Your World Tonight - Trump tariffs, Poilievre’s Arctic plan, Gaza ceasefire in trouble, and more

Episode Date: February 10, 2025

U.S. President Donald Trump says he wants to impose tariffs on steel and aluminum in order to bolster his country’s industries. Canada exports more than $12 billion worth of aluminum into the U.S. each year, and more than $10 billion worth of steel. Leaders in both industries bracing for the hit, while calling on federal and provincial politicians to be ready to act.And: Opposition leader Pierre Poilievre says Ottawa should have more control over Canada’s Arctic. He is proposing a permanent military base in Iqaluit, more rangers in the area, and two additional ice breakers. Poilievre says he would fund the plan by cutting foreign aid.Also: The ceasefire in Gaza is in trouble. Hamas and Israel are accusing each other of violations. Hamas is refusing to release the next group of hostages, and Israel says it is making military preparations. In a separate development, the Palestinian Authority says it will stop financially supporting families of those convicted or killed while attacking Israelis.Plus: Ontario’s premier says he is going to Washington, Ukrainians in Canada ask for extensions on their stay, and more.

When a body is discovered 10 miles out to sea, it sparks a mind-blowing police investigation. There's a man living in this address in the name of a deceased. He's one of the most wanted men in the world. This isn't really happening. Officers are finding large sums of money. It's a tale of murder, skullduggery and international intrigue. So who really is he? I'm Sam Mullins and this is Sea of Lies from CBC's Uncovered, available now.

This is a CBC Podcast. We've got a big problem in Canada. We've got to find another way to fuel our economic growth rather than relying on exports to this very, very unreliable trade partner. An economic partnership more uncertain and unpredictable by the day. With one tariff threat on pause, a new one just dropped. As Donald Trump targets Canadian steel and aluminum and a trade relationship that once seemed ironclad

now looks as fragile as a tin can. Welcome to Your World Tonight. It is Monday, February 10th. I'm Susan Bonner, also on the podcast. Every single person that doesn't belong there needs to come home now. Every single one of them. Calls for hostages to be sent home with a

Mideast ceasefire on shaky ground. Hamas and Israel are both accusing the other of violating the terms of a six-week truce. And an agreement that many hoped could be a pathway to lasting peace could be making a U-turn back to war. The news is breaking tonight. Donald Trump is hitting Canada with new tariffs that threaten thousands of jobs and billions of dollars.

In an executive order, the US president says a 25% levy will be charged to all steel and aluminum imports coming into the U.S. We have comprehensive coverage of this story for you beginning with Katie Simpson in Washington. Katie, what can you tell us? This is a major blow in what can only now really be described as a trade war. The U.S. president signing a proclamation in the Oval Office imposing 25 percent tariffs on steel and aluminum. Donald Trump says there are no exceptions and it applies to all imports. Canada is by

far the largest supplier of foreign steel and aluminum into the American market. Every year Canada exports about seven billion dollars worth of steel and about nine and a half billion dollars worth of aluminum. A reporter in the Oval Office asked Trump you know what happens if a country retaliates? As everyone knows, Canada has a retaliation plan and Trump said he doesn't mind if other countries retaliate. And it doesn't end here either. Trump also told reporters he's considering additional tariffs on cars, on semiconductor chips and on pharmaceuticals and he has a plan for reciprocal tariffs on cars, on semiconductor chips, and on pharmaceuticals. And he has a plan

for reciprocal tariffs on all US trading partners. Details are expected to come together and be released in the next few days. It truly is a remarkable moment in this already very difficult Canada-US relationship. Trump keeps talking about wanting to make Canada the 51st state, taking it by economic force and his actions in this moment certainly seem to be aimed in that direction. And Katie, it is coming while Canada and Mexico have been given a 30-day reprieve on his initial imposed tariffs. What about the timing of this decision? Why now? Well, Trump's advisors argue that this is a way to give the struggling U.S. domestic steel industry a bit of a boost. They're trying to shore up domestic production,

especially in those swing states, those key states where manufacturing jobs are on the line, and to try and create some new manufacturing jobs at home. However, with all the information that we have from experts, they say that these tariffs are actually going to probably hurt jobs. It will lead to price hikes as companies have to try to scramble to find their way around tariffs or take this 25% hit. It could lead to certain layoffs in certain industries. The big question we need answered next is how quickly do these come into effect? We still haven't seen the text just yet. We don't know if there's a little bit of breathing room. In the past, tariffs are generally proposed and then studied and certainly an examination

of possible outcomes. And then once that study period is done, a decision about whether they're actually imposed takes place. We don't know if Trump is taking that route or if he's declaring this an emergency to get these tariffs in place as quickly as possible. Katie Simpson in Washington. Katie, thank you. Thanks. No country sends more steel to the U.S. than Canada. Analysts agree a 25% tariff on the metal could lead to mass layoffs and a near collapse of the industry. Kyle Bax has that angle for us.

Everybody's worried about it. After finishing their shift at national steel car in Hamilton, there's concern among workers with their industry a tariff target yet again by US President Donald Trump. That's going to cost a lot for us. It's going to hurt the steel industry. It'll be bad for everybody because we have Mexican parts that come in and we sell to the United States. 100% will be back. Trump signing a 25% tax on steel imports into the U.S. We really can't let this happen.

Those tariffs will be devastating to the sector, says Catherine Cobden, president of the Canadian Steel Producers Association. We need immediate and strong retaliatory measures against the United States. It's unfortunate, but that's the situation we're going to be in. For months, even the possibility of the tariffs has been noticeable inside Canadian facilities. Companies have been preparing, says Ron Wells, with the United Steelworkers in Hamilton.

They've told us that their sales are slow, the order books are low, they've actually put a freeze on hiring. Steel is often regarded as critical for many countries because of its importance to infrastructure and national defence. Seven years ago, during his first term in office, Trump imposed similar tariffs on imports of Canadian steel and kept them for nearly a year. In the immediate aftermath, steel exports to the US fell by 38%.

For Ryan Jordan, president of RJ Steel in Windsor, his bottom line took a hit. It was difficult for us. We had to diversify and thank God we we did diversify. Canada exports about 11 billion dollars of steel every year to the U.S. while importing about 8 billion dollars. That's why if Ottawa retaliates, prices could rise on both sides of the border. Philippe Perrault is a partner with Price Waterhouse Cooper in Montreal. Very tricky situation that will be impacting companies both in Canada and in the US. Nearly all of the Canadian steel exported goes south. The extremely high price of

shipping the heavy material is one reason why the U.S. is the prime market. Deborah Yedlin is president of the Calgary Chamber of Commerce. It's not business as usual. President Trump has made that very clear. Every tariff announcement or threat is creating further anxiety and unease, she says, for businesses big and small. Some Canadian steel companies say U.S. customers are already cancelling orders before the tariffs even begin. Kyle Backs, CBC News, Calgary. Quebec is home to the bulk of Canada's aluminum production and workers and this heavy tariff on exports could deliver a devastating blow to a key industry. Thomas Dagla explains.

devastating blow to a key industry. Thomas Dagla explains. From its plant on Montreal's South Shore, Alou MC3 exports aluminum products like poles for traffic lights to buyers in the US. The way that I you know, like I provide food for my for my wife for my kid.

Jorge Zelaya has only worked on the floor for seven months and now worries how long his job can last. The production comes down or something like that. I don't know what type of measures the company is going to take. Aluminum is big business in Quebec, accounting for tens of thousands of jobs and nearly 90% of Canada's production. So it's no wonder Donald Trump's new tariffs are sending shock waves through the industry and the province's economy minister Christine Frechette is making promises to affected companies. We will be offering loans to these businesses and we also want businesses to be more diversified when it comes to

their exports. In other words Quebec is already pushing its aluminum industry to sell its products overseas instead of being so reliant on Canada's southern neighbour. And experts suggest any damage could take more time than the impact on Canada's steel producers. The United States does not have sufficient domestic capacity. They have to import aluminum. Carlos Letao, a former Quebec finance minister, points out 25% tariffs are coming on aluminum from every country, not just Canada. Canadian aluminum in relation to aluminum from other countries will still be very competitive. But he says the North American market is so

intertwined, aluminum prices are bound to rise for Canadian buyers too. Quebec's Francois Legault is headed to Washington with other premiers this week. He's demanding Canada start to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement known as KUSMA. Flavio Volpe is traveling to DC as well as part of the Prime Minister's Council on Canada-U.S. relations and the head of the Automotive Parts Manufacturers Association. He wants Americans to know how the levies will hurt them. One of the Automotive Parts Manufacturers Association, he wants Americans to know how the levees will hurt them. One of the biggest customers of that aluminum is U.S. defense interests. Indeed, such crushing tariffs are sure to impact

U.S. firms as well, says Jean Simard, head of the Aluminum Association of Canada. He represents smelters and doesn't expect any immediate layoffs. Aluminum is like water. It finds the path of least resistance to get the highest net back. So we'll find our way. Simas says his industry is hunkering down for four years of uncertainty,

comparing the mood to a war effort. Thomas Daigle, CBC News, Toronto. Donald Trump repeated over the weekend he's serious about wanting Canada to be the 51st state. Between his interest in annexation and the Arctic, federal leaders seem to now be taking the American threat to Canadian sovereignty more seriously too. Marina von Stackelberg reports. Our military is weakened and our allies no longer respect us.

Conservative leader Pierre Polyev says this is a wake-up call. Bundled in a parka on the tarmac of the Iqaluit airport, he says the Liberal government has failed to properly protect Canada's north. Polyev says if elected, he'll hire 2,000 more Canadian Rangers to patrol the most remote parts of the country. He says a conservative government would purchase two armed heavy icebreakers for the Navy and build a permanent military base in Iqaluit. If we are to be a sovereign

self-reliant nation we must take control of our north, secure all of our borders and stand on our own two feet. We cannot count on the Americans to do it for us anymore." China and Russia have long been seen as a threat to our Northern sovereignty. But now the U.S. president speaks almost daily about taking over all of Canada. Without the U.S., Canada really doesn't have a country. Donald Trump last night reiterated his complaint that Canada doesn't spend enough on defense as a member of NATO. You know, they don't pay very much for military and the reason they don't pay much is they assume that we're going to protect them.

That's not an assumption they can make because why are we protecting another country? Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is in Paris and hasn't responded to Trump's latest comments. But Stéphane Dion, Canada's ambassador to France and former Liberal leader, says it's in the Americans' interest to keep protecting Canada. If you don't defend Canada, you cannot have an effective defense for the U.S. We are all together. We've got to convince the Americans that we are not the weak link in the northern border. Rob Hubert is an expert in Arctic sovereignty and defense at the University of Calgary. He says given Trump's fixation with borders, Canada's failure to improve its defense in the north likely emboldens the U.S. president.

And Hubert says Trump wouldn't have to send in troops to take control of Canada. You can do it by crippling the economic capabilities of your neighbour and therefore placing them in what could be politely referred to as a vassal state. Hubert says Canadians have long bought into the idea, touted by our own politicians, that we were somehow safe because the U.S. would protect us. Countries don't have friends. They have interests. They don't have friends.

Marina von Stackelberg, CBC News, Ottawa. Coming up on the podcast, anxiety and anger in the Middle East as both sides trade accusations over the ceasefire, the Ontario election campaign straddling a national crisis, and they fled the war in Ukraine and now want to stay in Canada. The fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas is in danger of collapsing. Tonight Donald Trump even proposed canceling it and letting all hell break loose. He was responding to Hamas saying

it will stop releasing hostages and accusing Israel of violating the agreement. Israel has raised its level of military preparedness in the region. Chris Brown reports. Tonight in Tel Aviv hostage families and their supporters pleaded with Benjamin Netanyahu's government not to let the ceasefire collapse after Hamas said the next release of hostages set for Saturday will not happen. Every single person that doesn't belong there needs to come home now. Every single one of them. In a statement, Hamas accused Israel of violations

by targeting returnees to northern Gaza with shelling and gunfire. More than a million people in Gaza are sleeping outside in tents in awful conditions, and Hamas has said it wants better shelters and generators to produce heat. Donald Trump's comments have also infuriated Palestinians about what he wants to happen in the next phases of the ceasefire. In an interview with Fox News he doubled down on the idea of eventually expelling Palestinians from Gaza, clarifying after they leave to live in neighboring countries they won't be allowed back.

Would the Palestinians have the right to return? No they wouldn't because they're gonna have much better housing, much better. Sixteen Israelis and five Thai workers have been freed from captivity in the past three weeks including this past weekend. Hundreds of Palestinian prisoners and detainees have also been released. But the fate of more than 35 other living hostages now appears in jeopardy. The men released Saturday looked gaunt and frail,

prompting fierce exchanges in Israel's Knesset even before Hamas' announcement. One opposition member said while the hostages were taken from their homes by Hamas, it's Netanyahu who's killing them. As mediators try to find solutions, Brian Katulis of the Middle East Institute in Washington fears Trump's day-after scenario for Gaza has undercut the negotiations. If Trump continues to message the way that he is in an unfocused way with fantastical

ideas that have no connection to reality, you're going to see a return to violence. Israel has said it will not tolerate any scenario where Hamas remains in power in Gaza. The Palestinian Authority, which governs the occupied West Bank, has indicated it's prepared to take over. Today, as the ceasefire drama played out, the PA made a significant move to address a key US and Israeli criticism. It says it will end the intensely controversial policy of what Israelis call pay to slay so that

the families of those involved in attacks on Israelis will no longer receive support money from the Authority. Chris Brown, CBC News, London. The United Nations is suspending humanitarian operations in parts of Yemen after the detention of UN staff. Houthi rebels have become the de facto authorities in Saddaq, government. Seven UN agencies operate in the area. In recent months, dozens of staffers have been arrested.

UN spokesperson Farhan Haq says the pause affects the response to one of the world's worst humanitarian disasters. This extraordinary and temporary measure seeks to balance the imperative to stay and deliver, with the need to have the safety and security of the UN personnel and its partners guaranteed. Such guarantees are ultimately required to ensure the effectiveness and sustainability of our efforts. This pause is to give time to the de facto authorities and the United Nations to arrange the release of arbitrarily detained UN personnel and ensure that the necessary conditions are

in place to deliver critical humanitarian support. The UN says more than 19 million people across Yemen will need humanitarian assistance this year. A decade-long war has killed more than 150,000 and devastated the country's economy and resources. Ontarians head to the polls later this month and Doug Ford is heading to Washington. The trip is part of a push to try and ward off tariffs. The visit is being met with sharp criticism from Ford's rivals.

He's framing the Ontario election around the US president. But as Jamie Strachan reports, his competition says there are other issues at stake. We'll take the money that Ford wastes on bad deals and invest it. While the Chiefs and Eagles battled on the field, Super Bowl viewers in Ontario saw a battle of political ads during the commercial breaks. Progressive Conservative leader Doug Ford's rationale for calling this snap election was simple, telling voters he's the only one that can stand up to Donald Trump. We aren't going to roll over. There's one thing that President Trump has underestimated. Ontarians weren't supposed to go to the polls until next summer.

And despite holding a healthy majority, Ford insists he needs a fresh mandate to take on Trump and the looming threat of tariffs. He's taking the unusual step of heading to Washington during the campaign, leading a contingent that will meet with US politicians and business leaders. But what we're going to communicate is everything the U.S. needs off of Canada. Everything the U.S. needs off of Ontario.

And Ontario, if they were a standalone country, we'd be the third largest trading partner in the world to the U.S. Ontario Liberal leader Bonnie Crombie criticized the trip today, calling it an inappropriate use of his office during an election. Because it's very self-serving for him to distract Ontario residents from the fact that they're struggling and they don't have access to family doctor he wants to make this about tariffs. For Cromby along with the NDP and Green Party there's a concerted effort to shift the ballot

box question away from tariffs instead making it about the state of health care in Ontario where two and a half million people are without a family doctor many relying on emergency rooms instead and EP leader Marit Stiles said today. Hospitals across Ontario are facing extreme pressure with many emergency rooms having to close their doors. Patients are being treated in hallways. University of Toronto political scientist Chris Cochran says the Trump factor has made it hard for that message to land and cut into what most polls say is a double-digit lead for the Conservatives. The headlines being made by the Trump administration and the threats of tariffs and economic havoc in Canada. It's really not been a great environment for the

Liberals and New Democrats. The four party leaders are set to debate this Friday with one more possible before Ontario votes on February 27th. Jamie Strash in CBC News, Toronto. The state of Nevada has confirmed its first human case of avian flu. Local health authorities say a farm worker contracted the virus after exposure to infected dairy cattle. The worker is experiencing mild symptoms and is recovering. It comes just days after the Department of Agriculture found a new strain of the virus in some Nevada cattle herds. Health officials say the risk to the general public remains low.

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. The Ukrainian-Canadian Congress is calling on the Wherever you get your podcasts, just find the follow button and lock us in. The Ukrainian-Canadian Congress is calling on the federal government to extend a temporary resident program for Ukrainians fleeing the war in their country. The Canada-Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel program allowed hundreds of thousands into the country. Now the government wants each

individual to apply for an extension. Kayla Hounsell explains. Kate Mokrush is going around inspecting hotel rooms. She's the manager of housekeeping at a Halifax hotel. But she used to be the general manager of a hotel in Ukraine. Huddled under stairways with three children in their home in Kyiv watching Russian helicopters through the windows, her family made the difficult decision to leave. But she says before they had even arrived in Canada in 2022, they got tangled in a web of paperwork.

So paperwork, it's every time stressful, especially in our situation. Now, she and her husband have to do more paperwork to extend their work visas because the temporary program under which they came to Canada is set to expire March 31st. We welcome them here. Why are we making them nervous and uncertain about their future here? Ehor Michaelchishin with the Ukrainian-Canadian Congress is calling on the federal government to extend the whole program for Ukrainians for another three years. Nearly 300,000 Ukrainians came to Canada this way. As of the end of December, just over 70,000 had applied to extend their work permits.

If you have a group of people who either don't apply or potentially get a negative reaction to their application, their choices are to either work illegally without a work permit, which means they don't have health coverage, or they may apply for refugee and asylum status. Generally, extending a work permit requires a valid passport, which some Ukrainians are struggling to renew. The government is promising flexibility. Immigration Minister Mark Miller says he has no intention of sending anyone back to a war zone, but he is refusing a blanket extension. Paperwork is stressful. I understand that.

But we also needed to understand how many people are living and working here. I think it's very little to ask in this context. As well as work visas, the program gives Ukrainians access to free language classes. Paula Knight is the CEO of the Immigrant Services Association of Nova Scotia. She has more than 450 Ukrainians still on a wait list for them. Our hope is that we're able to support as many as we can to actually transition beyond you know those programs here to be able to have successful support in other community groups. It's a very uncertain situation. Mokresh says she will apply for the extension next month.

As the family works together on a map of Canada puzzle, they say their ultimate goal is to become permanent residents putting together a new, one piece at a time. Kayla Hounsell, CBC News, Halifax. And finally tonight, another important reminder of proper paperwork, no matter who you are. The Ed Sheeran smash hit Shape of You being performed on a sidewalk in Bengaluru, India by Ed Sheeran himself. The English pop star is on a 15 stop tour of India and although he now sells out stadiums he used to play his acoustic guitar on street corners and subway stations and yesterday Shirin was trying to get back to his roots when the busker was busted

I'm a veteran, so I like you very much We had permission to do this, it's this policeman that's shutting it down. But we'll see you later. Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! Sheeran was mid-song when police officers suddenly started unplugging his equipment

and shutting down the show. Later in a message on Instagram, Sheeran said he was approved to play on the street, but a member of parliament for the area disagreed, saying Sheeran's team did ask about performing but they were rejected over concern about a large crowd forming in a busy area. The MP writing on social media even global stars must follow the rules. No permit, no performance. Thank you for joining us. This has been Your World Tonight for Monday, February 10th. I'm Susan Bonner. Talk to you again.