Jays heading to World Series, groceries push up inflation, GM closing EV van plant, and more

Summary

Your World Tonight — CBC (October 21, 2025)

Episode Summary: Jays heading to World Series, groceries push up inflation, GM closing EV van plant, and more

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Overview

This episode of "Your World Tonight," hosted by Susan Bonner and featuring reports from the CBC team, dives into major news stories impacting Canadians on October 21, 2025. The episode covers:

• The Toronto Blue Jays’ dramatic entry into the World Series and its economic impact,
• The closure of GM’s EV van plant in Ontario under the weight of tariff-era uncertainty,
• Rising food prices and enduring inflation,
• A landmark First Nation land claim in British Columbia causing homeowner anxiety,
• Canada's Auditor General’s critique of CRA call centres,
• Updates on military housing and Indigenous services,
• Japan’s first female Prime Minister,
• Renewed scrutiny for Prince Andrew following the release of Virginia Giuffre’s memoir,
• And a feel-good story straight from Jays fandom.

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Key Stories and Discussions

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1. Toronto Blue Jays Head to the World Series (01:18–04:57 & 24:12–26:06)

Main Points

• The Jays’ victory over Seattle in a dramatic Game 7 sent them to their first World Series since 1993, sparking a nationwide celebration and surging demand for merchandise and tickets.
• Businesses across Canada are experiencing a boom, with Jays gear selling out and tickets fetching five-figure sums on resale sites.
• Commentators compare George Springer’s game-winning homer to Joe Carter’s legendary '93 home run.
• Economists estimate the economic impact of the Jays’ playoff run to surpass even the Raptors’ 2019 championship.

Notable Quotes

• "It was the hit heard round the country, and Canadian baseball fans are hoping for more." — Susan Bonner (01:25)
• "We get phone calls, people coming in all the time, buying hats, jerseys, shirts, hoodies, the whole lot." — Matias Aquino, Royal Sports GM (02:40)
• "I've been a fan of the Blue Jays since I've known what baseball is and this group is something truly special." — Fan (03:18)
• "This group has chemistry and they don't strike out." — Joe Carter (as recounted by Peter Armstrong) (03:43)

Memorable Moment

• "It was the first time I'd ever brought a glove to a sporting event or baseball game... It ricocheted out of my glove, so I offhanded the rebound with my bare hand. She's gone, spilling everybody's beer in the row except my own." — Michelangelotti, fan who caught the game-winning ball (24:35)

Economic Note

• The Jays’ playoff run is boosting the local economy, with projections of an even bigger financial spinoff than the Raptors' NBA win (04:00).

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2. GM’s Ontario EV Plant Closure & Auto Sector Struggles (04:57–08:09)

Main Points

• General Motors will end EV delivery van production at its Ingersoll, Ontario plant, affecting approximately 1,200 workers.
• The automaker cites low demand, but union leaders and analysts see Trump-era tariffs and trade uncertainty as key factors.
• The ripple effect threatens not just the plant’s workers but the whole town’s service economy.
• The issue underscores instability throughout Canada’s auto sector, with companies shifting investment to the US.

Notable Quotes

• "It's a horrible situation. It's obviously the worst case scenario." — Chris Brown (00:40)
• "The grocery stores, coffee shops, everybody can feel when that plant's not running." — Mayor Brian Petrie (05:42)
• "Frankly, the world has changed and evolved since that time. This has nothing to do with tariffs or trade." — Christian Aquilina, GM Canada President (06:09)
• "We're also dealing with the other impact here and that's a Trump trade war." — Alana Payne, Unifor National President (06:22)
• "If the USMCA isn't renewed... we may see much of the Canadian auto sector winding down." — Prof. Christopher Worswick, Carleton University (07:02)

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3. Soaring Groceries & Persistent Inflation (08:09–12:09)

Main Points

• Food prices continue to climb (+4%), with beef, vegetables, and sweets leading the rise; rent is up 4.8% nationwide, nearly 10% in Quebec.
• Middle- and low-income Canadians are squeezed, with tough choices between food and rent.
• Policymakers face a dilemma: interest rate cuts could boost growth but fuel inflation.
• The Bank of Canada hesitates on expected rate cuts, weighing new inflation numbers and impending federal budget (Nov 4).

Notable Quotes

• "Everything really is getting more expensive. Just ask Tony Giuliano, a Toronto resident frustrated outside a local grocery store." — Peter Armstrong (08:34)
• "People are making choices. You know, they're having to choose between paying their rent or buying their groceries." — Shannon Fransen, Montreal housing advocate (09:43)
• "The challenge is big. The risks to the Canadian economy are enormous." — Peter Armstrong (11:10)
• "Higher interest rates would help with inflation, but slow the economy. Is there a way to slow the rising cost of living and not stifle growth?" — Susan Bonner (11:23)

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4. First Nation Land Claim in British Columbia (13:02–15:48)

Main Points

• A BC Supreme Court ruling gives Cowichan Nation title to 800 acres in Richmond, home to hundreds of residential properties and farms.
• Homeowners are anxious about losing ownership; the court delayed the decision's enactment until 2027 to allow parties to negotiate.
• Cowichan leaders insist their dispute is with government, not private owners.
• Both sides (and the Cowichan, who want more land recognized) plan appeals, highlighting the complex legal and reconciliation issues at play.

Notable Quotes

• "We want to live here as long as possible." — Anna Wojdowich, Richmond homeowner (13:28)
• "It is the responsibility of government to deal with this issue." — Robert Morales, Cowichan chief negotiator (14:52)
• "There already are negotiated models that have worked, and those same models, I think, can exist here." — Merrill Alexander, Indigenous resource lawyer (15:39)
• "We're not going to get pushed out." — Anna Wojdowich (15:46)

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5. Auditor General Slams CRA Call Centres (15:57–18:42)

Main Points

• The Auditor General found Canadians wait over 30 minutes on average for the CRA; over 8.6 million calls were deflected (went unanswered) last year.
• When reached, agents gave correct answers to simple tax questions just 17% of the time.
• Union reps blame chronic under-staffing and lack of training for poor service.
• The government has hired more call centre staff and seeks to modernize infrastructure within 100 days.

Notable Quotes

• "I called and I called and I called and I didn't get through. For months." — Roxanne Bois, taxpayer (16:45)
• "When agents eventually do pick up, they often give wrong information. Canadians calling about personal income tax only received a correct answer 17% of the time." — Marina von Stackelberg (17:15)
• "The working conditions and the call centres at the CRA are terrible. There's a lot of pressure, undue pressure on the employees to reduce the call handling time..." — Marc Briere, union (17:58)

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6. Housing Crisis for Military Members and Indigenous Services Canada Critique (19:03–19:46)

Main Points

• Auditor General Hogan finds military housing scarce and in disrepair; some units lack running water or toilets.
• Planning is based on outdated data; National Defence says new housing is being built, but may not be enough.
• Indigenous Services Canada given a failing grade for persistent health, dental, water safety and emergency response shortcomings for First Nations communities.

Notable Quotes

• "A lot of it is based on outdated information... you should be updating that on a regular basis." — AG Hogan, via Anna Wojdowich (19:30)

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7. Japan Elects First Female PM; Key International Update (20:00–21:20)

Main Points

• Sanae Takaichi, ultra-conservative, becomes Japan’s first female prime minister.
• She faces a cost-of-living crisis and population decline, taking cues from role model Margaret Thatcher.

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8. Prince Andrew Under Renewed Scrutiny (21:20–23:34)

Main Points

• Virginia Giuffre’s memoir, "Nobody’s Girl," published six months after her suicide, renews allegations against Prince Andrew and shines light on his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein.
• Andrew is under police investigation for possibly trying to discredit Giuffre; he’s voluntarily dropped royal titles as pressure mounts.
• Royal observers fault King Charles’s response as inadequate.

Notable Quotes

• "Her book 'Nobody’s Girl' was published today, six months after she died by suicide." — Chris Brown (22:10)
• "I think the greatest disappointment in all of this is that Andrew has showed no remorse, no empathy for the victims." — Katie Nicholl, royal correspondent (22:44)
• "Charles should have made the statement... He should have been far more ruthless about the whole thing." — Andrew Lowney, royal historian (23:22)

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Memorable Jays Fan Story

• Michelangelotti, attending the game solo, describes catching George Springer’s home run ball: "It was the first time I'd ever brought a glove to a sporting event... ricocheted out of my glove, so I offhanded the rebound with my bare hand." He ultimately gave the ball back to Springer, despite his friends joking that he should hold out for a private jet to LA. (24:35–26:06)

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Key Timestamps

• Toronto Blue Jays World Series Run: 01:18–04:57, 24:12–26:06
• GM EV Plant Closure: 04:57–08:09
• Inflation and Groceries: 08:09–12:09
• First Nation Land Claim (BC): 13:02–15:48
• CRA Call Centres & Auditor General Report: 15:57–18:42
• Military Housing & Indigenous Services: 19:03–19:46
• Japan’s First Female Prime Minister: 20:00–21:20
• Prince Andrew & Giuffre Memoir: 21:20–23:34

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Tone & Style

• The episode maintains a brisk, factual, and empathetic tone, with a distinctly Canadian perspective and frequent use of direct participant voices alongside expert analysis.
• Notable moments include emotional fan testimonials and sharp commentary from experts and affected citizens.

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A comprehensive rundown for listeners who missed the broadcast — the episode delivers both the headlines and human voices behind today’s top stories.

Transcript

[Susan Bonner]

A new season of Love Me is here. Real stories of real complicated relationships.

[Chris Brown]

It's not even like a gender. I mean it's wrapped up in gender, but it's just. It's just a really deep self hate. I think I cried almost every day.

[Susan Bonner]

I just threw myself on the floor.

[Jihan Desjardins]

He's coming on really straight.

[Chris Brown]

It's like he's trying to date you.

[Susan Bonner]

All of a sudden.

[Chris Brown]

Yeah.

[Anna Wojdowich]

And I do look like my mother.

[Susan Bonner]

Love Me. Available now wherever you get your podcasts.

[Yasmin Renea]

This is a CBC podcast.

[Chris Brown]

It's a horrible situation. It's obviously the worst case scenario. The climate that we're in with the uncertainty, it's not a good business environment. And my only hope is that this is the bottom and that we can have brighter days ahead.

[Susan Bonner]

An Ontario community feeling powerless after General Motors pulls the plug on an electric vehicle plant. Another blow to a Canadian industry struggling with tariffs. Trying to retool as more companies retreat. Welcome to youo World Tonight. I'm Susan Bonner. It is Tuesday, October 21st, just before 6:00pm Eastern. Also on the podcast, here comes the 3:2.

[Chris Brown]

He got him. I've been a fan of the Blue Jays since I've known what baseball is. This group is something truly special.

[Susan Bonner]

We got a couple of the T shirts. I'm waiting for a hat. We'll grab a couple of those. They are Canada's team trying to win all in America's game. The Toronto Blue Jays are heading for the World Series and fans can't get enough from tickets to merchandise. Businesses across the country are cashing in on the team's incredible run. It was the hit heard round the country and Canadian baseball fans are hoping for more. Millions watched last night as a game winning home run blasted the Toronto Blue Jays into the World Series. Now they will face the mighty LA Dodgers on baseball's biggest stage. Thomas Degle has more on the expectations and the opportunities.

[Yasmin Renea]

At the Blue Jays shop in downtown Toronto, fans lined up all the way out the door merchandise with that familiar bird logo and the words American League Champions.

[Susan Bonner]

We got a couple of the T shirts. I'm waiting for a hat. So we'll grab a couple of those and take them home.

[Yasmin Renea]

Christmas is coming right across the country. Stores are doing brisk business selling Jays gear like at Royal Sports in Winnipeg. Matias Aquino is the general manager.

[Chris Brown]

We get phone calls, people coming in all the time buying hats, jerseys, shirts, hoodies, the whole lot. Pretty much.

[Yasmin Renea]

Just hours after Toronto's come from behind game seven win last night knocking out Seattle, the club put World Series tickets on sale, fans logged on to find a virtual queue with tens of thousands of other would be buyers ahead of them. Within minutes, tickets sold out and started showing up on resale sites with prices reaching five figures.

[Chris Brown]

I've been a fan of the Blue Jays since I've known what baseball is and this group is something truly special.

[Yasmin Renea]

It wasn't long before fans started comparing George Springer's clutch three run homer last night to Joe Carter's World Series walk off blast in 1993. Carter himself sees similarities between that Jay's roster and this one.

[Peter Armstrong]

We pull from one another and it was a different person almost every single game. And that's what these guys have. These guys have chemistry and they don't strike out.

[Yasmin Renea]

Impromptu parties downtown lasted well into the night and there could be more celebrations to come. The city of New York estimated last year each additional Yankees playoff game injected at least another $20 million into the local economy. And the financial data services firm Monaras estimates the Jays playoff push could create a bigger economic spinoff than from the Raptors 2019 championship run. Sean McCormick speaks for Moneris.

[Chris Brown]

The Blue Jays have been around for longer and Major League Baseball on the whole is more popular than the NBA.

[Yasmin Renea]

Toronto hasn't hosted the World Series since 1993. This time, Game 1 goes Friday with the defending champ Los Angeles Dodgers coming to town. Not bad for a Jays team that finished in last place just last season. Thomas Dagg, CBC News, Toronto.

[Susan Bonner]

Now to another sign Canada's auto sector is facing a rough road. General Motors is ending production of its electric delivery van at a southern Ontario plant. The automaker says the decision is about demand, not Donald Trump. But with the US President's tariffs upending the North American auto industry, companies and workers just keep struggling. Jihan Desjardins reports this is the worst case scenario.

[Chris Brown]

So my heart goes out to every single one of those workers.

[Jihan Desjardins]

For the small town of Ingersoll, Ontario, a massive automotive assembly facility on the outskirts powers its economy. But production at the CAMI plant has stopped some 1200 people potentially without a job. And Ingersoll Mayor Brian Petrie says the ripple effect will be devastating.

[Chris Brown]

The grocery stores, coffee shops, everybody can feel when that plant's not running.

[Jihan Desjardins]

General Motors Canada President Christian Aquilina says the electric delivery vans built there aren't selling.

[Chris Brown]

It was a fraction of what was originally anticipated.

[Jihan Desjardins]

That's despite a taxpayer injection of hundreds of millions of dollars into the plant in 2021, a cutting edge move to switch away from creating gas powered vehicles and keep up with the booming EV industry at the time.

[Chris Brown]

Frankly, the world has changed and evolved since that time. This has nothing to do with tariffs or trade.

[Yasmin Renea]

It's simp demand and a market driven response.

[Jihan Desjardins]

But uniform National President Alana Payne is skeptical at GM's reasoning.

[Susan Bonner]

The reality is when you're usually in these circumstances where a product isn't working, you're in a place where you negotiate a new product. It's not just about EV sales. We're also dealing with the other impact here and that's a Trump trade war.

[Jihan Desjardins]

It's just the latest hit to an industry on shaky ground forced to navigate the uncertainty of American tariffs on vehicles entering the US GM previously said it's planning to cut jobs in Oshawa while adding more workers south of the border. Then last week Stellantis said it's investing billions to expand manufacturing in the US Flipping plans to build the Jeep Compass in Ontario. Christopher Worswick is an economics professor at Carleton University.

[Chris Brown]

My sense is it's the, it's the instability that and the, the threat of the tariffs that's perhaps causing these production decisions, which does suggest that if the tariffs, you know, if the USMCA isn't renewed or is drastically, we may see much of the Canadian auto sector winding down.

[Jihan Desjardins]

Companies are responding with different strategies, but there are no signs of a trade deal coming soon, adding to the pressure for Ottawa to find a solution. Melanie Jolie is the Minister of Industry.

[Susan Bonner]

We need to make sure that we.

[Marina von Stackelberg]

Fight for these jobs, that there are.

[Anna Wojdowich]

New models coming back to Ingersoll and.

[Marina von Stackelberg]

That GM has a bright future here in Canada.

[Jihan Desjardins]

Back in Ingersoll, Mayor Petrie says the town is bracing for the impact.

[Chris Brown]

We're certainly going to community and others around not only Ontario, but around the world.

[Jihan Desjardins]

General Motors says the KAMI employees will get six months pay and the company is trying to figure out what to do with the facility now. It maintains that EVs are still the future, just not the bright drop in Ingersoll. Xehan Desjaldin, CBC News, Toronto.

[Susan Bonner]

It's not the kind of economic data you want to see in a sputtering economy. The cost of living is going up. With the price of food driving inflation, new numbers tonight show Canadians are spending more on things like beef veggies and sweets. And that might curb the central bank's appetite to cut interest rates. Senior business correspondent Peter Armstrong explains why.

[Peter Armstrong]

No, it's not your imagination. Everything really is getting more expensive. Just ask Tony Giuliano, a Toronto resident frustrated outside a local grocery store.

[Chris Brown]

How are you feeling about food Prices these days.

[Yasmin Renea]

It's absolutely ridiculous considering the rent prices.

[Chris Brown]

Too, just to be able to live down the street.

[Peter Armstrong]

Bob Kellery seems more resigned than angry.

[Susan Bonner]

Well, they're too high, obviously too high, and many people are suffering because of that. And the fact that people are lined up in fear in front of food banks makes it obvious.

[Peter Armstrong]

Grocery prices were up 4%. Rents were up 4.8%. Those two categories squeeze Canadian households, households already struggling with a downturn in the economy. And those higher prices hit the most vulnerable Canadians the hardest.

[Susan Bonner]

It's preventing people being able to make rent once a month.

[Peter Armstrong]

That's Shannon Fransen, a housing advocate in Montreal. In Quebec, rents surged way beyond the national average, increasing nearly 10%. Franzen says the pressure on Canadians has been tough and steady.

[Susan Bonner]

People are making choices. You know, they're having to choose between paying their rent or buying their groceries.

[Peter Armstrong]

Rising inflation isn't just a problem for those of us trying to keep up with costs. It also poses something of a riddle for policymakers. You see, the main concern had shifted away from inflation and toward economic growth. As tariffs and the trade war bit deeper into the Canadian economy, the bank of Canada started cutting interest rates to give things a boost. Bank governor Tiff Macklem says it looks like the Canadian economy has dodged an outright recession so far.

[Chris Brown]

We, we do expect growth to resume in the second half of the year. But with weakness in business investment and, and exports and uncertainty about jobs, GDP growth is likely to be soft.

[Peter Armstrong]

The central bank was widely expected to cut interest rates again week, but today's inflation numbers make that a slightly more complicated calculation. Nathan Jansen, assistant chief economist at rbc, says the bank has to look at a whole suite of solutions.

[Chris Brown]

Part of that could be lower interest.

[Yasmin Renea]

Rates like we do.

[Chris Brown]

Expect another bank of Canada cut next week. But a big part of it can.

[Yasmin Renea]

Also be fiscal stimulus.

[Peter Armstrong]

And by fiscal stimulus, Susan Jansen's referring, of course, to the federal budget now slated for November 4th.

[Susan Bonner]

Peter, a theme of the GM story, the inflation story, is pain, layoffs, a weakening economy. What can actually be done to help Canadians?

[Peter Armstrong]

Look, it's important to be wide eyed and open about this. The challenge is big. The risks, the Canadian economy are enormous. And the problem is the solution. To say higher prices is different than the solution to a weakening economy.

[Susan Bonner]

Higher interest rates would help with inflation, but slow the economy. Is there a way to slow the rising cost of living and not stifle growth?

[Peter Armstrong]

The bank can't do that alone. Right. These next few months are going to require a pretty deft hand Economists still believe the Bank Canada can and will cut interest rates next week, at least in part because it's still at what they call a neutral level. It's not really stimulating the economy. That gives it some wiggle room here.

[Susan Bonner]

Does that buy at some time also, Peter, to see the federal budget and its possible impact?

[Peter Armstrong]

I think so.

[Chris Brown]

Right.

[Peter Armstrong]

Ottawa has piles of stimulus lined up support for steel workers, industries impacted by the tariffs. Time to see if maybe there really is something to these rumors of partial trade deal that could be close because of course, it has another interest rate decision looming all the way in December.

[Susan Bonner]

Thank you, Peter.

[Peter Armstrong]

You bet.

[Susan Bonner]

Peter Armstrong here in Toronto. Coming right up, a First Nation land claim in British Columbia has homeowners worried about the future of their property. And press 1 for service that isn't timely or accurate. The auditor general takes aim at CRA call centers. Later. We'll have this story.

[Chris Brown]

I'm Chris Brown. Prince Andrew is facing renewed scrutiny after Virginia Giuffre's memoirs were published today, six months after she died by suicide.

[Marina von Stackelberg]

Very powerful in that it's from the grave with so many damaging allegations about.

[Chris Brown]

Andrew, the royal scandal that King Charles can't seem to contain. Coming up on YOUN World tonight.

[Susan Bonner]

A land claim that dates back centuries has some British Columbia homeowners worried about the next few years. A B.C. court has given a First Nation the right to about 800 acres of land, an area that includes homes, farms and a golf course. As Yasmin Renea explains, ownership is now in question and the legal battle is far from over. We want to live here as long as possible.

[Anna Wojdowich]

Anna Wojdowich and her husband Paul have lived in their Richmond, B.C. home just outside of Vancouver for nearly 40 years. She inherited it from her father who bought it almost a century ago, but now fears she won't be able to pass it on to her children.

[Susan Bonner]

I said to Paul the other morning I got up and I was just, I don't know who I am even anymore.

[Anna Wojdowich]

The city has told the couple and about one hundred and fifty other property owners that a landmark court decision could compromise their ownership status and invited them to an information session next week.

[Susan Bonner]

If 150 properties are grabbed here, we have to get together and protest against them.

[Anna Wojdowich]

In August, after an 11 year legal battle, the B.C. supreme Court ruled the Cowichan Nation has the right to about 800 acres of land, land that includes multimillion dollar mansions and blueberry farms. The Cowichan Nation on Vancouver island argues its ancestors used the land in the summers for fishing and hunting Critics say the court decision could dismantle the modern system of property ownership in B.C. and potentially across Canada.

[Chris Brown]

I don't think that they need to be in a position of fear.

[Anna Wojdowich]

Robert Morales, a member of the Cowichan and its chief negotiator, says the nation does not want to displace private landowners. He says its dispute is with corporations and governments.

[Chris Brown]

It is the responsibility of government to deal with this issue.

[Anna Wojdowich]

The B.C. government and the City of Richmond are among those who plan to appeal.

[Susan Bonner]

B.C.

[Anna Wojdowich]

Premier David Eby.

[Peter Armstrong]

We are arguing to defend those private.

[Chris Brown]

Property rights of those homeowners.

[Anna Wojdowich]

The court decision wouldn't come into effect until February 2027 to give the parties time to, quote, make the necessary arrangements. In her ruling, Justice Barbara Young says the Cowichan are seeking a mechanism to negotiate the reconciliation of their aboriginal title. But what exactly that mechanism is is unclear. The Cowichan are also appealing, arguing a bigger chunk of land in the area belongs to the First Nation.

[Chris Brown]

These issues are complex.

[Anna Wojdowich]

Merrill Alexander is an Indigenous resource lawyer who doesn't think further litigation is the solution.

[Chris Brown]

There already are negotiated models that have worked, and those same models, I think can exist here.

[Susan Bonner]

We're not going to get pushed out.

[Anna Wojdowich]

Meantime, Anna Wojdewich is adamant she's going to stay in her home as long as she can. Yasmin Ghanaia, CBC News, Vancouver.

[Susan Bonner]

Canada's auditor general says the CRA needs to overhaul the way it takes calls from Canadians. In a new report, the AG found call center agents repeatedly failed to answer on time. And when they did, the info provided was often wrong. Marina von Stackelberg has details. Thank you for calling the Canada Revenue Agency's Individual Tax Inquiry Service.

[Marina von Stackelberg]

Roxanne Bois has been trying to get a hold of the Canada Revenue Agency for months.

[Susan Bonner]

You know, you had no option to hold.

[Marina von Stackelberg]

It was, please try again later.

[Susan Bonner]

All of our representatives are busy and you couldn't wait it out.

[Marina von Stackelberg]

This spring, the Sudbury, Ontario mom made an error on her tax return. CRA froze her benefits and told her she owed $20,000. Since then, she's been trying to get it fixed.

[Susan Bonner]

I called and I called and I.

[Marina von Stackelberg]

Called and I didn't get through.

[Susan Bonner]

For months. I would call different times.

[Marina von Stackelberg]

Turns out her experience is what many Canadians deal with when they try to call cra. A damning report out today from the country's Auditor General has found widespread problems with the contact center. The watchdog found the CRA failed to answer calls on time. On average, Canadians waited more than half an hour.

[Anna Wojdowich]

They should expect to reach CRA and get accurate information.

[Marina von Stackelberg]

Auditor General Karen Hogan also found when agents eventually do pick up, they often give wrong information. Canadians calling about personal income tax only received a correct answer 17% of the time.

[Anna Wojdowich]

When you call to ask general questions. So for example, a member of my family passed away in December.

[Chris Brown]

When should I file their tax return?

[Anna Wojdowich]

That kind of information was inaccurate.

[Marina von Stackelberg]

The call center also deflected 8.6 million calls last year. That means many customers never got to speak with an agent at all. Complaints have soared.

[Chris Brown]

Certainly not the employee's fault.

[Marina von Stackelberg]

Marc Briere is with the union for CRA employees. He says thousands of jobs have been cut in the call center.

[Chris Brown]

The ongoing training is almost non existent. This is a big problem. The working conditions and the call centers at the CRA are terrible. There's a lot of pressure, undue pressure on the employees to reduce the call handling time, transfer calls as fast as possible. But that has an effect on the quality of the service.

[Marina von Stackelberg]

Last month, Finance Minister Francois Philippe Champagne directed the CRA to come up with a plan to improve. In 100 days, he says more staff have been hired.

[Chris Brown]

Our tools are outdated and that's what we're pushing is that adopting technology remove, you know, there's processes that needs to be improved.

[Marina von Stackelberg]

The Auditor General recommends the CRA figure out a better system to triage calls so that more people like Roxanne Bois can get through.

[Susan Bonner]

I just can't imagine how many other people are facing such frustrating situations. I selecting one of the following options.

[Marina von Stackelberg]

Wa says she'll keep calling CRA, hoping to find out if she owes the government tens of thousands of dollars or if the government owes her. Marina von Stackelberg, CBC News, Ottawa.

[Susan Bonner]

The Auditor General also issued a report on recruitment and housing for military members, saying neither is adequate. Hogan says there isn't enough housing and some of what there is isn't fit to be lived in. Hogan cited some places without running water or working toilets. The Defense Department says it has started building housing for military members. But Hogan says that may not be enough. While National Defense has lots of plans.

[Anna Wojdowich]

A lot of it is based on outdated information. And so if you need an accurate idea of how much you need to spend, whether it be to build or.

[Susan Bonner]

Renovate buildings or how much you need.

[Anna Wojdowich]

To spend to recruit more members, you should be using up to date information and you should be updating that on a regular basis.

[Susan Bonner]

Hogan also gave Indigenous Services Canada a failing grade on several fronts. She says many first nations face persistent barriers to health and dental care, safe drinking water and emergency services. 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. Japan has a new Prime Minister the Japanese Parliament has formally elected Sanae Takaichi. Takaichi is the first female Prime Minister in the country's history. She took the leadership of the Liberal Democratic Party after former Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba stepped down last month. The 64 year old is a self described ultra conservative who considers Margaret Thatcher a role model. Takaichi's government is tasked with tackling Japan's cost of living crisis and a declining birth rate. The embattled Prince Andrew is under even more intense scrutiny. The memoir of his accuser went on sale today. Virginia Giuffre took her own life six months ago after spending years trying to convince authorities on both sides of the Atlantic to hold the prince and others accountable. Chris Brown has more from London.

[Chris Brown]

Hey Andrew, how are you? Nice to see you again. With Prince Andrew's days as a working royal over, British media revealed today how he can still afford a 30 room white walled mansion near Windsor. It's because his rent is tiny. He paid millions up front for the lease on the property years ago and while there's nothing illegal about that, his lavish lifestyle is an ongoing embarrassment to the royal family and it's in stark contrast to the hardships revealed by his accuser, Virginia Giuffre in her memoir. Her book Nobody's Girl was published today six months after she died by suicide. Author Amy Wallace co wrote it and she spoke to the BBC.

[Susan Bonner]

You know, Virginia wanted all the men.

[Marina von Stackelberg]

Who she'd been trafficked to against her.

[Susan Bonner]

Will to be held to account.

[Chris Brown]

Giuffre, who says she met Andrew when she was 17, alleges she had sex with him three times, including on convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein's island, and she said she feared she would die a sex slave.

[Yasmin Renea]

I have no recollection of ever meeting this lady.

[Chris Brown]

In his infamous BBC Newsnight interview in 2019, Andrew denied the accusations. Royal correspondent Katie Nicholl says Giuffre hoped her book would compel Andrew to share everything he knows about Epstein.

[Marina von Stackelberg]

I think the greatest disappointment in all.

[Susan Bonner]

Of this is that Andrew had showed.

[Marina von Stackelberg]

No remorse, no empathy for the victims. Virginia Giuffre made it clear that she wanted him to own this story, to own the narrative and to be upfront about it. And of course he hasn't been.

[Chris Brown]

Andrew had always said he cut ties with Epstein after his conviction on sex crimes, but later emails emerged indicating Andrew continued to keep in touch. On Friday, the prince announced he would voluntarily no longer use royal titles such as the Duke of York. But royal historian Andrew Lowney says he believes King Charles should have been more decisive.

[Yasmin Renea]

Charles should have made the statement. He should have shown some contrition for the victims. He should have actually deeply distanced himself from his younger brother and all his.

[Chris Brown]

Actions, and he should have been far.

[Yasmin Renea]

More ruthless about the whole thing.

[Chris Brown]

The disgraced prince is also facing renewed scrutiny from British police, who are probing reports he asked his bodyguard to dig up dirt on Giuffre just before a now infamous photograph of them together was published in 2011. All of this as King Charles is set to meet the Pope. This week, the pair will pray at the Sistine Chapel. It's the first time a reigning monarch has done that in 500 years. But now the focus is on his disgraced brother and not his historic visit. Chris Brown, CBC News, London finally tonight.

[Susan Bonner]

Back to those Toronto Blue Jays bound for the World Series after some incredible moments last night at the plate on the field. But the best catch of the night happened in section 145. Blue Jay. George Springer was at bat, hitting the ball far out of reach of any Seattle Mariners and coming straight at Michelangelotti.

[Chris Brown]

And I went to the game solo and I always have a lot of thoughts about the game and everything and I sort of ribbed my neighbor and said, hey, seventh inning, be ready. And then I heard the crack of the bat, the swing and a fly ball to left field. It was the first time I'd ever brought a glove to a sporting event or baseball game and I didn't put it on fully. Only three fingers were in the glove. I couldn't squeeze the glove, so it ricocheted out of my glove and I offhanded the rebound with my bare hand. She's gone spilling everybody's beer in the row except my own.

[Susan Bonner]

What turned out to be the game winning home run and a piece of Blue Jays history right there in the palm of his hand. After the game, Angeletti waited on the field to personally give the ball back to Springer. Usually a fan who does so gets something back in return. But as he waited, Angeletti says his friends tried to convince him he had something pretty valuable.

[Chris Brown]

They were sending in these ridiculous demands. You deserve a private jet to LA for Game 3. The I won't say fear of the unknown, the opportunity of the unknown, is why I actually walked off the field before George came out because assigned Jersey or signed Batman really cut the mustard. So even if it's just a wild ride, I'm happy with it.

[Susan Bonner]

Angeletti isn't sure what he will do with the ball. There's been no offer of a private jet, but he is flying high after catching one of the biggest Blue Jay hits of all time. Thank you for joining us. This has been youn World Tonight for Tuesday, October 21st. I'm Susan Bonner. Talk to you again.

[Anna Wojdowich]

Foreign.

[Chris Brown]

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