Your World Tonight - Tariffs and import bans: Washington steps up the trade war.

Episode Date: September 28, 2026

The United States is set to ban a select number of Canadian imports starting Tuesday.Also: Hamilton steel plant Stelco is laying off hundreds of workers in an effort to survive the effects of US tariffs.And: The view from Maine: Donald Trump’s tariffs may help Democrats unseat Republican senator Susan Collins.Plus: Condemnation of a white supremacist gathering in B.C., five suspects arrested near a U.K. military base are released on bail, and Hockey Night in Canada returns — with a twist.

On September 30th, we remember the children who never returned home from residential schools. We honor survivors, their families, and communities. National Day for Truth and Reconciliation is a time to remember, reflect, and learn. Listen to indigenous voices to better understand reconciliation. Visit Canada.ca. slash sharing-reconciliation hyphen journey. A message from the government of Canada. This is a CBC podcast. They're going to come in and they're going to say, sir, we are sorry.

They've treated the United States very, very badly. I think a deal will be made, but it's going to be a fair deal. Donald Trump predicts Canada will soon capitulate to end the trade war he started. Those remarks made just hours before a U.S. import ban kicks in on a range of Canadian products, including alcohol, motorcycles, and molasses. This is Your World Tonight. It's Monday, September 28th, just before 6 p.m. Eastern. I'm Salima Shivji.

Also on the podcast, Canadian-based steelmaker Stelko lays off hundreds of workers, citing the ongoing trade war as a factor in its decision. And... Our economies are so intertwined. Canada's our friend, our neighbor, our biggest trading partner. Tariffs and their impact are a major issue for midterm voters in Maine. with polls suggesting they could help the Democrats unseat Republican Senator Susan Collins. Bracing for impact from the next blow in the U.S. trade war.

Canada has been here before, but this time it's not just another tariff on Canadian-made products. Now the products themselves will be banned outright from being sold in the United States. Nisha Patel has more on that and Donald Trump's latest comments on how he thinks the trade war will end. It's pretty crazy. Like, bottles are being pulled out at duty-free. In just a few hours, James Lester won't be able to sell his whiskey in the United States. His Vancouver distillery has been caught up in the latest trade war escalation. The U.S. ban on imports of some alcohol, dairy, molasses, and motorcycles starts at 12.01 a.m. Eastern time.

Distributors just phoning each other constantly being like, have you heard the new use? What are you going to do? Are we pivoting? Lester ships about 10% of his products south of the border, though he hopes he'll be able to make up most of those sales domestically. It's just the uncertainty of things changing all the time that is really making it very chaotic. Economics professor Moschlander says when provinces pulled American alcohol from store shelves, it started a tit-for-tat cycle that makes it tough to back down. Yeah, the booze wars are not over.

We've got at least, say, six more weeks of this. The ban will hit about a billion dollars of Canadian alcohol exports. While it is disrupting business plans across the country, Lander, like other economists, doesn't expect it to weigh too heavily on the country's overall growth. Alcohol is a very, very small part of our economy. The broader trade war, however, has been a drag, and there's been little movement on negotiations since talks broke off last month. Canada's been really very difficult to deal with, actually.

U.S. President Donald Trump today telling reporters in the Oval Office how he thinks this will all come to an end. I think what's going to happen is over the next three or four weeks, they're going to come to us, and they're going to say, we're going to get rid of all the tariffs. We're going to win everything. But Prime Minister Mark Carney has maintained any trade deal has to benefit both countries. He's seeking deeper trade ties with Europe and Asia. We're selling more to our home market. Nadia Sanchez had been hoping to expand her business to the U.S.

Now the Ontario winery owner plans to focus her efforts elsewhere. We're doing trade missions to Japan and Singapore this year. So we're looking for other opportunities. After all, more than a year and a half into this trade war, there's still no end in sight. Nisha Patel, CBC News, Toronto. And with no end in sight to the heightened trade tensions, today, one of the biggest steel manufacturers in Canada

announced it will shut down part of its operations in Hamilton. That could lead to as many as 500 layoffs. Let's bring in our senior business correspondent Peter Armstrong. So, Peter, let's start with why this is happening now. It depends, frankly, on what part of the company's communications you're paying attention to, right? The letter to employees says the company's struggling due to ongoing trade issues, so tariffs. But it also talks about the amount of cheap steel that's still being imported into Canada that

competes with Stelco's steel. The official statement from the company made public, not just to the employees, says it actually makes no mention of tariffs at all. It reads, I'll quote from it here, in the face of continued market uncertainty and prolonged injury to Stelco's business resulting largely from steel imports into Canada, we've been forced to make this very difficult decision that will impact as many as 500 Stelco employees. Okay, so let's parse that a little bit. They're talking about injury resulting largely from steel imports into Canada. What does that mean? Well, Canada makes a lot of steel, but we import a lot of steel, too. And some of that comes from China and Turkey, where we all know it's cheaper.

Now, Canada has cracked down on that, but Stelko says, and again, I'm quoting here, import volumes remain at levels that prevent Stelko from being able to bridge the gap in the market created by the trade crisis. Okay, now, Stelco was sold two years ago to an American company. How does that fit into all of this? Importantly, all right? Stelco is now owned by a company called Cleveland Cliffs. the CEO of that company is a longtime supporter of U.S. President Donald Trump. More to the point.

He's a longtime supporter of tariffs and especially of using tariffs to bolster the steel industry itself. Okay. Important info there. So what do we know about the actual changes here? So the operations being idle here, they're called cold rolled and finished steel in Hamilton. Stelco has hot steel operations in Lake Erie in Nanticoke, Ontario.

Cold steel is the stuff that's the stuff that's really precise. Hot rolled steel is more like structural beams, rail tracks, pipes, stuff like that. And some of those Hamilton jobs could move. Again, this sort of depends on who you're listening to. Stelko itself said this could impact up to 500 jobs. The union said it might be closer to 350 jobs, but we just got before I came in here a statement from Cleveland Cliffs saying job opportunities at Lake Erie Works, which is in Ontario,

will be offered to Hamilton employees. We expected a significant number of employees affected by the indefinite idol at Hamilton should be absorbed at Lake Erie Woods. So there's a lot still to sort of process and really try to piece together here. Okay. The CBC's Peter Armstrong. Thanks for breaking this down for us. You bet.

Coming right up, masked members of a white nationalist group converge on a BC First Nation in what the prime minister calls a cowardly act of hate. Plus, in the UK, five suspects in an alleged terror plot are released on bail, sparking questions about what was really going on

yesterday near a British military base. And later we'll have this story. I'm Shian Deschalding in Toronto. CBC's hockey night in Canada is returning, but this time it's the professional women's hockey league that'll layer on Saturday nights. I just remember being in front of the TV and oftentimes I had a little mini stick in my hand and I was pretending that I played for the Montreal Canadiens. Not the NHL, but players like Hamilton's Brian Jenner will take to the ice and TV screens. Later on Your World Tonight, what this new era means for women in sports. Politicians and indigenous leaders are condemning the gathering of a white supremacist group on First Nations land in BC.

Dozens of Second Suns members assembled near the former Kamloops Indian residential school. Their faces covered wearing black while carrying flags and banners. They refused to leave until the RCMP were called in. As Caroline Bargut reports, the community, though shaken, remains resolute. In a video shot Sunday morning on the Tacomloops to Shwepnick reserve near Camloops BC, about 30 people dressed in black with white masks covering their faces form a line, then turn and walk away. They belong to Second Suns, Canada, a white nationalist group who believe Canada is in the midst of a race war.

Very intimidating. Rosanne Kasmir is the Tacomloops to Shwepnik chief. At this time, we're not aware of any direct threats that were made against to come with the Shwepak. But we also recognize that the presence of those individuals, associated with the white supremacist ideology, is itself deeply concerning for so many in our community. The group was later photographed unfurling a banner from a highway overpass that read Got Bones,

a possible reference to the Kamloops Indian Residential School, where ground penetrating radar detected anomalies the community believes could be a burial site. Exactly why they gathered here three days before the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation has the reserve on edge. We're telling community members is, you know, just to be staying alert, being observance, staying connected, you know, anything that seems suspicious to them, call 911 right away. Prime Minister Mark Carney called it a cowardly act and abhorrent.

British Columbia's politicians also expressed outrage on social media. The BC Conservatives posted the white nationalist gathering has no place in this province. NDP leader David Eby fears this is a growing trend. We have seen a rise in hate. We have seen a rise in this kind of wild. white nationalist behavior in the province, and we've got to do more to fight it. The Canadian Anti-Hate Network says white nationalism has the largest presence it has ever had in Canadian history, and Second Sons is a prominent part of that. The agenda is one of hate and violence, says executive director Evan Balgord.

They are a white nationalist group, white supremacists who advocate for guys getting together and training, preparing for what they see as the inevitable use of violence to defend the white nationalist movement, attack their opponents, and ultimately carry out racist mass deportations in Canada. Kassimir says the incident will not deter the community from honoring residential school survivors on Wednesday as originally planned. We're not going to allow fear or intimidation to diminish that responsibility. She says now more than ever, it's important to protect the history of what happened to

indigenous people in Canada. Caroline Bargut, CBC News, Vancouver. The FBI is offering a $1 million reward. for information leading to the capture of an alleged Bishnoi gang member. Sotindarjit Singh is also known as Goldie Brar. He's charged with ordering the 23 assassination of sick activist Harthip Singh Nijer in Suri, BC. The FBI's Patrick Grandi says the agency is now adding Singh to its 10 most wanted list. Singh is wanted for his alleged involvement in the Lawrence Bishnoi organized crime group,

which is allegedly engaged in a variety of violent acts in Southern California and across the United States and Canada. He joins the notorious top 10 list because he is considered extremely violent and an enemy to the public. The FBI says Singh allegedly served as the North American leader of the Bishnoi gang and is believed to be based in the United States. Canada listed the Bishnoi gang as a terrorist organization last year. Five British men are out on bail tonight one day after being accused of preparing a terror attack on a UK airbase used by the US. The surprise decision to release them is leaving more questions than answers and is fueling reaction on both sides of the Atlantic. Chris Brown reports. The five men who were arrested are being released on police bail.

Just one day after British police declared a major incident over a suspected terror. plot near RAF Fairford, the decision to release the five suspects was entirely unexpected. Counterterrorism investigator Lawrence Taylor said the men who had been arrested on suspicion of explosive offenses and for preparing a terrorist attack would be monitored carefully. To be very clear, this does not mean that the investigation is over. They are subject to stringent conditions on their movement and contact with others. The men who were arrested are between the ages of 23 and 25 and all are British nationals from London. Overhead video taken about 350 meters from the base perimeter near where the men were arrested showed three white vans

with several large containers inside and other containers on the ground. And they're parked in a really strange formation. This local resident who didn't want to be identified reported seeing the vehicles in the early hours of Sunday triggering the alert. We had our lights on main beam because there wasn't another car, so I think we sort of dazzled them, and they started to run. Ariah Fairford is a sensitive military base, home to U.S. heavy bombers that were used to attack Iran. People's homes come right up to the perimeter, and the main road is within meters of the fence. Tristan Wilkinson, a local councillor, said there were indications, authorities were expecting trouble. All of the unmanned entrances to the base were fortified. I've

been here 25 years. I've never seen it happen before. I would not have released them. US President Donald Trump initially suggested the arrests at the base were planned. And today, he questioned the decision about bail. But local MP Raz Savage wondered, why wait to arrest the men when they were right at the base? There seemed to be some incongruities, I will say, in the chronology of this. What happened when? Who knew what and when? British media ran headlines blaming Iran for the alleged terror plot, but Iran's embassy in London said it categorically rejected the accusation. Nearby residents are now returning home, but without answers to crucial questions,

such as was a catastrophic security failure narrowly avoided, or was this a case of overreaction by nervous authorities? Chris Brown, CBC News at RIA-F Fairford, England. The trade war has Canada on economic edge, no doubt. But Donald Trump's tactics are a factor in the U.S. midterm elections. as well. One of several states whose economy is deeply tied to Canada is Maine. As Mike Crawley tells us, voters there could help define the balance of power in the U.S. Senate. Every year, the Common Ground Country Fair attracts tens of thousands of people to the town of

Unity, Maine from all across the state. And every year, Jessica Small sets up a booth to sell a dessert called a pie cone. Pie cone is a walking pie. There's a pie crust cone. sort of like a savory cracker, and you can fill it with cheesecake fillings or fruit fillings. This year, Small is charging $12 for a pie cone, two bucks more than last year. Yeah, prices of everything have gone up. It's a refrain you hear all over this state, whether about the cost of gas, diesel, or groceries. Some voters in Maine are blaming U.S. President Donald Trump's war on Iran for fuel prices. His tariffs and trade war with Canada aren't popular either.

Oh, yeah, it's atrocious. You know, it's sad. I always think of Canada as a friend. John Loft lives in the coastal town of Lincolnville. I'm in the solar business, and we're seeing lots of impact on tariffs. We use a lot of aluminum, copper, you know, we're constantly seeing pricing going up, and it shouldn't be. The big political question in Maine right now is whether Trump's policies will blow back on Maine's Republican senator, Susan Collins. Collins has held her seat for 30 years, a remarkable feat in a state that hasn't gone Republican in a president. presidential election since 1988. She occasionally breaks with Trump, including on tariffs.

Canada's our friend, our neighbor, our biggest trading partner, and I've urged the administration to get back to the table. To win control of the Senate, the Democrats need to flip at least four Republican seats in the midterms. Collins is one of their top targets, and the man who's trying to defeat her is Troy Jackson. You know, Susan Collins comes from a well-to-do family. I'm a working-class person. Jackson was a logger before he got into Maine politics 20 years ago. He's pushing back against Collins' record on tariffs. Everything costs more for people.

It's a big deal. People are really, really frustrated. And they're frustrated that a president just unilaterally puts these on, takes them off. Jim Melcher teaches political science at the University of Maine, Farmington. He's not convinced that Collins will pay the political president. price for Trump's trade war. This just is such a bludgeon and hurts Maine in so many ways that it doesn't help anybody that attached to him, but Collins has always tried to keep herself arm's length from Donald Trump. The result of this race could well hinge on whether Maine

voters believe Collins has distanced herself enough. Mike Crowley, CBC News, Unity, Maine. With the ongoing trade tensions, the Carney government is moving ahead with its plan to build big and fast. The Liberals introduced the Building Canada Strong Act on the first day of Parliament earlier this month, but the sweeping package of legislation brings changes that could affect clean water and endangered wildlife. Changes activists say prioritized speed over the environment. David Thurton has more. There's a lot of very concerning elements in this omnibus spill. Julia Levin with the Advocacy Group Environmental Defense says Canadians should be worried about Bill C-30. The Bill in Canada Strong Act, though she calls it by a different name.

What the Bill does nature bill does, is gives ministers the ability to weaken protections for endangered species. The proposed legislation enables projects like a container port to begin early construction before an environmental assessment is finished. The government can also create special economic zones where mines and other activities could face less scrutiny. It also allows ministers to consider economic factors before permitting projects. like an oil pipeline that could harm fish or endangered species. Ottawa says this is about advancing projects in the national interest, but experts like the World Wildlife Funds Megan Leslie are skeptical. And I want to see evidence that our government understands what the national interest is,

because I think it's in our national interest not to poison our lakes and rivers. I think it's in our national interest not to have species go extinct. But when I look at the evidence in front of me through this bill, it seems that our government thinks the national interest is just the interest of investors. Prime Minister Mark Carney called the bill one of the most consequential in decades. Completing project reviews within one year, Carney says, gives certainty to investors facing the uncertainty of Donald Trump's trade war, all while protecting nature, he says.

Canada will always be a country of high standards. But high standards do not mean decisions have to be slow. While that may be the case, the bill expands a con-examined. controversial measure. The county government can exempt major projects from federal laws. Those emergency powers were supposed to sunset after Trump left the White House. But under Bill C-39, they'd now be permanent. Heather Exner-Perrault, with the think tank, the McDonnell-Lorea Institute, supports the measure

because she says construction timelines will at last the Trump administration. She adds, voters will keep Ottawa's power in check. No legislation is permanent. Any parliament can revoke laws that were made in the previous parliament. And if the people think it's being abused, then there will be an incentive for future governments to change that. The bill, that's about fast-tracking major projects, is on a fast-track through the House of Commons. A special parliamentary committee will study the bill instead of dividing it among multiple ones. David Thornton, CBC News, Ottawa.

The Toronto Raptors are welcoming Kauai Leonard back after a... seven-year stint with the Los Angeles Clippers. Leonard led the Raptors to the team's first ever league championship in 2019. He spoke to the media today for the first time since rejoining the team. But one thing he didn't want to talk about, the scandal that extended his time away from the Raptors. I'm excited to be here. I know why, you know, some of you guys came. You want to hear about the investigation, but

But talking with the NBA and the PA, I think the best decision is to move forward and focus on my time being a Toronto Raptor. The deal to bring Leonard back was made, then placed on hold while the NBA investigated him and the Clippers for circumventing the salary cap. The league wound up fining Leonard $700,000 U.S. dollars, but opted not to suspend him or void his contract. Saturday night will continue to be hockey night in Canada, but for the first time, the beloved program will be all about the women's game. CBC and the PWHL announced a new partnership today. She and Desjardin has all the details and what it means for a growing league. She's one of Canada's top woman hockey players.

And like others, who loved the sport, growing up, Brian Jenner stuck to a predictable Saturday schedule. Like many Canadians, a routine was to have, you know, the same. Saturday night matchup for the Hockey Night in Canada game on. She went on to play in the professional women's hockey league, first in Ottawa. This season, she's with one of the league's new teams in Hamilton. Back then, though, I just remember being in front of the TV, and oftentimes I had a little mini stick in my hand, and I was pretending that I played for the Montreal Canadiens was a part of that game.

But now women will be on the ice. This summer, CBC said it would no longer broadcast NHL games after failing to secure a new deal with Rogers Sportsnet. It's now announcing eight primetime PWHL games will air on Saturday nights instead. I do think that we're going to see more eyeballs gravitate toward the women's sport product because it's on Hockey Night and Canada on free to air. Michael Noreen is an associate professor of sports management at Brock University. This was the best pivot that it could possibly do. They have an existing brand with significant brand equity. And you don't just want to let that die on the vine. Again from coast to coast.

It's hockey night in Canada. The show was echoed from TVs across the country for decades. The PWHL is much younger. It officially launched with its first game in early 2024. The league has been growing ever since. It's expanding from 8 to 12 teams, along with Hamilton this season, it's adding franchises in Detroit, Las Vegas, and San Jose,

giving girls more opportunities to see themselves represent. presented, according to a woman in sports advocate, Gabriella Estrada. I just feel like it's this big reminder that women's sports is here to stay and professional women's sport deserves the spotlight. It's not clear what games will air just yet, but the first is slated for December 5th when Montreal faces off against Hamilton in the season opener. And this time, Brian Jenner won't be the young girl watching from home. Instead, it'll be her team on the TV, inspiring others who want to play hockey too.

It's really exciting to see that we've reached this milestone and have this platform to continue to grow our fan base and grow our game. She and Desjaldane, CBC News, Toronto. And finally. Every year, Toronto, putting on a big show, carnival they call Caribbean. The voice of Calypso icon, Slinger Francisco, far better known by his stage name, The Mighty Sparrow. Francisco died on Sunday at his New York home at the age of 91. In a career spanning more than six decades, he wrote and recorded hundreds of songs, including this one right here, Toronto Mass. It was inspired by his visit to the city's burgeoning carabana festival back in 1972.

The Calypso Sound was born in Trinidad in Tobago, where Francisco immigrated as a toddler from Grenada. The music is built on Afro-Caribbean traditions, and despite its bouncy, carefree vibe, Calypso lyrics often explore really serious subjects, including politics, racism, and sexuality. The genre became popular globally, starting in the 1950s, with stars like Harry Belafonte and Calypso Rose, but it was the Mighty Sparrow who became known as the Calypso King of the World. This has been your world tonight for Monday, September 28th. I'm Salima Shivji. We'll leave you now with a bit more of the Mighty.

Sparrow and Toronto Mass. Good night.