Global National: May 5, 2026 | Who is Louise Arbour, Canada's next governor general?

On this Tuesday night, Canada's new Governor General Louise Arbour's remarkable resume and what she's promising to do in her new role.

I'm very mindful of the legacy that I'm stepping into.

Hantavirus fears the safety measures aboard this cruise ship and the investigation into how the virus spread.Accent switching.

I play tennis, basketball.I play tennis, basketball.

How some call centers are dialing up AI to make their workers sound more North American.Plus, a jet skier strikes a grey whale.The concerns after this collision in Canadian waters.

Global National with Donna Friesen.

Good evening and thanks for joining us.Canada is getting a new Governor General.Louise Arbour has had a long and accomplished career as a lawyer, prosecutor, Supreme Court of Canada Justice, and UN Commissioner for Human Rights.Born in Montreal, Arbour excelled at law and has spent her life taking on multiple high -pressure roles, including on the international stage.Now, at age 79, she has been chosen to serve as the King's representative in Canada, succeeding Mary Simon, who made history as Canada's first Governor General.David Aiken has our top story tonight.

It's my pleasure to introduce the 31st Governor General of Canada, the Honourable Louise Arbour.

Louise Arbour's appointment might have seen an obvious one based on her resume, but she's not looking back on her career.I'm much more interested also where we're going and what's ahead of us.She was a Supreme Court justice.She was the prosecutor for war crimes in the former Yugoslavia and in Rwanda, securing the first ever convictions for genocide.And after Global News detailed widespread sexual misconduct in the military, reporting that forced two top generals to resign,Arbura was asked to investigate and 47 of 48 recommendations she made were or are being implemented.

Members of our armed forces who can serve today with greater dignity because of the report that she wrote.

She has also been the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, but not everyone was pleased with her work at the UN.She's accused of being too harsh on Israel and not harsh enough on Hamas and Hezbollah.

The comments that Louise Arbour has made in respect to the state of Israel and the people of Israel are in fact a disgrace.

Arbour was also critical of China, Russia and even the United States while at the UN.As for her work on Canada's Supreme Court, some conservatives say Arbour was too much of an activist judge.But as she takes up her new role, Arbour is looking past that.

I will reach out to anybody who wishes to engage with me, to debate, to discuss.I will listen.And I hope, in due course, that I will manage to persuade.

She is also the third Quebec -born Governor General in a row.And with the prospects of a separatist party taking power in Quebec this fall, and a growing separatist movement in Alberta, Arbour says she'll use her office to defend Canadian unity.

I've mentioned the diversity of our people, diversity of views, of opinions, of experiences, but all that, I think, in a spirit of respect and moving the country forward in an ambitious, united way.

She is expected to officially take on her new role in June.Donna.

And David, she'll take over from Mary Simon, who is the first indigenous person to be appointed Governor General.She speaks Inuktitut, but does not speak French.How big an issue was that for her?

Well, you know, Donna, I would argue that Mary Simon's inability to speak French fell more on the head of the PM who appointed her, Justin Trudeau,than anyone else.But, you know, as Prime Minister Carney pointed out today, Simon made a much more positive mark.

As the first indigenous person to serve in this role, she's carried forward a lifetime of advocacy for Inuit rights, for indigenous self -determination and for the preservation of our indigenous languages, cultures and identities.

And it should be noted, Mary Simon's five years as the GG were largely peaceful ones and without any real controversy.We'll see if Madame Arbour will have the same luck keeping Rideau Hall out of the headlines.Donna.

All right, David Aiken in Ottawa, thanks.There is still no word on when passengers and crew on board a Dutch cruise ship stranded off the coast of West Africa will be able to get back on land.About 150 people, including four Canadians, are in limbo after cases of hantavirus were confirmed on board.Three people have died and there are four others showing symptoms.Heidi Patracik is following developments for us.Heidi.

Donna, when people think of a cruise ship, they often think of a big vessel like this one in Halifax.But the ship affected by the Hantavirus is much smaller than this one and has far fewer people on board, which assists health officials doing contact tracing.More than 80 passengers paid ocean -wide expeditions for an Antarctic experience of a lifetime.They're now stuck in their cabins off Cape Verde after three people died in a hantavirus outbreak.

We do believe that there may be some human -to -human transmission that's happening among the really close contacts.

Hantavirus typically spreads through contact with infected rodents, their urine or feces.But the World Health Organization believes it's the Andes strain of the virus that's likely to blame here.Found in Argentina where the cruise began, it can between people.

Anyone who is symptomatic, you know, anyone caring for patients is wearing full personal protective equipment.

WHO maintains wider public risk is low.What's happening right now is very real.Tuesday this U .S.passenger on board wrote safety measures are in place including social distancing and masking.Passengers also have the option to have meals delivered.

One passenger is already in hospital and two others will be medically evacuated by plane to the Netherlands.After that the vessel plans to head to the Canary Islands.The cruise operator says there are four Canadian passengers, although Global Affairs Canada says it has no reports of citizens directly affected.Halifax is a long way from Cape Verde, but the news has some vacationers on other cruises feeling uneasy.

Do you know what hantavirus is and would you think about it on a cruise?No, I know more about norovirus.That's the one I know about.I was like, I hope it doesn't come on to our ship.That's more of what I'm thinking.

I think there's a lot of A lot of other things to consider, perhaps, with cruises, but hantaviruses probably remain very low on that risk level.

Human -to -human transmission of the hantavirus is extremely rare, but this is a reminder of the overall risks of the virus and just how seriously it has to be treated.

Donna.Okay, Heidi Petracic in Halifax, thank you.A federal program intended to digitize how drugs are prescribed in Canada has accomplished only a tiny fraction of what it was tasked with.Canada Health Infoways was given almost 300 million dollars by the federal government.Its president was fired last week and the program is now being shut down.As Jillian Piper explains, opposition MPs are calling for the Auditor General to investigate.

There's definitely a cover -up here and we're going to get to the bottom of it.

Dan Major is one of the MPs hounding top Canada Health Infoway officials over their program, Prescribe IT.

Was it because of the failed performance?

Prescribe It is actually a successful program.

The $300 million initiative was meant to digitize prescription transfers, but while former CEO Michael Greenfieldthat it was technically ready to go across 95 % of pharmacies in Canada, only about 5 % of prescriptions actually ran through the software, prompting Ottawa to shut it down.At the stage, the throughput of the system didn't cover Expense disclosures show Green and others at Canada Health Infoway spent more than $400 ,000 on executive travel and hospitality, and another $23 million on more than 100 contracts between April 2023 and December 2025, prompting concerns over how federal funding was spent.Green even received a $250 ,000 performance bonus last year, but he was dismissed from his role as president and CEO last Wednesday, losing a nearly $900 ,000 salary just days after testifying.

different leadership.We had to accelerate that.

" Opposition parties are looking for further accountability on a project they say failed and want the Auditor General to investigate.

that there should not look.

In a statement to Global News, the Federal Health Minister's office did not rule out future partnerships with the organization, saying they have significant expertise that can be very useful in building a more connected healthcare system.

Donna?Okay, Jillian Piper in Ottawa, thanks.Russia has launched another barrage of attacks on Ukraine, killing at least 22 people and injuring dozens more ahead of a proposed ceasefire.At least 12 Ukrainians were killed in Zaporizhia.Russian forces hit a residential district, sparking fires at multiple sites.Authorities say a second wave of attacks happened as rescuers were arriving.

Ukraine also launched missiles and drones at Russia, hitting an industrial area and a factory that produces military components.Both countries announced unilateral ceasefires ahead of Victory Day ceremonies in Russia on May 9th.The American Secretary of State claimed today the offensive stage of the war with Iran is now over, and the ceasefire, he says, is still in effect.But what's happening in the Strait of Hormuz remains unclear.There is no peace deal, and as Jackson Proskow reports, both the U .S.

and Iran claim they are in control of that busy shipping route.

The exchange of fire stoked fears of a return to war.But the U .S.insists the shaky ceasefire with Iran still stands.

What do they need to do to violate the ceasefire?

Well, you'll find out because I'll let you know.

Monday, Iran launched missiles and drones at the United Arab Emirates and fired on American warships, responding to U .S.efforts to help vessels transit the Strait of Hormuz, which the Pentagon has dubbed Project Freedom.We're not looking for a fight.But Iran also cannot be allowed to block innocent countries and their goods from an international waterway.It's now a stalemate with both the U .

S.and Iran declaring they command the major shipping route.Iran released this map showing what it claims as its vast area of control.The Americans insist their operation is only focused on freeing trapped vessels and is unrelated to ending the broader war.

It's not back and forth.We are only responding if attacked first.

This is a defensive operation.

The messy situation has left the door open to both conflict and peace.

Still unresolved are key issues like the future of Iran's nuclear program.Iran insists a peace agreementcan be reached without negotiating that.Trump wants to include that in any deal.

Iran must accept the reality of the situation and come to the negotiation table and accept terms that are good for them, but ultimately good for the world.

As the world waits, both sides are trying to find a way to navigate the stalemate.Iran has warned any ships trying to transit that they must agree to their rules.leaving in place the potential for direct conflict with American efforts to resume shipping.Jackson Prosko, Global News, Washington.

At least 26 people in China have been killed and dozens more injured after an explosion at a fireworks factory.Hundreds of firefighters and rescue workers were deployed to the scene in the central Hunan province.Residents in the surrounding areas were evacuated.One person employed with the fireworks company has been arrested and other pyrotechnic manufacturers in the region have been ordered to halt production.China's president has ordered an investigation into the deadly explosion.New information about a plane crash in 2022 that killed 132 people in China has revealed it may have been intentional.

The China Eastern flight was nearing its destination in Guangzhou when it suddenly nosedived.Chinese authorities never revealed what its investigation found, citing national security.But new data released by the U .S.National Transportation Safety Board, which played a role in the investigation, shows that the fuel switches for both engines were manually shut off seconds before before the aircraft began its fatal plunge.In Vancouver, a man is in custody after breaching security at the airport.

He's been charged with break and enter, mischief and two counts of assaulting a peace officer.Authorities were alerted early Monday morning after a man was spotted near YVR's south runway.He was seen climbing the fence, then getting into the wheelchair.of a parked Porter Airlines jet.Porter says the plane will be fully inspected before it goes back into service.Some call centers are now using artificial intelligence, coming up how that technology is being used to switch the accents of workers.

Artificial intelligence is fast being adopted by individuals and industries around the world, and major telecom companies, including here in Canada, are facing scrutiny for using AI to alter the accents of employees at call centers.Many of the workers are based in countries such as India and the Philippines.Taria Isra explains how it works and why labor advocates say it's a problem.

AI has the power to erase accents in real time.

Hello, I'm Iggy.I'm from the Philippines.I live here in Paranaque City.I'm Iggy.I'm from the Philippines.I live here in Paranaque City.

The Philippines and India are top hubs for call centers as a way for American and Canadian companies to cut costs.More and more businesses are using AI to make their workers sound like native English speakers.Union leaders in this country say that list includes a major Canadian telecom company.

We're aware of at least one big three telco using AI to mask the accents of offshore agents, altering how customers perceive who they are talking to.

Here's an application that a company may see say is benign.but actually could be stealing Canadian jobs.

This is a kind of deception.Global News reached out to the three big telcos.Rogers and Bell both denied using AI in this way.But it is becoming more common.

Let me turn on the Sanus app and I will repeat myself.

So there, I just turned on the Sanus app.Companies say it helps eliminate language barriers and makes things easier for both the customer and employee.

It is very hard sometimes when you're on the line with somebody.and you can't understand them and you want something done.

But there are concerns it will only increase outsourcing and decrease tolerance for difference.

You have to ask yourself, would you be doing this if it was Australia or the UK?Because if the answer is no, then that sounds rather discriminatory.

The federal government insists its long -awaited AI strategy will address issues of transparency.But it's not clear if that means requiring companies to disclose whether the voice on the other end of the line is real or AI -generated.Taria Isri, Global News, Montreal.

Ripping the Alberta separatist referendum ahead, why indigenous leaders say they will not be ignored.Red Dress Day is being observed across Canada today.The day honours missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls and is a call to action about violence against Indigenous people and the systemic failures contributing to it.The event started in 2010 when a Métis artist displayed more than 100 red dresses around the University of Winnipeg's campus to highlight the issue.Indigenous leaders are reaffirming their strong opposition to the separatist movement in Alberta.Those behind it say they've collected more than 300 ,000 signatures required to trigger a referendum.

But the next step depends on a legal challenge by a group of First Nations who argue the push to separate from Canada infringes on their rights.Alyssa Ridgen reports.

High energy Monday as separatists dropped off boxes of signatures calling for a vote on leaving Canada.This is the first step to the next step.We've gotten by round three.Now we're in the Stanley Cup final.The First Nations leaders and constitutional experts say celebration is premature.First Nations have gone to court to challenge even having a separation referendum and they aren't sure what land Alberta would even separate to.

All of Alberta sits on treaty land and that's not going to change.whether one government or some people have that inclination.

More than half of Alberta is Treaty 8 land.To the south, Treaty 6 and 7.The little bits left, Treaty 10 and Treaty 4 that spill in from Saskatchewan.Land agreements made between First Nations and the Crown before Alberta was even a twinkle in Confederation's eye.

A change could not be made without the consent of the parties, the signatories to the treaty and those are the First Nations that are bringing these challenges and also the federal government.

Those driving separation haven't laid out a plan or met with First Nations.

Any constitutional amendments, which would include Alberta secession, that impact on their rights have to be the subject of a national constitutional conference involving all of the provincial and federal governments of Canada and First Nations having a seat at the table.

It's not a new fight, having long dealt with Quebec's threat to separate.First Nations see the uproar in Alberta as the same battle, but on a Western front.First Nations continue to be forced to keep fighting in court.And rightfully, we have kept winning.An Alberta judge is expected to rule this month whether Albertans can have a referendum to separate with land that legally belongs to Canada and First Nations.Melissa Ridgen, Global News, Winnipeg.

Close encounters in the waters off Vancouver from orcas to a gray whale.The advice from biologists.Next.It is not uncommon to see wildlife off the coast of British Columbia and there have been some beautiful images captured of orcas off the Stanley Park seawall in recent days.But it's a busy shipping and sailing route and now there is a disturbing case of a gray whale being hit by someone on a jet ski.Travis Persaud reports from Vancouver.

Travis.

Donna, standing along Vancouver's waterfront, it's not unusual to see whales just offshore.But what happened here this week is raising real concerns about how people are behaving around them.For several days there have been spectacular sightings of killer whales gliding through busy waters.

It's been nothing short of magical.

Kari Siebritz has been watching and recording the close encounters.

We are so lucky to live in a place like this where we're constantly reminded how wild the world still is.

But those moments can turn quickly.This video shows a jet ski striking a grey whale off Stanley Park Monday evening.The impact sending the watercraft airborne.The operator taken to hospital.

It's incredibly sad to have watched that video.I almost wish I hadn't seen it.

Experts say the video points to a much bigger problem around a lack of education.

Thankfully the outrage being expressed makes clear There is no excuse.

The whale had been seen in the area for several days leading up to the incident.The Department of Fisheries and Oceans will try to assess any injuries.Federal rules require people to stay 200 meters away when a whale, dolphin or porpoise is resting or with a calf and 100 meters away in general.Researchers say those rules are being tested with more sightings close to shore and more people on the water.

This happened with a predictably moving whale in the shallows with all kinds of witnesses and people poised with their phones.What about all up and down our vast coastline?

For Sea Brits, these moments come with responsibility.

We have to be so mindful that our presence is having an impact.

An impact that can turn dangerous in an instant.Travis Prasad, Global News, Vancouver.

That is Global National for this Tuesday.I'm Donna Friesen.Tonight's Your Canada is Haines Junction, Yukon.We'd love to see your Canada.Please email it to globalnational at globalnews .ca and thanks for watching.

Hope to see you here again tomorrow.Bye -bye.