Emergency meeting of European leaders, Canada considers sending troops for Greenland, Algoma Steel plant closure, and more

Summary

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Your World Tonight (CBC) – January 18, 2026

Hosts: Stephanie Skenderas and Susan Bonner
Length: ~25 minutes

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Overview

This episode dives deep into the escalating diplomatic crisis over Greenland, Canada’s potential military involvement, and shifting alliances within NATO, fueled by U.S. President Donald Trump’s aggressive stance. Other major segments cover economic anxiety in Ontario from mass steel layoffs, new trade developments with China, deadly wildfires in Chile, a political upheaval in Quebec, and the realities behind Lyme disease diagnoses. The episode delivers global and Canadian news with clarity, rich context, and pointed commentary.

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Main Stories & Analysis

1. U.S. Tariff Threats Over Greenland & Europe's United Response

(Segment: 00:31–05:00)

• U.S. President Donald Trump threatens steep tariffs on eight European countries—including the UK—until Denmark cedes Greenland to the U.S.
  • Tariffs begin at 10% (Feb 1), potentially rising to 25% in June.
  • European NATO soldiers' presence in Greenland cited as the escalation point.
• Public reaction in Nuuk, Greenland’s capital: Outrage and protest.
• European leaders push back:
  • Denmark PM Mette Frederiksen: Calls it "blackmail".
  • Spain’s Pedro Sánchez: "Europe is naturally interested in constructive relations, but not on the basis of being a vassal."
  • France’s Emmanuel Macron: "No intimidation or threat will influence us."
  • UK’s Keir Starmer: "Applying tariffs on allies for pursuing the collective security of NATO is completely wrong." (02:29)
  • German officials: Discuss a possible boycott of the FIFA World Cup to be hosted in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.
• Analysis: Denmark and Europe see this as a direct threat not just to economics but to NATO's future.

“This is not longer just a matter between Denmark, Greenland and the United States. This has become a matter between Europe and the United States. This has become a matter of the future of NATO.”
— Tom Perry (00:31)

2. Canada’s Response: Possible Military Deployment to Greenland

(05:00–07:41)

• The Canadian Armed Forces has drawn up plans to send a small contingent to Greenland as a NATO solidarity measure.
  • PM Mark Carney initially avoids confirming this, stresses “support for national sovereignty [and] territorial integrity.” (06:17)
• CB sources confirm deployment plans are under serious consideration.
• Risks: Severe political backlash expected from U.S. if Canada joins European allies.
  • Carney and Trump expected to cross paths at the World Economic Forum in Davos soon.
• Canada’s stance: So far, cautious, emphasizing alliances and sovereignty but stopping short of outright confrontation.

“It’s a serious situation and we’re concerned, we’re concerned about this escalation, to be absolutely clear.”
— Mark Carney, PM of Canada (06:17)

3. Canada-China EV and Agriculture Trade Deal

(07:42–10:50)

• New agreement allows some Chinese electric vehicles (EVs) into Canada in exchange for lifting tariffs on key Canadian crops.
• Ontario’s Concerns: Anxiety among auto industry that cheap, state-subsidized EVs might threaten local jobs and manufacturing.
  • Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens: Stresses the need for job guarantees.
• Government efforts: Plans for a “Made in Canada” auto policy favoring manufacturing on Canadian soil (expected February).
• Positive outcome for Agriculture: Saskatchewan canola farmers are optimistic about export prospects.
• Broader business context: Some see Chinese investment as a potential boon.
• U.S. Reaction: Trump reiterates, “America doesn’t need any Canadian made cars,” intensifying pressure on Canada’s government.

“There has to be a guardrail... it has to come with some job guarantee at some point.”
— Drew Dilkens, Windsor Mayor (08:50)

4. Deadly Wildfires in Chile Driven by El Niño

(10:50–13:39)

• State of catastrophe declared in two central regions after fast-moving fires kill at least 18, destroy hundreds of homes.
• Authorities warn of challenging firefighting conditions and ongoing danger due to “extremely dry and hot weather” and El Niño.

“The fire remains completely out of control. The forecast, unfortunately, is not very favorable.”
— Alejandro Sandoval, Disaster Management Officer (12:53)

5. Other Headlines

(13:39–17:49)

• Spain: 21 dead in high-speed train derailment, dozens injured.
• Syria: Ceasefire deal with Kurds hands critical oil fields to government, cementing control of nearly entire country.
• Quebec: Deputy Premier Genevieve Guilbeault’s surprise resignation follows Premier Legault’s announcement, as polls show the CAQ party plummeting and Parti Québecois surging.
  • PQ vows new referendum; analysts expect this election year to bring renewed attention to sovereignty and familiar political confrontations.

“She didn’t have the support of her colleagues.”
— Christine St-Pierre, analyst, about Guilbeault's resignation (15:48)

6. Algoma Steel Layoffs & Community Impact in Sault Ste. Marie

(17:58–21:19)

• Over 1,000 workers—a third of the workforce—being laid off due to U.S. tariffs.
• Emotional stories from steelworkers grappling with job loss and fear:
  • Travis Young: “How do I put food on the table? How do I pay my mortgage? ...You don’t have any answers.” (18:26)
• Mayor Matthew Shoemaker: Hopes to fast-track deep-water port construction, aiming for new job creation.
• Music & Memory: Musician Joseph Karji pens a song honoring laid-off workers’ resilience; connects today’s hardships to decades of economic volatility.
• Community anxiety tempered by pockets of optimism and local pride.

“If I can’t support [my family], we have to go somewhere else.”
— Travis Young, soon-to-be-laid-off steelworker (18:43)

“I don’t believe the city is going to shut down. I think Sault Ste. Marie has got strength, we got pride. ...We’re gonna do okay.”
— Frank DeMarco, Algoma worker (20:08)

7. ‘Grandparent Scam’ and the Rise in Job-Linked Fraud

(21:19–24:22)

• RCMP investigates multiple cases where seniors were conned out of nearly $30,000 via scammers using an unwitting job seeker as a courier.
• Police & analysts: This “money mule” method upends traditional fraud-scamming patterns, potentially shielding masterminds from prosecution.
• Rising trend: Job scam victims up by one-third in the past two years.
• Legal consequences: Even unknowing participation in fraud can result in forfeited bank accounts or criminal charges.

“They want the person to do the dirty work for them so that if they are caught ... they’re the ones that are holding the illicit proceeds.”
— Ken Schultz, Crime Analyst (23:22)

8. Celebrity Lyme Disease Cases Fuel Confusion

(24:22–28:14)

• Several Canadian and international celebrities—including Avril Lavigne, Justin Bieber, Shania Twain—make headlines discussing chronic Lyme, fueling public concern.
• Doctors urge caution: Celebrity focus distorts real risk; most Lyme cases are treatable and don't involve lifelong illness.
• Rise in private Lyme testing: Unregulated/invalid tests may miss real medical causes of symptoms.
• Experts: Chronic Lyme is over-diagnosed; 84% of people with “Lyme” symptoms from private tests had different, treatable conditions.
• Advice: Evidence, not celebrity, should inform decisions; ignore “scapegoat” diagnoses and seek qualified medical routines.

“For a lot of people, I think they might be carrying more anxiety about Lyme disease than they really need to.”
— Dr. Lenora Saxinger, Edmonton (25:48)

“Now you’re ignoring the actual medical condition that is causing those real symptoms, and you’re delaying care.” — Andrea Love, American Lyme Disease Foundation (27:45)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Greenland needs to be viewed as our ally, not as an asset.”
  — Stephanie Skenderas, summarizing European sentiment (04:02)

• “What we’re talking about is the failure of the third voice.”
  — Paul St. Pierre Plamondon, PQ leader (16:34)

• “I have added value to myself, you know.”
  — Frank DeMarco, laid-off steelworker, on finding resilience (19:56)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:31 – Europe’s anger at Trump’s Greenland tariffs
• 05:00 – Canada’s possible military move in Greenland
• 07:42 – Canada-China EV trade deal and agriculture
• 10:50 – Deadly wildfires in Chile
• 13:39 – Global headlines: Spain train crash, Syria ceasefire, Quebec political shake-up
• 17:58 – Algoma Steel mass layoffs and Sault Ste. Marie’s crisis
• 21:19 – ‘Grandparent scam’ exposes new tactic
• 24:22 – Lyme disease celebrity cases vs. reality

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Tone & Style

The episode is brisk, deeply contextual, and empathetic, mixing hard news with human stories. There is a strong Canadian perspective, but global events are given nuanced, multi-sided treatment. Direct quotes and local voices ground big stories, while specialists add authoritative analysis.

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Summary crafted by an expert podcast summarizer.

Transcript

[Stephanie Skenderas]

Imagine the merging of trusted intelligence into a unified experience. Imagine collaboration amongst teams and across continents. Imagine an empowered ecosystem designed to deliver actionable insights that inspire growth and sustainability. That's the power of the Connect Industrial intelligence platform to help you see further innovate faster, accomplish more. That's the Connect effect. Learn [e-mail].

[Tom Perry]

This is a CBC podcast. This is not longer just a matter between Denmark, Greenland and the United States. This has become a matter between Europe and the United States. This has become a matter of the future of NATO.

[Stephanie Skenderas]

As US Europe relations hang in the balance, European leaders stand firmly behind Greenland as they weigh how to respond to Donald Trump's latest tariff threats. This is YOUR WORLD tonight. I'm Stephanie Skenderas. Mark Carney says Greenland's future should be decided by Greenlanders, while the Canadian forces draw up plans to put boots on the ground as a show of solidarity with NATO allies. And in Sault Ste.

[Tom Perry]

Marie, Ontario, how do I put food on the table? How do I pay my mortgage? How do I, you know, clothe my kids?

[Stephanie Skenderas]

Steelworkers brace for a devastating round of layoffs at the city's largest employer. The European Union and the UK Are presenting a united front, saying US President Donald Trump's goal of taking over Greenland goes too far. EU ambassadors held an emergency meeting Sunday to strategize on how to respond to Trump's latest economic threats on the block. Chris Brown reports from London.

[Chris Brown]

European shock at US President Donald Trump's tariff threats over Greenland has coalesced into outrage in Greenland's capital, Nuuk, where protesters were out in the streets again Sunday. Lars Petersen said he can't understand how the United States could so quickly turn on longtime allies.

[Tom Perry]

I think he has lost his mind. I hope that there soon will be some clever, more clever people in the States who will tell him, no, no, no, it's, it's not going to work.

[Chris Brown]

Greenland is part of the Kingdom of Denmark and a NATO ally, but it was the deployment of a small number of European NATO soldiers to Greenland that appears to have triggered Trump's escalation. The US president says eight European countries, including Britain, will get hit with a 10% tariff on February 1. That amount will rise to 25% in June and stay until Denmark signs Greenland over to the United States. That stark command to accept a US Takeover or else has backed Europe into a corner. In a blistering statement, Denmark's Prime Minister Mette Fredriksen called Trump's move blackmail, while other European leaders struck a similar note of resistance. Europa Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said Europe is naturally interested in constructive relations, but not on the basis of being a vassal. While France's President Emmanuel Macron said no intimidation or threat will influence us, britain's Keir Starmer wrote, applying tariffs on allies for pursuing the collective security of NATO is completely wrong. German politicians even raised the possibility of boycotting the World cup soccer tournament, which is being held in the United States, Canada and Mexico this summer. Noah Reddington is a Danish political analyst in Copenhagen.

[Tom Perry]

I think the government is surprised. This is really something serious. It's not only about the Danish economy, it's about the European economy.

[Stephanie Skenderas]

Greenland needs to be viewed as our ally, not as an asset.

[Chris Brown]

Europe friendly US Politicians were just in Denmark saying Trump needs to give up in his Greenland fantasies. But on the US Sunday TV shows, key Trump allies such as House Speaker Mike Johnson refused to criticize him.

[Luis Cordero]

We live in a dangerous time and a dangerous world, and the president's recognition of that is not something new.

[Chris Brown]

Tonight, EU ambassadors decided to hold off on any retaliation of their own. Instead, they say they're going to see if Trump really does bring in these new tariffs on February 1. Then they could have a couple of options, including reapplying retaliatory tariffs that were suspended earlier, or perhaps hitting US Firms, including tech companies, with restrictions on doing business in Europe. Both moves would be escalations, and it appears the EU is trying to avoid that. Chris Brown, CBC News, London The Canadian.

[Stephanie Skenderas]

Armed forces is weighing how Canada can stand up for Greenland and NATO. CBC News has learned the Canadian military has drawn up plans for Canadian forces to to join military exercises in the territory. Prime Minister Mark Carney was asked about Greenland earlier Sunday after meeting with political and financial leaders in Qatar. Tom Perry is in Doha for us. Tom, did Mark Carney offer any hint this was under consideration when he spoke with reporters today?

[Tom Perry]

He did not. The prime minister met today with Qatar's leader, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, he told reporters. Carney told reporters that Canada and Qatar had plans to finalize an agreement by the this summer to make it easier for the two countries to invest in each other's economy. Given the news these days, though, it's probably not surprising that Carney faced other questions and other topics when he spoke to reporters on Greenland. He was asked about Donald Trump's threats to impose tariffs on European countries that stand in the way of him taking over the territory. Greenland from Denmark. You know these countries have sent a small number of troops to Greenland on exercises a move that's really seen as a show of support for Denmark. And here's what Carney said about that.

[J.P. Tasker]

It's a serious situation and we're concerned, we're concerned about this escalation, to be absolutely clear.

[Tom Perry]

So that was Mark Carney saying that the situation in Greenland is concerning, saying that Canada supports national sovereignty, territorial integrity, but going no further than that. Now, since then, we have learned that there are at least plans to go further. Two sources have told CBC News that the Canadian military has drawn up contingency plans to send a small number of military personnel to Greenland to join these European allies on these exercises. Now, no final decision has been made and those two sources say they're really not sure which way the government is leaning. But if Canada were to follow through on this, it could lead to some severe political blowback from Donald Trump. Now, I should point out this potential deployment by the Canadian military was first reported by the Globe and Mail. And I should add that Mark Carney leaves Doha Monday. So tomorrow for Davos, Switzerland, he's going to be taking part in the World Economic Forum. Donald Trump is also supposed to be there. So these two leaders could have a lot to talk about if they do meet at this summit.

[Stephanie Skenderas]

So much to watch for. Tom, thank you so much.

[Tom Perry]

Thank you.

[Stephanie Skenderas]

The CBC's Tom Perry in Doha. Now, the prime minister was also asked about his recent trade deal with Beijing and the pushback it's getting. It allows for a limited number of electric vehicles from China into Canada. Carney confirmed today Chinese companies are not only interested in sending them, but making them here, too. JP Tasker has more.

[J.P. Tasker]

It just seems to be the start.

[Tom Perry]

Of the potential of an erosion of.

[J.P. Tasker]

The auto industry in Canada.

[Dominic Barton]

In Canada's auto capital, there's angst over what Prime Minister Mark Carney's landmark deal with China on electric vehicles could mean for Ontario's battered car sector. Windsor Mayor Drew Dillkins.

[Tom Perry]

You know, there has to be a.

[J.P. Tasker]

Way through this that doesn't destabilize the auto industry in Canada.

[Dominic Barton]

In exchange for tariff relief on Canadian farm products like peas and canola, Bernie agreed to lift punishing levies on a set number of Chinese EVs. Automakers like BYD, the world's top selling EV maker, are state subsidized. And Dillkin says these low cost Chinese imports could blow a hole in domestic manufacturing.

[Tom Perry]

There has to be a guardrail that.

[J.P. Tasker]

If we're going to allow the sale of 45,000 cars, EV cars from China every year, it has to come with some job guarantee at some point.

[Dominic Barton]

Carney says he's working on that. After the bilateral breakthrough, Chinese car companies are now signaling they could set up shop in Canada, he says, delivering jobs to auto workers who need them.

[Tom Perry]

I do know there's interest because we've had direct conversations directly from the Chinese companies.

[Dominic Barton]

If it happens, Canada would become the first country in North America to build an EV with Chinese knowledge.

[Tom Perry]

It's an opportunity for Ontario workers, opportunity for Canada done in a controlled way.

[Dominic Barton]

Meanwhile, in Saskatchewan, canola farmers are celebrating Kearney's progress.

[J.P. Tasker]

We're so used to having disappointment in this file that when you start seeing some progress, I was ecstatic.

[Dominic Barton]

China is lifting tariffs that suppressed canola prices and left farmers in a bind, including Rob Stone.

[J.P. Tasker]

You know, we can see a thawing of relations. We can see the fact that we're.

[Tom Perry]

Returning to a more business attitude.

[Dominic Barton]

Dominic Barton is Canada's former ambassador to China. He helped secure the release of the two Michaels detained by Beijing for nearly three years. Despite that and other irritants, Barton says it's worth talking to the Chinese, especially if they're willing to pump money into the auto sector.

[J.P. Tasker]

It's going to create jobs for Canadians and have a supply chain in Canada that I think it's something we need to look at. China is by far the leader in EVs.

[Dominic Barton]

Last week, US President Donald Trump said America doesn't need any Canadian made cars. While he said that before, it's put renewed pressure on Carney to craft an auto policy to protect that critical sector. A senior government official tells CBC News One is coming in February and it's expected to include a Made in Canada provision giving preferential access to foreign carmakers who manufacture vehicles here at home. J.P. tasker, CBC News, Ottawa.

[Stephanie Skenderas]

Still ahead, you may have heard of quite a few celebrities battling chronic Lyme disease. It may be seen as an answer for people suffering from symptoms they can't get to the bottom of. But doctors are warning the private Lyme testing industry is booming and the results could be masking other illnesses. You'll hear all about it later on youn World. Tonight, Chile's president has declared a state of catastrophe in two regions where deadly wildfires are raging. At least 18 people are dead and more than 200 homes destroyed in the central part of the country, about 500 km south of the capital. Santa Philip Lee Shanock tells us more.

[Luis Cordero]

At least six fires forced emergency evacuations in the Nuble Province in the central area of Chile and across a densely populated Bio Bio region, home to a million and a half people. The fast moving fire engulfed communities, burned cars, a school and a church. Residents say that the fires took them by surprise after midnight, trapping many in their homes. Public Security Minister Luis Cordero says the difficult process of identifying the dead has begun. These are people who've been identified and measures are being taken with the prosecutor's office to protect evidence as the area is designated a crime scene. Chile's National Disaster Response Service ordered thousands of people to evacuate until further notice as forest fires threaten communities across the region. The sky above the small coastal town of Penco was blanketed by an orange haze of wildfire smoke. A large fire engulfed the town. In the Bio Bio region close to the city of Concepcion, Jose Domingo returned to his home to find a smoking ruin. We just got back. It's all totally destroyed, the entire neighborhood. This summer in the southern hemisphere has brought extremely dry and hot conditions for central Chile and southeast Brazil. Alejandro Sandoval is the regional director of Chile's National Disaster Management Office. He says it's made for challenging conditions for firefighters. The fire remains completely out of control. The forecast, unfortunately is not very favorable. We've had strong eastern winds all night long through the early morning. Those high winds and temperatures hitting the high 30s Celsius are expected to persist as the very warm waters off the west coast of Chile are signaling the arrival of an El Nino weather pattern. That shift is expected to impact global climate patterns in the months to come. Philip Lieshanok, CBC News, Toronto.

[Stephanie Skenderas]

At least 21 people have been killed in a high speed train derailment in southern Spain. Video from the scene shows a rail car leaning over the tracks and some passengers climbing through windows while rescue workers helped them out. One train was traveling towards Madrid when it jumped onto different tracks, colliding with an oncoming train. Dozens of people are reported injured. The Syrian government has reached a ceasefire deal with Kurdish forces in the country's northeast. It effectively dismantles the Kurdish led Syrian Democratic Forces, which have held control in the region for over a decade. The deal requires the SDF to withdraw further east and merge into the military. It also passes over control of two provinces with critical oil and gas fields. The ceasefire comes after renewed fighting broke out in Aleppo earlier this month. With this deal, Syria's government has now taken almost full control of the country. Another high profile Quebec politician is resigning. Deputy Premier Genevieve Guilbeault says she will not run again, just days after her leader Francois Legault published publicly declared his own departure. A provincial election is just months away and right now polls show the governing caq falling far behind the sovereignist Parti Quebecois Rafi Boojikanian has more.

[Rafi Boojikanian]

Stepping down is a decision my family and I made together a long time ago, says Quebec Deputy Premier Genevieve Guilbeault. It's got nothing to do with Premier Francois Logault's similar announcement earlier this week, she says, or the recent bad polling faced by their governing party, the coalition Avenir Quebec. But among her loved ones and supporters listening to her speech, only seven colleagues from the CAQ out of a caucus of 79.

[J.P. Tasker]

It was not a lot.

[Rafi Boojikanian]

That's telling, says Christine St. Pierre. The former provincial Liberal minister is now a political analyst.

[Stephanie Skenderas]

She didn't have the support of her colleagues.

[Rafi Boojikanian]

That support is now key, St. Pierre says, as the CAQ faces a leadership race to replace Legault with anyone yet to publicly confirm any interest and anyone high profile facing the challenge of being associated to the outgoing premier.

[Stephanie Skenderas]

This is after eight years at power. I think that it is normal that.

[J.P. Tasker]

The population will need, will wish another government.

[Rafi Boojikanian]

St. Pierre, says Guilbeault, as transport minister, specifically became the face of a recent scandal for the government a half billion dollar cost overrun for the renewal of a website, Quebec's auto insurance board. But the CAQ's main political opponent is writing an obituary for the entire party.

[Chris Brown]

What we're talking about is the failure of the third voice.

[Rafi Boojikanian]

Paul St. PierreLondon heads the sovereignist Parti Quebecois, surging in political polls in Quebec since he became leader, poised to win power in the provincial election expected in October. St Pierre Pramondon says the CAQ tried to position itself as an alternative between his movement and the currently leaderless Quebec Liberals, but insists it did not work.

[Tom Perry]

You can change the person, but the.

[Liam Britton]

Facts are the same.

[Rafi Boojikanian]

Not so fast, says Daniel Belland. He teaches political science at McGill University.

[Tom Perry]

When you're successful against an unpopular premier or prime minister, you don't want that person to leave.

[Rafi Boojikanian]

What's more, Belland says the PQ is promising it would hold a new referendum on Quebec separation in its first mandate if it wins power again, something two thirds of Quebecers oppose despite the polls currently favoring St Pierre Plamondon as the next premier. Now that it's an election year, Belland says, people may start to pay more attention, and other parties are counting on it.

[Tom Perry]

That would be a competition between the Liberals and the CEQ in terms of who will be the kind of most prominent anti referendum party setting the stage.

[Rafi Boojikanian]

For a familiar confrontation for the PQ against new faces. Rafael Buchan Yun, CBC News, Montreal In Sault Ste.

[Stephanie Skenderas]

Marie, Ontario. There's a frontline view of the effects of the US Government's tariff on steel. In a few months, Algoma Steel, the city's biggest employer, will lay off a thousand workers, more than a third of its workforce. Nick Purdon traveled to Sault Ste. Marie to meet some of the people affected.

[J.P. Tasker]

Travis Young is his supervisor at Algoma Steel. At 42, he's already been with the company for 15 years. In March, you'll be one of the 1,000 who will be laid off.

[Tom Perry]

How do I put food on the table? How do I pay my mortgage? How? All these questions. Everything's coming at you at once and you don't have any answers.

[J.P. Tasker]

Young has already started looking for a new job, but he knows all the other laid off workers are too. What would you say is on the line for you now?

[Tom Perry]

My family, basically, if I can't support them here, we have to go somewhere else.

[J.P. Tasker]

With Sault Ste. Marie facing a crisis, I visit Mayor Matthew Shoemaker to see what's being done about it. He knows the town needs jobs, lots of them, and fast.

[Chris Brown]

The plans that we are drawing up.

[Tom Perry]

Are not just to try and salvage a thousand jobs in the community, it's try to bring 2, 3, 4,000 new jobs to the community because that will be the overall impact of Algoma's reduction in their direct workforce.

[J.P. Tasker]

The mayor's big bet is to speed up construction of a long promised deep water port in Sault Ste. Marie.

[Tom Perry]

We could start building this port project this spring to align perfectly with the Algoma Steel layoffs.

[J.P. Tasker]

The reality is time is tight for the port project to happen in time and people in town are anxious. Take Frank DeMarco. His father and grandfather all worked at algoma and after 18 years he's being let go.

[Tom Perry]

It's a tough one to kind of admit, maybe benefit. Failure. I failed. I failed at that. But it wasn't me. I didn't fail.

[J.P. Tasker]

This is the second time Demarco will be laid off for Malgoma Steel in his 18 year career. But you might be surprised by his positive attitude instead of looking at it.

[Tom Perry]

That it's crushed to my Persona. You know, I have added value to myself, you know.

[J.P. Tasker]

The news of the layoffs has cast a bit of gloom onto Sault Ste. Marie. How do you see the situation?

[Tom Perry]

I don't believe the city is going to shut down. I think Sault Ste. Marie has got strength, we got pride. And I think we're gonna come, we're just gonna, we're gonna do okay. There's nothing left in this old steel town no more iron running from the river down.

[J.P. Tasker]

But not everyone shares that outlook. Joseph Karji's a musician in town, and his father was laid off from Algoma Steel when he was a kid. Karji says he was compelled to write a song about his experience.

[Tom Perry]

When my dad was laid off back in the 90s, that was a gut check, right? That sense of insecurity, that home insecurity and that, you know, where's this all gonna end up?

[J.P. Tasker]

Karji says layoffs are part of the history of Sault Ste. Marie, part of its DNA.

[Tom Perry]

Headlines always make, you know, CEO did this, union did that. No one ever talks about the guy who's actually a girl who's actually going to experience and what that process is like.

[Andrea Love]

Like.

[Tom Perry]

And that's what the song is, to.

[J.P. Tasker]

Honor those who've been laid off. That. That's what you mean.

[Tom Perry]

100% just. They're not forgotten, right?

[J.P. Tasker]

Parachutes CEO just crawl away.

[Stephanie Skenderas]

That report from CBC's Nick Purdon in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. Police in British Columbia are investigating a series of grandparent scams that conned seniors out of almost $30,000. But as court documents show, the man who took the money may have been scammed himself. Liam Britton explains.

[Liam Britton]

Canadians phones are blowing up. I want to talk to you about a newly advertised position. Would you allow me to talk with you briefly?

[Tom Perry]

I'm Julie.

[Stephanie Skenderas]

Are you still looking for a job? I want to inform you about a recent vacancy.

[Luis Cordero]

Can you work weekend?

[Liam Britton]

Unsolicited job offers, spamming their devices. And as a job hunter found out in November, they can lead to something you wouldn't want to put on your resume. According to court documents obtained by CBC News, the Vancouver island man accepted one such offer. Constable Kelsey Yoxall speaks for Mount. He's in Langford, bc, and he was.

[Stephanie Skenderas]

In a vulnerable position in the sense that he was looking for employment. So it seemed to be a good opportunity for him.

[Liam Britton]

He was tasked by someone named only as top in the documents to pick up cash four times over two days in and around Victoria. In total, almost 30 grand. Each time, a senior gave him the money. And after each pickup, he was told to deposit the cash in a bank account or at a currency exchange. But on the second day, the courier felt something wasn't right. He went to police to see if this was all above board and brought them $7,500 he still had.

[Stephanie Skenderas]

We were grateful that he came forward and was willing to give us all the information that he had at the time so we could open our investigation.

[Liam Britton]

Around the same time, two elderly women told Mounties they gave a man thousands of dollars because they thought they were helping a grandchild in legal trouble. Mounties alleged this has the hallmarks of a grandparents scam and are connecting it to the courier. And ultimately he and the seniors have all been conned.

[Tom Perry]

So this one may be an unusual situation or it might be start of a trend.

[Liam Britton]

Ken Schultz is a veteran RCMP crime analyst and instructor at the British Columbia Institute of Technology's forensics program. He argues using an unwitting patsy gives fraudsters an advantage.

[Tom Perry]

They want the person to do the dirty work for them so that if they are caught by either the person or by police or someone else, they're the ones that are holding the illicit proceeds. It's for a couple ways of insulation. One is to avoid detection and then once you're detected, to avoid prosecution.

[Liam Britton]

The Canadian Anti Fraud Centre reports the number of job scam victims rose about a third from 2022 to to 2024 to around 2400. Spokesperson Jeff Horncastle notes scammers may trick people into being so called money mules.

[Tom Perry]

Even if someone didn't realize that they were involved in the fraud, moving stolen money can have serious legal and financial consequences.

[Rafi Boojikanian]

We've seen people lose their bank accounts and even face criminal charges.

[Liam Britton]

In this case, no one has been charged criminally. BC's Director of Civil Forfeiture is before the courts to seize the money and one of the bank accounts as alleged proceeds of crime. Liam Britton, CBC News, Vancouver.

[Stephanie Skenderas]

You're listening to your World tonight from CBC News. And if you want to make sure you 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. All right, what do Avril Lavigne, Justin Bieber and Shania Twain have in common? Well, kind of a lot actually. They're all singers, they're all from Ontario and they've also all spoken publicly about their struggles with Lyme disease. Celebrity diagnoses keep making headlines, but as Christine Birack tells us, that is fueling confusion about the risks of the tick borne illness. They have symptoms. They're trying to get an answer. They're frustrated.

[Andrea Love]

Andrea Love is a biomedical scientist and head of the American Lyme Disease Foundation. Online she debunks health myths and shares evidence based information about Lyme and other illnesses with tens of thousands of followers.

[J.P. Tasker]

Singer Justin Timberlake says that he's been Diagnosed with Lyme disease, and with so.

[Andrea Love]

Many celebrities now saying they have Lyme disease, she worries about the message that.

[Stephanie Skenderas]

Sends perception that, like, oh, Justin Timberlake got it, then that means that we're all at risk.

[Andrea Love]

Lyme cases are increasing globally and in parts of Canada. In 2024, about 5,700 cases were reported, mostly in Ontario, Quebec, and Nova Scotia.

[Stephanie Skenderas]

For a lot of people, I think they might be carrying more anxiety about Lyme disease than they really need to.

[Andrea Love]

Dr. Lenora Saxinger, an infectious disease specialist in Alberta, says celebrity cases can distort the real level of risk.

[Stephanie Skenderas]

I think that there is a bit of a disconnect between the actual amount of risk, which is fairly methodical to work through. Like, is this a place where there's Lyme? Is it near a place where there's known to be Lyme and it might have extended its range? Was there a tick bite?

[Andrea Love]

Lyme spreads through black legged ticks, and not every tick carries the bacteria. If a tick is removed within 24 hours, the chance of infection is extremely low. Early symptoms can include a bullseye rash, and at that stage, a short course of antibiotics cures most cases. But what many celebrities talk about is chronic Lyme disease, the belief that bacteria stay in the body long term and require ongoing treat. Most doctors say the evidence doesn't support that.

[Chris Brown]

Many of us that study Lyme disease don't think after initial antibiotic treatment that there is still bacteria harbored there that.

[Tom Perry]

Would respond to antibiotics.

[Andrea Love]

Dr. Paul Owitter, an infectious disease specialist at Johns Hopkins Medical School, treats patients with lingering symptoms after standard Lyme testing and treatment, along with others who arrive with private test results claiming they have the disease. Experts say the private Lyme testing industry is booming, but many of those tests aren't regulated or validated for accuracy. Some celebrities have reportedly posted these tests online. But relying on unvalidated tests can be risky. A study published in the American Journal of Medicine found of nearly 1,300 people with suspected Lyme, 84% had other conditions, many of them treatable.

[Chris Brown]

So I do think it's unfortunately a common scapegoat diagnosis.

[Tom Perry]

And the symptoms of Lyme disease can.

[Chris Brown]

Be very much like other conditions.

[Stephanie Skenderas]

And so if you falsely believe that you have Lyme disease because you took a test, that is not accurate.

[Andrea Love]

Andrea Love says when it comes to private Lyme testing and treatments, it's buyer beware.

[Stephanie Skenderas]

Now you're ignoring the actual medical condition that is causing those real symptoms, and you're delaying care.

[Andrea Love]

Doctors say more research into chronic illnesses is urgently needed, and results from Lyme vaccine trials and other potential treatments are expected this year. In the meantime, experts say patients with ongoing symptoms deserted. And while celebrities can raise awareness, evidence still has to lead the way. Christine Birack, CBC News, Toronto.

[Stephanie Skenderas]

Team Canada is looking to defend its title at the Under 18 Women's World Hockey Championship in Nova Scotia, facing off against the U.S. in tonight's gold medal game. Canada beat out Czechia in Saturday's semifinal 8 1, scoring three of those goals in the first five minutes while the U.S. took a 91 win against Sweden. This is the 15th time Canada and the U.S. have battled it out for the gold at this tournament, with the record right now sitting at an even seven seven. Speaking of hockey, have you watched Heated Rivalry? I know the question you probably got millions of times. People around the world have spent more than 300 million minutes watching it. Now they've got an official soundtrack to hear. The show is about two professional male hockey players, a Russian and a Canadian who fall in love and have a lot of hookups. It's groundbreaking and it features a ton of Canadiana and so does the soundtrack, with singers like Fife as well as a strong Montreal influence. Like the band Alfa Rococo, since one of the main characters plays for that city. The first time screen composer behind the 34 original songs is from Quebec City, Peter Roy, known as Peter Peter, tells the Montreal Gazette it was a fantasy. Director and montrealer Jacob Tierney says that music carries the emotion, rhythm and pulse of the show since the first season is set from 2008 to 2017. It's also reminding people of a lot of songs very familiar, let me tell you, to an ELDER Millennial crowd, 2005's I'll believe in anything from Montreal's Wolf Parade is absolutely blowing up online. The band's label is reissuing the album.

[Dominic Barton]

It's on.

[Stephanie Skenderas]

There are T shirts. It's a whole thing. So here's some more Wolf Parade on youn World Tonight. I'm Stephanie Skenderas. Thanks for listening.

[Chris Brown]

For more cbc podcasts, go to cbc ca podcasts.