Your World Tonight - Trump on the decision to go to war, last complainant at Stronach trial, FIFA housing crunch, and more

Episode Date: March 3, 2026

Fresh waves of attacks hit Iran and other countries in the region, as U.S. President Donald Trump gives another reason for why he made the decision to begin airstrikes.And: For nearly three weeks, 93-year-old Frank Stronach has walked into a Toronto courtroom and listened to seven women testify that he sexually assaulted them. The allegations span from 1977 to 1990 and the passage of time has been a major concern in the case.Also: It's a hundred days until the FIFA World Cup. Canada will co-host with matches in Toronto and Vancouver. But finding a place to stay in one of those cities is turning into an expensive headache.Plus: Poilievre’s Europe tour, how the war is affecting global stocks, and more.

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This is a CBC podcast. It was my opinion that they were going to attack first. They were going to attack if we didn't do it. I guess the worst case would be we do this, and then in five years you realize you put somebody in who was no better. Most of the people we had in mind are dead. We have another group. They may be dead also.

So we'll see what happens. Donald Trump says he wanted to preempt and protect against an Iranian attack. But as the U.S. president provides more insight into why he started the war, how it will end and who will be left in power is much less clear. This is absolutely horrific, and I think if there's any image that captures the essence of the destruction, despair, and senselessness and cruelty of this conflict, those are the images. Those images are of rows of body bags, young victims being laid to rest. After an elementary school in southern Iran was destroyed on the weekend,

the United Nations is calling for a full investigation. So I had a flight today at 2. They canceled it. We had a big attack, the biggest one so far. Panic in a region spiraling deeper into war and people struggling to get out. As a fresh wave of attacks hit Iran, retaliatory strikes target Israel, the UAE and other Gulf states. Some crude oil can leave this region via pipeline, but it's not enough. There's too much trying to go through too little of a route.

It's jittery on Wall Street, too, as stock market sell-off with oil prices surging, as investors wonder how long the conflict will last and how bad it could get. Welcome to Your World Tonight. I'm Susan Bonner. It is Tuesday, March 3rd, just before 6 p.m. Eastern, and we are monitoring all angles of the war between Iran and the United States and Israel. Beginning with the leader at the center of it all. In Washington, D.C., here's the CBC's Katie Nicholson. They have no Navy, it's been knocked out.

They have no air force that's been knocked out. Seated next to German Chancellor Friedrich Mears in the Oval Office, Donald Trump shared his assessment of Iran's defenses. They have no air detection that's been knocked out. Their radar has been knocked out. And just about everything's been knocked out. Trump then undercut his own Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, who yesterday told reporters the U.S. launched its assault because it learned the Israelis were about to attack. Iraq Iran. So if anything, I might have forced Israel's hand. The U.S. President also acknowledged

the leadership vacuum in Iran. Well, most of the people we had in mind are dead. And a wary view of succession. I guess the worst case would be we do this and then somebody takes over who's as bad as the previous person, right? That could happen. He also boasted about the remaining U.S. firepower. But we have a tremendous amount of munitions, ammunition at the upper, upper level. level, middle and upper level, all of which is really powerful stuff. Before tossing a few barbs at allies he felt hadn't stepped up, as the German chancellor looked on. Spain actually said that we can't use their bases, and that's all right.

We could use their base. If we want, we could just fly in and use it. Nobody's going to tell us not to use it. And even signaled his displeasure with the UK's reticence to be drawn into the conflict. This is not Winston Churchill that we're dealing with. Trump's candid comments landing on the same day his Secretary of State is briefing the Senate and the House to make a case for why the U.S. attacked Iran and why it decided to attack now, something reporters pressed him on. This weekend presented a unique opportunity to take joint action against this threat. Rubio's attempts to sell this conflict finding a hostile audience in Democrats.

The administration doesn't seem to know what it's doing. Every hour, there's a different rationale. as to why we're doing this. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer then dusted off a line often favored by some in Trump's own America first base. America wants this president to pay attention to the problems at home, not the problems overseas. Congress is set to vote on whether to limit Trump's war powers in the coming days, but in the coming hours, the administration hints it will flex its military might on Iran.

Katie Nicholson, CBC News. Washington. As Donald Trump warns of a potential power vacuum in Iran, there are reports the regime has picked a new supreme leader. Tehran is pushing ahead from its side with an intensifying and bloody war. Senior international correspondent Margaret Evans reports from Amman Jordan. The Middle East is on fire. Great plumes of smoke blackening the skies as missiles hit targets from the rooftops of Tehran to the crowded streets of the Hezbollah stronghold in southern Beirut

where many Lebanese fear the pro-Iran group is dragging their country into the war. Israel ordered the strikes after Hispola launched revenge attacks against Israel with a killing of Iran's supreme leader. The Israeli military says they won't stop, not even for a minute, said Brigadier General Effie DeFrin,

speaking at an Israeli airbase. From here, he says, pilots embark on attacks in Tehran, Beirut, and any place where there is a threat to Israel's security. The rate and power of our attacks are unprecedented and leaving behind a trail of destruction. In the Iranian capital, people are enduring a fourth day of strikes that Israel and the United States, they are aimed at bringing down the Iranian regime's institutions of power and oppression. Even as reports emerged this evening that Iran's assembly of experts has chosen Mushta Bahamanei, the son of Iran's slain supreme leader as the next head of the Islamic Republic.

To the south in the city of Minab, parents were preparing to bury their children. Images showing a morgue filled with small body bags inside and outside a mass funeral. Dozens of children were reportedly killed in the first hours of the war. Their school hit before students could be sent home. The UN is calling for an investigation. Iran's ambassador to the UN office in Geneva denied Iran has asked Washington for negotiations. The only language for attacking with the United States is the language of defense. In addition to attacks against Israel, Iran's strategy has included hits against neighbors' housing U.S. air bases.

Analysts say that, coupled with Israel's decision today to send ground troops across the border into Lebanon, could fan the flames of this conflict even further. And tonight, the French president, Emmanuel Macron, urged Israel to reconsider any contemplation of a ground operation in Lebanon, saying it would be a dangerous escalation and a strategic error. Margaret Evans, CBC News, Amman. People along the Lebanon-Israel border are accustomed to conflict, but as the war, expands, it's reaching parts of the region once thought to be safe havens, Gulf states targeted by Iranian strikes, defending themselves, and weighing their next move. Cameron McIntosh has more.

Hitting the parking lot of the U.S. consulate in Dubai, Iran spreading the conflict out. Over four days striking at neighboring Gulf countries with thousands of missiles and armed drones. So I had a flight Today at two, they canceled it. Tancredi Rapon is a Canadian student attending New York University's Abu Dhabi campus. And we had a big sort of attack, the biggest one so far probably. Last night, the latest of a few attacks he's been close enough to see. I saw a couple of the, I think they were drones getting shot down or something, but I could see like the blasts in the sky.

Along with the Emirates, Gulf states including Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Iraq, Iraq, Kuwait, Jordan and Amman have all been struck. Iran says it's targeting 27 U.S. military bases, but has also hit airports, hotels, and energy sites. U.S. embassies in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait have reportedly been hit. To start with an example here, it's a tactical ballistic missile from a class. UAE Major General Abdul Nasir al-Hamadi is pointing to the remnants of an Iranian missile. One of hundreds the UAE says it's shot down. These are advanced air defense systems and airplanes.

We were able to detect and destroy them. Many of the Gulf states have stocks of defensive U.S.-made weapons, but they are finite and can't stop everything. At least 10 people have been killed. Kelly Griko is an expert in air defenses. The math tends to not favor the defender. By taking the conflict regional, Iran not only drives up costs and casualties, it forces Gulf states to decide how much they'll tolerate.

in an effort led by the U.S. and Israel. I think there is a sort of double-edged sword to this. Alex Plitzis is a national security analyst with the Washington-based Atlantic Council. The Supreme Leader was reviled by many inside Iran and by many out in the rest of the world. And at the same time, there is this huge sense of fear that the President and the Israelis have uncorked a period of instability in the region. Take Cotter, not confirming reports, it struck Iran back. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majid Ann Elsari. We are focused on protecting our sovereignty.

Diplomacy no longer on the table as missiles and drones fly. Airspace shut down. Rapone is looking to get out, but hearing little from his school. I don't know if they have a plan in place. Nobody knows anything. As he now sits in the middle of a regional conflict, far from contained. Cameron McIntosh, CBC News, Winnipe. Prime Minister Mark Carney says the United States and Israel may have violated international law when they attacked Iran.

Carney says Iran is a source of terror and should not have a nuclear weapon, but he added some important caveats to Canada's support for the U.S.-led operation. J.P. Tasker is traveling with the Prime Minister in Sydney, Australia. J.P, Prime Minister Carney says the U.S. and Israel acted without consulting the United Nations, or its allies, including Canada, what is the Prime Minister's message on this conflict? Well, Susan, one of the major points that stood out was that the Prime Minister said that the U.S. and Israel

may have violated international law. Let's have a listen. And it's for others, more expert than me, non-lawyer, certainly non-international lawyer, who are more expert to make that determination. And that said, well, Canada was not asked to participate. You know that. We were not informed in advance.

were not asked to participate. Prima facie, it appears that these actions are inconsistent with international law. Initially, Carney supported U.S. airstrikes on Iran. Today, though, he's offering a more nuanced approach to what has happened over the last few days. He says Iran is a state sponsor of terrorism. It's a repressive regime. It must not be allowed to have a nuclear weapon. And Canada, therefore, reluctantly supported the airstrikes to bring the regime to

That language is new, Susan. He says he takes this position with regret. And that shift comes amid criticism from inside his own caucus about the government's position. This conflict, Carney says, is another example of the failure of the international world order. Years of diplomatic efforts to stop the regime went nowhere. And yet, he's calling for a diplomatic resolution now, offering Canada's support to bring this conflict to a close, without offering details on what exactly he has in mind. Okay, JP, thank you for bringing us this.

Thank you. The CBC's J.P. Tasker in Sydney, Australia tonight. France and Britain have deployed naval forces to the Middle East. The UK will send helicopters and an air defense destroyer to Cyprus, where Iranian drones have targeted a British base. France's president says he has ordered an aircraft carrier to the Mediterranean to support Cyprus. France also has air bases in the United Arab Emirates and its jets will be used to protect them. The widening conflict in the Middle East is also hitting the economy,

driving up the price of oil and driving down stock markets around the world. Senior business correspondent Peter Armstrong is here to guide us through all that. Peter, stock markets sold off sharply this morning but then rebounded. What are investors telling us? I think investors are basically asking the same questions we are, right? We still don't know what this is. Is this a short, contained burst of violence? Is this a longer, more drawn-out affair?

The fact is, Susan, we just don't know. What we do know is that oil prices are rising, no surprise. But what is the primary driver of that increase? I think primarily it's that same uncertainty. And the fact that oil impacts us all, right? Gasoline everywhere is up. And Canada, it was up. The national average is like $1.37 a liter.

So we know there are these handful of things that are feeding into that. uncertainty and making us worried. First and foremost, we have the Strait of Hormuz. Then you have all these attacks on energy infrastructure in the region. But the third, and weirdly the most important, might be insurance. And the president of the United States dealing with that today, he's clearly worried about this. He just issued a statement about insurance. So before we get to what he's doing, explain why insurance is so key. So he says he's ordered the government to provide political risk insurance and guarantees for financial security for all maritime traffic, especially on energy. But here Susan is the really most important part. He says, if necessary, I'm quoting here,

the United States Navy will begin escorting tankers through the Strait of Hormuz as soon as possible. Will that break the backlaw? Maybe, but it will also heighten the risk, right? Sending U.S. Navy ships, these billion-dollar vessels to escort, frankly, pretty slow-moving tankers through this incredibly narrow strapped. rate, that's going to expose them to drone attacks, to swarm attacks, to anti-ship missiles, a lot of issues. So how important is it to get this oil flowing immediately? I mean, aren't countries, don't they have some supply and reserves?

You would think, but it's less about getting the oil out than it is about getting the empty tankers in. Normally, every day, you've got dozens of these huge, ultra-large tankers hauling literally millions of barrels each a day out of the Gulf. That's a hard tap to turn off. and oil producers, they're running at a room to store the oil. Iraq has already cut back production by about a million barrels a day. If they run out of storage capacity, more production is going to have to come offline.

That is going to drive up oil prices even further. And that makes people think about their gas prices. Thank you, Peter. You bet. Senior business correspondent, Peter Armstrong here in Toronto. Coming right up, new horizons for Pierre Paulyev as the conservative leader attempts to reset his key messages. He's in the UK for a keynote speech. And the final complainant testifies at the sexual assault trial of Canadian auto parts billionaire Frank Strontic. And later we'll have this story.

The FIFA World Cup is 100 days away. Canada will host 13 matches in two cities. But there are concerns one of them may not be able to handle the flood of visitors coming its way. This is going to be some ridiculous nightmare for a lot of people who, were not able to book the recommendations beforehand. I'm Yasmil Ganea in Vancouver. Later on Your World Tonight, how a hotel shortage could leave fans scrambling. Pierre Pollyev is pitching his worldview

and Canada's role in it to a global audience. The Conservative leader delivered a speech in London today. It's all part of his first foreign trip as leader of the official opposition. Tom Perry is there and has more on Pauliiev's message. The leader of the Conservative Party of Canada, the Honourable Pierre Pollyev. Pierre Palliev knows all about being an opposition attack dog, but these days the conservative leader is trying to sound more like a prime minister.

Canada must become stronger at home so that we have unbreakable leverage abroad. Palliab this week on the other side of the Atlantic, tonight speaking to a conservative think tank in London. For generations, free markets, lowered cost, raised, wages and lifted billions out of poverty. Yet, they're facing major pushback today from the twin threats of socialism and protectionism. Polyev praising the value of free markets and warning of the evils of government overreach. Net zero policies drove energy and food costs up and paychecks down, all to fill the pockets of green grifters. Protective monopoly shielded from

competition, keep prices high. Corporate welfare, enriched insiders at tax taxpayer suspense. The conservative leader speaking to a like-minded audience that welcomed his message. Andrew Bowie is a UK conservative MP representing a constituency in Scotland. I thought it was absolutely incredible. I thought he gave such a passionate defense of the capitalist system and a real side of optimism. But that optimistic message abroad comes after a rough period for Polyev at home. Three MPs have now abandoned his conservative caucus and polls suggest the governing liberals and Prime Minister Mark Carney enjoy a healthy lead in public opinion. Andrew McDougal was communications director for former Prime Minister Stephen Harper and now works

in public relations in London to him. This overseas trip is about Polyev trying to boost his own credibility in areas where Carney holds the advantage. The lesson from the last election ought to have been when push came to shove and Canadians had to make a choice. They chose a leader in Mr. Carney, who was unknown, but what he was known for was his presence on the world stage, his experience is the Bank of Canada governor and the Bank of England governor. That's one thing that Mr. Pollyev, for all his long career in politics, does not include a leadership position and much knowledge or express knowledge of global affairs, whether that's in finance or foreign affairs and issues of war and peace.

Whether Pollyev's strategy pays off is still unknown. The conservative leader is continuing his overseas tour, traveling next, to Germany before returning to Canada and its political realities. Tom Perry, CBC News, London. 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.

In the first of two sexual assault trials of Canadian billionaire Frank Strannock, The final complainant was testifying today in Toronto. She is now 69 years old, and the allegations go back to when she was 24. As Jamie Strachan tells us, that time gap and other complications could jeopardize this trial. Good morning. For nearly three weeks, 93-year-old Frank Strontica's walked into a Toronto courtroom and listened to seven women testify, often in gritty detail, that he sexually assaulted them. The allegations span from 1977 to 1990, and the passage of time as being a major factor.

This is raising issues related to memory and to related to historic sexual abuse. Toronto lawyer Linda O'Brien, who is not directly involved in this trial, says these cases are challenging. So there's going to be that, you know, blurry memories, faded memories. because at no point during a sexual assault is the complainant thinking, I'm going to be cross-examined on this someday. Under often blistering cross-examination, Straunich's lawyer, Liora Shemish, is keyed in on discrepancies between the women's testimony and statements given to police

and vigorously challenged recollections of events and details. Astronix legal team was also sought to undermine credibility, says defense lawyer and former crown, Michael, Kirstine. From looking at various civil matters that are before other courts and that relate to the complainants, it appears as if homework has been done going many, many years back. At the same time, there has been a thread in the evidence given by the seven women. Almost all told of meeting Stronick at his long-closed Toronto restaurant, Roonies, and being allegedly assaulted at Stronick's waterfront condo. What's known as similar fact evidence, Korsstein says.

They otherwise don't know each other, but they all give evidence that a particular comment was said during the incident or that it took place at a particular location and it unfolded in a particular way. When the trial started in mid-February, Strontick faced 12 charges and he pleaded not guilty to all of them. Then two charges related to the six complainant were withdrawn. After, among other things, notes uncovered from her original police interview directly conceded. contradicted her testimony. Another twist in this trial. The defenses filed an abuse of process motion to be heard at the conclusion of the trial,

alleging the Crown coached witnesses during trial preparation, something reserved for extreme cases, O'Brien says. But one of the really difficult areas for the Crown is if in that prep meeting, the witness starts to raise additional memories, additional things that they believe happened. If successful, some charges against Stronic, one of Canada's wealthiest men could be stayed, effectively dismissing those counts and putting the entire trial in jeopardy. Stronick's team will present its case next.

It's unclear whether he will testify. Jamie Strash and CBC News, Toronto. The countdown is on for one of the biggest sporting events in the world. 100 days to go until the FIFA World Cup. Canada will host with matches in Toronto and Vancouver. But with thousands of soccer fans heading to those cities, finding a place to stay is turning into an expensive headache. Yasmin Ranea explains.

It's been a nightmare. Winnipeg's Chuterte, Osaha, still can't find a place for him and his wife to stay in Vancouver to watch two games, including Canada versus Switzerland. Hotels are booking up quickly, and he says what's left could cost as much as $1,500 a night. It's going to be a struggle. A lot of people are going to be frustrated. Vancouver is set to host seven games in June and July. It's expected to draw tens of thousands of visitors

during the city's already busy cruise season. Paul Haas is with the BC Hotel Association. He says last summer, hotel occupancy sat around 90% in Vancouver. The expectation and the reports that we're seeing is about a 5% lift in occupancy. So we should be sitting around 95% for the. the month of June. Non-profit destination Vancouver says the city has a hotel shortage

and may not be able to fulfill World Cup demands. Andy Yan, an urban planner and associate professor at Simon Fraser University, says this has been a years-long issue. I think that when it comes to the actual physical planning and the economic planning at both the local and the provincial level, it's been lacking. The province says hundreds of hotel rooms are in the development pipeline for Vancouver. but they're not expected to open between now and the World Cup. Destination Vancouver says the city has about 13,000 hotel rooms,

roughly 10,000 fewer than Toronto, which will play host to six World Cup matches. We've seen a certain number of hotels come on down for whether it's purpose-built rental or condominiums, that we've seen a loss of upwards about 550 hotel rooms since 2020. Short-term rental options like, Airbnb are more limited too. Provincial and city rules only allow people to rent out their primary residents. And while there are many advertisements online, Yan doesn't think it's enough to fill the gap. Some folks may not want the inconvenience of leaving their unit. There are a lot of Facebook groups that I joined. Back in Winnipeg, Saha also worries about online scams. He hopes to lock down a place in

the coming days farther from the downtown core and a bit cheaper. I've seen some Reddit posts. about people actually staying in Washington State, then driving in to Vancouver towards the games and then going back. He says he's not quite desperate enough to cross the border, but is looking at places as far away as Chilawak, BC, more than an hour's drive from the stadium. Yasmin Ranea, CBC News, Vancouver. Finally, the FIFA World Cup isn't the only international competition sports fans

have marked on their calendars. World Baseball Classic gets underway later this week, and today, Team Canada got a chance to warm up against Canada's team. It's one of the most fun days of spring training, Team Canada in town to take on the Toronto Blue Jays. The colors were red, white, and blue on the field this afternoon. Canada's squad for the World Baseball Classic taking on the Toronto Blue Jays, broadcast on Sportsnet from the team's spring training facility in Florida. The Canadians are getting set to face Colombia in their opening game on Saturday. They will also play Cuba, Panama, and Puerto Rico.

The United States and Japan are favored to win. Retired Toronto Blue J. Russell Martin is on the coaching staff for Team Canada. He says the tournament is a great opportunity for players to develop. It's tremendous experience. You get thrown in right to a playoff atmosphere. And there's players who play their whole careers without ever getting a chance to play in the postseason. So you get a little bit of feet. back on what it feels like to play in those pressure situations.

Today's warm-up game was not one of those high-pressure situations. Just a chance for Team Canada to get ready for a big tournament and give Canadian baseball fans a reason to cheer. Thank you for joining us on your world tonight for Tuesday, March 3rd. I'm Susan Bonner. Talk to you again. For more CBC Podcasts, go to cBC.ca slash podcasts.