U.S. trade rep on CUSMA, Quebec anti-corruption probe, Robert Munsch’s “last hurrah”, and more

Wed Dec 10 2025

The Trump administration is casting doubt on the future of the Canada/U.S./Mexico trade deal. A top official suggests the three-way pact could be replaced by separate bilateral deals — a change that would send shockwaves through the markets, businesses, and cause more uncertainty for the Canadian economy. It comes as all three countries prepare to review the deal starting next year. And: Quebec's anti-corruption police launch a criminal investigation after allegations of a cash-for-votes scheme among the provincial Liberal Party. Also: A serious and silly conversation with best-selling Canadian children’s author Robert Munsch. He has dementia and Parkinson’s disease and has been approved for medical assistance in dying. He talks to chief correspondent Adrienne Arsenault about what that means for him, and the plans for his legacy after he’s gone. Plus: Bank of Canada rate holds steady, dangerous addition to street drug supply, So...

Summary

Your World Tonight – December 10, 2025 (CBC) Summary & Episode Breakdown

Overview:

On this episode of Your World Tonight, hosts Susan Bonner and Stephanie Skenderis offer a comprehensive daily news digest, with a Canadian perspective on pressing global and national stories. The show dives into the possible unraveling of CUSMA (the Canada–U.S.–Mexico Agreement), ongoing economic headwinds, political drama in Quebec, Canada's toxic drug crisis, and a moving profile of beloved children’s author Robert Munsch facing the reality of his final days. The episode is marked by candid interviews, expert analysis, and engaging storytelling that balances hard news with memorable human moments.

1. Rethinking CUSMA: U.S. Floats Bilateral Deals

[01:05–07:50]

Theme: U.S. reopens debate on the future of North America’s trade agreement, suggesting a possible shift from trilateral (CUSMA/USMCA) to bilateral deals.
Key Points:
- U.S. Trade Rep. Jameson Greer, under President Trump, signals the U.S. may break up CUSMA and pursue separate agreements with Canada and Mexico.
- Greer’s reasoning: "Our economic relationship with Canada is very, very different than our economic relationship with Mexico. The labor situation is different. The import export profile is different. The rule of law is different." (Jameson Greer, 01:05)
- Moderator follows up for clarity: the U.S. could “end up with separately, two rather than one agreement.”
- Speculation persists on whether Trump’s approach is a tactic to gain leverage in negotiations.
- Stakes for Canada are high—upcoming months will shape the next generation of Canada–U.S. relations.
- Trade consultant Eric Miller warns: "What happens in the next few months will determine bilateral relations between Canada and the U.S. for the next generation. And so, buckle up." (Eric Miller, 06:30)
- Uncertainty looms: U.S. must submit a report to Congress by January 2; withdrawal would mean “even more uncertainty for Canadian businesses, workers, and the economy.”

2. Canada’s Economy: Resilient but Fragile

[07:51–10:51]

Theme: The Bank of Canada holds its interest rate steady at 2.25%, but underlying weakness and uncertainty persist amid global trade friction.
Key Points:
- Bank of Canada Governor Tiff Macklem acknowledges resilience but anticipates “modest growth.”
- “The Canadian economy is going through a difficult structural adjustment that is going to take some time,” says Macklem, noting businesses are cautious about investment and hiring. (Peter Armstrong paraphrasing, 09:13)
- The current economic resilience is mainly due to:
  - Stronger-than-expected pre-trade-war data.
  - Tariff exemptions in sectors like steel and aluminum, which have so far limited broader economic damage.
- Rate outlook remains uncertain; "markets are now betting rates will stay where they are for quite some time,” but Catherine Judge (CIBC) says that depends on trade outcomes, particularly “if Kuzma gets renewed.” (Catherine Judge, 10:28)

3. Federal Politics: Liberal Minority Stalemate

[10:51–11:53]

Theme: With Parliament adjourning for the winter, the Liberal minority government (led by Mark Carney) struggles to advance its legislative agenda.
Key Points:
- Carney’s government has announced big changes but “only passed a handful of new laws.” (Olivia Stefanovic, 11:11)
- Both government and opposition blame each other for gridlock.
- NDP interim leader Don Davies: “You can't get anything done, nothing in this House of Commons unless the Liberals have the support of another party.” (Don Davies, 11:35)
- Speculation that Carney could seek a majority in a spring election.
- Carney was elected primarily to manage relations with a turbulent U.S.—trade resolution remains elusive.

4. Quebec Liberals Face Corruption Probe

[11:53–14:40]

Theme: Quebec’s Liberal Party is rocked by a criminal investigation into alleged misuse of public funds and bribery in the leadership race.
Key Points:
- Allegations arise of vote-buying (“vote for cash”) with leaked text messages implicating party members.
- Liberal leader Pablo Rodriguez vows transparency: “If people did anything wrong… they’ll pay the price. They'll suffer the consequences.” (Pablo Rodriguez, 12:42)
- PQ opposition: “It's a Liberal party that has a culture of corruption in the organization.” (Alex Boissonault, 13:10)
- Political scientists note the allegations reinforce old narratives and further damage the Liberals’ reputation, possibly pushing supporters to call for Rodriguez to resign.
- Rodriguez refuses: “There's nothing that I've done wrong.” (Pablo Rodriguez, 14:26)

5. Toxic Drug Crisis: Animal Tranquilizer Hits Canadian Streets

[14:40–18:56]

Theme: Medetomidine, an animal tranquilizer, is increasingly found in street drugs, causing unpredictable and dangerous overdoses.
Key Insights:
- Overdose prevention workers observe “people do tiny amounts… and they’re losing consciousness almost immediately.” (Amy Evans, 15:26)
- Naloxone doesn’t counteract metetomidine, making interventions less effective.
- “Its implications, its effects on human beings are really not fully understood.” (Amy Evans, 15:56)
- Dr. Paxton Bach highlights risk of high heart rates, seizures, even death.
- "These completely unregulated markets… are just changing the recipe at will." (Dan Werb, 17:09)
- Over 50,000 Canadian lives lost since 2016; now, with a “new ingredient flooding the streets,” risks escalate.

6. Briefs: Alberta Recall & U.S.–Venezuela Oil Tensions

[14:40–19:13]

**Alberta Premier Danielle Smith faces a recall petition, although she disputes claims she’s ignoring her riding.
U.S. seizes an oil tanker near Venezuela amid sanctions and alleged ties to terrorism. President Trump orders military buildup in the region.

7. Eurovision Boycott over Israel

[19:13–19:45]

Iceland becomes the fifth country to boycott Eurovision 2026 over Israel’s war conduct and attempts to influence the contest’s voting, joining Spain, Ireland, Slovenia, and the Netherlands.

8. In Memoriam: Sophie Kinsella (Madeleine Wickham, 1969–2025)

[19:45–21:58]

Theme: Celebrating the late British novelist Sophie Kinsella, famed for her Shopaholic series.
Kinsella’s writing “gave women permission to be their entire selves—messy, imperfect, hurting, grieving, angry, confused.” (Elise Murray, 21:13)
Her last book drew on her cancer journey: “I could turn this extreme event into something that was hopeful and optimistic and full of love because my journey has been full of love.” (Sophie Wickham, ITV interview, 21:56)

9. Robert Munsch’s “Last Hurrah”

[21:58–26:40]

Theme: Robert Munsch, Canada’s beloved children’s author, gives what he calls his “last hurrah” interview, reflecting candidly on illness, mortality, and creative legacy.
Key Moments & Quotes:
- Humor & Honesty:
  - Adrienne Arseneault: “You said you were shopping for a coffin, which was…”
  - Munsch (laughing): “A little dark, yes.” (23:35)
- Vulnerability on Life with Dementia & Parkinson’s:
  - “I tell people I’m fine. I’m not fine.” (24:13)
  - “I fall down, I forget words. I can’t open anything… Every time it happens, I think, well, I won’t do such and such. But it keeps happening.”
- Creative Endurance & Legacy:
  - “There’s about 50 stories in that. When I’m dead, they’ll still be putting out Robert Munsch books.” (24:56)
  - On his mind: “In my brain? The stories are all stacked, they’re locked. I can’t trust the rest of my thinking. But the stories are my friends.”
- On MAID (Medical Assistance in Dying):
  - “Both of us feel that that’s a choice that is valid and legitimate. Fortunately for both of us, maybe especially me, it’s a long ways away.” (Munsch’s wife, Ann)
  - Munsch’s message: “Don’t worry. I’ll be okay no matter what. Right?” (26:30)
- Tone: The interview is a delicate blend of silliness and poignancy, honoring Munsch’s unique voice and resilience.

10. Culture & Technology: McDonald’s Pulled AI Christmas Ad

[26:40–28:58]

Theme: Backlash erupts over McDonald’s Netherlands’ AI-generated Christmas ad, pulled after just three days.
- Viewers found it “creepy and inauthentic.”
- Despite criticism, the creators insist “it was a lot of real work,” taking “a team of 10 people seven weeks” and “even exceeded some of its traditional film shoots.”
- McDonald’s response: The episode is “a learning moment.”

Notable Quotes – Quick Reference

| Timestamp | Speaker | Quote | |-----------|--------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 01:05 | Jameson Greer | "Our economic relationship with Canada is very, very different than our economic relationship with Mexico. ..." | | 06:30 | Eric Miller | "What happens in the next few months will determine bilateral relations ... So, buckle up." | | 10:28 | Catherine Judge | "Our forecast depends on customer largely getting renewed, but perhaps some sectoral tariffs remaining in place."| | 12:42 | Pablo Rodriguez | "If people did anything wrong ... they'll pay the price." | | 13:10 | Alex Boissonault | "It's a Liberal party that has a culture of corruption in the organization." | | 15:26 | Amy Evans | "We've seen people do tiny amounts ... and they're losing consciousness almost immediately." | | 17:09 | Dan Werb | "What we're seeing are these completely unregulated markets ... just changing the recipe at will." | | 21:13 | Elise Murray | "She gave women permission to be their entire selves ... to be vulnerable, to be real, to be authentic." | | 24:13 | Robert Munsch | "I tell people I’m fine. I’m not fine." | | 24:56 | Robert Munsch | "There’s about 50 stories in that. When I’m dead, they’ll still be putting out Robert Munsch books." | | 26:30 | Robert Munsch | "Don’t worry. I’ll be okay no matter what. Right?" |

Conclusion

This episode of “Your World Tonight” offers not just a news round-up, but a vivid snapshot of a complex and changing Canada—where the future of trade, politics, public health, and cultural identity are all in flux. Balancing the serious and the sentimental, the podcast connects headlines to the lives they impact, making it essential listening for those seeking clarity and context.

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Transcript

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This is a CBC podcast.

A (1:05)

Our economic relationship with Canada is very, very different than our economic relationship with Mexico. So it makes sense to talk about things separately. As Canada, the US And Mexico get ready to review their free trade agreement. A top trade negotiator says North America's long running three way partnership could be broken up in favor of separate deals. Welcome to youo World Tonight. I'm Susan Bonner. It is Wednesday, December 10, just before 6pm Eastern. Also on the podcast. Yes, you know we are pleased to see this resilience but you know, going forward we continue to expect fairly modest growth. Canada's key interest rate remains unchanged and so do the concerns about the country's economy. Uncertainty, sluggish growth, yet still managing to fend off the effects of a trade war better than anyone expected.

A (2:05)

When Donald Trump signed on to Kuzma in 2020, he called the new North American trade pact a breakthrough. A breakup may be the better term. Tonight, the President's point man on trade is again floating the idea of replacing the agreement with bilateral deals. Katie Simpson has our top story from Washington. Ambassador Greer, thank you so much for coming. Today the top trade official within the Trump administration, U.S. trade Representative Jameson Greer, sat down for an hour long Q and A session in Washington offering the most extensive insight yet into what President Donald Trump wants to happen to Kuzma. The Canada U. S. Mexico trade deal, could it be exited? Yeah, it could be exited. Could it be revised? Yes. Could it be renegotiated? Yes, and all of those things are on the table. The pact is up for review next year and is widely expected to be renegotiated. However, Greer suggested Trump is open to abandoning Kuzma in favor of separate bilateral trade deals with Canada and Mexico. Our economic relationship with Canada is very, very different than our economic relationship with Mexico. The labor situation is different. The import export profile is different. The rule of law is different. Greer's comments were striking enough. The moderator of the event followed up, seeking a clarification. So it sounds like if I could sort of infer what you're saying is that, yeah, we could end up with separately, two rather than one agreement. You could have a couple of protocols attached to the agreement. You could have a replacement. I mean, there are a lot of things that you could do now. While the Trump administration's threats are generally taken seriously by the Canadian government, the president has used this kind of rhetoric in the past as a negotiating tactic, and it could be part of the US Strategy. Heading into the Kuzma Review. Trump wants concessions from Canada and Mexico, changes to the deal in order to promote American interests. More manufacturing at home, better terms that favor American producers, including dairy farmers. This is going to be a year of incredible consequence for Canada, and we don't know how it's going to play out. Eric Miller is the president of a trade consulting firm, the Rideau Potomac Strategy Group. He says there is no way to predict what Trump is going to do in this difficult moment. What happens in the next few months will determine bilateral relations between Canada and the U.S. for the next generation. And so, buckle up. American lawmakers will soon get a better sense of the Trump administration's strategy. It must submit a report to Congress about the deal by January 2, though it's unclear if that report will be made public. If the US Were to pull out of the pact, it could mean even more uncertainty for Canadian businesses, workers, and the economy. Katie Simpson, CBC News, Washington. Canada is weathering the trade war. The question is for how long? The central bank highlighted a resilient economy today after keeping its key lending rate at two and a quarter percent. But the bank's governor is still worried about the next few months. Senior business correspondent Peter Armstrong is in studio. So, Peter, Tiff Macklin says the economy is weak, unemployment is high. Wouldn't those be good reasons for the bank of Canada to cut rates? Yeah. Look, if there's one thing we've had to say over and over again this year, it's that these are not normal times. This is not a normal economic crisis. And so the solutions won't be the same ones that we usually see. Reading through the bank of Canada's decision, the basic argument is that the economy is doing better than expected. So is that enough to keep the bank on the sidelines, as they say. It's enough for now, you know. Yes, things are indeed better than expected. But bank of Canada Governor Tiff Macklem says the overall story that he sees in the Canadian economy is still one defined by weakness. The Canadian economy is going through a difficult structural adjustment that is going to take some time. When you talk to companies, they're being very cautious about their investment plans. They're cautious about their hiring plans. So, yes, we are pleased to see this resilience. But going forward, we continue to expect fairly modest growth. So in the last bank statement, Tiff Macklem repeatedly said monetary policy was at the limits of what it can do. Did anything change? No. His core argument last time was that monetary policy changes to interest rates can't help target specific sectors. They can't help businesses find new markets. They can't reconfigure supply chains. And if you look at where that resilience he was talking about, where that comes from, it's not the sort of stuff that can be bolstered by slightly lower interest rates. Well, where is the resilience coming from? So there's two key parts. One is that new data from Statistics Canada has shown the economy was actually on more solid footing than we thought heading into this trade war. But also the tariff exemptions that we've seen have meant the severe damage in sectors like, say, steel and aluminum, that that hasn't spilled over into the rest of the economy, at least not yet. Okay, now to the markets. They're now betting rates will stay where they are for quite some time. How can they be so sure? Well, the fact is they can't. It's a best guess based on what we've heard from the banks so far. Here's Catherine Judge, senior economist at CIBC Capital Markets. Yeah, so we see the bank of Canada keeping the overnight rate at 2.25% through the end of 2026. Our forecast depends on customer largely getting renewed, but perhaps some sectoral tariffs remaining in place. We do think there's scope for aluminum tariffs to go down or be eliminated. Those are some big ifs, though, if Kuzma gets renewed, if things continue down the road as expected. So obviously a lot of wiggle room left there. Thank you, Peter. You bet. Senior business correspondent Peter Armstrong in Toronto. Trade and the economy have been a big focus on Parliament Hill. Now the House of Commons is about to rise for its winter break. And though the minority Liberals are just two seats shy of a majority, they are struggling to find opposition support to pass their agenda. As Olivia Stefanovic reports, it's unclear if that will change in the new year. Look, it's a minority Parliament. It's functioned well. On his way out of what was likely the last Liberal caucus meeting of the year, Prime Minister Mark Carney held up a Christmas music record gifted to him by one of his MPs as he defended his governing record. We're making progress. We're making progress. Canadians rightly expect us to make a lot more progress. When he became prime minister last March, Carney promised big changes at speeds Canadians didn't think possible. And while his government has, yes, made a series of big announcements, it's only passed a handful of new laws. We have a lot to get done. We have a lot to get through. Cue the blame game. Government House Leader Stephen McKinnon accuses the official opposition of obstructing the government's priorities. It's an amazing thing. The Conservatives have been talking it out every time we bring it up in the House. This government controls the timeline in this Parliament, and it's completely at their feet. Meanwhile, Conservative House leader Andrew Scheer says the Prime Minister is the one responsible. He expects Canadians to have confidence in him to negotiate on behalf of Canada around the world. You can't even do that here in Parliament. Although the situation is still not as bad as last year, when the Trudeau government's legislative agenda grounded to a halt, there are signs of problems. In his first order of business, Carney repealed the consumer carbon price and put a middle class tax cut into effect. But the bill to make those changes, official legislation, hasn't even made it to the Senate. Neither has the government's proposed border security changes, criminal justice reforms, or the bill to implement implement the budget. I look to the Carney government in 2026 to demonstrate that they understand they're in a minority Parliament. Interim NDP leader Don Davies says the Liberals aren't showing a willingness to work across party lines. You can't get anything done, nothing in this House of Commons unless the Liberals have the support of another party. This Parliament still is fragile. It's a minority. Because of that, pollster David Coletto says Carney may look for an opportunity to get a majority in the new year. I'm not personally writing off the idea that come this spring, we might be in another federal election. Carney was elected last spring primarily to deal with US President Donald Trump. So far, the trade war remains far from resolved. Olivia Stefanovic, CBC News, Ottawa.