For decades, scientific research at the Great Lakes has meant close partnership between Canada and the U.S., but President Trump’s latest job cuts may be changing that. In March, the U.S. agencies overseeing the health and conditions of oceans, lakes and rivers became the latest target of the Trump administration’s federal job-cutting spree.

Patrick White reports on water issues for The Globe. Today, he explains how the partnership around the Great Lakes is changing, why there are new negotiations about water sharing, and why these conversations about freshwater are not just issues of environmental concern – but also of national security.

This episode originally aired March 27, 2025.

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