Cross Country Checkup

Mark Carney hasn't been on the job for long, but a lot has already happened during his time in office. The trade dispute with the U.S. continues. Donald Trump announced new tariffs on Thursday. He ended the consumer carbon tax, passed Bill C-5 - aimed at fast-tracking 'nation-building' projects, and he has made pledges to end barriers to interprovincial trade by Canada Day and to boost military spending to 5 per cent of GDP by 2035, an increase that could cost $150 billion per year.

Our question: What grade are you giving Prime Minister Mark Carney, so far?

Political differences can be a minefield among family and friends, trade tensions. new tariff threats from Donald Trump. "Elbows Up' and calls to “Buy Canadian", there's a shift happening —not just policy, but how many Canadians relate to their neighbours south of the border. It's changing what many people buy, where we travel - even how we talk to American family, friends and coworkers.

Our question: What conversations are you having with Americans? How are the Canada-US relationships going in your life?

According to a survey, four out of ten people said they were planning to leave their jobs earlier this year. So whether you decided to quit your job to follow your passion, left the corporate world for a more quiet life, or maybe you're weighing the decision to quit right now, how did you know it was the right time to leave your job? How did that decision change your path?

The job picture is bleak for young people right now. Canadian youth between the ages of 15 to 24 are facing the highest unemployment rate since the mid-90's, the only exception —the pandemic years. According to numbers from the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, the jobless rate for young people has been rising faster here in the past two years than any other major economy. How are you seeing this play out in your own life, or with your friends and family?

Our question: How are you affected by youth unemployment? What’s your summer job search story?

In many schools across the country, this was, among other things, the year of the cell phone ban. Six Canadian provinces restricted cell phone use in the classroom. In May, the province of Quebec announced a full ban —zero phone use from the first to the last bell— starting next September. We wanted to hear from students, teachers, administrators, parents, anyone with first hand experience in the classroom.

Our question: How did your school's cell phone ban go this year? What impact did it have?

This summer millions of Canadians will trek, hike, camp in our great outdoors like never before, which means more human encounters with Canadian wildlife. Have you come face to face with a moose, beaver or caribou? One of those frozen-in-time moments you'll never forget?

Our question: What was your unexpected encounter with a wild animal?

On Saturday, US bombers attacked 3 nuclear sites inside Iran, including the Fordo uranium enrichment plant - a site which is vital to Iran's nuclear capabilities. Israel has said they were in "full coordination" with these attacks. The next morning, US Defence Secretary said the US has "devastated the Iranian nuclear program". It is an ominous escalation in the Iran-Israel War - one that has implications for civilians in Iran, Israel and across the Middle East and anyone who has friends or family in the region.

Our question: What questions do you have about the Israel-Iran war? How does it affect you?

In 1998, Canada achieved what health officials call "measles elimination status" but now the country could lose that designation. Ontario is reporting more measles cases each week than it once saw over an entire decade. And just earlier this month Ontario's Ministry of Health has announced the first recorded death of a measles patient. Alberta is also experiencing its worst measles outbreak since the mid 90s. And according to the Pan American Health Organization, Canada has more cases than any other country in the Americas. At the same time, vaccine hesitancy has grown nationally along with a drop in measles immunization rates which is prompting some to call for mandatory childhood measles vaccination. An Angus Reid poll conducted last month found that 69% of Canadians agreed that vaccinations should be mandatory for kids.

Our question: Should a childhood measles vaccination be mandatory?

Closing arguments in the sex assault trial for 5 former world junior hockey players concluded on Friday. All five accused men have pleaded not guilty to alleged sexual assaults at a London, Ontario hotel in June 2018. The woman at the centre of the case told the judge she agreed to go back to the hotel and have sex with one of the players but didn't consent to what happened later.

Our question: Why is it so hard to talk about consent? What conversations are you having with the people in your life?

There’s no question artificial intelligence is catapulting human capability to new heights, if it's used properly and ethically, and there’s the question. University students are using it more than ever before, according to some surveys more than 80%, sometimes to help them with their work, and sometimes to do it for them. And that brings us to the workplace where AI use can be a source of competitive advantage or unethical and even harmful outcomes without appropriate human intervention.

Our question: Are you falling behind because everybody else is using AI to get ahead? Is AI creating a generation of cheaters or achievers?