 women overall involved in this case. How many women does it take saying that they were sexually violated and sexually assaulted for our system to be responsive?

She's concerned the verdict may make women feel more reluctant to come forward with accusations. The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario says that judge's ruling doesn't change its decision to revoke Slocca's license to practice. And it added SLOCA also agreed never to apply to act as a physician in Ontario or any other jurisdiction. Philip Lyshanock, CBC News, Toronto. The CEO of Technology Company OpenAI has written a letter apologizing to the community of Tumblr Ridge, BC. The company owns ChatGPT. And last year, the platform flagged violent posts from an 18-year-old who went on to kill eight people,

including six children, in Tumblr Ridge in February. In his letter, CEO Sam Altman apologizes because ChatGPT banned the account, but no one alerted police. BC's Premier David Eby called the apology necessary, but grossly insufficient for the tragedy. That's Tell Me by Juno Award winner Karin Aaljla. The Canadian artist is one of the best known names in the global Punjabi music scene, along with India's Diljit D'Ey D'Sange. They both have concert tours kicking off across Canada in some of the largest venues in the country, and as Aina Siddu tells us, the fan base is getting bigger and broader around the world. That buzz at B.C. Place in Vancouver is over Punjabi singer Diljith Dosange. The global superstar

from India kicked off his oral world tour Thursday night in front of tens of thousands of fans. He's my number one favorite singer. The last concert he had here, we weren't able to get tickets, and we finally did this time. So this is, like, really big for us. I listen to him every single day, I promise. In the shower, he's my alarm song. I listen to him at school. But for some fans, the excitement goes beyond the music. Really, Diljit DeSange brings the two cultures together. Really binds a lot of generations. The concert tour comes to five Canadian cities as Punjabi music is riding a massive wave of growth globally.

Juno Award winner Karin Ajla launches his Canadian tour next week. Live Nation tour promoter Baldi Prindava says, Audela and Dosange rival mainstream top 40 artists. Demand is there as someone like a Kendrick or a Drake, I'd say. It's like we're seeing the show sell out at equal paces. We're seeing the demand at equal paces. According to Spotify, the genre has seen a sharp rise in international streams in recent years. On YouTube Canada, Ajla has ranked among the top three artists every week so far this year.

Dosange has cracked the top 15. Collaborations with Western artists is also bringing Punjabi music to new audiences. Digital success is translating into dollars. A report commissioned by Dosanja's management team says fans spent more than $60 million U.S. on tickets and hospitality during his last tour across 13 North American shows. The influence of Punjabi music goes beyond Canada's sizable South Asian diaspora. This past semester, Carly Wall Andrews designed the first ever course at Toronto Metropolitan University on Dosange,

highlighting his music and influence. We're seeing a lot more curation that reflects the diversity of Canada, and this is reflected in the streaming data, in the concerts that are being curated, and how shows are selling out. Breith and Amrvier-Gill say they can't wait for Dosange's Calgary show. I like his vibe. I like his essence. I like his aura. I know for me it's the culture, it's the fashion, it's the language.

That's important. That cultural connection key to the success of both Punjabi artists' groundbreaking tours. Ina Sedu, CBC News, Calgary. And finally tonight, a nod to another popular act. When the waves roll on over the waters, That is the haunting melody of Rise Again by Men of the Deeps, a choir composed of former coal miners from Cape Breton Island and entrenched in the lore of Nova Scotia.

Sure as the wind in the trees, we rise again. Donning helmets and clad in coveralls, their performances are tributes to the life of a coal miner. And that job was grueling, dangerous, many times leaving families without, fathers, brothers and sons. Nipper McLeod has been with the Men of the Deepes for half a century. The Men of the Deeps were formed. That was the mandate of the men of the deeps.

To keep the stories alive and the miners have a heartbeat and we should never let that die. That's what we're doing, keeping the story going. They were the first Canadians to tour China after Canada reestablished relations in the 70s and they were in Kosovo after the war there, invited by the Canadian government to perform at a UN gala. And again, in 2016, they raised money for the people of Fort McMurray, Alberta,

following their devastating wildfire. The group has considered the continent's only choir of coal miners, and members admit their time may be running out. The kids of the group are in their 60s. To join, members need to have two years of coal mining experience. And that's a tall order given that coal mining in Nova Scotia mostly stopped 20 years ago. If there's no miners left, it's not the same thing.

The guys now are all worked underground, so that's what keeps it true. Still, there are a few signs the group slowing. This week, the men of the deeps serenaded passengers at the Sydney Airport before leaving for Ontario to start their 60th anniversary tour. As it beats against the wall, and it's all shifts together, boys. We're talliers all. Hard hats and high notes. And a hope to keep that story alive.

This has been your world tonight for Friday. April 24th. I'm Dave Seglins. Thanks for being with us. Working at the cold face underneath the ground. Just a reits against the wall. And it's all shifts together. For more CBC podcasts, go to cbc.ca.