The World This Hour - The World This Hour for 2025/04/01 at 07:00 EDT

Episode Date: April 1, 2025

The World This Hour for 2025/04/01 at 07:00 EDT

I've been covering politics for 20 years and I can't remember a time like now when everything we thought we knew has been thrown in the air. From Trudeau's resignation to Trump's tariffs to a spring election during huge shifts in the polls. There's a lot at stake and power and politics is here to guide you through it. I'm David Cochran and on CBC's only political

daily I speak to the key players in this election. From the candidates to the analysts to the journalists on the campaign trail, you can find power and politics wherever you get your podcasts, including YouTube. It's the World This Hour. I'm Joe Cummings. As of today, the federal government's decision to drop its consumer carbon tax is now in effect. Mark Carney eliminated the program as one of his first acts as Prime Minister. And energy analysts say Canadian drivers can expect to see an almost immediate drop in gas prices.

Paula Duhatsatchuk has more. What they should see is a reduction of 17.6 cents a litre as the carbon tax comes off. Richard Masson is an executive fellow at the University of Calgary School of Public Policy. It may change day to day as buying demand in different parts of the market happen but over the next few days I would expect to see most of that, almost 18 cent drop in price. While drivers might be happy to see the carbon tax in the rearview mirror, economist Rob Gillesot says cutting the tax was a step in the wrong direction. It's a sad day. And it's something that for a long time, people from a whole range

of different perspectives came to accept as the best market driven solution to climate change. And now it's dead. As the policy winds down, Canadians can expect to get one more carbon rebate later this month. Paula Duhaczek, CBC News, Calgary. Overnight, the BC legislature fast-tracked legislation to eliminate the province's carbon pricing policy to coincide with today's demise of the federal version. It means that Quebec is now the only province that has a consumer price program. Hundreds of thousands of people across southern and central Ontario are still without power

following two freezing rainstorms over the weekend. Hydro One says more than 250,000 homes and businesses are still in the dark. Their crews have been working around the clock to get their customers back online, but it's possible some people will still have another day or two to go before power is restored. The weather system moved east yesterday, and Hydro-Québec reports close to 3,000 homes and businesses in their province are without electricity. Now, to the federal election campaign and the Toronto area riding of Markham Unionville. Under mounting criticism, the riding's Liberal candidate Paul Chang has announced he is now

dropping out of the race. Kate McKenna reports. Just before midnight, Liberal candidate Paul Chang announced he was stepping down because he says he doesn't want to be a distraction during the election. This was hours after the RCMP announced it was looking into comments he made about conservative candidate Joe Tay. Chang was running in Markham Unionville. In January he suggested to Chinese language media that people could hand over Tay to the Chinese consulate for a reward offered by police in Hong Kong. Tay is running for the conservatives in Don Valley North.

He runs a YouTube channel that promotes democracy and free speech. Chang apologized for his comments and Liberal leader Mark Carney defended him, calling it a teachable moment. But Tay says he was left fearing for his safety. Chang tried to apologize to Tay, but in a statement the Conservative candidate said, an apology won't cut it. Kate McKenna, CBC News, Ottawa. The Green Party is rolling out its plan to expand Canada's military reserve forces. The plan includes creating a civil defense corps that includes 120,000 members, along with a boost in funding for the ranger program. Here's Green Party co-leader Jonathan Pednault.

Under President Trump's presidency, Canada won't be treated as an ally anymore. He's made it clear to him we are a resource colony. What do we do? We take responsibility, we prepare ourselves, and we come together as a nation. That's Pedno making a campaign stop yesterday in Whitehorse. He is the first federal leader at this point to visit the North. As for the other leaders today, the NDP's Jagmeet Singh is in Edmonton where there are two new Democrat seats his party is looking to hold on to. Bloc leader Yves-Francois Blanchet will spend the day in the Gaspe. Conservative leader Pierre Poliev starts his day in St. John's and Liberal leader Mark Carney is in Winnipeg.

And that is The World This Hour. Remember, you can listen to us wherever you get your podcasts. The World This Hour is updated every hour, seven days a week. And for news anytime, go to our website cbcnews.ca. For CBC News, I'm Joe Cummings.