Your World Tonight – Episode Summary

Podcast: Your World Tonight (CBC)
Episode: Canada’s ambassador to US steps down, the plight of Sudan’s children, pipeline vote, prepping Canada’s military, and more
Date: December 9, 2025
Hosts: Susan Bonner, Stephanie Skenderis (main host for this episode: Susan Bonner)
Duration: ~28 minutes

Episode Overview

This episode delivers an in-depth briefing on significant news items affecting Canada and the world. Key topics include the resignation of Canada’s ambassador to the US, Sudan’s escalating humanitarian crisis with a focus on children, a contentious federal pipeline motion, ambitious plans to expand Canada’s military reserves, the return of Indigenous artifacts, and legal reforms targeting child and gender-based violence. Each story is reinforced by first-person perspectives, on-the-ground reporting, and candid political analysis.

Key Stories & Discussion Points

1. Canada’s Ambassador to the US Steps Down

[01:51–05:20]

• Kirsten Hillman, Canada’s ambassador to the US and lead trade negotiator, announced she will be leaving her post in the new year.
  • The move is notable and somewhat unexpected, given her recent promotion and the ongoing trade and diplomatic challenges with the Trump administration.
  • Hillman emphasized the need for a transition ahead of the critical Kuzma (USMCA) review.
  • Sources indicate her likely successor is Mark Wiseman, a business leader closely aligned with PM Mark Carney.

Notable Quote

• "The Canada-US relationship is being rewritten and while there will never be a perfect time to leave, this is the right time to put a team in place that will see the Kuzma review through to its conclusion." — Kirsten Hillman (as paraphrased by Katie Simpson, [02:15])

Analysis

• Reporter Katie Simpson outlines the importance of the ambassador’s role, especially with trade negotiations stalled, ongoing disputes over tariffs, and US pressure for concessions in the Kuzma review.
• Hillman is respected across party lines for her expertise, especially during past NAFTA renegotiations.

2. Pipeline Vote Drama on Parliament Hill

[05:22–08:29]

• Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre introduces a motion supporting a new pipeline to the BC coast, using language directly from a federal-Alberta memorandum of understanding (MoU). The move is widely seen as an attempt to sow division within the Liberal caucus.
  • Liberals reject the motion, citing missing specifics: carbon capture technology, Indigenous co-ownership, industrial carbon pricing, and more.
  • The Conservatives amend their motion to try to address these concerns, but Liberals maintain it’s insufficient.
  • Ultimately, only Conservatives support the motion, and the future of a new pipeline remains unclear.

Notable Quotes & Exchanges

• "It's a cynical ploy to divide us. It's a cheap political stunt..." — Liberal Minister Tim Hodgson ([06:30])
• "We're going to amend our own motion in order to include the things the Liberals claim we left out." — Pierre Poilievre ([07:20])
• "It would be very easy to take the entire MoU in both official languages and propose them if the members opposite would support everything that the Premier of Alberta has done." — Prime Minister Carney ([07:59])

3. Sudan’s Humanitarian Crisis—Children Under Attack

[09:15–12:21]

• A harrowing UN report highlights the severe impact of Sudan’s civil war on children: mass displacement, famine, disease, and direct targeting in atrocities.
  • Sheldon Yet, UNICEF emergency responder, calls the atrocities "unlike anything I've ever seen" ([09:49]).
  • Recent drone strikes killed 63 children at a kindergarten.
  • Local survivors and doctors detail desperate conditions — cities under siege, families starving, little access to aid or escape.
  • The international community is urged not to ignore Sudan’s plight.

Notable Quotes

• "This is a level of atrocities, a level of terror against children unlike anything I've ever seen in my entire career." — Sheldon Yet, UNICEF ([09:49])
• "The first attack...came into the kindergarten and then we lost a lot of kids. Initially we lost 33 child, and then...a second drone strike." — Dr. Mohammed El Shia, Sudan Doctors Network ([11:14])
• "Bad news becomes normal for what little news he gets from his loved ones is terrible. He says he's been trying to get them out to no avail." — Musa Ali, Sudanese-Canadian ([11:56])

4. Ottawa Moves to Toughen Laws on Child & Gender-Based Violence

[12:21–15:27]

• New legislation (Bill C16) includes:
  • Defining and criminalizing coercive or controlling behaviors in intimate partner relationships.
  • Treating femicide as first-degree murder.
  • Restoring a dozen mandatory minimum sentences for child sexual offenses.
  • Banning nonconsensual distribution of sexual deepfake images.
  • Directing courts to treat case dismissals as a last resort, following a 2016 Supreme Court ruling that led to thousands of tossed cases due to trial delays.
• Survivors and legal professionals respond with mixed views:
  • Neka MacGregor, survivor, advocates for the changes.
  • Some legal experts warn the reforms may worsen court delays and compromise Charter rights.

Notable Quotes

• "The pattern of emotional, psychological, economic and verbal abuse and threats of violence we experience are often as dangerous as the kicks, the punches..." — Neka MacGregor ([12:58])
• "This bill is about legalizing delay, not resolving it." — Adam Weisberg, Criminal Lawyers Association ([14:30])
• "The answer to this problem is not to reduce the strength of our Charter rights, but rather to ensure that governments step up and do their job." — Shakir Rahim, CCLA ([14:59])

5. Montreal Police Shooting: Family Launches Lawsuit

[15:27–16:29]

• The family of Nouron Rezae, a 15-year-old unarmed teen shot by police, is suing for $2.2 million.
• Fahima Rezae, Nouron’s mother, describes ongoing trauma and accuses police of using disproportionate force.

Notable Quote

• "Every time I see a police officer, I see them as a potential killer. They killed my child for nothing." — Fahima Rezae ([15:27])

6. Military Buildup: Canada’s Big Recruitment Plan

[16:29–19:58]

• The Department of National Defence plans to expand the armed forces by recruiting up to 300,000 reservists over the next decade, creating a "strategic reserve" to respond to disasters and security threats.
  • Experts and internal documents highlight significant logistical and recruitment challenges.
  • Some skepticism remains in the defence community over the strategic rationale and readiness.
  • The plan aims to be finalized for cabinet review by spring.

Notable Quotes

• "This is possibly the tallest order that the Canadian armed forces, in my view, has received, possibly since the end of the Cold War." — Christine Luprek, Royal Military College ([18:14])
• "How then this group of...people with one week of training and no uniforms...is going to address that requirement? It's difficult to see." — Peter Kasarak, Queen’s University ([19:28])

7. Israel’s Military Draft Debate: Ultra-Orthodox Exemption Challenged

[19:58–22:52]

• In Israel, the government faces mass protests over efforts to end the ultra-Orthodox Jews' exemption from military service, now under scrutiny due to a court ruling and the war in Gaza.
  • New legislation proposed; the opposition accuses PM Netanyahu of political cynicism.
  • Some fear this internal division could severely damage Israeli society.

Notable Quotes

• "None of us are going to go to the army. We're hell bent. There's no way in the world we're going to go to the army." — Ultra-Orthodox protestor ([20:50])
• "This can kill the country, can kill the nation...The second Temple was destroyed and the Jewish nation fought between each other." — Rabbi Yitzhak Goldstein ([22:30])

8. Repatriation of Indigenous Artifacts from the Vatican

[23:10–25:52]

• Inuit leaders witness the return of dozens of cultural artifacts, including a century-old sealskin kayak from the Vatican.
  • The kayak, a centerpiece of the repatriation, is in excellent condition and once essential for beluga hunting.
  • Leaders express gratitude and awe at having cultural heritage returned.
  • Objects will remain at the Canadian Museum of History pending a new facility in the north.

Notable Quotes

• "This kayak would have been used for beluga hunting. This would have been one of the most essential tools that an Inuit hunter would have." — Darrell Nasogalwakh ([24:22])
• "This represents our culture, our heritage, our history, and to see that firsthand...I think we both looked at it in awe." — Duane Smith, Inuvialuit Regional Corporation ([25:13])

9. Honouring a Brother Through Books

[26:11–27:56]

• In Winnipeg, Tim Brandt commemorates his late brother Les by distributing his personal library to more than 100 Little Free Libraries across the city.
  • The act is described as “spreading him around a little bit, like scattering his ashes.”
  • The final book left was titled "Famous Last Words" — a poignant tribute.

Notable Quote

• "If I were to choose a line to think about, I would say, like a smile relieves a heart that grieves. And I found that is very true, no matter how you feel, if you can make yourself..." — Tim Brandt ([27:36])

Memorable Moments & Quotes

| Time | Speaker | Quote/Comment | |-----------|-------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 02:15 | Katie Simpson (on Hillman) | "The Canada-US relationship is being rewritten and while there will never be a perfect time to leave, this is the right time..." | | 07:20 | Pierre Poilievre | "We're going to amend our own motion in order to include the things the Liberals claim we left out." | | 09:49 | Sheldon Yet, UNICEF | "This is a level of atrocities, a level of terror against children unlike anything I've ever seen..." | | 15:27 | Fahima Rezae | "Every time I see a police officer, I see them as a potential killer. They killed my child for nothing." | | 18:14 | Christine Luprek | "This is possibly the tallest order that the Canadian armed forces...has received since the end of the Cold War." | | 22:30 | Rabbi Yitzhak Goldstein | "This can kill the country, can kill the nation...The second Temple was destroyed..." | | 24:22 | Darrell Nasogalwakh | "This kayak would have been used for beluga hunting. This would have been one of the most essential tools..." | | 27:36 | Tim Brandt | "...like a smile relieves a heart that grieves. And I found that is very true, no matter how you feel..." |

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [01:51] Canada's ambassador to the US resigns – analysis and implications
• [05:22] Pipeline motion drama on Parliament Hill
• [09:15] Sudan’s humanitarian crisis: children as targets
• [12:21] Legal reforms to protect women and children
• [15:27] Montreal police shooting lawsuit
• [16:29] Plans to recruit 300,000 military reservists
• [19:58] Israel’s military draft debate
• [23:10] Indigenous artifact repatriation: unveiling the sealskin kayak
• [26:11] A brother’s legacy through free libraries

Tone & Language

The podcast maintains a balanced, authoritative, and empathetic journalistic tone, blending hard news with personal human stories. Quotes from interviewees, politicians, and experts provide both gravitas and immediacy, reflecting the daily realities behind the headlines.

For listeners seeking a comprehensive, Canadian-grounded perspective on critical current events, this episode delivers robust analysis, firsthand testimony, and memorable storytelling.