Your World Tonight - Stephen Lewis dies, Artemis II prepares blastoff, gopher cull, and more

Episode Date: March 31, 2026

Stephen Lewis has died. Lewis was a Canadian ambassador to the UN, journalist, environmental activist and politician. The father of new NDP Leader Avi Lewis is being remembered for his compassion, and his work for social justice and human rights.Also: Tomorrow, four astronauts are expected to blast off in NASA’s first crewed mission toward the moon in decades. Canada’s Jeremy Hansen will be one of them. He’s part of the Artemis II mission to orbit the moon. We have a crew on the ground at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.And: Alberta and Saskatchewan wage a war on gophers. And they’re getting permission from Ottawa to use a banned poison as part of the fight.Plus: A look inside a Chinese EV factory where robots work in the dark, provinces required to cover visits to nurse practitioners, Iran war, and more.

Hi, Steve Patterson here, host of the debaters, part stand-up, part quiz show, part comedy competition. We answer the questions you've never asked, like are trees overrated? If you're pining for Canada's best comedians to throw shade at each other, listen wherever you get your podcasts. This is a CBC podcast. The signs read, women's rights are human rights. It's never been made real. And so long as men control the levers and bastions of power, it never. Never will be real.

A major figure of progressive politics in Canada and a powerful voice for social justice around the world. Former politician, diplomat, and humanitarian, Stephen Lewis has died just days after watching his son take over the federal NDP. This is your world tonight. I'm Stephanie Skanderas. It's Tuesday, March 31st, coming up on 6 p.m. Eastern. Also on the podcast.

If Iran was willing to relinquish... material they have and ambitions they have. Great, that's the goal. We don't want to have to do more militarily than we have to. But I didn't mean it flippantly when I said in the meantime, we'll negotiate with bombs. Sticking to its guns, a month into the U.S.-led war with Iran, the White House is launching more airstrikes and moving more troops into the region, hoping to push the Iranian regime towards concessions. He was a leading humanitarian and one of Canada's most recognizable international activists. Stephen Lewis has died at age 88. Tom Perry looks back at his life and his family's enduring political legacy. Can someone, anyone, please explain to me our contemporary balance of values?

Stephen Lewis always called on the world to do better, to come together and help those in need. Around the continent, hundreds of thousands of children don't have access to treatment. Lewis was named UN special envoy for HIV AIDS in Africa in 2001 and later established the Stephen Lewis Foundation to help those living with the virus. This, after a political career that spanned decades. We will oppose the bill throughout the afternoon. Lewis was elected to the Ontario legislature in 1963 and served as leader of the Ontario NDP from 1970 to 1978. In 1984, progressive conservative Prime Minister Brian Mulroney named Lewis, a new Democrat, his ambassador to the United Nations. This is the most remarkable thing. I wonder if you weren't even more surprised about this appointment than we were.

No, I think we share levels of flabbergastedness equally. Lewis led the government's fight against apartheid in South Africa at the UN, working to rally international action and opinion. No more time for tears. The tears are over. Lewis was also a central link in a Canadian political dynasty. His father, David Lewis, was leader of the federal NDP from 1971 to 1975. Please welcome the new leader of Canada's NDP, Le Nouveauceuf de NPD, Avi Lewis. Lewis's son, Avi, was elected NDP leader just days ago at the party's convention in Winnipeg, where he acknowledged his father and his then failing health in his victory speech.

friends, a lot of you know that my dad, Stephen Lewis, is not doing too well. But he is still with us and hanging on to see the next chapter of our movement. Stephen Lewis's family today issued a statement saying he died peacefully and that he spent the last eight years of his life battling cancer. The world, it says, has lost a voice of unmatched eloquence and integrity. Tributes have also come from Prime Minister Mark Carney, who called Lewis a pillar of compassionate leadership and a global champion for human rights. Conservative leader Pierre Pahliav offered his condolences to Lewis's family. Others, like former New Democrat MP Charlie Angus, shared their memories. You think of the millions of people, he affected with his determination and his incredible eloquence. This is a very

hard day. Angus says Lewis always spoke with a sense of clear moral conviction and a commitment to justice. His legacy, Angus says, is showing people time and again. Some things are worth fighting. for. Tom Perry, CBC News, Ottawa. The coming days will be decisive in the war in Iran. That's according to the head of the Pentagon. Pete Hegset says while U.S. firepower is increasing, Iran's morale is weakening. Katie Nicholson brings us the latest on the fighting across the Middle East and the fallout in the global economy. An apartment building in southern Beirut erupts in a cloud of smoke and rubble. A direct hit in a suburban area.

Israel had been warning people to leave while in the Iranian city of Isfahan. A massive fireball exploded hundreds of meters in the air as U.S. forces struck a suspected weapons depot with their deep penetrating bunker buster bombs. President Trump doesn't bluff and he does not back down. At the Pentagon's first briefing in nearly two weeks, Secretary Pete Hegseth wouldn't say what the U.S. military's next steps might be, including whether troops will land. on Iranian soil, but stressed diplomacy was the desired route out of the conflict. We would much prefer to get a deal. If Iran was willing to relinquish material they have and

ambitions they have. The surge of U.S. troops in the region is the largest it's been in 20 years. Now the Wall Street Journal is reporting a third aircraft carrier has been dispatched to the Middle East. In the meantime, we'll negotiate with bombs. The briefing, just hours after an Iranian drone hit a Kuwaiti oil tanker. near the port of Dubai, one of many sitting ducks in the region. The last 24 hours have also been intense for neighboring Gulf nations, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Qatar, all having to fend off multiple Iranian ballistic missiles and drones.

To that end, the UK now sending more defense systems and troops to help, says British Defense Secretary John Healy. And so my message to the Gulf Nation leaders I've met is that Britain stands with you. European nations have also been hit by skyrocketing inflation, up 2.5% in March, fueled by soaring energy prices. Energy ministers met today in Brussels to hatch a plan, despite facing so many unknowns.

It will not be short, because even if there was a peace tomorrow, there would still be consequences. European Energy Commissioner Dan Jorgensen bracing for long-term impacts, and encouraged nations to conserve fuel. Because energy infrastructure in the region has been ruined by the war. Among their chief concerns, when the Strait of Hormuz might reopen, and with it, its vital flow of fuel.

U.S. President Donald Trump signaled on social media, it isn't really his concern. In a post, he suggested impacted countries buy oil from the U.S. or, quote, go get your own, adding they need to learn how to fight. for themselves. Katie Nicholson, CBC News, Washington. A statement from 10 European countries, including Britain, France, and Italy,

calls on Israel to avoid widening its military operations in Lebanon. The statement says Israel should respect its neighbor's territorial integrity. Prime Minister Mark Carney says Israel's ground offensive in southern Lebanon is an illegal invasion. It's a violation of their territorial sovereignty, integrity, sovereignty, and the point I was making as well, from a practical perspective, the government of Lebanon has banned Hezbollah, is taking action, is trying to take action against Hezbollah and their terrorist activities and their threats to Israel.

And that is the purported justification for this invasion. So we condemn it. Israel insists the operation is against Hezbollah militants and vital to its security. Israel plans to leave troops in the area, even after the war is over. Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand says Ottawa opposes another action by Israel the application of a death penalty. Israel's parliament has passed a law approving the death penalty for Palestinians convicted of murdering Israelis in terrorist attacks. The punishment

becomes the default for West Bank Palestinians convicted in military courts. It does not apply in the same way to Jewish extremists convicted of the same crime. The law also eliminates most avenues for appeal. Coming right up, a potential treatment for Canadians struggling to access health care, how nurse practitioners may be able to help ease pressure on an overburdened system. And prairie farmers are trying everything to deal with a worsening pest problem. Now they're getting special permission for a powerful poison. Later, we'll have this story.

I'm Chris Brown. Our CBC crew got rare access from one of China's largest deductible. vehicle companies Gili to visit one of their factory south of Shanghai. In the welding section alone, there were 850 robots working in the dark using sensors to assemble cars. Some traditional jobs may be cut or restructured, but they will also create new jobs for Canada. We'll look at what the arrival of Chinese EVs could mean for Canada's automotive industry. Coming up on your world tonight. of Canadians who don't have a family doctor, a nurse practitioner is another option for primary

care. But their cost isn't always covered, so many pay out of pocket. That's supposed to change tomorrow. But as Tashana Reid tells us, not all the provinces are ready for it. I went like a couple of years and not being able to get a family physician. When Yvette Jarvis needed to see a doctor, it meant heading to her local ER in St. John's, sometimes waiting for hours just to get a prescription refill until five years ago when she opted to pay for medical care from a nurse practitioner-led clinic. Since then, she's paid $50 to $75 every visit. And they gave me the exact same care that I would normally get from a family physician.

So we shouldn't have to pay to $75 and it should be covered. The federal government agrees that no Canadian should pay out of pocket for medical care that would be covered if provided by a doctor. Nurse practitioners are able to assess, diagnose and prescribe medications to patients for many health issues, but can't bill their province like doctors do. They typically work in public systems like hospitals and in long-term care, but at some independent clinics, that bill goes to the patient instead. A year ago, the federal health minister notified provinces and territories they had to cover these services as of April 1st, 2026.

I've been telling my patients just this past week, and you can just see the release. leaf off their face like, wow. Trent McDonald owns the clinic that Yvette Jarvis goes to in St. John's. Since 2019, I have some patients who could not afford to pay me, and I knew that, so I never charged them. Newfoundland is offering nurse practitioners

salary contracts with a 30% top-up for overhead costs like clinic operations. I'm going to sign off for 800 patients, and in return I have to work that many hours, and I'm the primary care provider for those 800 patients. It's a similar funding approach used in other provinces, including Saskatchewan and British Columbia. But not every province is ready. Valerie Gerdisa is the CEO of the Canadian Nurses Association and is critical of provinces that don't have a plan in place yet, including Ontario.

You can't even understand why governments are not moving towards better cost-effective, cost-optimization strategies, like really using every member of the team to their full legislation. a scope of practice. Gerdisa says nurse practitioners also help Canadians who urgently need primary care. By not innovating, by not modernizing, we are going to actually put our publicly funded health system at risk. In a statement, the College of Family Physicians says while it supports additional resources, including nurse practitioners, doctors are not replaceable. The federal government has given provinces one full year to comply. After that, Ottawa says there will be financial penalties. Tashana Reid, CBC News, Toronto.

The prairies have a pest problem. Farmers say gophers are eating away at their crops and their profits. It's getting so bad. Ottawa is now letting some use a banned poison to help curb the population. Helena Mahalik has the details and the reaction. You'll notice big patches in the field that are just completely gone of crop. They've wiped it right out. Josh Haidt, a farmer in Carobbert, Saskatchewan,

knows all too well how damaging gophers can be. Last year, 80 hectares of his crops were ruined by the rodents. So too, he says, was his machinery. Sometimes when you're going through with your equipment and stuff, you can drop into one of those holes and it can be pretty jarring. The gopher population has spiked, due partly to recent dry conditions. To combat the problem, Ottawa is authorizing the emergency use of strychnine in Alberta and Saskatchewan. It was banned two years ago for the harm it posed to other wildlife. But this time, Health Canada has restrictions in place to try and limit its usage to certain areas of the provinces. Heit says that news was disappointing. Actually, I just came to find out this morning that my area is not actually one of the areas that it's been lifted on,

so I'm not even in a position where I'm going to be able to use it this year. Saskatchewan and Alberta made a successful push to get strychnine reinstated. Farmers in those provinces can use the pesticide only until November 27. Kate Sack. is with the grain growers of Canada. Having a November of 2027 timeline just has a great opportunity for producers such as us to show that we are able to use this product respectfully to the land. The Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan is relieved to see a solution to keep the gopher population under control this farming season. Jeremy Welter is its vice president and also runs a farm. He says his area isn't included in the allocated regions for strict nine use.

and it's something he'll continue to advocate for. The path forward is to continue working with them and to have producers continue to advocate through their organizations and through different levels of government to say, you know, we weren't included in the initial release, but we do have areas and we need to have access to these tools as well. Environmentalists argue strychnine use should be limited to protect other animals, like the burrowing owl, swift fox,

or any birds who prey on gophers. Christy Morrissey is a professor of biology at the University of Saskatchewan. She says strychnine is very dangerous if not controlled. It's not to make it inconvenient for farmers. It's because they aren't safe. Health Canada says the temporary use of stricnine will help Alberta and Saskatchewan address millions of dollars in losses because of damage caused by gophers, adding it will help support the Canadian economy and agricultural sector going forward. Helena Maholic, CBC News, Saskatoon.

Around this time tomorrow, four astronauts may be strapped in their seats heading for the moon. Ontario's Jeremy Hanson will be one of them. The crew's plan is to travel farther into space than ever before. Paul Hunter is in Florida with more on this historic trip and the excitement around it. For now, the monster-sized orange and white rocket sits silently on launch pad 39B at the Kennedy Space Center. in Florida. Count down clock, counting down, all systems, as they say, go for liftoff tomorrow at 6.24 p.m. Eastern. NASA test director, Jeff Spalding. People are excited and ready to go on this first chapter on our way back to the moon since the 1970s. Three, two, one.

In addition. Right away, Houston. Indeed, that's the sound of Apollo 17 astronauts leaving the moon in 1972. Who knew then it'd be more than half a century before humans returned even anywhere near that place? Now, three Americans and one Canadian, London, Ontario's Jeremy Hansen, are all set to go, not to land, but to slingshot around the moon and then home. Their mission, called Artemis II, is to test the rocket with an eye to future missions, putting people back on the lunar surface. Hansen will become the first Canadian ever to get beyond Earth's orbit, though for him it's another milestone.

It's his first trip to space, period. The three Americans traveling with him have all been in orbit before, but not Hansen, who spoke while in quarantine last week. So I won't know how to float and fly, and I'll be a bit clumsy up there, so I know that's going to be hilarious and annoying at the same time. Hansen jokes about the trip, but he knows it's historic, daunting, and a vital step in reigniting the wonder of lunar exploration. If that is, it takes off tomorrow.

The mission's already been twice delayed. One concern now, the weather, though Mark Berger, NASA's official launch weather officer, yes, they have one of those, says the odds are pretty good. They're still maintaining a 20% chance of a no-go condition during the launch window. So the optimistic side of me says that means 80% chance of, go here? Lisa Campbell, president of the Canadian Space Agency, spoke with Hansen this afternoon. He's in great shape. He's been waiting for this all his life. He is so ready. And he knows that he's

carrying all of the good wishes of Canada. Hansen's family's here to see him off. They'll be watching in person tomorrow. And what a show it promises to be. Ten days and a million kilometers around the moon, says Hansen. We're all fired up to go do this. So, alonzie. It's time. Paul Hunter, CBC News, at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The founder of Montreal's Just for Laughs comedy festival has been ordered to pay more than $800,000 in a civil lawsuit. Gilbert Rosen was facing allegations of sexual assault and misconduct dating back decades. Griffin Yeager has a details. Our voice makes a difference.

Martin Hwa, speaking today for the women nicknamed the Courageousous Warrie. nine women who sued Gilbert Rosin for sexual assault and misconduct going back decades. The founder of Just for Laughs was ordered by a Quebec Superior Court judge to pay over $880,000 in damages to eight of the nine women. This victory doesn't erase my pass, but validating the truth allows me to reclaim the power I lost. In total, the women were seeking just under $14 million in damages for misconduct they say Rosin committed when they were between 15 and 35 years old. I silently carried this like many others for years. This trial was the latest stage in a long legal battle. Rosan stepped down from his role at Just for Laughs after several accusations surfaced in 2017.

He was acquitted of criminal charges in 2020. There was also a class action lawsuit that was converted into a civil trial of individual suits. Bruce Johnston represented the nine women. Although they went through a very difficult path, they hope that this will make the path of those who would also think of denouncing their sexual aggressor a little bit easier. Rosin has always denied the allegations against him. He countered with claims of defamation against four accusers, which were all dismissed today. The day before the trial began, civil law in Quebec was changed regarding sexual allegations.

In a statement, Rosan and his team claimed those changes infringed upon his right to a full and complete defense. To me, it's inseparable. Chad Don Levy is a culture critic for the Montreal Gazette. He says the allegations against Rosan had to be. a significant impact on Just for Laughs. His decline and the public image and idea of him from the point those allegations came forward and the damage that did instantly to the credibility of the festival. Concordia University's Leia Clement Dion says today's decision is a victory for the Me Too movement.

Those people that weren't heard in criminal system were heard in civil path. They are recognized for their voice, their credibility, and I would say their dignity. Rosin and his lawyers say they are reviewing the lengthy judgment and will decide whether they plan to appeal the decision. Griffin Yeager, CBC News, Toronto. You're listening to Your World Tonight from CBC News. And if you want to make sure you never miss one of our episodes,

follow us on Spotify, Apple, wherever you get your podcasts. Just find the follow button and lock us in. Finance Minister Francois-Ferlop Philippe Champagne is in Beijing this week. to expand trade links with China. It's three months after Ottawa announced a deal with China to allow some of its electric vehicles into the country. In exchange, Beijing reduced tariffs on Canadian canola. The deal has come under fire,

as the U.S. investigates whether there is forced labor in the EV supply chain, and some argue it could disrupt Canada's auto sector. Chris Brown went to visit an EV factory south of Shanghai. Not only does China dominate the global market for electric vehicles, it's developed an entire ecosystem to support them. Take this Shanghai EV service station that's operated entirely by robots. I think it's getting shorter and shorter because... Tony Tiao doesn't plug in his EV, he backs into a bay, and a robot slides a fresh battery

into the chassis. It takes just three minutes. And it's just at the same time as the car just driving to the petrol station and add some fuel in it. China's strengths in electric vehicle sector are undeniable. After Prime Minister Mark Carney's visit to China, Canada opened the door just a bit to Chinese EVs, allowing 49,000 to be sold in the domestic market.

That's not a lot of cars, but for Canadian consumers, it's the entry point to a new energy and tech ecosystem that brings high risks and rewards. CBC News was given rare access to a Gili factory south of Shanghai that makes the Zika line of EVs. It's called a dark factory. The robots here rely on sensors, not sight. There are so few humans on the floor

they don't even need to turn the lights on. Our customers care about whether the vehicle is reliable, says manager Xu Naiping, through automated production, we've greatly enhanced our quality control. Union's warn letting in Chinese EVs will jeopardize tens of thousands of Canadian jobs. Chinese professor and EV expert, Zeng Xion,

says the disruption caused by such extreme automation is real, and China is feeling it too. It's also a shock in China, he says. Now in Chinese universities, internal combustion engine students are finding there's no jobs for them, and they end up working in fields such as insurance instead. But the threat isn't just mechanical. It's also digital.

You know, when you get on your cell phone, it's the Chinese that are going to be listening to your... Ontario Premier Doug Ford has said these cars aren't just vehicles. They're rolling data centers. Swin Xiaohong of China's Chamber of Commerce insists Canadian data will stay on Canadian soil. We don't think the car can send some information to China. We don't need China to need that because we have the regulations.

Canada's industry faces difficult choices. Plug into a new era of innovation or risk being left in the rearview mirror. Chris Brown, CBC News in Ningboa, China. We end tonight with a sign-off for another broadcast after 50 years that has some long-time listeners worried. This is Webber. Radio Canada, station XLM-300. Humidity, 96% wind north, 30, gusting to 41 kilometers per hour.

Since 1976, weather radio Canada provided 24-hour-a-day updates. Current conditions, forecasts, and severe weather warnings broadcast on a continuous loop in both English and French from more than 200 stations across the country. A steady link to the latest weather information, especially in remote parts of Canada. But earlier this month, a different message went out. Please note that the Weather Radio and Hello Weather Services

will be permanently disconnected on March 16th, 2026. And with that, weather radio Canada was decommissioned. According to Environment and Climate Change, Canada, the service was becoming too costly to run. Nowadays, most Canadians get weather updates and warnings on their phones, other devices. But weather radio still had some loyal listeners, mostly outdoor enthusiasts and ham radio fans who are sad to see it go. It is maybe more of a basic form of communication. And if things do break, simpler is often better. Saskatchewan resident Trent Walton was a weather radio

supporter. He says the technology may have been old, but it was cheap and reliable, even during storms or other disruptions. It could work through power or internet outages when weather apps can go dark. Environment and climate change Canada says it's strengthening its public alert system to make sure Canadians can stay informed. This has been your world tonight for Tuesday, March 31st. I'm Stephanie Scandaris. Thank you for being with us. Good night. It's.