Your World Tonight - N.W.T. wildfire evacuations, B.C. missing boaters, Putin on fuel shortage, and more

Episode Date: June 29, 2026

Residents of Fort Simpson, N.W.T. have been told to evacuate as a nearby wildfire threatens to move in. And the evacuation route is long and arduous.Also: Rescue officials end the search for six missing boat passengers; they say they have exhausted all possibilities. A chartered boat sank in the waters off the coast of Richmond, B.C. yesterday. Four people were rescued after personal, commercial and coast guard vessels flocked to the scene.And: President Vladimir Putin acknowledges Russia is facing fuel shortages in the wake of Ukrainian strikes on refineries.Plus: Venezuela search, a Canadian company takes advantage of a European defense pact, Stephen Eustáquio’s journey to Canadian soccer stardom, and more.

With Google AI, Destination Canada is giving local businesses the insights they need to grow. Together, we're helping boost tourism from coast to coast to coast. Innovation is Canada's story. Let's tell it together. Find out more at g.co slash Canadian innovation. This is a CBC podcast. The smoke started getting more thick in it, dark in the skies, and then I guess that's when they called it. And then, yeah, it was a little stressful than when we took off.

Fast-spreading wildfires and high emotions in the Northwest Territories. People are being forced from their homes, and for many, it's not the first time. This is Your World Tonight. It's Monday, June 29th, just before 6 p.m. Eastern. I'm Kimberly Gale. Also on the podcast. We decided to just go for the three that we're closer together. That's the decision, a hard one we had to make. A search for survivors turns into a recovery mission after a charter boat sinks off the coast of Vancouver.

We hear from one couple who helped save some of those on board. Residents of two Northwest Territories communities are facing a familiar nightmare. They're being ordered to leave ahead of rapidly growing wildfires. For the people of Fort Simpson, getting to safety in Yellowknife means hours of driving. And it's the second time they've had to evacuate in less than five years. Juanita Taylor reports. Yeah, it was quite the drive. Clayton Conacenta and his family of five arrived in Yellowknife from Fort Simpson at 8.30 this morning.

They left their home when they got the order to evacuate at 7 p.m. Sunday. The smoke started getting more thick and dark in the skies and then I guess that's when they called it. And then, yeah, it was a little stressful when we took off. About 1,300 people live in the village. It normally takes about seven hours to drive to Yellowknife and requires crossing a ferry at the Lillard River where Conocenta says there was a bottleneck of vehicles. Conisenta says they waited three hours to get on the ferry. Kind of nerve-wracking and scary at the same time for the kids,

and a lot of people are like anxious and, I guess, impatient, and I guess scared. They were honking the horns. More than 50 wildland firefighters are battling at least two fires on the outskirts of the community, with eight air tankers and several helicopters aiding their efforts. Those who couldn't drive were put on planes, with the last one leaving at half-past midnight, like Rebecca Tedso. I am feeling stressed, feeling emotional, worried, hoping we can go home soon. And, you know, like, I'm really tired.

And, like, I'm just hoping we're not going to be here too long. She says she got in around 2.30 this morning. I know there's a big lineup, and I don't want to wait, so I just want to get a Simpson right away. There's a big frame of smoke right in the community, and you can see ashes falling. I was trying to have to panic and whatnot, but I try to remain calm, but I didn't know what to do. I didn't know what was going on. Sean Wellie is a resident and former mayor of Fort Simpson. He says the wind is expected to change direction and blow towards the community.

This isn't the first time people in Fort Simpson have had to flee from a wildfire. The last time was in 2022. It wasn't like Fort Simpson was going to get off the hook forever, and yet we had several years where there could have been more things done, but you can't do things without money. Well, he says the village spent a million dollars on firebreaks when he was the mayor, but says Fort Simpson needs 10 million to make it safer from wildfires. We should have more firebreaks. We should have more equipment here.

And I know a lot of equipment is surging into the community right now with the territorial government, even the federal government. but it's still the reactionary type of response. Officials reported 18 new fires overnight. Currently, there were more than 80 fires in the Northwest Territories, one burning close to Highway 1 at the Alberta border, where the territorial government says it's going to make sure it stays accessible. Anita Taylor-CBC News, Toronto.

Search crews say they have exhausted all possibilities of finding anyone else alive from a charter boat that sank on Sunday off. Vancouver. Six people are still missing. Four were rescued. As Caroline Bargut reports, a couple on a sailboat are being credited with saving the lives of three of them. They were sort of help, help, but nothing really. Brian Angus and Dorothy Stauffer were on their sailboat Sunday morning when they spotted five people. They were floating on their backs in choppy waters in the Georgia Strait, about 20 kilometers southwest of Vancouver's International Airport. The couple called in a May Day to alert the Coast Guard, then tried to help.

There's no doubt they were hypothermic, and none of them had life jackets on, which was really shocking. The couple was to towing a three-meter dinghy behind their boat and tried to coax the group to grab hold of it. They picked up a female first, then circled around several times in order to get to the two men. I really had to yell at them, go towards the line, hold on to the line, and swim towards the dinghy and hold on to the line. Now, the female, she understood because she had some English, but the other two, it was really, I had to do a lot of point. and charades, but they finally got the gist of it. We don't know how long they were in the water, and I think really their coherent status was on the rapid decline. By the time the couple got to the three, they had lost sight of the other two. We decided to just go for the three that were

closer together. That's the decision, a hard one we had to make. Ten people are believed to have been on a charter fishing boat when it began taking on water around 1145 a.m. Sunday. Search and rescue crews, including two police vessels and two helicopters, were dispatched to the area. A hollow ferry and two BC ferries also joined in the search. Natasha Jung and her family were on one of them. It seemed like everyone was doing their best, both on our ferry as well as the other ships, to try to spot people in the water. The captain gave us pretty frequent updates and would also tell us when we would expect the next update as well.

And I think that really helped put the passengers at ease. RCMP say by Sunday afternoon four people had been rescued. One was taken to hospital in critical condition. the other three listed as stable. The search for the other six people was suspended Sunday night. Major Gregory Clark is the officer in charge of the Joint Rescue Coordination Center in Victoria. Ultimately, we don't take it lately. It's definitely a challenging decision, but we exhausted all possible ways to find any survivors.

And that's the point where we go to the commander to recommend search suspension. The case has been handed to the RCMP who continue to investigate. Caroline Bargut, CBC News, Vancouver. Five days after twin earthquakes devastated Venezuela, the hope of finding survivors buried under the rubble is fading. More than 1,700 people are confirmed dead. But with an estimated 50,000 still missing, that number is expected to rise dramatically.

As Evan Dyer reports, despite the grim situation, there are still remarkable rescues. An aftershock. sends people running in Caracas. Jacqueline Flores says she came to this roadside open area to get away from the aftershocks that continue to be felt in coastal Laguida State. These have been horrible and devastating days, she says, while thanking God for being alive and stressing she's luckier than most.

At least 2,500 structures affected, most of which fully belast. Luca Rambolla del Tindaro, the UN's resident coordinator in Venezuela, says many more bodies remain under rubble. We are procuring, and this is something that has been agreed with the authorities here, 10,000 bodybecks. US rescuer Michael Caponi worked on the collapsed Surfside building in Florida, where nearly 100 people died, but says that didn't prepare him for what he encountered in Venezuela. Here you have hundreds of buildings that look exactly like Surfside with the same scenario. So at every building you have search and rescue crews.

You can't talk. You have to turn off your car. You have to turn off the motorcycle because it has to be like radio silence because they're just listening and hoping to hear like someone just hitting something to show that they're still alive. Caponi says foreign crews like his owner getting little help from the Venezuelan government, but donations from ordinary Venezuelans have been pouring in. The Venezuelan diaspora has come through.

We have a 60,000 square foot warehouse in Miami. It overflowed after 24 hours. we didn't have room in it anymore. Frustration with the government is building. Social media showed one rescuer in the town of Taniguanas, haranguing soldiers at the scene, saying you should have brought picks and shovels instead of rifles. We're not at war if you want to defend the country and show how tough you are,

you should be digging. The soldiers said nothing and appeared to leave the scene. Amidst the frustration and desperation, there were still moments of hope. In La Guida, Aaron Levy Cantillo, was pulled out alive after 106 hours under the rubble. There is also more worry as the country raised for bad weather. There is a tropical wave that is expected than in the next hours. The UN's Rampola del Tindaro.

And this will bring heavy rains. You can imagine what this means for this place. The storm will not only make it much harder to find survivors, but also bring more hardship and misery for the thousands of people left with nowhere to sleep. Evan Dyer's CBC News, Ottawa. Coming right up, the US Supreme Court. The court overturns nearly a century of precedent to give the president more power to fire the heads of federal agencies. Plus, a rare admission from the Russian leader.

Vladimir Putin admits his country is facing some fuel shortages, following a barrage of Ukrainian drone strikes. And later, this story. It's a moment that's quickly become part of Canadian sports lore. Stefan Ustakio's goal set off celebrations from coast to coast. Oh, like a dream come true, we've been. For Oostakio, the road to this moment has not been easy. I'm Jamie Strachan in Toronto. That story coming up on Your World Tonight.

The U.S. Supreme Court is preparing to wrap up its term for the summer, issuing a flurry of final decisions, including on the counting of mail-in ballots and the president's ability to fire federal officials. Paul Hunter is in Washington to help us unpack all this. Paul, it's been a busy few weeks for the Supreme Court. What's the latest? Yeah, well, a number of significant decisions out today.

One thing, perhaps of interest, was not so much a decision but a denial. The court denying a bid by the U.S. president to make arguments to overturn a lower court ruling in the case involving E. Jean Carroll. She's the New York writer who a jury found had been sexually abused by Donald Trump in the mid-1990s. That jury awarded her $5 million in damages. Trump's lawyers wanted the case tossed, arguing the judge had wrongly allowed. certain evidence. The Supreme Court today letting the lower court ruling stand and short answer, that's the end of the line for Donald Trump in this case.

He will now have to pay E. Jean Carroll, that $5 million. Trump, today posting he was surprised by the denial and called the whole thing a, quote, fake case brought by someone he'd effectively never met. So aside from that decision, the court also issued a number of rulings today. Give us the highlights. Yeah, well, Trump is certainly highlighting a ruling that gives presidents the power to straight up fire those who run independent federal agencies in the U.S.,

agencies that regulate countless aspects of how this country operates itself. It overturns 90 years of precedent and effectively allows for the removal of those in place who act as independent checks on presidential power over those agencies. Trump called the ruling historic and unprecedented. That said, in a separate ruling by the court today, Trump was blocked from being able to fire a board member at the U.S. Central Bank, aka the Federal Reserve, which sets interest rates in this country, something Trump has been keen to influence for some time. The court underlining the need for the Federal Reserve, or the Fed, as it's known, to be independent of political influence,

though it didn't rule out further action by Trump in that case. And quickly, one other decision to note today, the Supreme Court ruling in favor of allowing mail-in ballots in Mississippi, something Trump has long opposed and had challenged. He called that ruling today against him a tremendous loss. The court will issue additional decisions tomorrow before they wrap their term. What can we expect to see? Yeah, well, a couple to watch tomorrow. One on whether transgender girls and women can be banned from taking part in school sports.

The other on so-called birthright citizenship. What is it to be American as defined by the U.S. Constitution, when born on American soil, but to parents who, let's say, are undocumented migrants. That's tomorrow. The final day for the court this session promises to be a biggie. Thanks for this, Paul. You're welcome. For weeks, Ukraine has escalated drone and missile strikes on Russian energy infrastructure, aimed at weakening Moscow's ability to wage war.

Ukrainian president Vladimir Zelensky says, the strategy's working. The Russian president today admitted there have been fuel short. But Vladimir Putin says they are minor. As Breyer Stewart reports, life on the ground in Russia tells a different story. A long line of cars gradually inches down the road towards a gas station in Moscow. It's a similar scene in many places across the country where some pumps have run out of gas while others, drivers are told they can only fill up a limited amount of fuel.

The situation is bad. There are queues everywhere. Some places have no petrol at all, said Maria, a Moscow resident who would only give her first name. Where I live, half of the stations are closed, and at others you can't get any more than 20 liters, said a man named Igor. Russia is one of the world's largest producers of oil and gas, but it banned gasoline and jet fuel from being exported outside of the country because for weeks Ukraine has been carrying out attacks on its energy facilities. Russia's president Vladimir Putin said that the strikes weren't affecting the situation along the front line. And that while they were causing problems when it came to fuel, he said the shortage wasn't critical.

But in Crimea, which Moscow illegally annexed in 2014, authorities have declared a state of emergency. Ukraine has been targeting routes in and out of the area trying to isolate the Black Sea Peninsula. It's normally a popular spot for Russian tourists in the summer, but there have been so many strikes that authorities have even banned the use of motorcycles overnight because they sound too similar to the drones Ukraine has been launching. Analysts estimate that Russia's gasoline output could be down by about 20%. For the moment, the gasoline crisis can become the last trigger. Maxime Blant is an economic analyst with radio-liven.

and used to work in the banking sector in Russia. He says the fuel shortage is happening at a time when the Russian government is already struggling with an unprecedented deficit and the central bank is trying to rein in inflation. Before Ukrainian hits on Russian infrastructure, already was a very big problem with economy, a lot of structural problems. Just how long Russia's gas shortage lasts depends on how quickly Moscow can repair. its facilities and whether Kiev keeps attacking, Ukraine's president has bowed at will. He says they're carrying out a 40-day campaign to try and create pressure to force the Kremlin to end its war.

Breyer-Stewart, CBC News, London. A Montreal company is the first to benefit from Canada's exclusive entry to a European military supply pact. Marconi Technologies will provide tactical radios for Poland's army. The move could help Canada diversify its defense exports beyond the United States. But breaking into European markets could risk a backlash from Washington. Sarah Levitt reports. It's the Orion X-650. It's our flagship product. At Marconi's headquarters in Montreal's West End, CEO Alan Cohen shows off his company's wares.

High-tech tactical radios encased in Army green metal tested for heat, cold, and shock resistance. The radios meant for militaries, like... Poland's cyberspace defense forces. Very pleased to see the announcement that's becoming concrete with the announcement of Marconi. In France and mid-June, Prime Minister Mark Carney announced

Marconi as the first Canadian company to land a contract under a defense procurement agreement with the European Union. There'll be many more, we're stronger together. The security action for Europe agreement, or safe, offers companies preferential access to defense contracts using low-interest loans. Canada is the only non-European country to join.

It's a symbolic victory, I think, for Canadian industry. Marconi CEO Alan Cohen says the company will pair with a Polish one in the $10 million contract. We're grateful to the government of Canada to have entered it, frankly, because what it does is it accelerates things. This is typically an industry where lead times can be pretty long. Safe accelerated that in a tremendous way. Many experts say Canada must broaden the market of defense contracts, beyond the United States.

Gail Rivin-Réééé is the executive director of the Conference of Defense Association's Institute in Ottawa. We know that 70 cents spent on every dollar in defense is going to the United States. This is giving us a way to diversify our industry, diversify the markets we're selling at, and increase our resilience going forward. But some say there is a risk in angering the U.S. administration.

Imram Bayoumi is the Associate Director at Washington, Skowcroft Center for Strategy and Security. Canada's continued participation in safe and end participation in closer cooperation with European countries risks further exacerbating that tension and deepening the gulf between the United States and Canada, which would then lead to potential other fallout in other sectors like on trade. Rivard-Pichet doesn't see that as a real threat. It's part of a generational moment in showing that Canada can step up, that we can partner with European allies, and that our companies are able to produce.

Canadian-made technology for export to new markets. There is a lot of cutting-edge tech that goes into this. At Marconi, the feeling is the benefits outweigh those risks. Sarah Levitt. CBC News, Montreal. A last-minute goal by Stefanustakio brought the country to its feet, as Canada's men's team won its first-ever knockout game at the FIFA World Cup yesterday. The strike catapulted the 29-year-old midfielder to hero status. Jamie Strassan has more on how Oostakio got there.

It was a roar heard across Canada in public squares, bars and basements. The sound of a nation celebrating one of those, where were you moments? Oh, like a dream come true. Stephanie Ostackio's goal propelled the Canadian men's team into uncharted territory. I don't think I've understood yet the weight of this moment. His older brother, Morrow, was still glowing today. He spoke to Stefan moments after the game. I played it in my head, you know, a couple times a couple times a day so far.

Something that we don't know just quite yet how big it is. The 29-year-old midfielder's journey has played out across two continents. Born in Leamington, Ontario to Portuguese parents, Ustakio's dad Armando used to bring his two sons to his games, recalls Tony Omar, the president of the Leamington Minor Soccer Association. We'd get a little break in and Armando would go over there and he'd be working with the kids. And then when I watch Stefan on TV, who is, to me, resembles as that a lot.

It's so nice to see. The family moved to Portugal when Ustakio was seven, where he truly learned the game, eventually making his professional debut there. But he always felt connected to this country, says Arashmadani, who has covered Oostakio for years. Estacchio, when he was in his early 20s, had a decision to make. Do I continue to pursue the Portuguese route with the national team? or will I commit to Canada and obviously you know the decision.

Yesterday marked the 60th time he suited up for Canada, the goal capping years of loyalty and dedication. This is somebody who's a midfielder who absolutely is the heartbeat of this team. You're talking about somebody who is Uber prepared, somebody who is Uber professional. The goal was also very personal for a man whose family has always been central to his success in 2020. he lost his mother to cancer. A year later, Armando died suddenly after a heart attack. Both were on his mind during his post-game interview with TSN.

Yeah, everything I do is for my family, for my parents, for my girlfriend, for my daughter, for all of me. Morrow says his parents would have been extremely proud. It is a sport that we in our household, you know, we lived it, we loved it, we supported each other. Canada will play again on Saturday, massive underdogs against either Morocco or the Netherlands. Another chance for a hero to emerge, another moment in history to be written. Jamie Strash in CBC News, Toronto. Finally tonight? The sound of Canada's largest icebreaker crashing through the Saginae River in Quebec a few years back.

The Louis Saint-Laure will soon be breaking ice on its next mission, a voyage to the North Pole. So we like to think of ourselves as the snowplows of the ocean. That's commanding officer Byron Briggs. He and his crew are leaving St. John's Harbor in about a week, making stops in Iceland and Norway, before the Coast Guard vessel continues to the North Pole in early August. One part of the mission is strengthening relations with other polar nations, but the focus is collecting data in support of Canada's claim to the Arctic North.

Once we actually leave Tromsol and head to the pole, it's all about the science, and the partnership with us in the Swedes, with Theodin, and gathering as much data as we possibly can. Physical scientist Kai Bogild is on the team and responsible for gathering mapping information. We use various acoustic, hydroacoustic methods to basically get an image of the seafloor and a high-resolution map of the seafloor. And from that you can extract depths, of course, and identify features. The mission will chart some of the seafloor that's never been documented this way before. You're going over areas that you really have no idea what you're going to find.

You're mapping areas that have not been mapped before. So geological features and seam mounts and stuff, you can come across them without a moment's notice. So you're really seeing things for the first time. Thanks for being with us. This has been your world tonight for Monday, June 29th. I'm Kimberly Gale. Good night. For more CBC podcasts, go to cbc.ca.ca.