Your World Tonight - Tariff increase, border bill, La Ronge evacuates, and more

Episode Date: June 3, 2025

U.S. President Donald Trump has signed another executive order – this one pushes tariffs on steel and aluminum to 50 per cent, starting tomorrow. Producers in Canada say the increase will be disastrous for the industry.And: As it continues to try to meet the U.S. demand for more border strength – the federal government wants to give increased powers to Canada's security and intelligence services. It will give them greater ability to open and inspect mail and allow officials to cancel or suspend immigration documents.Also: La Ronge, Saskatchewan and its surrounding communities are now under an evacuation order as a rapidly approaching fire burns nearby. It’s already more than 800 square kilometers. In Manitoba, the chief of Pimicikamak Cree Nation says he’s frustrated – because some people are refusing to leave as two separate fires threaten the community.Plus: Involuntary mental health care beds unveiled in a correctional facility in B.C., aid convoy attacked in Sudan, more deaths near an aid distribution site in Gaza, and more.

1942, Europe. Soldiers find a boy surviving alone in the woods. They make him a member of Hitler's army. But what no one would know for decades, he was Jewish. Could a story so unbelievable be true? I'm Dan Goldberg. I'm from CBC's Personally, Toy Soldier. Available now wherever you get your podcasts. This is a CBC Podcast. At a 50% tariff, we basically consider the US market closed, completely closed, door slammed shut, if you will, to Canadian steel. So this is our SOS moment. Turning up the tariffs on core sectors and striking at the heart of Canadian industry. With negotiators still trying to make a deal, Donald Trump is doubling down on steel and aluminum for

Canadian producers. Doing business with the U.S. was already complicated. This latest move could make it impossible. Welcome to Your World Tonight. I'm Susan Bonner. It is Tuesday, June 3rd, coming up on 6 p.m. Eastern, also on the podcast. We shared video camera footage from our cameras of our houses until each one sequentially lit on fire. My car exploded and then that pretty much confirmed that everything in our yard was gone. Saskatchewan residents

watching from afar as everything they left behind burns. Flames tear through one community with many more on high alert and thousands of people on the run as prairie provinces are gripped by a worsening wildfire crisis. Whether US President Donald Trump would follow through on his latest threat was a big question that lingered for days. Now with just hours to go until it kicks in, Trump has signed the executive order confirming the U.S. is spiking steel and aluminum tariffs from 25% to 50%. Katie Simpson begins our coverage tonight from Washington.

This is a president who doesn't just talk the talk, he walks the walk too. White House press secretary Caroline Levitt confirming the latest round of trade whiplash saying the increased tariffs will kick in on Wednesday. And steel and aluminum tariffs will be going to 50 percent. There had been questions about whether the president would actually go ahead with his plan. His history of erratic decision-making forcing businesses, workers and investors to try to adapt. Some on Wall Street have even come up with a phrase to describe it, TACO, which stands for Trump Always Chickens Out.

But the U.S. Ambassador to Canada, Pete Hoekstra, says tariffs are here to stay, defending Trump's plan to a Canadian audience at a business luncheon in Toronto. The president believes it is absolutely essential that there are certain core industries that America can rely on domestically. Hoekstra tried to offer some hope that the Canada-U.S. relationship will eventually get to a better place, praising negotiators from both countries who are attempting to reach

some sort of new agreement. And I think when smart people get in a room and negotiate, they will come out with a good income or excuse me, a good outcome. Those trade talks taking place today in Washington, led by Canada's ambassador to the U.S. Kirsten Hillman and Canada-U.S. Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc, they met with U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick at his office. I brought Secretary Lutnick to see the Canadian journalists. All three emerged from their hour-long conversation with big smiles on their faces. Though Minister LeBlanc made it clear there are no breakthroughs yet with plenty of work ahead. And every time we have these conversations,

I think we deepen our understanding of each other's positions and I'm hopeful and I'm hopeful and I'm hopeful that we can get to the best outcome for Canadians. Canada is just one of dozens of countries trying to reach an agreement with the Americans. The plan is for the announcement of these deals to be made very very soon yes. The White House has been promising dozens of deals for nearly two months and so far the only thing they've announced is the framework for a possible agreement with the UK. Under pressure to deliver the Trump administration sent letters to all trading partners demanding they submit a best offer by Wednesday outlining the concessions they're willing to make in

order to cut a deal. All of it a far cry from the confident projections the Trump administration made about fast, easy deals. Katie Simpson, CBC News, Washington. Canadian steel and aluminum producers spent months quietly crossing their fingers, hoping an already devastating situation would improve. But instead, it's about to get a lot worse, and survival may be at stake. Business reporter Anis Haidari has more.

Our U.S. work has basically gone to zero. Trevor Borland owns Pacific Bolt Manufacturing in Langley, B.C. His company uses steel already tariffed by the United States. His products are more expensive for customers there. It's the perception that we could see a future tariff or that we have a tariff coming in. So that has basically made our U.S. sales, it vaporized them. There's been almost zero U.S. sales since Donald Trump has taken office. And since then? You know, we come up with a plan on a 25% tariff and then as of June 4th, the tariff's

going to be 50%. The bar gets changed so often and so frequently and so quickly, it's really hard to decide or what to do. We're going to bring it from 25% to 50% the tariffs. It was a surprise to many when on Friday, Trump announced steel and aluminum tariffs would double. And today, the White House reinforced that it will happen tonight. Half of what we produce, about 6.5 million tons of steel is destined to the

United States. That will stop. That will stop at midnight. Catherine Cobden is with the Canadian Steel Producers Association in Ottawa. She says at a 25% tariff, steel shipments already dropped significantly. Now she's expecting worse. But at a 50% tariff, we basically consider the US market closed, completely closed, door slammed shut, if you will, to Canadian steel. So this is our SOS moment, I'm calling it. She's also concerned that steel from the United States and other countries is able to enter Canada without tariffs, giving foreign producers a potential advantage

just as domestic producers are facing trouble. Demand for Canadian steel and aluminum will fall and lower prices in Canada, which is a negative impact for Canadian steel and aluminum producers. Nathan Janssen is assistant chief economist with RBC in Toronto. He also points out that this isn't just bad for Canadian producers who could sell less and at lower prices, it's going to increase costs in the United States

again. The US economy doesn't have capacity to replace imported steel with domestic production. So if US producers want to continue building things out of steel and the tariff rate is 50%, there's really not a choice there other than to pay those tariffs. Steel manufacturing is just one part of the financial punch coming with signs it's already here. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development has predicted tariffs will slow down the global economy, pointing out Canada will be harder hit than others. Those OECD predictions were at least partially calculated before Donald Trump turned up the tariffs.

NECDARI CBC News, Calgary. Steel, aluminum and other exports aren't the only things crossing the Canada-US border. There are also drugs, firearms and criminals and that activity has the attention of the federal government today with Ottawa unveiling a sweeping border security bill. Olivia Stefanovich explains what's in it and why some say it gives the government too much power. Canadians elected a new government on April the 28th with the mandate to ensure the safety and security of Canadians including securing our border. The new federal public safety minister announcing a new plan

to address some of the biggest concerns stifling relations with her neighbour south of the border. There are a number of elements in the bill that have been irritants for the U.S. Namely, Gary Anandasangary says the Strong Borders Act would allow Canada's security and intelligence services to target fentanyl. The illegal drug, U.S. President Donald Trump, initially cited to justify his trade war. It's pouring in from China through Mexico and Canada,

and they've got to stop it. And if they don't stop it, the tariffs are going to get worse. The proposed legislation would change several existing laws, making it easier for intelligence services to open and inspect mail, the Canadian Coast Guard to conduct security patrols with intelligence partners, and border officers to access ports of entry and warehouses.

Will the Conservatives support this? Just wait and see. Will surprise you. Saskatchewan MP Kevin Wah isn't yet saying if the Tories will back the bill, but the NDP is making it clear it has concerns. That the government will now be breaching, I think, people's civil liberties. I think violating people's due process. New Democrat MP Jenny Kwan says the proposed legislation would give Ottawa too many broad powers

without accountability. I am very concerned that people's privacy would be breached. I'm very concerned that those who submitted claims in the immigration system will all of a sudden find their application being withdrawn. The bill would give officials more power to cancel or suspend immigration documents and change rules around asylum claims. Adam Sadinski is the advocacy co-chair of the Canadian Association of Refugee Lawyers. The government has taken steps that will make a huge swath of individuals

who are at risk in their home countries ineligible to have claims heard at the Immigration and Refugee Board. The minister, however, says the move is intended to ensure the integrity and fairness of the immigration system. Anandis Angary briefed U.S. Borders czar Tom Homan on the plan this afternoon. A senior government source says the phone call lasted about 15 minutes, describing it

as cordial and positive, with the two agreeing to continue the conversation in person. Olivia Stefanovic, CBC News, Ottawa. Coming up on the podcast, more evacuations from the expanding wildfires in the West, more violence as people rush for aid in Gaza and in Sudan, and a controversial method for treating mental health problems in BC. Hot, dry and windy weather continues across the Prairie provinces, fueling those wildfires that are forcing thousands of people from their homes. The fire season has been early and active and officials say it is stretching resources to the limit. Aaron Collins has the latest.

A water bomber skims the tree line near Larrange, Saskatchewan. Residents here, some of the latest to be forced out by fires. Waiting is the hardest thing on any evacuation. When do we evacuate? When can we get ready? After weeks on edge, Tom Roberts finally moving. A slow retreat south from Larrange, fast moving wildfires at his heels.

We had vehicles leaving 5 o'clock from Larrange last night and there was lots of them. We went through, it's a two and a half hour drive, we got here at midnight. Hundreds of kilometers away near Flynn Flawn, Manitoba, firefighters are also working around the clock to keep the flames at bay. That area evacuated for days now, still under threat. I'm currently a very pregnant mother of two, almost three, that was evacuated from Denaer Beach. Brooke Kindle, out of her home for nearly a week, won't be able to return.

Her house just south of Flynn Flon lost to the fires, threatening the area. We all were just shocked because we didn't really even think that that wolf fire was that much of a risk. The whole time through all this we were all worried about Creighton and Flintland. We weren't really that worried about Deneur. Across western Canada, tens of thousands of people are out of their homes. Dozens of out-of-control wildfires threatening communities across the prairies and parts of BC and Ontario too. No? Then directly out to the buses for you guys, okay? Evacuees fanning out across the country.

Winnipeg's train station, a hub for some, forced out by fires. Officials in the north of the province urging residents to get out. David Manias is the chief of the Pamichkamak First Nation in northern Manitoba. We have to really get people now out because it's really hard to focus on the strategies for fighting this fire when you have to worry about lives that people that are still here that they're not trained. The federal government has announced more help for wildfire evacuees joining with Manitoba and Saskatchewan to match donations to the Red Cross. Eleanor Olszewski is the federal minister for Prairie's economic development.

I can't even imagine what people are going through when you have to evacuate really quickly and you don't even know whether where you lived is going to be standing when you go back home. Of course, in the end it will be the fires that determine the fate of those communities and for now at least the wildfires burning across large swaths of Western Canada show no sign of letting up. Erin Collins, CBC News, Calgary. Smoke from those prairie wildfires is now spreading outside the country, even crossing the Atlantic Ocean. European satellite data shows some smoke has already reached parts of Western Europe and the Mediterranean, with more on the way. The smoke is high enough it should not affect the air quality in Europe,

but several Midwestern U.S. states are expected to experience hazardous levels of smoke. Aid distribution sites in Gaza will be closed tomorrow. The Israeli military says people should avoid the roads leading to them, declaring them combat zones. This after a third day of violence as people accessed food and supplies. Gaza health officials say 27 people were killed near a site today when Israeli soldiers opened fire. Tom Perry has more from Jerusalem. Tom Perry has more from Jerusalem. Ambulances carrying the injured on stretchers and the dead in white plastic body bags arriving at a crowded hospital in Gaza.

Palestinians once again coming under fire near a site that was supposed to offer relief. An aid distribution center in Rafa where hungry crowds gathered in hopes of receiving food. I went for a kilo of flour says Kamelmana then there were gunshots. I was injured and there was still shooting. As Palestinian families mourn the dead, medical teams struggle to save lives. Dr. Ahmed Abu Suwail says staff at this hospital in Hanyunas are overwhelmed. Multiple casualties from Rafah, food distribution centre, gunshot wounds to the head, gunshot wounds to the chest.

Israel's military says as crowds gathered near Rafah early this morning, waiting to receive aid, its troops spotted what it calls suspects outside an approved area. Israeli government spokesperson David Menser says at first Israeli troops fired warning shots. And as some of the suspects continued, despite these warning shots, advancing towards the troops in a threatening manner, further fire was directed near these specific individuals. This incident comes after Gaza's Health Ministry says 31 Palestinians were killed Sunday in the same area, again waiting for aid.

Israel denies any involvement in those deaths, but the United Nations is demanding answers. Jeremy Lawrence is a spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. There must be a prompt and impartial investigation into each of these attacks and those responsible held to account. The UN says these deadly incidents show Israel's efforts to control the flow of aid into Gaza aren't working and are instead putting more lives at risk. Israel has sidestepped UN agencies and other humanitarian groups and tasked the newly formed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation to lead food distribution efforts in Gaza.

Israel says it's to prevent Hamas from stealing aid, though humanitarian groups say that's not a major problem, The UN today reminding the Israeli government that willfully blocking access to food and other life-sustaining relief supplies may constitute a war crime. Tom Perry, CBC News, Jerusalem. The United Nations says a convoy carrying aid in Sudan was targeted in a deadly attack. The humanitarian shipment was headed to the capital of North Darfur. Sudan has been embroiled in a violent civil war for more than two years and vital humanitarian operations are suffering.

Nithal Musa has more. Eva Hins with UNICEF in Port Sudan says 15 aid trucks were on their way to deliver life-saving food and supplies to children and families in famine-stricken North Darfur when they were attacked overnight. Five members of the convoy, they were killed. We know that there were several more that were injured. There were several trucks that were burned and some of the supplies were damaged. The UN has not said who it believes is responsible for the attack.

Sudan's Rapid Support Forces paramilitary and the country's army, which are locked in a bloody civil war, are blaming each other for the incident. The UN says the convoy's route was shared in advance to ensure safe passage and it's now calling for an investigation into the attack which it says violates international humanitarian law. Humanitarians, any civilian infrastructure should never be attacked. These are never targets. The civil war in Sudan, which began more than two years ago, has created one of the world's worst humanitarian crises.

The UN refugee agency says the number of people who have fled the country has now surpassed four million. Agency spokesperson Eugen Buhn in Geneva says if the conflict continues, thousands more will flee. Putting regional and global stability at stake. The UN Refugee Agency says it's interviewed nearly 7,000 refugees since late April, and many shared harrowing personal stories involving physical and sexual violence, arbitrary detention, and forced recruitment.

This is unprecedented crisis that we are facing. This is a crisis of humanity. Patrice Dissou Ahuansu is a senior protection officer with the agency. Millions of innocent civilians, including children, hung in the balance. Without a significant increase in funding, life-saving assistance cannot be delivered at the scale and at the speed that is required. It is estimated that 150,000 people have been killed in Sudan's civil war, and today the

need for life-saving aid is greater than ever. Eva Hins, with UNICEF, says while last night's attack on a humanitarian convoy was tragic, the incident has only strengthened her organization's resolve to provide it. Ido Moos says CBC News, Toronto. The Dutch government has collapsed and a snap election is likely. Populist Heert Wilders and his party have quit the right-wing coalition and he's pledging to become the next prime minister.

Wilders says the coalition won't back his plan for the Netherlands to have the strictest immigration policies in Europe. The Prime Minister has resigned but says he and the cabinet will remain as caretakers until an election is called. This is Your World Tonight from CBC News. If you want to make sure you stay up to date and never miss one of our episodes, follow us on Spotify, Apple, wherever you get your podcasts. Just find the follow button and lock us in. A new involuntary care facility was unveiled today in British Columbia, the first of its kind in the province.

The facility will accommodate people with complex mental health and addiction problems. It is a worsening crisis, but as Jessica Chung reports, some experts say involuntary treatment is not the solution. All of the windows, the natural light, the view of the trees outside. The designated mental health facility will consist of two homes and will house 18 new involuntary care beds. BC's Health Minister Josie Osborne says it's designed for people with complex mental health disorders who have been in the system for a long time and need long-term assistance. She says the aim is to provide them with therapeutic care in a supportive, home-like environment. At Alouette Homes, they will receive specialized, holistic care, including psychiatric treatment,

psychosocial support, and 24-7 personalized, person-centered care. This facility is located outside the Alouette Correctional Facility in Maple Ridge, a community about 50 kilometers east of Vancouver. Osborne says clients won't be inmates. These new beds are all part of BC's expansion of involuntary care for those with mental health and severe addictions issues, which comes with a promise of 400 new hospital-based mental health beds in the province. Dr. Daniel Vigo is BC's chief scientific advisor for psychiatry, toxic drugs and concurrent disorders. So we're talking about folks who without the mental health

act and our ability to admit them would be left without care and being left without care is always the worst alternative of all those that exist. Those with substance use disorders are the fastest growing population being detained under BC's Mental Health Act. However, there are concerns around the efficacy of involuntary care in treating people with substance abuse issues. Dr. Monty Goche is an assistant professor at the University of Calgary and University of Alberta. We hear this from our patients and clients who state that being forced into corrections was the first time they ever got treatment. But we also know there could be harms associated with this as well.

This could include re-engaging trauma. The fear of apprehension might cause individuals to not seek support and seek help, which could be problematic too. BC is one of several provinces exploring the use of involuntary care. Alberta has introduced sweeping legislation to allow family members, health care workers or police to apply to have someone ordered into treatment for addiction. Ontario is pursuing policies that will expand involuntary treatment in the justice system, including mandatory treatment as a condition of probation or parole. Jessica Chung, CBC News, Vancouver.

Finally, tonight it has the potential to change the world and energy production as we know it. Clean, limitless and sustainable, fusion power is inching closer to reality thanks in part to Canadian innovation. Our plan is to put our first power plant on the grid in the mid 2030s. We're on track to do that because of all the work we've done previously has led us to this position now. Greg Twinney is the CEO of BC based General Fusion. He recently spoke to CBC's Johanna Wagstaff about his company's push to make fusion power commercially viable. Right now it's not.

Fusion involves smashing hydrogen atoms together, the same concept that powers the sun. But it requires extremely high temperatures and huge amounts of energy. It can't be sustained. We're putting more energy into creating the fusion than actually comes out of the process. Richard Carlson is a director with the environmental organization Pollution Probe. He believes fusion won't be a practical energy source until at least the 2050s. But General Fusion is trying to speed up that timeline.

While other teams use laser or magnets to fuse atoms, the Canadian company is using compression, a method it says is cheaper, faster, and more efficient. You actually have the conditions where you get more energy out of the reaction than it took to create it. Which will be the first private company in the world to achieve that. About 50 other research teams around the world are working towards the same goal so General Fusion is not alone. But it is putting Canada in a good position in the race towards the future of energy.

Thank you for joining us on Your World Tonight for Tuesday, June 3rd. I'm Susan Bonner. Talk to you again.