CBC News: The National | Lloyd Robertson dead at 92

Breaking tonight, veteran Canadian broadcaster Lloyd Robertson has died.

And that's the kind of day it's been for all of us at CTV News.Good night.

His signature sign -off, a mainstay on airwaves in Canada for decades.We look back at his life and the mark he left on Canadian journalism.A raging wildfire destroys hundreds of homes in the BC interior.

It's devastating, you know.What are we going to do now?

The crushing loss and anxious wait For some 8 ,000 people forced out, what's making these fires so explosive?A new way to catch Celine Dion's highly anticipated return.Win the lotto.

We never thought we'd see Celine back on stage ever again.

How Lotto Quebec is trying to cash in on the hype.

From CBC News, this is The National with Paul Hunter.

Thanks for joining us.Adrian is away.We begin tonight with some breaking news and sad news for many of us here at CBC.One of Canada's most recognized journalists, Lloyd Robertson, has died.A family member confirmed his passing tonight to CBC News.He was 92.

Robertson was the anchor of this show for much of the 1970s before moving to CTV News, where he anchored the national news for the next three decades.His career was long.and celebrated, and his impact is enduring.Susan Ormiston now looks back at his work and legacy.

Tonight's stories come from Washington, Sicily, Apollo 12, and Seattle, among other places.

It was the voice that caught the ear in the early days of TV news.

Good evening, Lloyd Robertson for CBC News.

His baritone delivery, a steady soundtrack for some of the biggest stories of our times.Like the first man on the moon in 1969.

And I thought, what a great job this is. I'm pinching myself because here I am, a little kid from Stratford, in the center of things, where I always wanted to be.

Lloyd Robertson got his start in private radio, then joined CBC TV in the mid 1950s.

A number of people who have just heard the election result.

An up -and -coming talent when staff announcers wore many hats.

Right now, it's your vacation time.

Oh, say Lloyd, you wouldn't happen to have another banana, would you?

Toby.

Roles in Vacation Time and Mr. Fix -It.

Take your pick.Which one is the Mona Lisa?

Those were the days when things were starting off and everybody did everything, you know, news, sports weather, jazz shows, whatever.If you could do it, you did it because television was just starting.

Everything is in readiness here.But news became his passion.

For the first time, a satellite over the Indian Ocean is being used.He died last night, the last of the heroes of the Second World War.As TV went from black and white to color, so did Lloyd.Well, as you've probably gathered, we are surrounded by a lot of computerization on this show.

With the sometimes quirky innovations of early programming.

Move in desk, that's the way.You see, you pat it a bit.

By the 1970s, Robertson was CBC's main news anchor.

Good evening.

Guiding Canadians through tense moments like the FLQ crisis.

Officially and privately, Canadians are mourning the death of Pierre Laporte.at the hands of political assassins.Greeting royals.Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, stepping out into the Arctic air for the first time.

And marking moments in political history.

In about 30 minutes from now, Richard Milhouse Nixon, the President of the United States, will address the American people on radio and television.The world will be watching.

That's the news.Robertson was a fixture in Canadians' lives on CBC until 1976.

Good evening.In the news tonight, I quit.

When at 42 years old, he jumped ship.

I had a terrible, terrible time tearing myself away from Mother Corporation.

In fact, I woke up at six o 'clock in the morning, the morning after the decision, and I said to my wife, what have I done? Joining CTV, first as co -anchor with Harvey Kirk, and then chief anchor for three decades. Shepherding viewers through some of the biggest crises in history. At home, a popular celebrity. who covered 14 federal elections. The last time you and I talked in this room, you won the election. As familiar to Canadians as the prime ministers he interviewed. Where are you stepping down? I'm not quitting before you. OK, that's a deal. Jean Chrétien left his post long before Robertson, who announced he would leave CTV's anchor chair in 2011, turning it over to Lisa Laflamme.

It was time.Life is about timing.

but staying on as a special correspondent for W5.He has gained public trust for his integrity.For his unparalleled 60 years in broadcasting, Robertson was awarded an Order of Canada, the degree of Doctor of Laws, multiple honorary degrees, and from his colleagues, the prestigious Gordon Sinclair Award.A special moment for the consummate professional.

And so we come to the end.

Who's now delivered his final signature sign -off to Canada.

And that's the kind of day it's been for all of us at CTV News.Good night.

According to his family, Robertson died this evening.A cause of death wasn't released.Turning to British Columbia now, where wildfire evacuees are getting difficult news tonight.Officials confirming that hundreds of homes have burned in fires across the province.The Okanagan Indian Band chief says more than 200 properties have been destroyed by wildfire near Vernon, and officials say a fire raging west of Kamloops has damaged at least 120 structures.Crews are still trying to get a complete picture of the destruction, but hot, dry conditions expected in the coming days could make that assessment difficult, as well as the firefight.

Caroline Bargoot is near Vernon and spoke with some who have lost everything.

A first look at the destruction caused by a wildfire in BC's Okanagan.Among those impacted are Wayne Jones and Karen Royston.They watched as flames engulfed their community and now they know their home is gone.

It's devastating, you know, we don't know what's going to happen.So you know, when you're at our age, you don't, you know, what are we going to do now?

All they have is their two dogs and the clothes on their backs.We had stepped out for a while and came back and couldn't get back in.Luckily we have a couple of sons that and so very many friends that have offered to help us.The chief of the Okanagan Indian Band says around 30 members homes were destroyed by the wildfire along with about 200 homes belonging to non -Indigenous residents.

Many people are watchingthis wildfire is measured in hectares and structural loss.For our community, it's measured in homes, family histories, and places people have spent all of their lives.

The Bradley Creek and Quilpitic Creek wildfires remain out of control and are still threatening neighborhoods in the Okanagan.Evacuations expanded on Tuesday.So far, 7 ,300 people have been forced out.Nearly 4 ,000 more have been told they may have to go, too.

And how many sandwiches do we have going out today?

David Skarlitescu wanted to help, so he started feeding fire evacuees and frontline workers free of charge.

We can't change the fact that they've lost homes, that, I mean, a lot of them have lost livelihoods.It's at least something that can make their day a little bit better, I hope, and it's the least that we can do.

The number of evacuees continues to grow.The province says hotter temperatures this week could bring challenges to firefighters battling these blazes.

And Caroline, this isn't the only wildfire that's devastated communities, is it?

That's right.Today we learned the Pear Lake wildfire, which is burning near the village of Clinton northwest of Kamloops, has destroyed about 120 properties.Officials were able to do damage assessments on Monday, but they say they weren't able to get into all the areas and suspect several hundred structures may have been destroyed.

All right.Thank you, Caroline.That's Caroline Bargute in Lake Country, B .C.And just south of British Columbia, residents in Washington State are sifting through the rubble of their homes as wildfires ravage their communities.

You know, it's kind of so nice to see some things, even if we can't salvage them.

Officials say a 37 -year -old man has been charged with first -degree arson, accused of starting one of the fires near Spokane that's destroyed about 700 properties in four years.to evacuate.And our Julia Wong is in one of those destroyed neighborhoods in Spokane.Julia, what are you seeing?

Yeah, Paul, I mean, it's really hard to describe this scene that we're seeing.But the one word that comes to mind is post -apocalyptic.You know, as we were driving to this location, passing by homes that had been destroyed, it was an incredible sight.Rubble just on the ground.And it's hard to believe that properties like the one that you see here behind me, that they used to be a home, that someone used to live there.You can see that there are remnants of a washer.

There are front steps that now lead to nowhere.And it's just incredible the force of Mother Nature that has made it.way through the city of Spokane, which is the second largest city in the state, and 25 % of the population of the city had to leave at a moment's notice because of those wildfires that were burning just out of control.At least 700 structures have been destroyed, hundreds more have been damaged, and what officials are saying is that this wildfire is their number one focus in the entire country right now.

We're still the number one priority fire right now.Priority right now is for protection of life and property, but being that number one fire, we're getting a lot of resources in and it's really helping us.

So you can probably see that it's quite pink here around me.This just shows you the desperate nature that firefighters had covering this area with pink retardant.There are vehicles, there are buildings.I saw a whole apartment complex that was covered in that pink retardant.So it just shows you the lengths that firefighters are going to go to try to get this fire under control.

The retardant unto itself is quite telling, Julie.I mean, what's in store for this community in the coming days?

Yeah, a few different things.One is a smoke.The smell in the air is really thick right now.It's really hard to escape.The other is the fact that the three fires that are burning in Spokane, near Spokane, are 0 % contained.so firefighters still have quite the feat ahead of them.

There are about 1 ,100 firefighters here right now trying to battle the blaze.They expect that number to double by the end of the week, just showing you all the resources that they need to put to try to get these fires under some semblance of control.And also, the weather is going to complicate things.Things are going to get hotter, windier near the end of the week.The relative humidity is also going to drop, so definitely it's challenges for firefighters.in the days to come.

All right, Julia, thank you.That's Julie Wong in Spokane, Washington.People who live in Ontario's Niagara region are cleaning up after back -to -back rainstorms caused major flooding.

Toilet tube overfilled.Coming out from the shower.

St. Catharines and the town of Lincoln both declared states of emergency after about 250 millimeters of rain fell in less than a week, flooding roads, damaging homes, and causing widespread power outages.One person is dead after two planes crashed midair in Chilliwack, B .C.east of Vancouver on Monday.The RCMP says one of the planes ended up in a pond and a man was found dead.The other plane managed to land safely at Chilliwack Airport.

No one on board that plane was hurt.An investigation is underway into what led to the collision.Many WestJet passengers are still struggling to get to their destinations nearly two days after a strike by flight attendants ended.And as Jennifer Yoon explains, until a new contract is ratified, uncertainty lingers.

Some WestJet passengers feeling sweet relief after days of anxiety.

We're just happy to be taking off the ground at the straights.I'm really, really, really relieved.My daughter's having a baby in a couple of weeks, so I don't want to miss it.

More than 24 hours after the flight attendant strike ended, things are slowly going back to normal for WestJet.Tuesday morning, only a few passengersflights were cancelled.more than 900 were cance and third.

But many passen with no word from WestJet accommodations, meal vouchers, like there's just zero communication with them so we're just like literally left on our own.

I'm missing work, I've been missing work for four days now and I need to get back to work as soon as possible and they're not going to pay for my wages.

It's unclear how long it will take to get those affected to their destinations the experts.

They're not going to bump people off of those flights who hold reservations in order to accommodate people with cancelled flights.

Also unclear, the details of the tentative agreement that ended the work disruption.

The contract tentative agreement is for the members to decide, not the general public.And so they want the discussion about the tentative agreement to be amongst the members themselves.

Now it's up to the flight attendants to decide what happens next.They'll vote on the deal in the next 30 days.A no vote could put passengers back in limbo.

There have been several instances in recent years where workers have rejected contracts that have been recommended to them by their negotiating committees.So it's including the Air Canada flight attendants last year.

WestJet asking for patience as it works to restore its network.The airline reminding passengers to check the status of their flight before coming to the airport.Jennifer Yoon, CBC News, Mississauga, Ontario.

Canada's chief trade negotiator and the Canada -U .S.trade minister have jetted off to Washington for another round of meetings with a little over two weeks before the U .S.plans to impose new 50 % tariffs on Canadian goods.Dominic LeBlanc was expected to meet with some senators.

and industry leaders according to a senior government source.It's unclear whether he'll also meet with U .S.Trade Representative Jameson Greer or how long the trip will last.The U .S.

Department of State has confirmed it's closing its Winnipeg consulate as part of cost -cutting measures.A timeline has not been provided but U .S.officials tell CBC News the process will happen in phases and the work currently being done out of the building will be transferred to the embassy in Ottawa.The closure is one of five by the U .S.

but it is the only one in North America.Experts say a deadly outbreak of Ebola surging through the Democratic Republic of Congo is outpacing efforts to contain it.But help may be on the way in the form of a new mRNA vaccine.As Tashana Reid tells us, it's being tested right here in Canada.

Workers pushed to finish a new facility for Ebola patients to keep up with the unprecedented spread of the Bundibugyo virus in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The biggest treatment center of the country with a capacity a hundred beds.

The outbreak is now the second largest ever.WHO officials say it has killed about 1 ,700 people and infected nearly 3 ,800 since mid -May.It's a situation further complicated by an ongoing conflict forcing mass displacements and widespread mistrust with health authorities.There is no approved treatment or vaccines for this rare Ebola strain but scientists are hoping to change that.

There is promising progress with clinical trials of treatment of prophylaxis and of vaccines.

and Canada is joining that effort.Health Canada has authorized a phase one clinical trial for a potential mRNA vaccine for the Bundibugyo strain.A total of 80 healthy Canadians are enrolled.The first dose given in Truro, Nova Scotia on Sunday.Drug maker Moderna says the technology builds on the same methods used to develop its COVID vaccine.

Our focus right now is generating data that characterizes the safety and effectiveness of our vaccine candidate.

The phase one trial will determine any side effects the appropriate dosage and test if the immune system makes antibodies.Canada is the second country after the UK to launch clinical trials for a vaccine candidate.Still phase two and three clinical trials need to follow and that could take more than a year.

The hope is that something's ready soon enough for this outbreak but more realistic is that we have something in our back pocket for future outbreak.

Moderna says they hope to have clinical data from this trial ready in the fall and if the results are promising the goal is to complete the next stage of trials on the ground in Congo.Tashana Reid, CBC News, Toronto.

Some Quebecers are turning to the lottery in hopes of scoring tickets to see Celine Dion live in Paris.

I was not lucky at all.I didn't have my tickets but I would like to go.

16 sold -out shows, resale tickets priced in the thousands.What led to this promotion?Ariana Grande is taking a break from public life after a flurry of criticism about her appearance.

Boundaries still need to be set.

Why the singer became a target.And a marmot on the move.

We realized, oh, this is probably, probably a hitchhiker.

We're back in two.a stunning sight and a dangerous one in Guatemala, where the Fuego volcano is erupting.Two nearby villages have been evacuated over very real fears of disaster.An eruption of the same volcano in 2018 destroyed a whole village and killed hundreds of people.Final farewell in Dublin for Irish singer -songwriter Glenn Hansard.Hundreds of mourners lined up to watch the Oscar winner's funeral on big screens outside the cathedral, while inside, celebrities like Eddie Vedder, U2's Bono shared tributes and sang songs.

Hansard died last week in a motorcycle crash at the age of 56.In Quebec, Celine Dion fans have a new opportunity to win big.Lotto Quebec is now selling scratch tickets for the prize of a trip to Paris to see the star in concert.Sarah Levitt now with the competition to see Celine's big return to the stage.

She captivated the world with her performance on the Eiffel Tower at the 2024 Paris Olympics opening ceremony.And in just over a month, Céline Dion will be back on stage in Paris.So this is the ticket.You have to scratch your numbers.Now Lotto Quebec is capitalizing on the hype, selling a lottery scratch card, offering Quebecers the chance to win a trip to Paris and of course tickets to Dion's show.

We see that people they love so much Céline Dion that this is of course their reaction to their another chance to to get to see her.

Her Paris residency is a long -awaited comeback.In 2022 she was diagnosed with stiff person's syndrome.It causes muscle spasms including of the vocal cords.It was unclear she would perform again but she was persistent saying in a CBC News exclusive...

Well, I'll sing again.

I'll sing again.

It's like a success story.We never thought we'd see Celine back on stage ever again.I was not lucky at all.I didn't have my tickets but I would like to go.

Dionne is playing just 16 shows this fall then 10 more in May.That means getting tickets hasn't been easy or cheap.They initially cost between 89 and 500 euros but sold out immediately.Resale tickets average about 2 ,000 euros.France's Consumer Protection Bureau has opened an investigation into ticket sales around fluctuating and surging pricing on certain platforms.

And it was similar with Taylor Swift though there were more tickets available for her.because she was touring the world but you know tickets were going for thousands and thousands of dollars and you know Celine Dion like she's she's still one of a kind right it's just a huge deal.

With Lotto Quebec's initiative two pairs of lucky Quebecers will get to be there to take it all in.Sarah Levitt, CBC News, Montreal.

Pop star Ariana Grande is speaking out about her decision to step away from the spotlight amid ongoing public scrutiny over her physical appearance.Talia Sarv explains how it's ratcheting up the debate over so -called skinny culture.

Ariana Grande has long dominated the charts.But in recent years, it's her appearance that has dominated conversation.One reignited after this new music video.And the singer announced over the weekend that she'll be taking a break.from the public eye after her latest tour.Grande paused her Chicago concert on Monday night to address the decision, which ends plans for her to star in an upcoming West End musical.

It seems like Ariana Grande right now is sort of, let's say, at the center of a constellation of issues.Intense commentary over Grande's body comes as we've seen an explosion of GLP -1 weight loss drugs and speculation over high -profile celebrity weight loss.In Canada, online searches for these drugs have increased 110 % in the last year.Experts also say social media platforms are pushing restrictive diet content and so -called skinny culture, especially on women.

I think it's important for us to shift the conversation a bit from individual people.This is not an individual problem.This is a cultural, societal issue.

Canadian Rachel Melinda agrees.She was diagnosed with anorexia at 13 years old, which continued into a decade of disordered eating.She now runs women's empowerment events.

I feel like just being a woman with all the beauty standards, it's difficult, right?I really feel for the younger generation of women who are way more susceptible.

We are perpetuating a culture where we're assuming that weight is even an important or even a good proxy for health and we know that it's not.

But with unprecedented access to all things thin, health advocates say weight inclusive education has never been so important.Talia Sarr, CBC News, Toronto.

One of the top contenders to become the next Democratic presidential nominee has a lot to say about the Trump administration.

We have an opportunity to restore those checks and balances in these elections.

Josh Shapiro on the state of U .S.democracy, tariffs, and America's relationship with Canada.Why the U .S.and China are in the midst of a race to the surface of the moon.

It's something bigger than that.We are going to try to figure out what to do with it.

The massive advantage that comes with being the first nation to succeed.Well, we're now three months out from the U .S.midterm elections, a consequential race that could shape how the final years of Donald Trump's second term play out.In June, Adrian sat down with Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro to get his take on the best path forward for Democrats.

Governor, we're very honored that you chose a national to announce your 2028 presidential run.Oh, stop.Well, that's clear enough.Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro does not want to talk about 2028.Everyone else in the U .S.

certainly seems to want to.If this country needs you to run for president of the United States, will you do that?

Is Governor Josh Shapiro now in a better position to run for the White House in a couple of years?

Many see you as a contender for 2028.Do you have any plans to run?

The 52 -year -old who was almost the Democratic nominee for vice president in 2024 is now in people's sights as a contender for the top job.

Is it too soon to ask that question?Look, I'm focused only on being governor of Pennsylvania and running for re -election as governor of Pennsylvania.

That campaign and the November midterms will test Democrats who don't control the presidency, the Senate or the House.So these midterms, what is your gut about how the Democratic Party will fare?

Look, I can just tell you in Pennsylvania, which is the ultimate swing state, really the toughest place to win an election.We've got competitive races up and down.the ballot from governor to state rep to Congress, state Senate, and I'm pouring everything I have into it.

But you also have a drop in Democratic registration in Pennsylvania.

Actually, respectfully, that's wrong.I'll push back on you.We've seen over the last seven months an increase in Democratic voter registration.

So it dropped after 2024.

It went down for a period of time.I worked hard to put someone that I trust in as leader of the Pennsylvania Democratic Party and we've seen, I believe it's every month on his watch, growth, pardon me, growth in Democratic registration.

What's your sense of how the Democratic Party will fare in the country?

Well, look, I think across the board, you're going to have more competitive races this year than perhaps recent years.I think what you'll see is that the balance of power in the House of Representatives may very well come down to Pennsylvania.I know you don't want me to bring it back to my state, but the reality is we've got more competitive congressional races in Pennsylvania than any other state in the country.And even with the attempted rigging of the system, with the gerrymandering, and the unfortunate, really the awful decision by the Supreme Court to eviscerate the Voting Rights Act, which has allowed southern states to redraw their maps, eliminate black representation in Congress.Even with all of that, the balance of power really may come down to these four races in Pennsylvania, and I'm all in to helping these Democrats win and to having a real check on this president.

What you're talking about there, the gerrymandering, the court decision, how worried are you about you know, holistically this midterm process, that the effect those changes at the margin may have?

Of course I'm worried about it.Again, the president's trying to seek whatever advantage he can, and they've drawn the maps in a way that give Republicans some advantage.But I think even after all the gerrymanderingplays out, it really will come down to just good old -fashioned election.And many of those elections are going to take place in Pennsylvania, in the ultimate swing state, and that's where we're going to be focusing our attention.

I think about, you know, growing up hearing about the famous checks and balances in the United States, right, the Congress courts.How functional are those institutions now?Because they don't, you know, They don't seem to be capable of pushing back too hard against the whims of this president.

I'm from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the birthplace of American democracy.It was at Independence Hall where we declared our independence and then constructed the Constitution of the United States.I think one of the most important conversations that took place in all of that was when Ben Franklin walked out of the old Pennsylvania State House, was greeted by a woman, and she asked him, Mr. Franklin, pardon me, What do we have here, a monarchy or a republic?And Franklin looked her in the eye and said, a republic if you can keep it.Are you losing your grip on your republic?We have a group of members of Congress who have simply been a rubber stamp for this president.

We have an opportunity to restore those checks and balances in these elections.And if not?If that doesn't work?I'm an optimist and my glass is half full and I'm going to be focused on making sure we do everything we can to restore that bounce of power in the United States.

Which suggests it's off.You want to restore the bounce of power so it's gone.It's off.

I want to get back to what the framers had hoped.That you would have a Congress of the United States that was a check on the president.Courts that would be a check on the president and that we would not have someone acting outside the bounds of the law.

We had this conversation in Toronto by the way because Governor Shapiro has spent more time in Canada lately.Here because Pennsylvania also understands the bite of Trump's tariffs.

Our trade with Canada has declined about 500 million dollars.

It counts Canada as its largest international trading partner and that trading is getting more expensive.You're here talking in part about tariffs.Do you think Trump's tariffs against Canada should be removed wholesale?

Look, I'm here because Pennsylvania has an extraordinarily important trading relationship with Canada and it is even and it is balanced.We export about $14 billion to Canada from Pennsylvania each year.And it's roughly the same bag, it's about $13 .5 billion or so.So it's a balanced trading relationship.The President, through his tariffs, have made that far more difficult, especially on Pennsylvania farmers and Pennsylvania manufacturers.I think the manner in which he slapped these tariffs on things have been really reckless and have been very haphazard.

I think we need to get back to predictability.We need to get back to stability in that relationship.And I think he's injected a lot of chaos into it.The way he's belittled our neighbors, who we do this trade with, and the way in which he's done it to create a lack of predictability, a lack of stability, is undermining the economic promise and the economic progress of Pennsylvania and of Canada, and I think to the detriment of both.

I hear you on the manner in which this has happened.I'm curious about whether you think the substance of the tariffs should go.Or are some tariffs useful for Pennsylvania?

I think the United States needs to be surgical in our approach to tariffs.But what the President has done here is just simply driven up the – and not just with Canada, but across the board – has driven up prices for the American people, has increased the cost of everything.

It wasn't that long ago President Obama was here in Toronto, and he was talking with a group of people.And he said something that sort of, as somebody in the audience, I found a little bit interesting.with the little tone of frustration that he feels like he's still the most influential, most noteworthy Democrat out there.And he kind of wishes there were more.And I'm wondering who you have your eyes on.

I think he is trying, rightfully so, to make sure that the torch of leadership is passed, not just to one individual, but to many different individuals who have the capacity to move our party and move our country forward.And I appreciate the leadership that he shows every day.

So who do you have your eyes on?

I think we've got a lot of wonderful Democrats leading.I'm obviously interested mostly in governors, no disrespect to others, but I think governors know how to get stuff done and we've got a lot of amazing governors out there.

Any names?

I work with a lot of great governors and a lot of great leaders across the country and I think they're doing wonderful work.

Okay, that's interesting.So, if I can get back to our first question.Sure.Because we're curious about you as your neighbours and I think a lot of Canadians are trying to figure out who's next with this torch that you talked about.How big are your ambitions?

I understand that naturally Canadians want to look for the next chapter given how this president has spoken about Canada, the reckless rhetoric about the 51st state, which is totally inappropriate.I respect Canadian sovereignty.I want that to be very, very clear.I think a lot of Americans do.But I think we can't look past these midterms.And the focus has to be on electing people to Congress, re -electing governors and others who will stand up to this president and who will offer a counter vision to the direction that he's trying to take this country.

And that's what I'm focused on.

Okay.Governor, thank you.Thank you.Great to be with you.Thank you very much.

As NASA prepares to return to the moon, China sets its sights on getting there first.

You can bet that they will move literally heaven and earth to make sure that Chinese boots leave an impression on the lunar surface.

How the drive for moon landings has ignited a modern -day space race.Next.When Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen and his Artemis 2 crewmates rocketed around the moon this spring, it marked the beginning of a new lunar space race.Eli Glasner examines what's fueling NASA's ambitious plan to get there before China, and why being first matters.

Artemis II is just the start of a new race to the moon.Between the U .

S.We find ourselves with a real geopolitical rival challenging American leadership in the high ground of space.

And China.You can bet that they will move literally heaven and earth to make sure that Chinese boots leave an impression on the lunar surface.

But already there are big questions, like is it really about beating China or scoring political points?And is it even realistic?

I don't expect this to happen by 2020.

So let's back up and look at how we got here.Last September, at a U .S.Senate committee looking at the space race, Jim Bridenstine, the former NASA administrator, rang the alarm bell.It is highly unlikely that we will land on the moon before China.Soon after the Secretary of Transportation began publicly criticizing SpaceX, the company contracted to build the next lunar lander.

The problem is they're behind.They pushed their timelines out and we're in a race against China.The president and I want to get to the moon in this president's term.

Then NASA announced their new accelerated plan.This is the moment we reject the status quo, challenge what is broken, embrace what worked on July 20th, 1969.Out plans for Gateway, the lunar space station, in a streamlined, simplified program to get back to the moon in two years.

NASA has stated, we will return Americans to the moon before the end of President Trump's term.Our great competitors said before 2030, the difference between success and failure will be measured in months, not years.

You can kind of think of the conceptual shift as instead of focusing in the space around the moon, the goal now is firmly focused on the surface of the moon and getting long time NASA watcher Casey Dreier is the chief of space policy at the Planetary Society.The A major part of this is using China as a foil.It's clearly the second most capable nation in the world in terms of launching things and people into space.They've had a goal for a number of years now to land their astronauts on the surface of the moon to build out a lunar base with Russia, Pakistan, and a handful of other countries.And it's one of those things that is driving kind of a almost throwback desire to have another space race.

Well, that and one other thing.

The goals of landing in 2028, it is the last year of President Trump.second term.And there is a strong desire by the White House to have this occurred under President Trump.Okay, so back to China and the clock.

NASA wants to be on the moon in two years.What does that look like?First step, Artemis II, a test flight of the Orion spacecraft.Next, Artemis III, all about testing the integration of the Orion spacecraft and the new lunar lander, which is still being built.Finally, Artemis 4, by early 2028, return to the moon, stay for a week, and begin the steps for a sustained presence at the lunar South Pole.Now, to put things in perspective, in eight years, the Apollo program went from the first American in space to...

But NASA today is nothing like the NASA of the 1960s.

At its peak, Apollo is spending $42 billion a year, $43 billion a year.NASA's entire budget last year was $25 billion.

To save money, NASA is depending heavily on private industry.To bring the first Americans back to the moon, they'll need a new lunar lander, the craft that goes down to the surface of the moon and returns.So who's going to build that?Well, that's another race.The intent is to fly with whichever provider is ready first for 2027.Welcome to the battle of the billionaires.

In one corner, Elon Musk's SpaceX and their Lunar Lander Starship.In the other, Jeff Bezos Blue Origin's Blue Moon landing vehicle, both racing to be ready for 2027.

So this is Apollo on the cheap, but with more ambition.So we've turned over a lot of control to these companies.and hopefully they'll deliver.If Jeff Bezos wanted to tomorrow, he could shut down Blue Origin and walk away from this entire thing.I'm not saying he will, or that's even likely.but it is a lot of power to imbue in a handful of individuals in order to again to achieve what is nominally a national goal.

And while some like Canadian space industry researcher Kevin Olson say with NASA working with a host of other countries including Canada it doesn't matter who gets to the moon first.

It's not so much a race anymore because the Americans will have always been first and it's an inevitability that both Both groups will be there.It's something bigger than that.And it's saying that we are going to try to figure out what to do with it.

But Dean Chang, an expert on Chinese space policy, says whether it's returning to the moon or China's first time, the race is on because the country that arrives gets to pick the location.

The long term commitment that the Chinese have said they want to do is to establish a presence at the Lunar South Pole, which is where the water is.And sets a precedent.There are constant Chinese missions and rare American missions.What makes you think the language of space travel will be English?And here it's not just the literal language like we're talking, it's data formats, it's data standards.

It might seem like the stuff of science fiction, but for both the U .S.and China, the moon is just a step to even grander plans.

The goal is not flags and footprints.This time the goal is to stay.

With both countries looking at the moon as a springboard for interplanetary exploration, Cheng says the new space race isn't a sprint, but a marathon.

The single thing that truly gives China the advantage is that they think in the long term.We've had literally dozens of back to the moon and off to Mars thoughts, studies, profiles,blue ribbon panels.The Chinese, their effort is one that spans a good 30 years as of now.

While the race begins in the midst of ongoing international tension, Casey Dreyer sees space exploration as something with the potential to unite us.

There's the whole side of this that is the scientific exploration as a fundamental motivator, pushing the boundaries of what we're capable of knowing because we say, oh, what's that weird thing in the sky?Well, we can build a thing and let's go there and look.That's an astonishing thing that we can do, and it's frankly precious and worth supporting.

And there's dramatic evidence of that lunar race tonight.Part of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched in early 2025 is expected to slam into the moon's surface, ejecting a plume of rock and dust and leaving a crater in its wake.Space watchers in Central and Eastern Canada may get a clear view around 2 .30 Eastern.Coming up, a marmot catches a ride from the Rockies to Calgary's suburbs.

In my imagination, it's that scene out of Mission Impossible where Tom Cruise is hanging onto the side of an airplane.

The hitchhiking rodent next in our moment.So this is what you call your basic stealthy little marmot creeping out of his hiding place.He managed to hitch a ride in that vehicle from the Canadian Rockies to a city just outside Calgary.Chris Ratzlaff didn't notice the rodent until he found him snooping around his garage.Now the marmot's adventure makes our moment.

A marmot hitchhiked to our house in Airdrie from Kananaskis.It climbed onto the car somewhere.My kid had gone out into the garage and said, there's a creature.At first, I didn't really realize where it was from.And then we realized, oh, this is probably a hitchhiker.In my imagination, it's that scene out of Mission Impossible where Tom Cruise is hanging onto the side of an airplane.

And it wandered around the city for a couple of days.I posted that in our neighborhood Facebook group.And others were posting observation sightings.that made its way back to our garage.It was clearly exploring, just sniffing everything.I was poking my head into the garage, and I was videotaping it.

It clearly knew I was there if it was caught off guard or would run under my car.They're kind of like furry little puppy rodents, and they have so much character and personality.Calgary Wildlife Rehabilitation Society, they came and captured it to take it back.They said it's healthy and feisty.It should be returned to its community.

See, I think he was looking for the car keys.He was going to get back himself.From all of us here at the National, thanks for hanging out with us tonight.I'm Paul Hunter.Take care.