U.S. Canada trade woes, Hurricane Melissa, Alberta to force teachers back to work, and more

Summary

Podcast Summary: Your World Tonight
CBC News
Episode Date: October 26, 2025

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Overview

This evening’s episode of Your World Tonight, hosted by Stephanie Skenderas, delivers a comprehensive roundup of significant news stories from Canada and across the globe. Centered around pressing issues like U.S.-Canada trade tensions, Alberta’s looming back-to-work legislation for teachers, the mounting threat of Hurricane Melissa, and more, the episode offers relevant context and on-the-ground perspectives, incorporating direct voices from those involved.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. U.S.-Canada Trade Disputes Escalate

• Tariff Tensions Resume

  • Former U.S. President Donald Trump ended trade talks, threatening a 10% tariff on Canadian exports (esp. steel, aluminum, lumber, autos), in response to an Ontario-funded anti-tariff ad featuring Ronald Reagan ([02:10–03:09]).
  • Canadian PM Mark Carney advocates for diversification and a ‘keep calm, carry on’ approach, seeking to strengthen international trade ties (esp. in Asia) while remaining ready to work with the U.S. when possible ([02:19–02:31, 04:47–05:24]).
  • Senior Trump officials (Treasury Secretary Scott Besant) say U.S. is currently not interested in working with Canada ([02:31–02:42]).
  • Brian Clow (former Trudeau adviser) emphasizes urgency:

    "Carney has to smooth things over with Trump and fast, preferably while they're both at these summits in Asia." (Trade Analyst/Political Commentator, [03:09])

  • Frank McKenna (former Canadian ambassador to the U.S.):

    "We have to use this moment of crisis once and for all to diversify our economy." (Trade Analyst/Political Commentator, [03:35])

  • Some U.S. legislators aim to block Trump’s tariffs; Senate vote imminent, with Democrats claiming majority ([03:51–04:10]).

• Business Leaders Voice Frustration

  • Goldy Heider, Business Council of Canada, calls for unified national action, not fragmented provincial approaches:

    "In a trade war, you need a general, not 13 of them..." ([05:14])

  • Deeper U.S. frustrations cited, including Canada's foreign policy and diversification efforts ([05:24–05:38]).

2. Hurricane Melissa Threatens Jamaica

• Storm Progress & Community Response

  • Hurricane Melissa, Category 4, is approaching Jamaica’s south coast. Communities are preparing amid anxiety and depleted store shelves ([07:12–08:40]).
  • Boat captain Douglas Butler remains stoic:

    "I don't worry when hurricane coming home. I just take things easy... as long as I have my food can eat." ([07:12])

  • Freelance reporter Nick Davis in Kingston describes the atmosphere as “the calm before the storm”, warnings from authorities, and steps for protection ([07:33–09:09]).
  • Key concern: Potential for Category 5 strength, widespread impact, and slow movement causing devastation.

• Preparation Efforts

  • Evacuations of low-lying areas, emergency shelters opening, and efforts to prevent flood-related loss of life ([09:25–10:26]).

3. Alberta Set to Force Striking Teachers Back to Work

• Context of Labor Dispute

  • Alberta government poised to introduce back-to-work legislation after three weeks of teacher strikes, citing harm to students ([12:46]).
  • Teachers describe the prospect as "demoralizing" and "disheartening" ([12:33, 12:42]).
  • Broader labor movement concerns: Use of the Charter's ‘notwithstanding clause’ could set dangerous precedent for workers’ rights nationwide ([13:09–13:32]).
  • Gil McGowan, Alberta Federation of Labour:

    "If we have a provincial government that uses a notwithstanding clause to crush the rights of workers... other governments... will see that as a precedent." ([13:32])

  • Penalties for illegal strike action could extend to unions and individuals ([14:04–14:12]).

• Personal Impact

  • Teacher Tracy McNish expresses distress over being unable to prepare for class ([14:31]) and eagerness to return.

4. Schools in New Brunswick Roll Out Guidelines for AI

• “No Stopping the Tide” of AI
  • Instead of banning, New Brunswick embraces AI in classrooms with guidelines outlining safe/responsible use, privacy guardrails, and differentiated approaches per school/district ([15:11–16:39]).
  • Superintendent Randolph McLean:

    "Keeping AI out of the classroom is the same as holding back the high tides of the Bay of Fundy. Impossible." ([15:11])

  • Focus shifts toward formative assessment and integrating AI to enhance—not replace—student learning ([16:39–17:02]).
  • Positive response from both teachers and parents; guidelines will be continually updated.

5. Nunavut’s Challenge: Increasing Voter Turnout

• Election Outlook
  • Nunavut faces persistent low voter turnout since its establishment, attributed to unmet needs (housing, cost of living), youth disengagement, and lack of government progress ([18:21–20:33]).
  • Suggestions: More civic education, focus on youth issues (mental health, housing), and real action on community concerns ([21:03]).
  • Eighteen-year-old Kiana Akpeek:

    "There's a big youth problem going on in Nunavut... Very heartbreaking." ([20:33–20:40])

  • Call to action for all residents to vote:

    "Get out and vote. Why aren't you voting, man? We need your votes." (Tina Kakik, [21:26])

6. Ontario’s Efforts to Remove Lead from Drinking Water

• Complexity & Cost
  • Many municipalities use bylaws to mandate property owners replace lead pipes, but financial burden and fairness are debated ([22:03–24:30]).
  • Residents like Kevin Duke express concerns over affordability ([22:21]).
  • Hamilton provides grants, but Thunder Bay’s experience highlights ongoing risks and lawsuits connected to water treatment ([23:06–24:07]).

7. Vancouver Art Gallery Project Stalls

• Project Reset
  • Construction on new Vancouver Art Gallery has been paused, site temporarily returned to parking lot as new architects and scaled-back plans are developed ([25:41–27:45]).
  • $60 million already spent; project has struggled with cost overruns.
  • Eva Respini (interim co-CEO):

    "We can bring that [project] across the finish line, hopefully." ([27:43])

  • New renderings expected by mid-2026; renewed effort toward fiscal discipline.

8. Rocky Horror Picture Show 50th Anniversary

• Pop Culture Highlight
  • Celebrating the enduring audience participation and cultural legacy of "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" ([28:26–30:17]).
  • Theatrical screenings, costumes, and "time warp" remain beloved traditions five decades later.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "We do need to get the talks back on track because steel, aluminum, lumber, auto, they're all suffering badly."
  — Trade Analyst/Political Commentator, [00:40] & [03:21]
• "In a trade war, you need a general, not 13 of them..."
  — Goldy Heider, Business Council of Canada, [05:14]
• "Petulant, but the facts and the economic chaos are sort of closing in on him..."
  — Virginia Senator (on Trump), [04:01]
• "If we have a provincial government that uses a notwithstanding clause to crush the rights of workers... other governments... will see that as a precedent."
  — Gil McGowan, Alberta Federation of Labour, [13:32]
• "Keeping AI out of the classroom is the same as holding back the high tides... Impossible."
  — Superintendent Randolph McLean, [15:11]
• "There's a big youth problem going on in Nunavut... Very heartbreaking."
  — Kiana Akpeek, Nunavut youth, [20:33]
• "I highly doubt that I would be able to afford to get all that replaced."
  — Kevin Duke, Thunder Bay resident, [22:21]
• "We can bring that [project] across the finish line, hopefully."
  — Eva Respini, interim co-CEO Vancouver Art Gallery, [27:43]
• Closing homage: "Let's do the time warp again."
  — “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” segment, [30:12]

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Timestamps for Major Segments

• U.S.-Canada Trade Dispute — [00:46–06:44]
• Hurricane Melissa/Jamaica — [06:44–10:30]
• Alberta Teachers’ Strike & Legislation — [12:20–14:53]
• AI in New Brunswick Classrooms — [14:53–18:01]
• Nunavut Election & Voter Turnout — [18:01–21:32]
• Ontario Lead Pipes — [21:35–24:47]
• Vancouver Art Gallery Project — [25:15–27:57]
• Rocky Horror 50th Anniversary — [28:26–30:17]

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Tone & Style

The episode maintains a professional, informative journalistic style, occasionally punctuated by direct, evocative testimony from affected individuals and experts. Stephanie Skenderas’s narration is steady and clear, while guest voices add immediacy and human context.

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This summary offers a comprehensive yet concise map of all major stories and perspectives featured in this episode of Your World Tonight, with key timestamps and direct quotes to aid listeners who missed the show.

Transcript

[Narrator/Reporter]

AI agents are everywhere, automating tasks and making decisions at machine speed. But agents make mistakes. Just one rogue agent can do big damage before you even notice. Rubrik Agent Cloud is the only platform that helps you monitor agents, set guardrails and rewind mistakes so you can unleash agents, not risk. Accelerate your AI [e-mail] that's R U B R-I K.com this is a CBC podcast. We do need to get the talks back on track because steel, aluminum, lumber, auto, they're all suffering badly.

[Stephanie Skenderas]

Canadian officials try to navigate how to get trade negotiations with the US Back on track after Donald Trump abruptly ended the talks and warned Canada the tariff on Canadian goods and is going up. This is YOUR WORLD Tonight. I'm Stephanie Skenderas, also on the podcast. Alberta is set to send striking teachers back to work, but other unions are watching closely to see what's in the government's bill. And Nunavut heads to the polls this election.

[Interviewee/Guest]

Like with every other election, I hope the turnout is greater.

[Stephanie Skenderas]

But what can be done to reverse the trend of low voter turnout in the territory? Prime Minister Mark Carney had few words regarding the latest tariff threat coming from the United States on Saturday. Donald Trump lashed out at Canada again, threatening to increase the tax on Canadian exports because of an anti tariff ad paid for by the Ontario government. JP Tasker now with how officials on both sides of the border are reacting to this latest we will be initiating.

[Narrator/Reporter]

Free trade talks with the Philippines.

[Trade Analyst/Political Commentator]

Prime Minister Mark Carney is in Asia to build new trade ties, but it's the relationship with an old ally that's causing problems.

[Narrator/Reporter]

I'm very disappointed in Canada.

[Trade Analyst/Political Commentator]

U.S. president Donald Trump is lashing out at Canada and threatening another 10% tariff on exports. A seemingly calm Carney says he has.

[Narrator/Reporter]

A plan so building at home, diversifying our trade relationships abroad and being ready to work with the United States government as and when the time comes.

[Trade Analyst/Political Commentator]

But senior Trump officials say they don't want to work with Canada right now. U.S. treasury Secretary Scott Besant says the administration is focused on other trade partners.

[Narrator/Reporter]

This is a kind of propaganda against US Citizens. It's psyop.

[Trade Analyst/Political Commentator]

Besant is blaming Ontario Premier Doug Ford for derailing the bilateral trade talks. That anti tariff ad featuring Ronald Reagan has hit a nerve.

[Narrator/Reporter]

I just think it was terrible, terrible judgment by this premier, you know, who has a bit of a reputation for being a hothead. The prime minister should be trying to find Donald Trump in the hallways.

[Trade Analyst/Political Commentator]

Brian Clow is former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's point person on the U.S. he says Carney has to smooth things over with Trump and fast, preferably while they're both at these summits in Asia.

[Narrator/Reporter]

We do need to get the talks back on track because steel, aluminum, lumber, auto, they're all suffering badly.

[Trade Analyst/Political Commentator]

Meanwhile, Frank McKenna, Canada's former ambassador to Washington, says it's time to take a step back from the erratic Americans.

[Narrator/Reporter]

It's going to take us time and we're going to have to go through pain to get there, but we have to use this moment of crisis once and for all to diversify our economy.

[Trade Analyst/Political Commentator]

Canada could get some help from the U.S. congress.

[Interviewee/Guest]

I think this is a little temper.

[Reporter/Journalist]

Tantrum that a toddler will have and it will blow over.

[Trade Analyst/Political Commentator]

Senators will vote on a bill to block Trump's tariffs this week and the Democrats say they have the votes to get it through. Virginia Senator TIM the president can be.

[Reporter/Journalist]

Petulant, but the facts and the economic chaos are sort of closing in on him and I think that will get the president back to the table with Canada.

[Trade Analyst/Political Commentator]

Canada. U.S. trade Minister Dominic Nablan was at that table before things went awry. He says the two sides had been making progress and he's ready to re engage with them at any moment, insisting in a social media post it's the feds, not Ontario, who are responsible for this file. JP Tasker, CBC News, Ottawa.

[Stephanie Skenderas]

As you just heard from jp, Prime Minister Mark Carney is in Malaysia trying to make the case that in the face of global economic uncertainty, Canada remains a dependable trading partner. Murray Brewster now with more from the ASEAN summit in Kuala Lumpur.

[Narrator/Reporter]

Carney's keep calm and carry on approach was on display as he pitched ASEAN leaders on closer economic ties with Canada. Even still, there was a subtle edge to his remarks. We value a rules based system. We respect trade agreements and the rule of law. We value the free exchange of goods, capital and ideas. Carney's poker face, however, stands in contrast to some of the leading voices in Canada's business community. In a trade war, you need a general, not 13 of them and I'm hoping the prime minister can recognize that. We've got to pull our own act together here if we're going to be able to have an opportunity to make progress. Goldie Heider, the president of the Business Council of Canada. While the Ontario government ad didn't help, Heider says it's not entirely to blame for the latest outburst by Trump. Hyder says it's a reflection of deeper American frustration with Canada, some of which on policies that have nothing to do with trade. When we did the, you know, the Palestine announcement, we've done the thing about the icj, we're doing things on strategic partnerships with other countries, we're diversifying, we're going, we're. But if you're in the United States of America, you're saying we're your number one customer. But you've been to Europe five times. These are the things that they point out. I'm just the messenger here. Meanwhile, Donald Trump arrived at ASEAN to a tumultuous flag waving welcome. While there was no intention of meeting Carney, there was time for the victory lap as Cambodia and Thailand signed an expanded ceasefire, adding to the one Trump brokered last summer. And I love doing it. I love it. It's like, I shouldn't say it's a hobby because it's so much more serious than a hobby, but it's something that I'm good at and it's something I love to do. The United nations should be doing this, but they don't do it. As if to underline the sense of frustration the Canadian delegation may feel, there was word tonight that the US and China have reached an early consensus on a trade deal ahead of a possible meeting between Trump and President Xi Jinping. Murray Brewster, CBC News, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

[Stephanie Skenderas]

In Jamaica, a group of men haul fishing boats inland. In the town of Port Royal, the island is preparing for Hurricane Melissa. The Category 4 storm is gathering strength as it heads for Jamaica's southern coast, bringing fears of powerful floods and storm surge along with it. Boat captain Douglas Butler says he's keeping calm.

[Narrator/Reporter]

I don't worry when hurricane coming home. I just take things easy. You know, I wore myself, yeah, I have a lot of family. As long as I have my food can eat.

[Reporter/Journalist]

That is the most important thing.

[Stephanie Skenderas]

For more on the preparations happening now in Jamaica, I spoke to freelance reporter Nick Davis in Kingston. Nick, what's the situation like where you.

[Reporter/Journalist]

Are at the moment? It is. I know it's a terrible cliche, but it's a calm before the storm. Well, it depends on whether or not you try and get to the supermarkets before they close. A lot of the shelves are already bare in some places. Basic provisions, bread, water, toilet paper. People are stocking up because they don't know how long the storm is going to last. So going back to what you asked, what is the situation at the moment? We know that the storm is massive. It's going to be the size of almost this entire country as it sweeps across. It's out to sea at the moment, but eventually it's going to make its way inland and that's where the force is going to be felt. So not only with record breaking storm surges, but also as it makes its way in land, the possibility of a category five, 150 plus mile an hour storm sitting over the island for hours, and it's sitting over the island for hours or the slow movement of the storm which has been so difficult to deal with, it's anxiety inducing to say the least because it gives you time to second guess, it gives you time to try and work out. Are you eating all the food you're supposed to be saving? Do you have everything you need? Have you got enough candles? Are all your phones charged? And we also know that it's going to cause significant devastation. That's what we're hearing from government. So that's where we are at the moment. It's a sort of holding pattern, but one which is literally got the entire country on.

[Stephanie Skenderas]

Hopefully that holding pattern, while I understand it's anxiety inducing, gives people a chance to prepare, gives the country a chance to prepare. How prepared do you think Jamaica is for this storm? What are emergency officials telling people ahead of the expected landfall?

[Reporter/Journalist]

We just had the government giving an update on where we are. Many of the things you'd expect to hear. They're doing some last minute emergency cleanup of some of the big drainage areas, making sure that there is people who are homeless are being moved to shelters. They're going into some of the low lying communities because flooding is a major threat to life to during this storm. That's going into those communities and urging people to leave. The problem is, is that many times Jamaicans have heard this before. You know, every time there is a big storm the government says it and sometimes these storms have literally just blown past us. But all of the modeling, all of the projections show that this is coming directly to Jamaica. It's literally going to pass through the center of the country. There's hardly anywhere on the island which is not going to feel the strength of this storm. So because of that, that's one of the reasons why the government are urging people to get to shelter as quickly as they can.

[Stephanie Skenderas]

Okay, Nick, thank you so much and stay safe.

[Reporter/Journalist]

Thank you.

[Stephanie Skenderas]

That's freelance journalist Nick Davis in Kingston, Jamaica. In Gaza, a group of Red Cross officials arrives in Khan Yunis. The humanitarian group and an Egyptian technical team are now working to recover the bodies of 13 Israeli hostages. Israel is allowing them to go beyond the yellow line where troops have pulled back under the ceasefire deal. The teams will be using excavator machines and trucks to search through rubble. Something Hamas has said was necessary to find the hostages remains. Still ahead, a few Ontario cities are trying to take care of an old problem problem lead in pipes. It can make drinking water unsafe, but some of the ideas of how to fix the issue are going over well like a lead balloon. That story is coming up on YOUR WORLD tonight. The BC General Employees Union says a tentative deal has been reached with the provincial government to bring an end to a long running strike. It has impacted everything from liquor distribution to fighting wildfires. The union's 34,000 members will now vote on the deal. If it's ratified. Employees would get a wage increase of 3% each year for four years. More than 25,000 workers have been on some sort of job action for eight weeks. There is no deal in Alberta, but teachers could soon be forced back to the classroom. After three weeks of job action, the province is set to introduce back to work legislation tomorrow. Sam Sampson explains why it's not just teachers resisting.

[Interviewee/Guest]

So long, my friends. So long, my friends.

[Reporter Sam Sampson]

Edmonton elementary music teacher Tess Owen sings this at the end of every class while she can't wait to sing for her students again. It'll be under tough circumstances.

[Resident/Community Member]

It's really disheartening right now because we've.

[Interviewee/Guest]

Been on strike for the last few.

[Resident/Community Member]

Weeks and we don't know if there's anything to show for it.

[Interviewee/Guest]

It's demoralizing in a big way. There's going to be tears.

[Reporter Sam Sampson]

The Alberta government plans to table back to work legislation Monday. The province says it believes in a fair bargaining process but feels the strike is causing students irreparable harm. The teachers union has said it was looking into legal options to fight back. But it's not just teachers waiting to see Monday's bill. Union leaders from industries across Alberta worry something extra will be included.

[Narrator/Reporter]

Don't you dare press the notwithstanding clause button.

[Reporter Sam Sampson]

The notwithstanding clause is a section of the charter which would preemptively override court challenges. Neither the premier nor any ministers have said they would use the clause in this case. But in a letter to Danielle Smith, unions across the province warn of a, quote, unprecedented response if they do. Gil McGowan is the president of the Alberta Federation of Labor.

[Narrator/Reporter]

It's not just bigger than the teachers strike has the potential to be bigger than Alberta because if we have a provincial government that uses a notwithstanding clause to crush the rights of workers, especially the right to strike, then other governments, especially conservative governments in other provinces, will see that as a precedent that they will follow.

[Reporter Sam Sampson]

Labor experts like Christian Cook from Mount Royal University say if the bill passes, any strike action from teachers would be illegal, including work to rule, a tactic where teachers wouldn't do unpaid labor like coach sports or lead clubs.

[Interviewee/Guest]

They could find the association or the union representing the members.

[Urban Planning Expert/Amy Nugent]

They can find individual numbers, so the.

[Interviewee/Guest]

Consequences are actually very high for non compliance.

[Reporter Sam Sampson]

Teachers want what students need no matter what. It's unclear when teachers or students would go back, adding uncertainty to the mix for Tracy McNish, a teacher near Calgary who helped put up posters of support on Sunday. We're locked out right now, so the normal things that I would be doing.

[Interviewee/Guest]

To prepare to be in my classroom.

[Reporter Sam Sampson]

I can't really do.

[Interviewee/Guest]

I can't log into my accounts, I.

[Reporter Sam Sampson]

Can'T organize my Google classroom or anything like that.

[Interviewee/Guest]

But what I want to do is just try.

[Reporter Sam Sampson]

Like I'm really eager to see my students again. 750,000 students are also waiting to get back. They'll find out more tomorrow. Sam Sampson, CBC News, Edmonton Many schools.

[Stephanie Skenderas]

Across the country are trying to shut the door on artificial intelligence in the classroom, but in New Brunswick, they're cautiously rolling out the welcome mat. The province has created guidelines for the responsible use of AI for its seven school districts. Oliver Pearson reports.

[Narrator/Reporter]

Go down to the Bay of Funday at low tide and put our hands up and try to hold the tide back. It's no different. AI is no different. For Anglophone East School Superintendent Randolph McLean, keeping AI out of the classroom is the same as holding back the high tides of the Bay of Fundy. Impossible. McLean has been thinking about the incoming tide of AI for a few years now. It started by a question was asked by our student deck member and he was a student at one of our high schools who did a presentation to us on artificial intelligence. Now McLean's district has built guardrails for the school community, which translates to almost 70 pages of guidelines outlining how administrators, teachers, students and parents should approach AI. It includes province approved tools, examples of how to use them and what to avoid. Like inputting personal information into AI tools within those guardrails. The district leaves AI application up to the user. It's not a one size fits all model. It's each teacher has their ideas, their thoughts, the curriculum, what that looks like in their classroom, their skills, capacities, abilities, wonders and thoughts, and the students alongside that will leverage that in their own way. Anglophone west and Francophone Northeast schools also have their own guides. John Hoyt Hallett is the director of curriculum and instruction for Anglophone West. He says concerns that AI will do students work for them are less justifiable as assessment practices change.

[Interviewee/Guest]

Rather than relying solely on the product of learning, the finished product, an essay.

[Narrator/Reporter]

Or lab report or something to that effect, we're now shifting to a formative assessment approach where we focus on the process of learning.

[Interviewee/Guest]

And that means redesigning lessons and redesigning learning environments that honor that learning process and leveraging the power of AI within that.

[Narrator/Reporter]

The province says AI should improve students work, not do it for them. For teachers, classroom expectations should be established and students should get a walkthrough of tools before use that planning for AI is ongoing. While training is already being offered to teachers, McLean's team is offering their own district training, which has been a hit. We sell out professional development opportunities for Artificial Intelligence Fest and the Taylor Swift concert sells out. How are his district students and parents feeling? Well, they've been quite forward thinking. The feedback from our parents has been anytime, anytime a child comes home excited about school, excited to learn and successful as parents, we're excited about that. Looking to the future as AI advances, district will keep their eye on it. Hoy Hallett says their guidelines will be assessed more frequently than other policies that are reviewed annually. Oliver Pearson, CBC News, Fredericton.

[Stephanie Skenderas]

Voters in Nunavut will elect their next territorial government on Monday, though few voters will likely determine the results, Nunavut has seen a decline in the number of people voting since the territory was created in 1999. Juanita Taylor looks at the factors behind this voter apathy.

[Interviewee/Guest]

Maggie, how are you feeling about this election? Pretty positive about it because I feel.

[Urban Planning Expert/Amy Nugent]

Great knowing that I will vote.

[Nunavut Youth/Interviewee]

Maggie Amagoualik from Senreaq says she will go to the polls to make her vote count in Nunavut's seventh general election, and so will Iqalouet's Tina Kaki. She hopes many Nunavutmiyut will do the same this election.

[Interviewee/Guest]

Like with every other election, I hope the turnout is greater. We're always pressing for more voters to.

[Narrator/Reporter]

Come out and cast their votes.

[Nunavut Youth/Interviewee]

Gakke is not wrong. Voter turnout has been steadily declining since the first Nunavut general election in 1999. Manito Thompson was one of Nunavut's first MLAs.

[Interviewee/Guest]

Everybody was just so excited to be part of it, and then it started to go down.

[Nunavut Youth/Interviewee]

Thompson says the government's slow progress on important issues like the high cost of living and a housing crisis is fueling voter apathy.

[Interviewee/Guest]

I think they are not seeing any changes that are from their basic needs. Those are the people that go out to vote but they're not going out anymore because they're not seeing any changes. And there's a lot of uninformed people who really don't care.

[Nunavut Youth/Interviewee]

About half of Nunavut's population is under 25 years old. But the 2021 territorial election saw that youth had the lowest turn. One national nonprofit nonpartisan organization called New Majority has been looking at trends around voter apathy in federal elections, including the North. Amanda Munday is the executive director.

[Interviewee/Guest]

When a young person is stressed about finding employment, about stable housing, or about thinking of some of the issues they most care about, climate comes up a lot, as does mental health. You can imagine that systemic actions like voting don't rank on the top of your list. And that's reasonable. That's a rational, reasonable reaction to have.

[Nunavut Youth/Interviewee]

Nunavut Sivuniksavut in Ottawa teaches Inuit youth about their land claim and their government. They've also been talking about what issues matter to them this election, like mental health, says 19 year old Kiana Akpeek from Iqaluit.

[Interviewee/Guest]

There's a big youth problem going on in Nunavut.

[Nunavut Youth/Interviewee]

In June, the Legislative assembly declared a suicide crisis.

[Interviewee/Guest]

Very heartbreaking.

[Urban Planning Expert/Amy Nugent]

I just think we should choose the.

[Interviewee/Guest]

Candidate that focuses more on the youth, other issues.

[Nunavut Youth/Interviewee]

Alia Agluka, also 19, is from Joe Haven.

[Interviewee/Guest]

So one of the priorities that the government need to focus on is housing because, you know, there's a lot of people in Nunavut that has overcrowding.

[Nunavut Youth/Interviewee]

Another student, Maria Rose from Iqaluit, has a suggestion on how to get people out to vote.

[Interviewee/Guest]

If we teach young people early on about the importance of exercising their right to vote and also teaching them how these organizations work and why their vote matters, I think it would help a lot of people realize that they do have a say in the way that their territory is run.

[Nunavut Youth/Interviewee]

Tina Kakik has some words of advice as Nunavu Meut heads to the polls on October 27th.

[Interviewee/Guest]

Get out and vote. Why aren't you voting, man? We need your votes.

[Narrator/Reporter]

Get out there.

[Nunavut Youth/Interviewee]

Juanita Taylor, CBC News, Yellowknife.

[Stephanie Skenderas]

The Canadian Environmental Law association says Ontario municipalities should be doing more to remove lead from the water supply. The solution from cities so far passing a bylaw to make it mandatory for property owners to replace their old and unsafe lead pipes. But as Sarah Law reports, some people question the fairness and the cost of that approach.

[Resident/Community Member]

Kevin Duke says he didn't know his home had lead pipes until the city of Thunder Bay began handing out some special pitchers and filters to reduce the toxin in his Water supply. The city replaced the main water line on his street a couple years ago. But from there to his water meter, it's all lead pipes.

[Reporter/Journalist]

I highly doubt that I would be able to afford to get all that replaced.

[Resident/Community Member]

Before the mid-1950s, lead service pipes were commonly used to connect people's homes to city water mains. Then research emerged about the dangers of lead to people's health. The National Plumbing Code of Canada banned lead piping in 1975 and lead solder in 1986. Still, the metal remains in many older homes across the country.

[Interviewee/Guest]

As years go on, we're learning that.

[Reporter/Journalist]

Lead is even more dangerous than we thought.

[Resident/Community Member]

Julie Mutis is a community outreach worker with the Canadian Environmental Law Association. It's calling on Ontario municipalities to take action because when lead pipes are only replaced on one side of a property line, the toxin comes to the surface.

[Reporter/Journalist]

You've disrupted the lead line and there.

[Interviewee/Guest]

Can be big particles coming into your house.

[Resident/Community Member]

Hamilton is the only Ontario city with a bylaw that requires property owners to replace their lead pipes. It's enforced when the city replaces the publicly owned portion of the service line. Property owners are given financial support to help cover the costs. Several communities in Quebec and Saskatchewan have similar bylaws. One way to reduce lead is through corrosion control, but it's not always effective. In 2018, the City of Thunder Bay added sodium hydroxide to the water supply to reduce lead levels. Then people began to complain about pinhole leaks. Hundreds of homeowners experienced flooding and said the chemical was to blame. The sodium hydroxide was removed. But a $350 million class action lawsuit is going through the court.

[Narrator/Reporter]

To absolutely solve this problem would cost an extraordinary amount of money.

[Resident/Community Member]

Thunder Bay city Councilor Andrew Foulds says reducing lead is a top priority. A few years ago, he brought a resolution to council to introduce a loan and grant program to help people pay to replace their lead pipes. In his view, forcing property owners to do this through a bylaw doesn't seem fair.

[Narrator/Reporter]

How do we make our financial incentives more accessible?

[Resident/Community Member]

The city offers a fifteen hundred dollar grant to seniors and low income earners. But as a senior on a fixed income, Duke says that might not be enough.

[Reporter/Journalist]

I think they should go by the home income and how much it's going to cost to get it done at that home.

[Resident/Community Member]

Thunder Bay has set aside $25 million over 20 years to replace its lead pipes. There are still thousands of lead service lines left to remove. Sarah Law, CBC News, Thunder Bay, Ontario.

[Stephanie Skenderas]

In Vancouver plans to build a new home for the city's Art gallery have been hitting speed bumps for years. Construction had already begun, but now the site has been repaved and turned back into a parking lot. The city says it's just a temporary measure as the art gallery goes back to the drawing board with new architects. Michelle Gassoub reports.

[Urban Planning Expert/Amy Nugent]

At the site of what was supposed to be Vancouver's new art gallery, construction is back up and running after being applied paused for months. But instead of building up, the site is being flattened and repaved, turned into a parking lot once again.

[Interviewee/Guest]

It just kind of leaves you wondering how will the momentum continue, especially when we kind of see the physicality of it being repaved.

[Urban Planning Expert/Amy Nugent]

Amy Nugent is the executive director of Urbanarium, a Vancouver nonprofit that studies urban planning and community design. She says seeing the space turned back into paid parking is a loss for the art community and and a hit to the project that will be tough to reverse.

[Interviewee/Guest]

We're kind of starting from zero again and new designs have to be created and approved. And in that time, will costs continue to increase? Will the government change? Like everything is kind of anchored off of skyhooks right now.

[Urban Planning Expert/Amy Nugent]

$60 million has been spent on the project with little to show for it. It's been over two decades since it was decided the art gallery needed a new site. In 2013, Vanc City Council picked a prime location in downtown Vancouver. A Swiss architecture firm was selected for the design. Flashy renderings were released and ground was broken on the project in March of 2024. But by August of the same year, costs had ballooned by 50% to $600 million. Construction stalled and in December, citing a lack of funds, the plan was scrapped entirely and the Swiss architects removed. Since then, two new Canadian architects have been hired to come up with a brand new design.

[Stephanie Skenderas]

We're talking a lot about learning from the past and what's different now.

[Urban Planning Expert/Amy Nugent]

Eva Respini is the interim co CEO. She says this time around will be.

[Interviewee/Guest]

Different and we really spoke in depth.

[Stephanie Skenderas]

To the architects in our interview process.

[Interviewee/Guest]

About designing to budget and we feel really confident that with a kind of fiscal sustainability of the current moment that.

[Stephanie Skenderas]

We can bring that forward and really.

[Interviewee/Guest]

Bring this across the finish line, hopefully.

[Urban Planning Expert/Amy Nugent]

Her co CEO Sirish Rao says new renderings could come by mid-2026. The build is expected to be much smaller and not as tall.

[Narrator/Reporter]

We're going to say much less this time around.

[Interviewee/Guest]

Get our heads down, do the work.

[Narrator/Reporter]

And when there's a significant and meaningful and accurate information to share, we will.

[Urban Planning Expert/Amy Nugent]

Until shovels can be in the ground. Once again, paradise will be paved and the site where the new gallery will stand will be parking. Michelle Gasub, CBC News, Vancouver.

[Stephanie Skenderas]

We're less than a week out from Halloween. What better way to celebrate spooky season than with a movie that's been inspiring fans to dress up and dance it out with a jump to the left and a step the right for decades. Five decades to be precise. Since young couple Brad and Janet, played by Barry Boswick and a big eyed Susan Sarandon, got lost after their car broke down.

[Interviewee/Guest]

Look, I'm cold, I'm wet and I'm just plain scared.

[Stephanie Skenderas]

And ended up at the castle of alien mad scientist Dr. Frank N. Furter. Tim Curry in his movie debut. The film, based on the stage musical was a total box office flop in 1975.

[Interviewee/Guest]

Whatever happened to Saturday night when you got the job and you felt alright?

[Stephanie Skenderas]

But it became a midnight movie sensation and decades later, its campy blend of comedy and horror still sells out. Midnight screenings where fans dress up, yell jokes and use props like noisemakers and water pistols during a rainstorm scene. It's still the longest running theatrical release in film history, with continuous screenings ever since that disastrous debut. There are plenty of 50th anniversary celebrations in the works. Special screenings are happening in Winter Kitchener in Toronto this week. For now, well, time is fleeting and you can listen closely to your world tonight, but not for very much longer. So let's do the time warp again.

[Interviewee/Guest]

Let's do time warp again.

[Stephanie Skenderas]

I'm Stephanie Skenderas. Good night.

[Interviewee/Guest]

While I was walking down the street Just to have on a thing When a second big guy gave me an E4 wing he shifted me up, took me by surprise he had a pickaxe track and the devil's eyes he stared at me and I felt a change Time is nothing Never what I can for more CBC podcasts, go to CBC CA Podcasts.