Carney on CUSMA, Ring of Fire deal, horse herpes, and more

Summary

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Your World Tonight — December 18, 2025

Main Theme:
This episode covers the latest developments in Canadian trade negotiations with the US (CUSMA), government efforts to fast-track resource development in Northern Ontario's Ring of Fire, political shakeups in Quebec, a new batch of Jeffrey Epstein images, responses to a deadly terror attack in Australia, BC’s atmospheric river flooding, the horse herpes virus, and the uncertain future of Marineland's beluga whales.

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Key Discussion Points & Segment Breakdown

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1. Canada-US Trade: Stalemate on Tariffs & CUSMA Review

With Susan Bonner, Olivia Stefanovich, and Mark Carney
[00:42–04:57]

• Negotiation Status:

  • Prime Minister Mark Carney expresses readiness for a sectoral agreement with the US if the opportunity arises.

    “We're very ready.” — Mark Carney [00:42]

  • Talks are stalled due to US demands; Canada not planning holiday tariff relief, waits for 2026 CUSMA review.

• US Demands:

  • White House's Congressional report demands more dairy market access and provincial bans lifted on US alcohol.
  • Ontario Premier Doug Ford resists changes, especially on alcohol imports.

    "When the prime minister and President Trump come up with a great deal... maybe we'll bring in some Kentucky bourbon. But until then, we're going to hold off." — Mark Carney [03:04]

• Advertising Scuffle:

  • Ontario’s anti-tariff TV ads featuring Ronald Reagan reportedly soured an October tariff deal.

    “That was the best ad that's ever been run. 12.4 billion views.” — Doug Ford (as recounted by Carney, with Carney rolling his eyes) [03:46]

• Outlook:

  • No immediate relief; Carney is eager but expects talks to “roll into the broader CUSMA negotiations,” likely meaning months of ongoing tariffs.

    “We have lots to do. We're ready to sit down on the weekend, negotiate any weekend, any time.” — Mark Carney [04:15]

  • Carney says Trump never explicitly threatened to end CUSMA.

    “He did not say any of those things.” — Mark Carney [04:40]

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2. The Ring of Fire Deal: Fast-Tracking Resource Development

With Susan Bonner, Philip Lee-Shannock, and Mark Carney
[04:57–07:55]

• New Agreement:

  • Deal signed to streamline approval of “nation building projects” in Northern Ontario, specifically the Ring of Fire mineral region.

    “On our mission to unleash our economy, create jobs and build nation building projects.” — Mark Carney [01:20]

• Critical Minerals:

  • The area is rich in minerals (chromite, cobalt, nickel, copper), key for technologies like electric vehicles.

• Efficiency vs. Oversight Tension:

  • Streamlining means approvals for labor, Indigenous, and environmental issues will only need to be done once, rather than by two governments repeatedly.
  • Some, like Environmental Defense's Keith Brooks, worry Ontario is loosening environmental protections and First Nations rights:

    “There is a constitutional obligation for the federal government to consult First Nations and the province does not actually have that same constitutional obligation.” — Keith Brooks [06:45]

• First Nations Lawsuit:

  • Ten Treaty 9 First Nations communities suing for breach of treaty rights.
  • Calls for respecting free, prior, and informed consent for land use:

    “This is our sacred responsibility and we expect Canada to honor that.” — Chief June Black [07:24–07:32]

• Mixed Optimism:

  • Ford claims multiple agreements with First Nations are in place and an access road may be built by summer.

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3. Quebec Political Turmoil: Two Major Resignations

With Susan Bonner and Charlene Rochard
[07:55–09:20]

• Health Minister Christian Dubé Steps Down:

  • Resigns from Cabinet and party amid doctor compensation law negotiations.

• Liberal Leader Pablo Rodriguez Resigns:

  • Amid campaign donation fraud allegations (which he denies), Rodriguez steps down “out of a sense of duty” for the party.

    “The Quebec Liberal Party is bigger than any of us. It has weathered storms... and it will rise again.” — Pablo Rodriguez [09:04]

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4. Epstein Files: New Images Raise Tension Before Major Release

With Susan Bonner, Paul Hunter, and Charlene Rochard
[10:12–13:22]

• Content of Images:

  • Dozens of disturbing photos from Epstein’s estate, including passport images, text exchanges about girls, and images referencing Lolita.

• Anticipation & Concern:

  • Survivors, including London, Ontario’s Charlene Rochard, brace for what may be revealed:

    “If the names are actually shown and not redacted, I do believe the public will be very surprised. There are so many people that were involved in this.” — Charlene Rochard [12:19]

• Political Fallout:

  • US President Trump, a former Epstein acquaintance (with “no suggestion Trump did anything wrong”), only signed off on the release under pressure.
  • Democrats and Republicans dispute the handling and timing of the release.

    “This administration has gone to the greatest possible political lengths to conceal this information from the American people. There must be something awful in there.” — Senator Dick Durbin [13:10]

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5. International: Ukraine War & Australia's Response to Terror

With Susan Bonner, Mark Carney, and Sasha Petrcik
[13:22–16:47]

• Ukraine Peace Talks:

  • Trump says Ukraine must move more quickly; Zelensky stresses US mediation is crucial.

    “Putin doesn't want to stop this war but he can if United States will pressure more.” — Zelensky (paraphrasing) [14:00]

• Australia:

  • PM Anthony Albanese is speeding up laws against anti-Semitism and hate speech after a deadly Hanukkah attack in Sydney.
  • Jewish community feels previous warnings were ignored:

    “We are burying innocent children. It's just appalling. It's a horror show.” — Sydney mourner [14:49]

  • Others warn against overreaction:

    “If the government rolls anything out too quickly, they will end up in a position where they isolate other members of the community.” — Kate Chalker, Sydney [15:41]

  • Gun Control Australia calls for closing gun loopholes after the attack.

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6. BC’s Atmospheric River Flooding & Climate Change

With Susan Bonner, Yasmeen Raneya, and Environment Canada scientists
[17:02–20:17]

• Flood Risk:

  • BC is facing ongoing risks from "atmospheric rivers," with heavy rain, flooding, and previous damage in 2021.
  • Effects: local emergencies, livestock losses.

• Underlying Causes:

  • Scientists point to climate change intensifying these storms.

    "On the West Coast, a warmer atmosphere can hold more water vapor. That is a signature of climate change on Canada's climate." — Environment Canada [19:34]

• Calls for Resilience:

  • Infrastructure upgrades recommended to handle new flood realities.

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7. Horse Herpes (EHV): Canadian Stables on Alert

With Halina Mihalek & Susan Bonner
[20:17–23:02]

• Prevalence & Response:

  • EHV is hitting some Canadian horses, prompting increased disinfection and quarantine in stables.

    “We quarantine horses when they come in, so they don't [spread EHV].” — Brianne Folkt [21:06]

  • Most cases are mild, but neurological forms can be fatal.

• Expert Caution:

  • Testing is critical; some horses euthanized when neurological symptoms are severe.

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8. Marineland’s Future: Beluga Dilemma & Community Hopes

With Lisa Shing & Susan Bonner
[23:17–26:29]

• The Site:

  • Marineland in Niagara Falls is closed, large property remains with 30 beluga whales still onsite.

• Emotional & Economic Impact:

  • Community nostalgia and desire to see the site converted for public good.

    "Every time I drive by, it makes me really sad because I see it sitting empty and I feel like we could use that space for something really good." — Shelby Tomlinson, local realtor [24:10]

• Problem:

  • Whales can't survive in the wild; their presence complicates redevelopment.

    "They're all scared off by the liability of the creatures." — Mayor Jim Diodati [25:01]

• Proposals:

  • New Jersey investment group proposes $4 billion complex and whale sanctuary, funded by a data center; progress slow.

• Regulatory Obstacles:

  • Zoning, permits, approvals needed; future uncertain.

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9. Robin Hood Santas: Social Commentary via Guerilla Action

With Susan Bonner & Lisa Shing
[26:29–end]

• Event:
  • Around 40 activists in Santa and elf costumes take $3,000 in food from Montréal grocery, donate it to those in need. No arrests, police investigating.
  • Robin Hood group frames it as a response to "Canadians struggling to afford food, supermarket chains raising prices and making huge profits." [27:10]

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Tough Tariff Talks:

  "We have lots to do. We're ready to sit down on the weekend, negotiate any weekend, any time." — Mark Carney [04:15]

• On Treaty Rights in the Ring of Fire:

  "This is our sacred responsibility and we expect Canada to honor that." — Chief June Black [07:24–07:32]

• On Epstein File Release:

  "If the names are actually shown and not redacted, I do believe the public will be very surprised." — Charlene Rochard [12:19]

• On Community Change around Marineland:

  "Every time I drive by, it makes me really sad because I see it sitting empty and I feel like we could use that space for something really good." — Shelby Tomlinson [24:10]

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• [00:42] CUSMA trade update & Carney interview
• [04:57] Ring of Fire deal & Indigenous perspectives
• [07:55] Quebec’s political resignations
• [10:12] New Jeffrey Epstein images & survivor reactions
• [13:22] Ukraine war update & Australia’s terror response
• [17:02] BC’s atmospheric river flooding & climate science
• [20:17] EHV (horse herpes) in Canada
• [23:17] Future of Marineland & beluga whales
• [26:29] Robin Hood Santas redistribute groceries

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Tone:
The reporting balances urgency (on trade, Ring of Fire, climate events), sensitivity (Epstein survivors, Ring of Fire First Nations), and community focus (Marineland’s legacy, guerrilla Santas). There’s a consistent focus on Canadian public interest, with critical and human angles on each story.

Transcript

[Susan Bonner]

Paid content by Tourism Montreal Bonjour High. I'm Gunnarolla, your guide to the world's best eats and must see destinations we are not hibernating this winter. We're heading to Montreal, a powerhouse of culture and cuisine. It's one of my favorite places to visit. Every corner of the city is bursting with things to do. The food scene is world class, the neighborhoods are alive with art and music, and there are museums and events ready for you all winter long. Come along as I deep dive into Montreal and show you exactly why you need to visit. To start your planning, visit CBC CAE ExperienceMontre Montreal this is a CBC podcast.

[Mark Carney]

Unlikely, given the time horizons coming together to have a sectoral agreement. Although if the United States wants to come back on that, we're always ready there. We're very ready.

[Susan Bonner]

Mark Carney Ready, willing and able to make a deal with the United States. But with negotiations stalled, the Prime Minister says tariff talk will likely have to wait for next year's Kuzma review, and in the meantime, he's not budging on US Demands. Welcome to youo World Tonight. I'm Susan Bonner. It is Thursday, December 18, just before 6pm Eastern. Also on the podcast, a true milestone.

[Mark Carney]

On our mission to unleash our economy, create jobs and build nation building projects.

[Susan Bonner]

Circling in on the ring of fire. In an effort to create jobs, speed up the development of Northern Ontario mine and other major projects, the province and the federal government agree to streamline the approval process. Plus, if the names are actually shown and not redacted, I do believe the public will be very surprised. A new batch of Jeffrey Epstein photographs released as American officials race against a deadline to make the files public. Any hopes of Canada getting a holiday tariff deal from the United States can be put on hold. The prime minister today says tariffs could be around until summer. Yesterday, the White House revealed its wish list for the future of North American free trade. Olivia Stefanovich is in Ottawa with more.

[Mark Carney]

We've been clear about our approach to supply management. We continue to stand by that.

[Olivia Stefanovich]

Prime Minister Mark Carney holding his ground amid new White House demands to renew the U S Mexico agreement, known as cuzma.

[Mark Carney]

It's a negotiation. Each side has a set of issues.

[Olivia Stefanovich]

In a report to Congress released Wednesday evening, U.S. trade Representative Jamison Greer issued a series of Kuzma conditions on Canada, including better market access for American dairy products and addressing provincial bans on U.S. alcohol, something Ontario Premier Doug Ford says he isn't prepared to do just yet.

[Mark Carney]

When the prime minister and President Trump come up with a great deal for both countries. Countries we'd be more than happy to bring in some maybe Kentucky bourbon. But until then, we're going to hold off.

[Olivia Stefanovich]

It turns out Carney says he was close to signing a deal with the US to lower sectoral tariffs in October. But he says President Donald Trump backed out when Ontario released anti tariff TV ads featuring former Republican President Ronald Reagan.

[Charlene Rochard]

High tariffs inevitably lead to retaliation by foreign countries and the triggering of fierce trade wars.

[Olivia Stefanovich]

At a joint news conference in Ottawa with Carney, Ford defended the commercials.

[Mark Carney]

Number one, that was the best ad that's ever been run. 12.4 billion views.

[Olivia Stefanovich]

As Carney rolled his eyes and laughed at the premier's comment, negotiations between Canada and the U.S. haven't yet restarted.

[Mark Carney]

My judgment is that that is now going to roll into into the broader Kuzma negotiations, meaning it could take months.

[Olivia Stefanovich]

Before punishing levies are lifted on Canadian steel aluminum lumb. Though Carney insists he's eager for relief.

[Mark Carney]

We have lots to do. We're ready to sit down on the weekend, negotiate any weekend, any time.

[Susan Bonner]

Let me ask you what you understand Donald Trump's position on Kuzma to be right now.

[Olivia Stefanovich]

In a year end interview, Carney told CBC's chief political correspondent Rosemary Barton, Trump hasn't threatened ending the trilateral deal. Did he say the deal is dead?

[Susan Bonner]

I'm ripping it up. What indications did he get?

[Mark Carney]

He did not say any of those things.

[Olivia Stefanovich]

But Carney did say there's an expectation that Mexico and Canada will have to make adjustments. How much will be determined when Kuzma is reviewed over the course of the next year. Olivia Estefanovic, CBC News, Ottawa.

[Susan Bonner]

As the prime minister waits for trade talks to ramp up, he says he's keeping busy with his top domestic priority. Today he signed a deal with Ontario aimed at speeding up nation building projects, including one in the province's resource rich north that for years has stirred interest and controversy. Philip Lee Shannock reports It has the.

[Mark Carney]

Critical minerals the world needs and wants.

[Philip Lee Shannock]

Ads paid for by the Ontario government paint the ring of fire as the solution to the provinces and all of Canada's economic problems.

[Susan Bonner]

We need to get these critical minerals.

[Mark Carney]

Out of the ground.

[Philip Lee Shannock]

Geologists say the area about 500 km north of Thunder Bay is rich with chromite, cobalt nickel and copper needed for everything from smartphones to electric vehicles. Premier Doug Ford says an agreement signed with Ottawa will reap the benefits faster.

[Mark Carney]

And when President Trump is taking direct aim at our economy, every second counts.

[Philip Lee Shannock]

Prime Minister Mark Carney says the agreement will mean approvals that involve labor standards, indigenous consultations and environmental assessments will only need to be done once you have.

[Mark Carney]

The province of Ontario doing their job, the federal government over here doing our job, but again in sequence and next thing you know it's eight or 10 years.

[Philip Lee Shannock]

Carney says federal obligations to recognize existing treaty rights of indigenous people will be respected.

[Mark Carney]

Trying to fast track this process is probably going to cause more problems than.

[Lisa Shing]

It'S going to solve.

[Philip Lee Shannock]

Keith Brooks is with Environmental Defense. He's concerned about one set of approvals for Ring of Fire projects. He says Ontario has fast tracked developments by loosening environmental protections. The province's Bill 5, passed in June, gives the government sweeping approval powers in special economic zones.

[Mark Carney]

There is a constitutional obligation for the federal government to consult first nations and the province does not actually have that same constitutional obligation. We really do need the federal government to step in here.

[Philip Lee Shannock]

Along with streamlining the approvals process for these special economic zones, the Ontario government is trying to get legal action from several Treaty 9 First nations dismissed 10 communities filed a lawsuit in 2023 accusing Ontario and the federal governments of breaching their treaty rights and threatening their way of life over development. In the Ring of Fire June Black is chief of the Abitibi and Anishinaabek Nation.

[Susan Bonner]

This is our sacred responsibility and we.

[Yasmeen Raneya]

Expect Canada.

[Philip Lee Shannock]

To honor that, black says. That requires free, prior and informed consent of the rights holders of the land. Ford says he already has agreements with three first nations in the Ring of Fire and more are coming. He expects approval soon under the new process in time to break ground on an access road by the summer. Filthy Shanhok, CBC News, Toronto More political.

[Susan Bonner]

Turmoil in Quebec as Health Minister Christian Dube says he's leaving Cabinet and his party. Dube says in a statement he's not the right person to continue negotiations with family doctors. The coalition Avenir Quebec government passed Bill 2 in late October that changes how doctors are compensated. The union representing the doctors has been pushing back hard. Earlier this month the government announced it would delay the implementation of the law while negotiations continued. Dube says he will now sit as an independent and the Quebec Liberal Party is looking for a leader. Pablo Rodriguez made it official this morning announcing his resignation. A growing chorus of Liberals had been calling on him to step down amid new allegations of campaign donation fraud. Rodriguez denies any wrongdoing, but says he wants to do what's right for the party.

[Charlene Rochard]

I took this decision solely out of a sense of duty for my party.

[Susan Bonner]

Which I sincerely love for Quebec and for my country.

[Charlene Rochard]

The Quebec Liberal Party is bigger than any of us. It has weather, storms. It has risen time and time again and it will rise again.

[Susan Bonner]

Coming right up, a new release of Jeffrey Epstein images a day before a much wider disclosure is expected. And Australia's government criticized for ignoring warnings ahead of a deadly terror attack. Later, we'll have this story.

[Lisa Shing]

A massive property in a prime location near one of Canada's greatest landmarks. Marine land in Niagara Falls is closed to the public and crumbling. Now residents want something to replace the former amusement park and zoo.

[Susan Bonner]

It makes me really sad because I see it sitting empty and I feel like we could use that space for something really good.

[Lisa Shing]

I'm Lisa Shing in Niagara Falls. Coming up on YOUN world tonight, why 30 whales still living in the park pose a major challenge for potential developers.

[Susan Bonner]

Democrats in the US have released more images from Jeffrey Epstein's estate. Tomorrow, the Justice Department is supposed to release investigative files related to the late sex offender. The latest images include photos of high profile associates, screenshots of text messages. But there's not much context and still plenty of questions. Paul Hunter has more from Washington. It's been really challenging as the photos drop.

[Charlene Rochard]

London, Ontario's Charlene Rochart, a survivor of Jeffrey Epstein, on previous photos from the Epstein estate today, More and they're as unsettling as they are reminders that there is still much to be learned about Jeffrey Epstein and his crimes released by Democrats. One photo shows a woman's bare foot with a handwritten passage on it from the book Lolita, about a middle aged man's sexual obsession with a 12 year old girl. Others show more passages from the same book written on a woman's chest, neck and spine. There are photos of passports, apparently of women from around the world. There's a screenshot of a text exchange. I have a friend, she sent me some girls today, it reads, but she asks $1,000 per girl. Maybe someone will be good for Jay. All of the photos, dozens of them, are from Jeffrey Epstein's estate, given to lawmakers investigating the U.S. government's handling of aspects of the Epstein case made public now a day before a deadline for the US Department of Justice to release all of its files on Epstein, who was found dead in a prison cell in New York in 2019 while awaiting trial.

[Susan Bonner]

My name is Charlene Rochard.

[Charlene Rochard]

As a bill to force the release of all documents was voted upon last month, Rochard stood on Capitol Hill with other survivors of Epstein's abuse, pressing for the bill to be passed. Our pain is real, Rochard telling CBC News today they're all now bracing for what might be in the files. From fresh details of Epstein's crimes to potentially names of others who may be connected.

[Susan Bonner]

If the names are actually shown and not redacted, I do believe the public will be very surprised. There are so many people that were.

[Charlene Rochard]

Involved in this, all of it casting political shadows in America. As US President Donald Trump seemed to resist the release before signing off on it under pressure. A one time friend of Epstein. There's been no suggestion Trump did anything wrong with him. But the president along with others such as former President Bill Clinton and billionaire Bill Gates have been seen in some of the Epstein photos released by Democrats, though again none showing anything untoward. Republicans have slammed the released photos as Democratic cherry picking. As for the files expected from the US Justice Department, said Democratic Senator Dick Durbin today, this administration has gone to.

[Mark Carney]

The greatest possible political lengths to conceal.

[Charlene Rochard]

This information from the American people. There must be something awful in there. Deadline for the release sometime tomorrow. Paul Hunter, CBC News, Washington.

[Susan Bonner]

Donald Trump says Ukraine needs to move more quickly if it wants a peace deal, trump said during a press conference. Every time Ukraine takes too long, Russia changes its mind. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was in Brussels meeting with European leaders. He says the US Is the decision maker that can stop the war. I really count on pressure from the.

[Mark Carney]

United States now United States more mediating, it's true is through the mediating between us.

[Susan Bonner]

But I really wanted very much them.

[Mark Carney]

More steps pressuring Russia because I think.

[Susan Bonner]

That Putin doesn't want to stop this.

[Mark Carney]

War but he can if United States will pressure more.

[Susan Bonner]

Australia's government is making changes after Sunday's deadly terror attack on a Hanukkah celebration. The country's prime minister is introducing new laws to combat anti Semitism and hate speech. But as Sasha Petrcik reports, Australian Jews say the measures are coming too late and the government should have listened to earlier warnings.

[Mark Carney]

Come a while. Sing the till there with me. The memorials continue on Bondi beach with songs, flowers and much grief. Tears too at funeral processions for those shot on Sunday. A rabbi and a 10 year old girl, among others.

[Susan Bonner]

We are burying innocent children. It's just appalling. It's a horror show.

[Mark Carney]

Sydney's Jewish community is furious over what it sees as inaction by the Australian government to tackle antisemitism. Mourner Channa Friedman.

[Susan Bonner]

Why haven't you listened to us? We've been saying it. It is clear we need to do.

[Mark Carney]

More to combat this evil scourge. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is now promising a quick response, including laws against hate speech, a package of legislative reforms.

[Susan Bonner]

To crack down on those who spread hate division and radicalisation.

[Mark Carney]

But on the streets of Sydney, opinion is divided.

[Charlene Rochard]

I think that it's very necessary, lots.

[Mark Carney]

Of support for action, but also worry of a knee jerk reaction.

[Susan Bonner]

Kate Chalker I think if the government rolls anything out too quickly, they will.

[Olivia Stefanovich]

End up in a position where they.

[Susan Bonner]

Isolate other members of the community.

[Mark Carney]

Mehdi Bukhari says laws have to protect everyone.

[Yasmeen Raneya]

Hate speech overall is something that should not be tolerated.

[Susan Bonner]

Not just anti Semitism, I think Islamophobia as well.

[Mark Carney]

The government is also proposing tougher gun control laws to prevent people like the two accused gunmen from legally owning multiple guns. Australia enacted sweeping legislation limiting firearms 30 years ago in the wake of another mass shooting, one that saw 35 people killed in Tasmania's Port Arthur.

[Susan Bonner]

Australia is very much not on board with the right to bear arms.

[Mark Carney]

Now. Groups like Gun Control Australia say it's time to tighten loopholes. Group president Tim Quinn there's a lot.

[Susan Bonner]

Of people that have a lot of guns and those are very unnecessary in a place that values their public safety.

[Mark Carney]

For Australians, he says, Bondi beach has become a powerful new symbol of the devastation guns can bring. Sasha Petrusic, CBC News, Toronto.

[Susan Bonner]

This is yous 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. British Columbia could face more flooding in the days ahead. The forecast is calling for heavy rain, wind and snow. The province is still recovering from several powerful storm systems. They're known as atmospheric rivers, which scientists warn are becoming stronger. Yasmeen Raneya explains, we cannot keep umbrellas.

[Lisa Shing]

On the shelves right now.

[Yasmeen Raneya]

Shauna Hochfelder, owner of an umbrella warehouse that supplies hundreds of stores in BC's Lower Mainland, says a long stretch of rain has new customers pouring in.

[Susan Bonner]

Our sales reps are driving around in.

[Lisa Shing]

Vans filled with merchandise, loading up the rocks and trying to keep Vancouverites dry.

[Yasmeen Raneya]

Heavy showers have battered the south coast for more than a week, bringing in a total of about 15 cm in the hardest hit areas. These storms are also known as atmospheric rivers, large, narrow streams of water vapor that travel through the sky. They can stretch on for kilometers as the rivers move through mountainous regions like the Beach BC coast. The vapor condenses into precipitation, sometimes dumping a month's worth of rain or snow in a matter of days.

[Susan Bonner]

Atmospheric rivers are a very natural feature that occurs in Western Canada.

[Yasmeen Raneya]

Jennifer Smith, a meteorologist with Environment Canada, says they are critical in helping Canada maintain its water supply, helping avoid a constant state of drought. But they can be problematic when they.

[Susan Bonner]

Stall for too long or they're too.

[Olivia Stefanovich]

Strong of a system, or we do.

[Susan Bonner]

Get repeated ones in succession.

[Yasmeen Raneya]

That's what happened in recent days across swaths of bc Multiple atmospheric rivers triggering local states of emergency and evacuation orders for hundreds of people, damaging homes and businesses and killing livestock. And before that, in 2021, they were responsible for billions of dollars in flood damage in B.C.

[Charlene Rochard]

We have seen an overall increase in.

[Susan Bonner]

The number of atmospheric rivers in Western Canada.

[Yasmeen Raneya]

Environment Canada research scientist Nathan Gillett says climate change is fueling these storms and will make them more frequent.

[Susan Bonner]

On the West Coast, a warmer atmosphere can hold more water vapor. And so that is a signature of climate change on Canada's climate that we are starting to see and we expect to intensify going forward.

[Yasmeen Raneya]

Elise Lagarth is studying the impacts of atmospheric rivers at the University of British Columbia. She says the province needs to be prepared.

[Susan Bonner]

There needs to be a lot of planning and redesigning of infrastructure so our bridges, our dams can accommodate greater flood levels.

[Yasmeen Raneya]

As the climate changes and flooding risks grow, experts say B.C. will have to adapt to what could be the new normal. Yasmine. Yes, CBC News, Vancouver.

[Susan Bonner]

A highly contagious virus has been making horses sick, mostly in the U.S. some cases in Canada, too. EHV is a respiratory illness that can sometimes be more serious, even fatal. Halina Mihalek tells us what Canadian stables are doing to prevent the disease from spreading.

[Halina Mihalek]

Spraying down the stables. At Wheatfield Soul Equestrian Centre outside North Battleford, Saskatchewan, manager Brianne Folkt says she disinfects with bleach multiple times a week.

[Susan Bonner]

Anything that a horse that doesn't live here has touched, we would sanitize down.

[Halina Mihalek]

Other equine facilities and horse breeders are also upping their sanitizing measures, trying to stop the spread of equine herpes virus, commonly known as ehv.

[Susan Bonner]

We quarantine horses when they come in, so they don't.

[Halina Mihalek]

EHV isn't a new disease. It's more commonly found in the United States. Last month, it was detected in Red Deer, Alberta, and before that, in the spring, two cases were reported in Saskatchewan.

[Susan Bonner]

If there were more cases locally and stuff, we would consider closing down to travel altogether.

[Halina Mihalek]

Experts say the disease is common in younger horses, especially those traveling for shows where they can be exposed to other horses carrying the virus. And once they're infected, they carry it forever. But if properly treated, horses can be cured in two weeks of symptoms such as fever, runny nose and swollen lymph nodes. But testing is critical because without it, there's no way to know if a horse has the more serious neurological version of ehv.

[Susan Bonner]

Every time we have the neurological form, I think people are maybe reminded of the concerns of this virus that it can show up in a more deadly way than it typically does.

[Halina Mihalek]

Stephanie Smith is the chief veterinary officer with the Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture. She says those preventative measures are essential, especially considering There are currently 47 neurological cases in the U.S. sometimes, though, those.

[Susan Bonner]

Animals do require euthanasia if you know, if the damage to their neurological system is so great that they aren't able to swallow or move around appropriately.

[Halina Mihalek]

Smith says it's likely there are more cases of EHV going undetected, like I.

[Susan Bonner]

Said, because typically we see this as a very mild respiratory illness. Most people aren't running out to ask their vet to test for this. He is cute. He's a good boy. Hi, buddy.

[Halina Mihalek]

Brianne Fogt says that she has horses from other provinces coming to her facility weekly. Still, Fogt remains cautiously optimistic and says breeders in the prairies have done a good job of protecting against the disease.

[Susan Bonner]

And make sure that hopefully it doesn't come and if it does that we'll get less severe cases here.

[Halina Mihalek]

Folkt hopes that as more awareness grows about ehv, that other equine breeders and facilities take the same precautions as she has to prevent more cases in the prairies. Halina Mihalik, CBC News, North Battleford, Saskatchewan.

[Susan Bonner]

It is a large and valuable piece of land not far from one of Canada's most popular tourist attractions. But the Marineland amusement park in Niagara Falls is now abandoned, except for the beluga whale still on site. There is no plan for the property, and residents say it's time to find a solution that works for animals and the community. Lisa Shing reports.

[Lisa Shing]

Even in a deep freeze, Niagara Falls draws visitors millions a year. About a five minute drive down the road is a massive property, about 400 hectares, home to Marineland, a former theme park and zoo now shuttered to the public.

[Susan Bonner]

I mean, how valuable is property like that? Oh, my goodness, it is huge.

[Lisa Shing]

Local real estate agent Shelby Tomlinson says the future of the site is often discussed among friends and neighbors.

[Susan Bonner]

Every time I drive by, it makes me really sad because I see it sitting empty and I feel like we could use that space for something really good.

[Lisa Shing]

At a local diner, almost everyone has an opinion about the property. After all, for close to 60 years. It was a major driver of the local economy. Many have a personal connection, including Vince Forte.

[Mark Carney]

Yeah, I worked there for two summers growing up. I think they should do something to give the residents or the kids of Niagara Falls jobs like it used to do for us.

[Lisa Shing]

But giving Marineland a new future isn't so straightforward. There are still animals there, like 30 beluga whales. The legacy of changing public sentiment towards animals in captivity used for entertainment, but.

[Charlene Rochard]

We'Re kind of caught in between what it used to be and what it's going to be.

[Lisa Shing]

The mayor of Niagara Falls, Jim Deodati, has no illusions about the challenge these animals pose to any potential buyer.

[Charlene Rochard]

I regularly meet with proponents that would be potentially interested in buying the property and converting it and investing significantly. But they're all scared off by the liability of the creatures.

[Lisa Shing]

The problem is they would not survive if released in the wild. Any proposed sanctuary could be a long time away and may not be able to accommodate all of them.

[Olivia Stefanovich]

So what we see is the best.

[Susan Bonner]

Option and the most humane and compassionate option is to keep the whales close to home.

[Lisa Shing]

Leah Caruso is the chief experience and chief Marketing officer of Knapp Capital Management, a New Jersey based investment company that wants to build a $4 billion entertainment complex on the site, including hotels, casinos and a sanctuary for the marine mammals. The roughly $2 million a month needed to feed and care for them. Funded by a data center that would.

[Halina Mihalek]

Fund annual operations for the sanctuary.

[Lisa Shing]

Fund the staff, but the company says talks with the province have stalled. This week, Ontario Premier Doug Ford said he's open to proposals and working with Marineland.

[Mark Carney]

They want to and put an offer to Ontario. We'll look at it.

[Lisa Shing]

But a project of this size will need zoning permits and approvals from multiple levels of government. And without everyone on the same page, the future of the land and its animals is still uncertain. Lisa Shing, CBC News, Niagara Falls, Ontario.

[Susan Bonner]

We end tonight in Montreal with a group of Santas and some little helpers who delivered gifts by but may have landed on the naughty list.

[Lisa Shing]

So no injuries were reported at that.

[Susan Bonner]

Time and there's still no arrestation regarding this event. Officer Joannie Charlan says Montreal police are investigating after there arose such a clatter on Monday night. About 40 people stormed a Metro grocery store disguised in Santa and elf costumes. They filled up their shopping carts with about $3,000 for worth of food and then away they all flew without paying. Later that night, the stolen items reappeared in gift bags under a Christmas tree in a nearby plaza. A Robin Hood inspired activist group is claiming responsibility. In a social media post, it said, as Canadians are struggling to afford food, supermarket chains are raising prices and making huge profits. A spokesperson for Metro said says theft for any reason is unacceptable and criminal. She adds that in 2025, Metro donated more than a million dollars to food banks and provided millions more in food donations. Thank you for joining us. This has been youn World Tonight for Thursday, December 18th. I'm Susan Bonner. Talk to you again.

[Charlene Rochard]

For more cbc podcasts, go to cbc ca podcasts.