Your World Tonight – September 23, 2025: Trump’s Reversal on Ukraine, UN Drama, Belugas to China & More

Podcast: Your World Tonight (CBC)
Hosts: Susan Bonner, Stephanie Skenderis
Date: September 23, 2025
Duration: ~25 min

Episode Overview

This edition of "Your World Tonight" delivers a rigorous roundup of major global and Canadian news, giving listeners a deeper dive into the day's most significant stories. The episode’s core theme is the shock reversal of Donald Trump’s position on Ukraine, as voiced at the United Nations, with ripple effects across geopolitics. Additional segments examine controversies over police conduct in Montreal, Canada’s troubled gun buyback program, TikTok’s privacy missteps, Bombardier’s defense sector ambitions, the possible shipment of Canadian beluga whales to China, and the turbulent return of Jimmy Kimmel to American television.

Main Segments and Key Insights

1. Trump’s Astonishing About-Face on Ukraine

[02:00–09:00]

• Background:
  Trump, previously critical of Ukraine and conciliatory towards Russia, delivered a surprise statement at the UN affirming support for Ukraine’s military effort.

• Key Shift:
  Trump praised Ukraine’s war effort:

  “Frankly, Ukraine is doing a very good job of stopping this very large army. It's pretty amazing. You know, this is a war that should have ended in three days, four days. People said it was going to be very quick and you got to hand it to the Ukrainian soldiers.”
  — Donald Trump [04:48]

• On Social Media:
  Trump posted that Ukraine, backed by NATO, can win back all land seized by Russia; he disparaged Russia as a “paper tiger with a faltering economy.”

• Heightened NATO Defense Stance:
  Trump:

  “Yes, I do.”
  — (On whether NATO countries should shoot down Russian aircraft entering their airspace) [05:38]
  He later hedged on whether the US would always back such actions.

• Ukrainian Response:
  President Zelensky met with Canadian PM Mark Carney, pressing Russia to return abducted Ukrainian children, highlighting allegations of systematic deportations.

  “Thousands and thousands of our children are victims of Russia's double crime. Russia first abducted them and deported them and now it tries to steal everything they have inside…”
  — Volodymyr Zelensky [07:23]

2. Trump’s Fractious Speech at the United Nations

[09:00–14:00]

• Speech Tone & Content:
  Trump’s UN speech veered from offers of collaboration to harsh criticism of both the UN and its member states.

  “Your countries are going to hell.”
  — Donald Trump [00:24 & revisit at 09:20] “Not only is the UN not solving the problems it should, too often it's actually creating new problems for us to solve.”
  — Trump [10:20]

• On Climate Change:
  Trump again denied global warming, calling green policies “the greatest con job ever perpetrated on the world.” [11:20]

• UN Secretary General’s Response:
  Guterres defended the UN’s role and the necessity of global cooperation:

  “The United Nations has never been more essential. The world needs our unique legitimacy, our convening power, our vision to unite nations, to bridge divides and confront the challenges before us.”
  — Antonio Guterres [10:57]

• Palestinian Statehood:
  Trump condemned countries recognizing Palestinian statehood, claiming “The rewards would be too great for Hamas terrorists.”

• Behind the Scenes:
  Despite criticism, Trump told Guterres:

  “I may disagree with [the UN] sometimes, but I am so behind it.”
  — Trump [13:27]

3. Montreal Police Shooting Raises Oversight Questions

[14:00–18:30]

• Incident:
  Police fatally shot a 15-year-old boy in Longueuil (Montreal South Shore); family demands answers about the use of deadly force.

  “He’s the victim. He’s a baby.”
  — Sherif Rizae, father [15:10]

• Witness Account:
  A resident:

  “It all happened so quickly… two officers exited their vehicle and immediately yelled twice at a group… An officer quickly pulled out his gun, shooting Nouron.”
  — Johnny Ithesoni [16:01]

• Oversight in Focus:
  BEI (Quebec's police watchdog) leads the investigation, yet skepticism remains:

  “There’s a massive conversation about the efficacy of the BEI and the legislation surrounding them.”
  — Tari Ejadi, East Coast Prison Justice Society [17:28]

• Context:
  Out of over 400 BEI investigations, virtually none have led to charges for police shooting deaths.

4. Canadian Gun Buyback Turmoil and Cabinet Fallout

[18:30–21:30]

• Controversy:
  Leaked audio features Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree expressing doubts about the government’s ability to enforce banned gun buybacks.

  “I just don't think municipal police services have the resources to do this.”
  — Gary Anandasangaree [19:38]

• Political Fallout:
  Minister caught on tape offering compensation and bail; defends comments as “bad humour [that] is being misinterpreted.”
• Pushback:

  “They all tell the truth when they think no one is listening.”
  — Rod Giltaka, Canadian Coalition for Firearm Rights [20:59]

• Opposition Demand:
  Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre calls for the Minister’s resignation.

5. TikTok Slammed on Youth Privacy in Canada

[21:30–22:30]

• Findings:
  A joint investigation found TikTok fails to adequately prevent under-13 usage and is not transparent about youth data practices.

  “TikTok must do more to keep underage children off its platform. We also found that it must better explain its data practices, especially to youth…”
  — Federal Privacy Commissioner Philippe Dufresne [21:53]

• TikTok Agrees to Enhance:
  Age verification, privacy info in French, and clarity on data usage.

6. Bombardier Eyes Defense Amidst Expansion Risks

[22:30–25:40]

• Business Shift:
  Bombardier, now out of train/airliner business, seeks to grow in defense, repurposing business jets for military surveillance.

  “The momentum is very high… we're going to be capitalizing on this over the next few years.”
  — CEO Eric Martel [22:40]

• Cautions from Experts:
  Highlight risks from prior expensive delays, limited market, and entrenched competition.

  “It's going to be a rough ride.”
  — Aviation expert John Gradic [24:35]

7. Canada’s Beluga Whales May Be Sold to China

[25:40–28:40]

• Current State:
  Marineland (Ontario) seeks federal approval to export 30 belugas to China (likely Qianlong Ocean Kingdom).
• Official Stance:

  “It will absolutely speak to the health of the whales. The animal must be healthy.”
  — Fisheries Minister Joanne Thompson [26:18]

• Criticism:

  “I don’t think it is in their best interest to go from one entertainment park to another…”
  — Camille Labchuck, Animal Justice [28:01]

• Release Not Feasible:
  Experts note risks of starvation and isolation if whales are returned to the wild.

8. Jimmy Kimmel’s Contentious Return to TV

[28:40–31:50]

• Background:
  Suspended for remarks on the Charlie Kirk shooting, now reinstated—but 60+ US ABC affiliates refuse to air his show, despite streaming availability.
• Regulatory Angle:

  “The airwaves are the one thing the government controls in media… and they can make their impact felt and they are.”
  — Stephen Battaglio, LA Times [29:50]

• Censorship Debate:
  Kimmel’s supporters and Canadian comedian Trevor Wilson see this as a free speech issue:

  “It's an odd way to honor that guy [Kirk], to try to eliminate something that he did fight for.”
  — Trevor Wilson [30:45]

• Canadian Angle:
  City TV in Canada continues airing his show.
• Tonight’s Show:
  Sarah McLachlan, musical guest, pulled out of a US event in protest over the free speech fracas.

9. Bonus: Macron and Trump’s NYC Traffic ‘Summit’

[31:50–End]

• Memorable Moment:
  French President Macron stuck in NYC traffic (“everything is frozen for you”) because of Trump’s motorcade, calls Trump directly.
• Diplomatic Irony:
  “[The] delay of about 30 minutes did give the two leaders more time to talk. An impromptu summit at the Intersection of Foreign and Urban Affairs.” [33:00]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Your countries are going to hell. I ended seven wars. Everyone says I should get the Nobel Peace Prize.”
  — Donald Trump [00:24]
• “The greatest con job ever perpetrated on the world, in my opinion.”
  — Trump on climate change [11:20]
• “You have to trust us. We're the ones who are doing the investigation. We're an independent office.”
  — Brigitte Bishop, BEI [17:08]
• “He was caught on tape admitting that his program won't work.”
  — Heidi Rathjen, Polytechnique survivor [21:13]
• “There's really two ways that they're going to play it. It's either going to come back and they're going to play it super safe, or they're going to go right into it.”
  — Trevor Wilson on Kimmel’s return [31:36]

Timestamps for Major Segments

• [02:00–09:00] Trump Reversal on Ukraine
• [09:00–14:00] Trump at the UN: Speech and Fallout
• [14:00–18:30] Montreal Police Shooting & Oversight
• [18:30–21:30] Gun Buyback Controversy
• [21:30–22:30] TikTok Privacy Issues
• [22:30–25:40] Bombardier Defense Ambitions
• [25:40–28:40] Beluga Whales to China
• [28:40–31:50] Jimmy Kimmel Returns
• [31:50–End] Macron and Trump, NYC Traffic

Tone & Takeaways

"Your World Tonight" combines sober analysis with the lively, sometimes combative tone found in headlines and interviews. The Trump-UN coverage blends eyebrow-raising soundbites (“stupid people”) with measured commentary. The second half highlights uniquely Canadian stories with empathy and a critical eye, particularly on issues of policing and environmental ethics.

For a well-rounded catch-up on global news—from global power plays to Canadian controversies and animal welfare debates—this episode delivers both breadth and depth.