CBCN - Thursday, May 23, 2024 - 12:00 a.m. (ET) - Segment #41

they do it over there. >> David: got to cut you off. We got to say good bye. Thank you all. Shannon proudfoot, zain velji, >> Travis: it 6:00 in grassy narrows. 7:00 in walkerton and 5:00 in edmonton. This is "canada tonight." taking on ticket master. The U.S. justice department accuses parent companies live nation of run aring an illegal monopoly over live events. Worsening problem. A new study says mercury poisoning at grassy narrows first nation has been made worse by ongoing industrial pollution. >>> Free speech on campus. Harvard psychology professor steven tinker weighs in on the protests happening at schools across canada and the united states. >>> And sole canadian survivor. The nhl western conference final between the edmonton oilers and the dallas stars begins tonight. >> Announcer: from the canadian broadcasting centre, this is "canada tonight" with travis dhanraj. [ ] >> Travis: hello to you on this thursday. We begin with new developments in the cyber attack on london drugs. The west coast-based retailer says hackers have now released some of its corporate data. The company claims the sophisticated group of global cyber criminals was behind the attack. Now, that resulted in the closure of all it's stores for several days. Sarah galashan is following this story from our newsroom. Take us through the very latest of what we know right now. >> Trav skwalsistravis, the story has been from theed beginning, what information might have been taken and what was on that information. In other words, what feels part of those files -- what feels part of those files. The company confirmed today some of the files from it's corporate head office here in richmond, british columbia were ex filtrated, which essentially means taken by what london drugs describes or calls a sophisticated group of cyber criminal krs. The statement released today goes on to read, we are aware some of these files have now been released. We want to reiterate that lonned drugs is unwilling -- london drugs is unwilling and unable to pay ransom to these cyber criminals. Also within this statement, they say that some employee information may be on these files that were taken from the head office here in B.C. they call the situation deeply disturbing. London drugs is notifying employees whose personal information may now be circulating somewhere on the internet. If their info was part of the files that were stolen from the head office, they are going to be contacted. And as well with, employees are being offered credit this has happened in b.c., alberta, manitoba and saskatchewan. They sell everything from computer electronics to prescription medication. And they employ about 8,000 workers in canada. Now, no number has been given to how many of those employees may have had information, personal informing stolen as part of this cyber attack and released, but this is, I say, a moment that we have been waiting in this story to see what we would learn about what information was taken. And what may have happened with it. And they're now confirming that some of these files from head office now have been released by this sophisticated group of cyber criminals. >> Travis: we'll see what happens in the days to come could. Sarah galashan on top of our top story in our vancouver newsroom.

>>> Well, one of canada's worst environmental disasters is getting worse. A new study has found that mercury poisoning near the ontario first nation grassy narrows is becoming more dangerous and it points to how community members have been getting sick there for generations. As lorenda reddekopp reports, pollutents from a nearby company are being blamed. >> We've elected to release this tata today because of the urgency of the situation. >> Reporter: a critical situation affecting the fwrazy narrows -- grassy narrows first nation and others down stream. This study looked at water samples connect canned from the english river are up stream from grassy narrows. Researchers found large amounts of pollutents were being added to the water system, mean double to trip it will contamination. >> Every minute that there is additional discharge of this sulfate and inorganic matter into the river mercury is being formed. >> Reporter: it's even more toxic than mercury. This researcher says it's being created by a mix of sulfate and organic matter, plus mercury already in the river. In the '60s and '70s it's estimated 9 tonnes of mercury were dumped into the water t researcher says his evidence indicates it's not mercury flowing into the privilege now, but that the pollutants are again coming from the mill. >> There's no other industrial sources. There's no sulfate coming in anywhere else, so this is the source. >> Reporter: the company that owns it is dryden paper mill, dryden cyber canada says it only recently acquired the mill from another company and says it couldn't comment as we have not seen nor have we been briefed on the report. >> We want to action. We want something to be done. This has to stop. The polluting has to stop. So either we shut the mill down or we get together and find solutions. >> Reporter: the chief of the grassy narrows first nation says he's one of the people who dealt with the effects of mercury poisoning. For him he says it been a lack of coordination and shaking. According to data, 90% of people living there have symptoms. People have protested, demanding changes for years. >> We've been asking for river clean up and now is the time, especially with this report, that they should take seriously about cleaning up the river. >> Reporter: a statement from the federal government focuses on the millions of dollars it's spending on a mercury care home on grassy narrows. Construction is set to begin in july and take 2-3 years. The ontario government says it's committed to working to remediate the mercury contamination. It says it has experts now going through this latest report, and it will be meeting with the researcher and also indigenous communities next week. Lorenda reddekopp, cbc news, toronto. >> Travis: my next guest says she's surprised that it's taken this many studies for people to acknowledge the issue when she and her community have known about it all along. Julie de silva is the environmental health coordinator for grassy narrows and sufferses from symptoms of mercury poisoning. She joins me tonight from kenora, ontario. Thanks for being here. >> Thank you for asking me he to speak. >> Travis: judy, what stood out to you with this new study? >> Well, what stood out first is that that hear there's an actual chemical that intensifies the mercury are. We always knew there was mercury. That tonnes of it were dumped in the water. But this is our first time really hearing from a scientist that the chemical that makes it more toxic is being used in the mill. >> Travis: you live with mercury poisoning yourself. What signatures >> I just start choking on whatever I'm trying to ingest. >> Travis: that has to be very scary.

you grew up in the community. How did you see mercury poisoning affect it as a whole over the years? >> You mean in myself or in the community? >> Travis: in the community. >> I guess community members, it's hard to actually see, like, how it abouts ss -- it affects them. You look at a person and they look normal. But the neurological effects are invisible. So it, like, tunnel vision. Like, you can't tell when somebody has tunnel vision and our people are so resilient that they don't show that, you know, they're having tunnel vision. They don't show that they're having consistent headaches all the time or loss of hearing or heart problems. The neurological effects from mercury poisoning is far reaching in many different ways. It almost looks like alzheimer's or diabetes, but it mercury poisoning. >> Travis: this has been linked to the community's high attempted suicide rates in youth. What have you noticed when it comes to that crisis? >> That crisis is, like, really a sensitive issue for me. Because, like, I've personally lost relatives to suicide. And, like, to see the families suffering from the loss in their family from suicide, it's really horrific for us. Like, if you google Dr. Donna McMURRAY, you'll see the results online of how she came up with those. We did a community health survey with the community members, and it was almost, like, a prosthetic report when she did that because, like, shortly before that a young person had committed suicide. When she came out with that report. So it been, like, a really devastating thing to know this is how mercury is destroying my people. >> Travis: what is it that keeps you and others in the community in grassy narrows, despite all of these health challenges? Challenges? >> I guess I give it back to the people and say, you know, my people are very resilient, very strong, courageous people. And with the mercury poisoning and how it affecting their daily lives or their economic or social thriving, you know, effects, like, we would be -- if there's no mercury poisoning, we would be doing commercial fishing. We would be able to take care of our relatives in a good way. But you wouldn't tell the community members are suffering from mercury poisoning. >> Travis: judy, appreciate the time this evening. That is judy da silva, coordinator for grassy narrows and sufferer of mercury poisoning.

>>> The united states department of justice and 30 states are suing the owner of ticket master. They're accusing live nation of exercising, "monopoly control". Music fans have been complaining for years about inflated ticket prices. Richard madan has more about the lawsuit and it's implications from washington. >> Reporter: well, attorney general marek garland is taking on america's biggest player in the live concert business. The department of justice is suing live nation, accusing it of running an illegal monopoly and calling for its break up from ticket master. Now, garland says the company abuses market dominant by controlling all aspects including access to venues and of course ticket sales. Em says this unlawful practice hurts performersering stifles competition and most importantly he sails, squeezes fans by tacking on outrageous fees on ticket prices. >> Live nation ticket master has made itself ewe pick witous in the live entertainment industry. It controls at least 80% of major ticketing at concert venues. It directly manages more than 400 artists and controls more than 60% of concert promotions across the countriem and it owns or controls more than 60% of large asp amphitheaters in the united states. We allege that to sustain this dominance dominance, live nation relies on unlawful anti-competitive conduct. >> Reporter: the doj began investigating live nation about two years ago after ticket master's disastrous rollout of taylor swift concert tickets. Legions of angry fans complained of long waits in the cue and massive service fees attached to the few tickets that weren't already scooped up by scalpers or bots. Now, in response to this lawsuit live nation called the allegations baseless, a short-term public relations win for the doj that won't solve ticket prices or in demand shows. Now, this latest move is part of the biden administration's aggressive strategy to create more competition from big tech to big pharma. And if the feds are successful with this lawsuit, the breakup could dramatically reshape the concert industry some 14 years after regulators first approved the merger. Richard madan, cbc news, washington. >> Travis: now, along with fans, poer other promoters and music artists have long complained about the monopoly. A ceo of independent music told cbc news how the situation has hurt artists. He spoke about how mall and mid sized promoters are also impacted. >> These promoters are really an important part of the nurturing of the artists' careers. And frankly, I think they're being squeezed out by what's happening with, you know, the situation with live nation. So now that affects the artist ss, or theists for new comers it's particularly difficult because there's this corporate consolidation on the live side with live nation, and on top of that crazy real estate prices in downtown areas where clubs tend to about the so there's fewer and fewer places to play. Artists say the craziest things, like, hey, maybe we should just buy, you know, 100 tickets and then resell them on one of these, you know, other platforms to make a bit of money. I mean, this is what's happening right now. >> Travis: that was the president and ceo of canadian independent music. He added that while artists are not actually buying and reselling tickets, that is a conversation that's taking place because of live nation's alleged monopoly.

>>> Well, for more on how this affects the industry, we are joined now by anti-trust expert ron knox. He's a senior researcher and writer at the institute for local self reliance. We reached him tonight in kansas city, missouri. Thanks for being here. >> Great to be here. Thanks. >> Travis: this is something that you have been calling for for years. Let's start with your reaction to the fact that this is now finally happening. >> Well with, look. I mean, this is an enormous day for the live music industry. As you mentioned, you know, fans have been clammering for many, many years, along with artists, with promoters, with small music venues. For the department of justice to essentially reopen its investigation into the merger between live nation and ticket master, and inteed to look at the way that combined company has abused its market power over the last nearly 15 years. That's what happened, and the result of that investigation is this lawsuit. And, you know, clearly, you know, the government found enough evidence of that alleged wrong doing to sue. And when they sued, they sued with the intention of breaking up this company and dividing it into pieces. Which is exactly what folks in the industry, you know, have really been asking for. So huge save for the industry. >> Travis: so talk to me a little bit about what evidence the government would have right now that they feel they've got enough here to bripg this forward. >> Sure. Well, bakely what the government found was that live nation and its subsidiary ticket master, leveraged its power in a few different markets to essentially believe venues into using it ticket master ticketing platform, and of course fans, you know, music fans all over the world basically to pay whatever fees ticket master decided it was going to charge for those tickets. The important thing to keep in mind here is that live nation is the largest concert promoter. The largest artist manager. And the second largest venue owner and operator in america. And I believe on the continent. When you have that kind of power over artists, over huge tours, you can basically dictate what small venues have to do in order to access those artists and those tours. And, you know, to promote those. And it said you have to use ticket master. And because of that, ticket master can charge whatever it wants. So that is under the law a monopoly violation and that's bakely what the lawsuit says. >> Travis: so ticket master here says this is not going to lead to lower ticket prices or service fees. I don't know if you heard the item there earlier from richard madan, but they essentially said, you know, this is a publicity stunt for the government right now. For the department of justice. >> Yeah. I understand. And I'm sure ticket master did say that. Look, the way that you get lower prices for anything is that you inject more competition into the market. And that's exactly what this lawsuit is intending to do. At the moment, venues and artists and fans have no choice but to use ticket master. They have an 80% share of the U.S. ticket market, which is just as high throughout the continent. And that's, you know, unavoidable. So of course ticket master can charge whatever it wants. And fans simply have to suck it up and pay it or they don't get to go to the shows. Anyone who's bought a concert ticket knows that's exactly the case. What this lawsuit would do and what break up would do is essentially to allow, you know, the promoter, the venues, to choose which ever ticketing service they want. Allowing new start up ticketing services to grow and to potentially offer lower fees, a much better fan experience, and that's really what, you know, this lawsuit is about. For ticket mast tore say it's a publicity stunt is not genuine. There's a lot of evidence in the lawsuit that shows that they indeed may very well have broken the law. >> Travis: so ticket master merged with live nation in 2011, which is where many ofs these issueses began. Walk me through here what happens next in this process with this lawsuit. >> Sure. It gonna go through a normal civil litigation process. There will be, you know, motions to dismiss, motions for summary judgment. That's going to essentially be ticket master and live nation trying to get the suit thrown out of court. If it survives all of those, then eventually it will go to a trial and there will be evidence and there will be a decision. What the department of justice has asked for, very specifically in this lawsuit, is for the break up of this company. And with the department of justice, what it says is at a minimum, they want, you know, the ticketing service, they want ticket master, to be removed from live nation. So separated from the artist

management, the promotion and the venues. As a way to reinject competition into the industry. The court must certainly decide that a further remedy -- but at a minimum, what the government want is break up, and ultimately the court will decide whether that's what happens. >> Travis: all right. We'll be following this for a while it seems. Ron, appreciate your time tonight. That is ron knox, a senior research arer and writer at the institute for local self-reliance self-reliance. He joins us this evening from kansas city, missouri. >>> Here's what else is ahead on "canada tonight." after cbc first broke the news, it's finally official. The wnba is coming to toronto. Our reporter brings us the buzz from today's big announcement. Ottawa is trying to reverse a decision that could have wide ranging inch likss on immigration -- implications on immigration. We'll walk you through their proposal to pass citizenship rights down to children born outside canada. >>> And hurricane season officially begins next week. Darius madhavi is here to show us the areas expecting a highly active summer. >>> Well, canada is getting its first professional women's basketball team. Toronto has been granted an expansion franchise with the wnba. Chris glover has the details. >> Reporter: it took a lot of hand to make this work, but today more sports history was made in toronto. >> I am honoured to officially announce that we have awarded the city of toronto the 14th wnba franchise. [Cheering and Applause] >> Reporter: the women's pro basketball league, the wnba, is expanding outside the U.S. for the first time. The league's commissioner says she picked toronto after a successful preseason game at scotiabank arena last may. >> Lot of people coming up to me and saying thank you for making my dreams come true by bringing a wnba game here. That's when I knew this is the right place as we're thinking about expansion. >> Reporter: about 30 years ago the men's league, the nba, chose toronto. Many credited larry tannenbaum for making that happen. Now decades later the history maker strikes again. >> This is all possible because of larry tannenbaum. [Cheering and Applause] >> Reporter: the owner of the raps will now own toronto's wnba team too. Determined to make it canada's team, he says home will be the coca-cola coliseum, but games will be played in vancouver and montreal. Part of his mission to inspire girls across the country. >> For these young women, they never saw someone like themselves on the brightest stage playing the sport they love. Now the wnba has changed all that. And today we're changing that here in canada. >> Reporter: the team will start playing in 2026 under the former raptors vp of operations. >> When you get to go coast to coast to coast in canada and play these games, it's going to be incredible and we can't wait to see everybody around the country really show up. >> Reporter: several of the most celebrated basketball icons were in the audience for the unveiling, including retired wnba champion hall-of-famer and two-time all-star tammy sutton brown who grew up in the gta. >> Wow! I always hoped for this day. I think as an athlete you look forward to playing in front of family and friends. And I always wished I could play on canadian soil. I wasn't able to, but the canadians that are playing in the w right now will have that opportunity. And the future canadians will have that opportunity. So this is a really, really special day. >> Reporter: and it wasn't just leaders in sport tapping into the special day. >> Just the glory of it is huge. Proud. Proud to be part of a country that uplifts women in sport. >> We hereby proclaim may 23, 2024 as wnba day in the city of toronto! [Cheering and Applause] >> Reporter: the mayor officially putting today in the history books, already laying it up for toronto's next pro team. >> And I'll work with city council to make sure we're ready for another huge championship parade. >> Reporter: the kind of pressure from a proven relentless fan base that every toronto pro team has to get used to. Chris glover, cbc news, toronto. >> Travis: so lot of excitement there. And also in other sports news. In just a short time the nhl's western conference finals will get underway. Now, on the line is a spot in the stanley cup finals. And it pitting the last canadian team standing against the lone star state. We've got reporters in both cities tonight. Madeline cummings is in dallas to tap into all the excitement as the stars host game 1. And julia wong is at a watch party outside of rogers place in edmonton as oilers fans cheer on their team back at home. Let's first head down to madeline cummings who'lls who's outside the arena in dallas as

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