Recognizing a Palestinian state, Disney reinstates Kimmel, CFL makeover, and more

Summary

Your World Tonight – CBC

Episode: Recognizing a Palestinian state, Disney reinstates Kimmel, CFL makeover, and more
Air Date: September 22, 2025
Hosts: Susan Bonner & Stephanie Skenderis

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Overview

This episode dives into several pressing stories shaping Canadian and global conversations. Key highlights include Canada’s landmark recognition of a Palestinian state amidst international debate, the controversy surrounding Jimmy Kimmel’s suspension and reinstatement, US warnings about Tylenol use in pregnancy, the transformation of a former residential school, significant changes for the Canadian Football League, impacts of climate change on pumpkin farming, and a viral moment from a Newfoundland softball league.

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1. Canada Recognizes the State of Palestine (00:40 – 07:21)

Key Discussion Points

• Historic Announcement
  Prime Minister Mark Carney declares at the UN General Assembly that Canada now recognizes Palestinian statehood, joining a growing international list (UK, France, Australia, Portugal).
• Policy Shift Rationale
  Mark Carney explains Canada’s decision is due to the erosion of prospects for a negotiated solution, citing Hamas terrorism, Israel’s expanded settlements, and increased settler violence.

  "Canada's commitment to this goal was premised on the expectation that this outcome would be... achieved as part of a negotiated settlement. Regrettably, this possibility has been steadily and gravely eroded." (Mark Carney, 02:17)

• International Reaction
  • US delegation boycotts UN session.
  • Israel’s envoy Danny Danone calls it “shameful.”
  • President Macron of France also makes a formal recognition.
• Israel’s Anger and Threats
  CBC's Sasha Petrasek (from Jerusalem) describes acute frustration from Israel, especially PM Netanyahu, who vows never to accept a Palestinian state from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean—hinting at potential further annexations of West Bank territory.

Notable Quotes

• Mark Carney (02:17):

  "...including by the pervasive threat of Hamas terrorism to Israel and its people, culminating in the heinous attack of October 7, the accelerated building of settlements across the west bank in East Jerusalem and the soaring settler violence against Palestinians."

• Sasha Petrasek (04:16):

  "There certainly seems to be a feeling of frustration and a tone of anger, especially from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu... announcing that Israel will never accept such a state anywhere from the Jordan river to the Mediterranean."

Next Steps & Analysis

• Potential escalation in settlement expansion or annexation by Israel is anticipated.
• Canada hints at willingness for Canadian peacekeeping involvement in a future Palestinian state, pending US guarantees (07:21).

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2. Autism, Tylenol, and the Trump Administration (12:08 – 15:06)

Key Discussion Points

• White House Warning
  President Trump publicly links acetaminophen (Tylenol) use in pregnancy to autism, sparking concern and debate.
• Scientific Response
  Experts such as Dr. Graham Smith (Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology Canada) and Prof. Brian Lee (Drexel University) firmly reject the claim, emphasizing established safety protocols and lack of causal evidence.

  "The Canadian recommendation on using Tylenol during pregnancy has not changed." (Christine Birak, 13:01) "No strong evidence supporting a link between Tylenol and autism." (Brian Lee, 14:17) "It would be extremely premature if the administration were to make any recommendation that folks with autism should be taking this [folic acid or leucovorin] because frankly, it's not ready for primetime yet." (Brian Lee, 14:43)

• Contextual Analysis
  The discussion underscores the White House’s reliance on preliminary or misinterpreted research. The scientific community urges reliance on robust evidence over ideology.

Notable Quotes

• Brian Lee (13:34):

  "Eating ice cream is associated with drowning, okay? But ice cream does not cause you to drown..."

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3. Jimmy Kimmel’s Suspension & Disney’s U-Turn (08:53 – 12:08)

Key Discussion Points

• Background
  Kimmel was suspended by ABC/Disney after controversial comments on the killing of political activist Charlie Kirk.
• Hollywood Backlash
  Over 400 celebrities (Jennifer Aniston, Tom Hanks, Maya Rudolph) release an open letter criticizing Disney for “kowtowing to government intervention and censorship.”
• Rapid Reinstatement
  After internal discussions, Disney reinstates Kimmel, effective immediately, but offers scant rationale beyond citing “thoughtful conversations.”
• Media & Political Response
  President Trump mocks Kimmel over low ratings; FCC Chair Brendan Carr warns late-night hosts about political commentary. The incident reignites debates over censorship, free speech, and the politicization of entertainment.

Notable Quotes

• Disney Statement (09:21):

  "...we have spent the last days having thoughtful conversations with Jimmy. And after those conversations, we reached the decision to return the show on Tuesday."

• Ali Chiasson (10:53):

  "This, all of this really kicked up so much conversation about censorship, government intervention, free speech. So, so many people will want to know what Jimmy Kimmel has to say..."

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4. Mohawk Institute Residential School: Trauma and Transformation (15:06 – 18:08)

Key Discussion Points

• Restoration & Memorialization The former Mohawk Institute (Canada’s longest-running residential school) is reborn after a $26 million renovation as a museum and cultural center.
• Survivor Voices Survivors, such as Doug George and Roberta Hill, recount memories of deprivation, abuse, and resilience.
• Critical Historical Reckoning The project involves painstaking historical archiving and survivor testimony to ensure authentic, educational exhibits.
• Significance for Canada Heather George (Woodland Cultural Center) and historian Rick Hill emphasize the site’s role in national reckoning and reconciliation.

Notable Quotes

• Doug George (16:00):

  "Hunger was always there, a craving for something. And then there was, of course, feelings of abandonment... if you didn't obey the rules, then corporal punishment was swift and brutal."

• Heather George (17:16):

  "It makes you realize how real and authentic that experience was..."

• Rick Hill (17:39):

  "Sometimes when I leave here, I just shake my head thinking like, how in the world could this happen to children? But I'm glad also to be part of the recovery..."

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5. Climate Change Threatens Canadian Pumpkin Harvest (18:20 – 21:33)

Key Discussion Points

• Widespread Crop Loss Unpredictable weather—heavy rains and drought—devastate pumpkin yields across eastern Canada; up to 40% reduction reported.
• Farmer Testimonies
  • Sylvain Etie (Montreal): "There are 30 to 40% fewer pumpkins this year."
  • Greg Mackenzie (PEI): "This year has been too dry...about 40% of his crop has been affected."
  • Barb Stephanician Cote (Saskatoon): The farm had to cancel its annual pumpkin festival due to crop failure.
• Broader Implications Increasingly erratic weather challenges local farming, raising concerns about food security and climate resilience.

Notable Quotes

• Susan Bonner (20:22):

  "Anytime you don't have the yield that you were planning on again, it's going to be on your bottom line. Our input costs were all still the same..."

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6. CFL Makeover: Tradition vs. Modernization (21:33 – 24:43)

Key Discussion Points

• Major Rule Changes From 2026–2027, the CFL will:
  • Move benches to opposite sidelines.
  • Install a 35-second play clock.
  • Retain but tweak the "rouge" rule.
  • Shift goalposts to back of the end zone.
  • Shorten the field (from 110 to 100 yards).
  • Shrink end zones (from 20 to 15 yards).
• Why the Change? With declining viewership and an aging fan base, the league hopes modernizing will revitalize interest, especially among younger demographics and bettors.
• Mixed Reaction
  • Some see the changes as necessary rejuvenation.
  • Traditionalists, like Peter Diekanowski, worry Canada is losing football’s unique identity in a bid to emulate the NFL.

Notable Quotes

• Stuart Johnston, CFL Commissioner (22:31):

  "We are keeping the rouge, which is synonymous with the uniqueness of Canadian football."

• Michael Narain, Brock University (23:47):

  "This is where the CFL has an opportunity to jump on this bandwagon and say, look, we are going to bite the bullet and go through this rejuvenation..."

• Peter Diekanowski, former CFL player (24:16):

  "I think that's a shortcut instead of doing some of the tougher things to build the game and to improve the businesses of some of the teams..."

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7. Viral Softball Pep Talk: “Year of Ball” (24:43 – 27:03)

Key Discussion Points

• The Story Nelson Bradbury, at 80 years old and the oldest player in the Mount Pearl slow pitch softball league, sends a 2:30 AM pep talk and heartfelt thank-you to his much younger teammates.
• Going Viral A teammate’s spouse shares the text message on TikTok, where it resonates with millions—highlighting the power of sports, intergenerational friendship, and gratitude.
• Cultural Resonance Media outlets, including ESPN and People magazine, pick up the story, further amplifying its reach.

Memorable Quote

• Nelson Bradbury (25:21):

  "Most of these guys are 35 or 40 years of age. I'm almost twice the age of some of them and you know, they have accepted me and treated me like an equal..." "All of you should take pride knowing there's an old fart you keep going every day. I don't know if I'll get another year or not...but I do know this will be the year of ball I remember made me cry."

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Episode Themes & Tone

The program remains analytical, news-focused, and empathetic—balancing hard-hitting political stories with heartfelt cultural moments and underrepresented Canadian perspectives.

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[End of summary]

Transcript

[Susan Bonner]

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[Sarah Levitt]

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[Ali Chiasson]

This is a CBC podcast.

[Mark Carney]

In this Context Canada recognizes the state of Palestine.

[Narrator/Host]

A new state of affairs at the United Nations General assembly as Prime Minister Mark Carney joins other world leaders in recognizing the state of Palestine as a major shift in foreign policy and an attempt to work towards peace, but one Israel calls a hollow gesture that could make the Middle east even more dangerous. Welcome to youo World Tonight. I'm Susan Bonner. It is Monday, September 22, just before 7pm Eastern. Also on the podcast the meteoric rise.

[Interviewee/Expert]

In autism is among the most alarming public health developments in history. There's never been anything like this.

[Narrator/Host]

It's one of the most popular pain medications in the world and according to the Trump administration, side effects may include autism. A warning from the White House that's giving some scientists a headache.

[Mark Carney]

Also, he's at the fourth stage of.

[Narrator/Host]

Grief construction after being suspended for controversial comments about Charlie Kirk. Talk show host Jimmy Kimmel is coming back at the UN General assembly in New York. World leaders, including Canada's, say now is the time. After nearly two years of bloodshed and the prospect of peace slipping further away, more countries are recognizing a Palestinian state over many decades.

[Mark Carney]

Canada's commitment to this goal was premised on the expectation that this outcome would be eventually achieved as part of a negotiated settlement. Regrettably, this possibility has been steadily and gravely eroded, including by the pervasive threat of Hamas terrorism to Israel and its people, culminating in the heinous attack of October 7, the accelerated building of settlements across the west bank in East Jerusalem and the soaring settler violence against Palestinians.

[Narrator/Host]

Prime Minister Mark Carney addressing the General assembly this afternoon. Carney says Canada's recognition of Palestinian statehood is also a recognition of Israel's intentions towards the Palestinian people, the widening occupation of the west bank and Israel's role in the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Carney also insisted Hamas release the remaining Israeli hostages, fully disarm and play no role in future governance of the Palestinian state.

[Interviewee/Expert]

Madame la Presidente de l' Assembly General.

[Narrator/Host]

Monsieur Secretaire General French President Emmanuel Macron also formally announced his government's recognition of a Palestinian state, joining not only Canada, but the uk, Australia and Portugal. The United States delegation boycotted today's session. Israel's UN Representative, Danny Danone, called the recognition shameful.

[Colin Butler]

Many leaders today will speak about the future when Hamas will not be part of Gaza. But I will ask them, who is going to do that? Who is going to actually make sure that Hamas is not part of Gaza?

[Narrator/Host]

For the reaction coming out of Israel, let's go to Jerusalem and senior correspondent Sasha Petrasek.

[Sarah Levitt]

Sarah.

[Narrator/Host]

Sasha, how is this being received there?

[Susan Bonner]

Well, Susan, there certainly seems to be a feeling of frustration and a tone of anger, especially from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, apparently because of the quickly growing list of countries recognizing Palestinian statehood. Provoked, he seems to be firing back, announcing that Israel will never accept such a state anywhere from the Jordan river to the Mediterranean. And that is a big change in Israeli policy. But practically, what does that mean? Well, it may lead to a decision to annex many more parts of the occupied west bank to prevent Palestinians who live there from forming any kind of country. Certainly, Netanyahu is under pressure from settlers, including hard right members of his own cabinet, to annex all of it right away. Gaza ii. Now, many in Israel are more cautious about that, but they really don't understand why the world has decided to raise this issue now. They see the events of October 7, two years ago as proof of Israel's vulnerability in this region, and its responses seem obvious to them. In their minds, that's what other countries should be focusing on, not this war in Gaza or the situation that Palestinians find themselves in.

[Narrator/Host]

And how could these announcements by these countries, complete with caveats, shape what happens next?

[Susan Bonner]

Well, it's not clear at this point, but Netanyahu has already announced that he'll keep gradually expanding settlements onto land that most of the world now clearly considers Palestinian. But going further, say annexing all of the occupied west bank immediately, like many are calling for? Well, that depends on a couple of key factors. First, does Israel have the US's blessing? So far, President Donald Trump hasn't prevented Netanyahu from doing pretty much anything he wants, not in Gaza or the west bank and not even attacking other US allies like Qatar. Netanyahu seems emboldened by that. Secondly, though, is there a risk for Israel? Well, over the past few years, it's normalized relations with several Arab neighbors like the UAE and benefited from trade and energy deals. Now the Emiratis are having second thoughts, warning Israel that continuing annexation of Palestinian land would be a red line, something they couldn't accept and which could jeopardize those ties. Netanyahu says he'll decide Israel's next steps after meeting with Trump during his trip to the UN this week.

[Narrator/Host]

Susan, thank you, Sasha.

[Susan Bonner]

My pleasure.

[Narrator/Host]

Sasha Petrcek, speaking with us from Jerusalem. Before his UN Address, Mark Carney gave a talk to a US Think tank in New York. He hinted at the potential of Canadian forces acting as peacekeepers in a future Palestinian state.

[Mark Carney]

There are many proposals, as I suspect you're aware, to which Canada would be party if they were to come to pass for multinational forces to be deployed in Palestine to enforce a peace.

[Narrator/Host]

Carney has also suggested a similar measure involving Canadian peacekeepers in Ukraine, which once its war with Russia is over. The prime minister today reiterated that plan would need to be tied to security guarantees from the U.S. the UN Security Council will hold a session on the Ukraine, Russia conflict tomorrow. The General assembly will hear from President Volodymyr Zelensky on Wednesday. Coming right up, Tylenol and Trump. The White House is warning about the popular painkiller and its use during pregnancy. And late night host Jim Jimmy Kimmel is being allowed back on the air after being suspended for comments about the killing of Charlie Kirk. Later, we'll have this story.

[Sarah Levitt]

That crunch is dry and dying pumpkin vines. It's been a tough season for the orange gourds across much of Canada. This is probably the worst we've ever seen it Typically where you would have five or six pumpkins per plant, we're down to one or two.

[Narrator/Host]

Sarah.

[Sarah Levitt]

I'm Sarah Levitt. Later on youn World tonight, how farmers are contending with their poor pumpkin crop. After a summer of unpredictable weather.

[Narrator/Host]

Jimmy Kimmel is returning to his late night talk show. The American TV host was pulled off the air by his network after making comments about the killing of political activist Charlie Kirk. In an agreement reached this afternoon, Walt Disney Company, which owns Kimmel's network, says he will be allowed to return. Ali Chiasson is following this story for us. She joins us here in Toronto. Ali, what do we know about the reversal of this Kimmel suspension?

[Ali Chiasson]

So we know that they're bringing back Jimmy Kimmel Live tomorrow, which is a very quick turnaround, of course, from being suspended indefinitely to being back on the airwaves just tomorrow. So we have the statement from Disney. It says, quote, last Wednesday we made the decision to suspend production on the show to avoid further inflaming a tense situation at an emotional moment for our country. It is a decision we made because we felt some of the comments were ill timed and thus insensitive. And we have spent the last days having thoughtful conversations with Jimmy. And after those conversations, we reached the decision to return the show on Tuesday. You'll notice that noticeably absent from that statement is really any reasoning for their reversal on their decision here. They did say that they have had thoughtful conversations. We are not privy to that. But one has to wonder if Disney was feeling some pressure from the intense backlash from a lot of people. Just today we learned that 400 of some of Hollywood's biggest celebrities, I'm talking from Jennifer Aniston to Tom Hanks to Maya Rudolph and so many more, have signed onto this open letter basically calling out Disney for what they describe as kowtowing to government intervention and censorship. So you have to imagine that that definitely played a role here. But really all we're privy to right now is them saying that they've had a discussion with Jimmy and, and that he's back tomorrow.

[Narrator/Host]

Now, Jimmy Kimmel has never spoken since this happened. Donald Trump, the president of the United States, certainly did last week, saying he was no talent, fired for low ratings, fired for saying horrible things. Any reaction from the White House today?

[Ali Chiasson]

The only thing that we have from the Trump administration so far, and it was a quote from today, the chair of the fcc, Brendan Carr, essentially saying, or in this talk he was saying again reiterating that these late night shows are being canceled because of low ratings. He also said, and he called out Stephen Colbert for this. And again, Jimmy Kimmel saying that these hosts of these late night shows, they've gone beyond being court jesters and making fun of everybody to being a political statement kind of show. It was sort of like warning them to stay in their lane and this is what would happen if they didn't. But of course, this, all of this really kicked up so much conversation about censorship, government intervention, free speech. So, so many people will want to know what Jimmy Kimmel has to say, what the Trump administration has to say. Needless to say, people will be tuning in tomorrow, I'm sure in droves.

[Narrator/Host]

Thanks, Ali.

[Ali Chiasson]

Thank you.

[Narrator/Host]

The CBC's Ali Chiasson reporting from Toronto. Well, it's an over the counter medication you probably have in your home right now. Acetaminophen has been used around the world for decades. But US President Donald Trump has linked the main ingredient in Tylenol to autism in children when taken by pregnant women. This, despite extensive evidence the pain reliever is safe. Christine Birak reports strongly recommending that women.

[Interviewee/Expert]

Limit Tylenol use during pregnancy unless the.

[Christine Birak]

US President casting doubt on using acetaminophen or Tylenol during pregnancy, linking it to autism.

[Interviewee/Expert]

Not good. All right, I'll say it it's not good.

[Susan Bonner]

Really not based on evidence.

[Christine Birak]

Dr. Graham Smith is editor in chief of the Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology Canada.

[Susan Bonner]

Pregnant women shouldn't feel guilty about using the medication, he says.

[Christine Birak]

The Canadian recommendation on using Tylenol during pregnancy has not changed.

[Susan Bonner]

Use of acetaminophen as the first line option for fever and pain in pregnancy, when medically indicated at recommended doses for the shortest period of time is safe.

[Christine Birak]

Studying or figuring out what causes something is difficult. The Trump administration seems to be relying on a recent Harvard review analyzing older studies promoting a link which was focused on associations, not causes. Researchers note just because two things happen together doesn't mean one causes the other.

[Brian Lee]

Eating ice cream is associated with drowning, okay? But ice cream does not cause you to drown. What's actually happening is that there's a third factor hot weather causing you to eat more ice cream and also causing you to go swimming, which increases your risk of drowning.

[Christine Birak]

So so Brian Lee is a professor at Drexel University School of Public Health in Pennsylvania. He co authored a robust study published last year in JAMA. Researchers analyzed medical records of nearly 2 1/2 million Swedish children, tracking them over 20 years. The study included siblings to help reduce unknown variables one exposed to Tylenol in the womb, the other not. Lisa's result showed no strong evidence supporting a link between Tylenol and autism.

[Brian Lee]

But there's a third factor or multiple other factors that are explaining this for example, infection during pregnancy, which has been linked with autism as well. And then finally the elephant in the room. Namely, these disorders are highly genetic, lee adds.

[Christine Birak]

He's also hearing talk by the White House about folic acid or leucovorin as a potential treatment for autism. He says while interesting, the evidence so far is based on small trials.

[Brian Lee]

It would be extremely premature if the administration were to make any recommendation that folks with autism should be taking this because frankly, it's not ready for primetime yet.

[Christine Birak]

Researchers acknowledge the strong desire to find causes and cures for autism, but emphasize that advice should be based on solid evidence, not ideology. Christine Birak, CBC News, Toronto.

[Narrator/Host]

Students called it the mush hole because of the soft, rotten food they were fed daily. Memories from the Mohawk Institute school are dark and dehumanizing. But now Canada's longest running residential school is being repurposed with the help of survivors, turning a legacy of suffering into a place of honor. Lisa Shing reports.

[Lisa Shing]

The creation story in the Mohawk language, just one of many exhibits in the renovated former Mohawk Institute, now a museum of preserving the stories of survivors.

[Interviewee/Expert]

It was not a school. It was not an educational institution.

[Lisa Shing]

Doug George, taken in the 60s at the age of 11, forced to live there for almost two years, the longest running residential school in Canada. He remembers being beaten, stories of sexual abuse, never having enough to eat.

[Interviewee/Expert]

Hunger was always there, a craving for something. And then there was, of course, feelings of abandonment. Everything that we did, there was a deep sense of apprehension and fear because if you didn't obey the rules, then corporal punishment was swift and it was brutal.

[Lisa Shing]

Just one story of the 15,000 children forced to attend through its 140 years. In the early 70s, the building took on a new purpose. Part of the Woodland Cultural center, promoting preserving Indigenous language and culture. In disrepair, the building closed to the public six years ago, its walls laden with lead paint and asbestos.

[Narrator/Host]

But where you are today was our dining room.

[Lisa Shing]

Now, following a $26 million renovation, there are films playing quotes on desks, stairways, walls that tell the stories of the children, including Roberta Hill.

[Narrator/Host]

We can say, what happened to us.

[Ali Chiasson]

This is our truth.

[Narrator/Host]

This building will tell you the truth.

[Lisa Shing]

There's furniture from that time, a table with children's scribbles underneath at the back, bricks with survivors and family members, names inscribed, a reclamation of a traumatic past. Heather George is the executive director of the Woodland Cultural Center.

[Ali Chiasson]

It makes you realize how real and authentic that experience was when you're in the family physical space where those atrocities happened.

[Interviewee/Expert]

We had to go through mountains of historical records and documents and through hours.

[Lisa Shing]

Of interviews with survivors to make the exhibits as authentic as possible, says the project's senior historian and curator, Rick Hill.

[Interviewee/Expert]

Sometimes when I leave here, I just shake my head thinking like, how in the world could this happen to children? But I'm glad also to be part of the recovery, part of the and.

[Lisa Shing]

A critical part of the country's past, says George.

[Interviewee/Expert]

You can go through the dorms and see where we slept and then into the dining hall and get an idea of what was life like for us. And it's critical to do this because this is an integral part of Canadian history, just something that you can't just.

[Lisa Shing]

Brush aside all evidence of the trauma suffered by so many and the their resilience. Lisa Shank, CBC News, Brantford, Ontario.

[Narrator/Host]

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. Like it or not, fall is officially here. It is harvest season, and with many making plans for Thanksgiving pies and Halloween Jack o lanterns, this is prime time for Canadian pumpkin growers. At least they hope. Some farmers say erratic weather over the summer has this season's crop looking scary, Sarah Levitt explains.

[Sarah Levitt]

On a farm northeast of Montreal, Sylvain Etie pulls up a pumpkin vine to show a dry, rotting plant with only one small pumpkin on it. The farmer says all his plants are suffering. There are 30 to 40% fewer pumpkins this year, etie says. Heavy rain in early July, followed by almost no rain for a month and a half, has made for unhealthy fruit. It's a problem many pumpkin farmers are facing, particularly in eastern Canada. According to Agriculture Canada's drought monitor, around 70% of the country's farmland has been abnormally dry this summer. Optimal pumpkin conditions call for full sun and dry soil, but not too dry. On the Mackenzie Produce Farm in Stratford Prince Edward island, owner Greg Mackenzie says this year has been too dry.

[Interviewee/Expert]

Probably 33 years since I've been on.

[Susan Bonner]

This operation, and there's only been one or two years that by records show.

[Sarah Levitt]

A struggle such as this with the transition into fall. With Thanksgiving and Halloween around the corner, it's peak pumpkin time. While Mackenzie has some beautifully orange gourds, he too says about 40% of his crop has been affected.

[Susan Bonner]

Anytime you don't have the yield that you were planning on again, it's going to be on your bottom line. Our input costs were all still the same, so, you know, seed prices weren't reduced.

[Sarah Levitt]

We have the little the little tiny ones. At Black Fox Farm and Distillery in Saskatoon, the weather also didn't cooperate, but in a different way, says owner Barb Stephanician Cote. It's just a really immature pumpkin that'll never produce. You know, even if we had time till December, it wouldn't work, she says. The problem here was cool temperatures and too much rain. So this year the farm's highlight event, the Pumpkin Festival, had to be cancelled. We had games for the kids and wagon rides and pumpkin soup and pumpkin donuts and pumpkin pie. But we can't really run it if we don't have the pumpkins. Farmers, always at the mercy of the weather, worry climate change and forecast unpredictability will lead to tough years ahead. They're concerned Canadians will turn away local crop to imported pumpkins every October. Sarah Levitz, CBC News, Montreal it is.

[Narrator/Host]

As uniquely Canadian as poutine politeness and the rcmp. But the cfl, Canada's professional football league, is about to get a makeover that will make our game look a bit more American Rule changes for a league trying to win back fans as some worry about a loss of identity. Colin Butler has details. Sweep to the outside.

[Colin Butler]

Touchdown Nathan Rohr for decades, Canadian football has been defined by its quirks, bigger fields, deeper end zones and the single point rouge. But today the league said it's time the game evolved.

[Susan Bonner]

We've gathered you all here today for a watershed moment in the Canadian Football League.

[Colin Butler]

CFL commissioner Stuart Johnston says the changes will begin in 2026 when the league will move team benches to oppos opposite sidelines, add an automatic 35 second play clock and tweak the rouge.

[Susan Bonner]

We are keeping the rouge, which is synonymous with the uniqueness of Canadian football.

[Colin Butler]

But we will modify it. No more single point for botched field goals. A team will only score if a returner takes a knee or is stopped in the end zone. Then in 2027, more changes arrive. Goal posts move to the back of the end zone. Like the National Football league in the U.S. the the field shrinks from 110 to 100 yards. Also like the NFL, end zones drop from 20 to 15 yards, still bigger than the NFL's 10 yard end zones. While the comparisons are inevitable, the league says the NFL had nothing to do with it.

[Susan Bonner]

Absolutely no percentage of these changes were made because of any type of comparison to the NFL.

[Colin Butler]

Unlike the NFL, the CFL's popularity is on the decline, the fan base skews older, and the league has struggled with declining TV ratings and attendance.

[Brian Lee]

There is the potential for Canadian football viewership to go up with these changes.

[Colin Butler]

Michael Narain is a professor of sport management with Brock University. He says the league is betting that by modernizing and aligning with broader trends like sports betting and a faster pace of play, it will attract a new generation of football fans.

[Brian Lee]

This is where the CFL has an opportunity to jump on this bandwagon and say, look, we are going to bite the bullet and go through this rejuvenation and say, look, I know a lot of traditionalists aren't going to be happy, fine, but we're going to take this medicine and we'll be better for it.

[Susan Bonner]

In the long run.

[Colin Butler]

But traditionalists aren't happy. We're converging. You can see that the stage is being set for further convergence with American leagues. Peter Diekanowski is a former CFL player. I think that's a shortcut instead of.

[Interviewee/Expert]

Doing some of the tougher things to.

[Colin Butler]

Build the game and to improve the businesses of some of the teams trying to carve their the CFL once built its name on being different and is now betting its future on fitting in. And for Canada, a nation that prides itself on being unique, that's the ultimate irony. The CFL is now marching closer to the NFL, all in the name of innovation. Colin Butler, CBC News, London, Ontario we.

[Narrator/Host]

End tonight with a Newfoundland softball player scoring a home run on social media. Not because of anything he did on the field, but what happened one night when he got up to go to the bathroom.

[Susan Bonner]

ESPN called, NBC called and it just, it snowballed. It just, it went viral.

[Narrator/Host]

Al Heath was one of the players who got a text message a few weeks back from his teammate Nelson Bradbury. Bradbury is 80, the oldest player in the Mount Pearl slow pitch League, up for his nightly bathroom break and so excited for the next day's game he couldn't get back to sleep, so he took out his iPad.

[Interviewee/Expert]

I started to say how much I appreciated them. Most of These guys are 35 or 40 years of age. I'm almost twice the age of some of them and you know, they have accepted me and treated me like an equal and I get to play as much as anybody else and I get to fall down as much as anybody else.

[Narrator/Host]

It started as a playoff pep talk for his teammates. It turned into heartfelt thank you sent to the group chat at 2:30 in the morning. All of you should take pride knowing there's an old fart. You keep going every day. I don't know if I'll get another year or not, bradbury wrote. But I do know this will be the year of ball. I remember made me cry.

[Sarah Levitt]

Being part of team sports my entire life, I thought it was just the sweetest thing.

[Narrator/Host]

Sam Evans, husband, plays on the team. After seeing the message, she shared it with friends and then gave it even more exposure.

[Sarah Levitt]

I posted it on TikTok. Now you couldn't see anybody's name on TikTok. So I thought, no big deal. Went to bed, woke up with my son three in the morning, saw it, had a million views and I thought, oh, now it has 2.5 million likes. Almost 15,000 comments.

[Narrator/Host]

The post exploded online and ever since, Evans has been getting requests from pro teams to People magazine. They want interviews and permission to use Bradbury's message. The message about sports, aging and the power of friendship.

[Interviewee/Expert]

They are more important to me than I am to them. These guys here are are just a special bond.

[Narrator/Host]

Thank you for joining us. This has been youn World Tonight for Monday, September 22nd. I'm Susan Bonner. Talk to you again. For more CBC podcasts, go to CBC CA podcasts.