CTVN - Wednesday, May 22, 2024 - 12:00 a.m. (ET) - Segment #49

>>> Canada is notorious for very high priced plane tickets. A lot of geography, smaller population doesn't help. But the airlines themselves are often criticized as well. Now westjet is calling on the federal government to cut the fees that it imposes on airlines. Ctv's kathy lee has more from calgary. >> Reporter: the high cost of flying in canada isn't sitting well with passengers. >> Insane. >> Westjet says trying to make it more affordable announcing future plans to add more seats in the back of some of its bigger planes. >> 174 seats, so we take this to 180. Actually have the space so that you can take a little bit of leg room away, similar seats and add nor. >> I'm a big guy. Anything about smaller seats is not very appealing to me. >> For me wouldn't be much of a problem. >> Westjet claims more seats means cheaper airfare. >> Want cheap flight it comes at sacrifice of some comfort. >> One of the measures to address high airline tickets. The company is also asking the federal government to review the way maintenance and projects are paid for which is by the passengers through fees, then tacked on to airfares. Westjet wants a freeze to the fees until the review is complete. >> The fees that are being charged to the passengers ultimately through the tickets that are not just paying the infrastructure, but they are also funding the federal budget. >> Reporter: while this aviation expert believes the user pay model should be overhauled. >> Somebody has to pay for the airports, somebody's got to pay for the runways, somebody's got to pay for parking lots. Who pays for that? >> Canadian airports also pay about half a billion dollars in rent to transport canada every year. A bill westjet says should stop and be redirected. >> Get under control, sustainability, quality improvements, the list goes on and on. >> As to how to change the user pay model westjet says many options but doesn't have concrete ideas yet but says it has to work for canadians. Kathy lee, "ctv news," calgary. >> Todd: some new numbers on poverty in canada come with a stark warning. If more isn't done the food bank system nationwide could collapse. For some a local food bank is a critical part of their safety net. Ctv's heather wright reports. >> Reporter: this is just part of the line outside a toronto food bank today. Where thousands of clients will shop this week, a number that keeps going up. >> As a single mother of four kids, it's not easy for me. >> Reporter: according to food banks canada one in four canadians are experiencing food insecurity. While nearly half of those surveyed feel they are doing worse financially than they were a year ago. These are statistics sees every day. >> There are people that are working fully employed and having to access the food bank. We have seniors, we have newcomers, we have students. >> Reporter: today food banks canada released its annual poverty report card. A look at challenges facing canadians and how well government are responding to them. >> We are not doing enough as a country to make sure people are able to make ends meet right now. >> Reporter: most provincial governments received grades in the d range, while seven out of ten got a d minus for what the report called insufficient approach to poverty reduction. A lack of affordable housing and stubbornly high food prices have created a perfect storm of need in many parts of the country and there are concerns the system simply can't keep up. >> They cannot continue to meet the growing demands with the amount of food and donations that are coming through the doors, and even then no system is designed for you know growth like we have seen. >> Reporter: the report includes a number of policy recommendations, among them rent control and increasing social assistance. Building more houses is also needed, something the provinces and the federal government have promised but which will take years. The report also found more young people are turning to food banks. Between february and april of this year, a quarter of those aged 18 to 24 went to a charity because they didn't have enough money to buy food. Heather wright, "ctv news," toronto. >> Todd: a big british gamble today. The conservative prime minister of the U.K. calling a surprise election. Rishi sunak and his party deeply unpopular 20 points behind the labour party in the polls and the optics arguably not great for the announcement today with sunak drenched in the pouring rain. >> Earlier today I spoke with his majesty the king to request illusion of parliament. The king granted this request and we'll have a general election on the 4th of july. >> Sunak says the vote comes at a time of great uncertainty in the world. Russia's invasion of ukraine, fighting in the middle east but the conservative party has been in power for 14 years under five different prime ministers, including three in just the past

two years. And has lurched through crisis and scandal leading to a sense of chaos. >>> Confirmation tonight that five people were killed, at least 35 others injured in the state of iowa after a massive tornado ripping through the american midwest. The tornado was at least an ef-3 with winds up to 260 kilometres an hour. It left a wide swath of destroyed homes and cars in the town of greenfield. This has been a very active tornado season in the united states. More than 860 tornadoes reported across 37 states. >>> Coming up, the apprentice film creating a stir. >> I don't necessarily think he would like it. I think he would be surprised. >> Rave reviews from critics but a legal threat from the former president. >>> Plus, barbie, honours a canadian soccer star. Financial goals. Fidelity knows we've all got them. Maybe you want to own a home, or never own a home. Maybe you want to travel. Or have a kid. Or travel with your kid. Yours could be retiring early. Or never retiring at all. At Fidelity, we know everyone has different goals. But the one thing we share? We all want to get to them sooner. ( ) Dude, did you know BetMGM has responsible gambling tools, so you don't get carried away? I never get carried away. Well there were the bobbleheads. And the playoff beard. Chili's ready. Those tools could really help. Don't forget about the backyard rink. Yeah these tools are pretty great. BetMGM is committed to making gambling safe and fun with responsible gambling tools. So you don't get carried away. At Pet Valu, we treat your pet like our pet. Well, Georgie, it's time for adult food. And there's a lot of great options to choo... too choose from. They grow up so fast. I know... I do this like ten times a day. Arghhh!!! [woman sneezing] Don't let airborne allergens scare you. Aerius provides fast relief of your 15 worst allergy symptoms. So you can love the air again. Aerius. ( ) Make your first move with battery power made by stihl. ( ) ( ) ( ) Find stihl tools, starting at $229.99. Shop local. Buy stihl. Find yours at STIHL.ca. >> Todd: she once wanted to be U.S. president and called donald trump unfit for office but now nikki haley says she will vote for him in november. >> I will be voting for trump. >> Haley served as governor of south carolina later trump's ambassador at the united nations. She was seen as last hope of the anti-trump wing of the republican party. Haley did not call on her supporters to vote for trump.

>>> Speaking of trump real life rise to real estate mogul has been written about many times now a new movie about trump back in the 1980s, it's called apprentice recently premiered at the cannes film festival in france. As washington bureau chief joy malbon reports, the trump campaign isn't happy at all. >> At its world premiere apprentice caused quite the buzz at the cannes film festival following donald trump's years as a new york real estate tycoon. Starring the succession's jeremy and delete s. The movie made headlines for some disturbing scenes including the future president sexually assaulting his first identify ivana who died in 2022. There are references to pill popping, lyposuction, and surgery to remove a bald spot, hardly flattering. >> I don't think he would necessarily like it. I think he would be surprised. >> Reporter: the movie's director says it's inspired by true events. The trump campaign says it's anything but. And wants to sue. This garbage is pure fiction which sensationalized lies long debunked, it belongs in a dumpster fire. >> Everybody talks about him suing a lot of people. They don't talk about his success rate though. You know. >> Reporter: defending, the director invited trump to a private screening to see for himself. A movie filmed partly in ontario and timing critics say is everything. >> As all the controversy generated over on the south of france, it will generate much more here in america when they will anticipate releasing it in september right in the closing weeks of the presidential election. >> Reporter: while the movie received a standing ovation, the director had this to say about his famous subject. >> There is no nice way to deal with this. >> The apprentice isn't the first movie about donald trump and he has got enough legal trouble to worry about facing 88 criminal charges while campaigning to win back the white house. Todd. >> Todd: ctv's joy malbon.

>>> Graceland the home of king of rock 'n roll is off the auction block at least for now. Elvis presley's granddaughter has won an emergency legal bid to delay the sale of the home which is a major tourist attraction in tennessee. A private lending company claims it gave a $3.8 million loan to elvis' daughter lisa marie presley back in 2018. The company says she used graceland as collateral but never repaid the loan. Lisa marie died last year. Her daughter argued the company's documents were forged and the loan never existed. The judge in the case saying the delay is in the public interest given graceland's historic and cultural significance. >>> Still ahead, ticked off. The creepy and dangerous critters who are crawling their way across canada. It's odd how in an instant things can transform. Slipping out of balance into freefall. (The stock market is now down 23%). This is happening people. Where there are so few certainties... (laughing) Look around you. You deserve to know. as we navigate a future unknown. I'm glad I found stability amidst it all. Gold. Standing the test of time. ( ) In here... you can expect to find... crystal clear audio... expansive display space... endless entertainment... and more comfort for everyone... But even with all that... we still left room... for all the unpredictability... spontaneity.. and unexpected things... you'll find out here... Jeep. Grand Cherokee. The most awarded suv ever. Mr. Clean Magic Eraser powers through tough messes. So it makes it look like I spent hours cleaning. And no, I didn't! It makes my running shoe look like new! It's amazing! It's so good, it makes it look like I have magical powers! Magic Eraser and Sheets make cleaning look easy. Good. Good. Good morning. Hey. Good morning with Dulcolax ...for a gentle and fast relieve Dulcolax Soft Chews works with the water in your body... in as little as 30 minutes. Making your good morning... ...even better with Dulcolax. Our Enercare technicians are experts at heating and cooling. Water heating and water purification. We can help you with a range of affordable solutions to help your home run smoothly. Enercare Experts at home ego, the number one rated brand in cordless outdoor power brings you the select cut mower. Customize the cut with three interchangeable blades. It cuts for over an hour on a single charge. Find an ego retailer near you. (Dramatic music) I am Paul Atreides! Duke of Arrakis! Let me fight beside you. I'll show you the way. Sullivan's crossing new episode on ctv Closed captioning of this program is brought to you in part by Bell switch to Canada's fastest Internet. >> Todd: all heard of ticks parasites, bloodsuckers not the a great combination. Can spread disease and becoming increasingly common. With more what you need to know ctv's paul hollingsworth has this report from halifax. >> Reporter: experts caution an unseasonably warm winter has allowed ticks to thrive early, ready to bite in growing numbers. >> The ticks are quite happy with the milder winters that are happening in the maritimes and across canada. >> Tick borne illnesses are on the rise. There were more than 8,000 reported cases of lyme disease in canada from 2021 to 2023. >> Throughout the entire country. >> Donna lugar spent years battling lyme disease symptoms before she was properly diagnosed. >> I had a light sensitivity, sound sensitivity, scent sensitivity, digestive issues, hearing issues. >> Lugar urges people to check their bodies closely after being outdoors. >> We need to be undertaking preventative measures daily. >> Reporter: there are basic steps to stay tick free. >> Bug spray not a bad idea. When you come inside, either check yourself right away if you are in a high risk area, toss your clothes into a dryer. >> Concerns about certain ticks spreading lyme disease have increased in recent years. >> Black like tick is very much big problem all around canada. >> Reporter: the lone star tick is also dangerous. >> On the whole there are more ticks, they are moving further

northward. >> According to recent data from the government of canada there are 40 different types of ticks in our country but not all of these ticks will make you sick. Some scientists say avoiding all ticks is the safest approach. >> Not every tick is infected but every type of tick can have something nasty. >> Reporter: it's a growing and alarming concern, especially with canadians enjoying outdoor activities during the warm weather season. Paul hollingsworth, "ctv news," halifax. >> Todd: after the break, role models become plastic models. A canadian soccer super star among the athletes honoured with their very own barbies. They say, "post it or it didn't happen." But out here, in the places we were made for, you'll have to take our word for it. Find somewhere the internet's never been... with a family of Broncos designed to get you there. ( ) ( ) (Music Begins) Summer breeze makes me feel fine Blowing through the jasmine in my mind ( ) Summer breeze makes me feel fine (Silence) Blowing through the jasmine in my mind Summer starts here. Get your pc® Summer Insiders Report today. (Keys jingling, click of light switch) Your boss' name is Heather And she made you have an awful day Let me sing all your problems away Get started for free on eharmony. Must be 18 or older to join. Get who gets you. eharmony. Salonpas, makers of effective pain relief patches for 89 years believes in continuous improvement, like rounded corners that resist peeling, with an array of active ingredients and sizes to relieve your pain. Salonpas. It's Good Medicine. Hisamitsu [Ambient Sounds] [Ambient Sounds] [Ambient Sounds] [Ambient Sounds] [Silence] This is her why. What's yours? Discover the science behind managing weight at truthaboutweight.ca. >> One of canada's most famous soccer player, the other world's most famous doll. Now christine sinclair and barbie are teaming up in toy land one might say. >> Wide open goal. It's christine sinclair! >> The belief christine sinclair gave canadians was contagious. They could dream, win and be the best in the world. A role model. >> My faith. >> Now mini model. A barbie with her signature head band and jersey. >> They got the gold medal most important, high socks because the cool kids wear high socks. >> Among sinclair's achievements. Scoring the most international goals ever. She says this was unexpected but a huge honour. >> You know, an iconic toy, hopefully can inspire the next generation of young canadians. >> For 65th anniversary barbie is honouring nine athletes from around the world. Tennis star venus williams is another. >> There's moments in life that you can't even dream about, never thought that I would be you know made as a barbie doll. >> While the aim is to inspire, the maker of barbie says the dolls aren't for sale. >> The role model dolls are created just in their likeness truly to honour those athletes. And I would love a doll too. I feel everyone's pain out there. But there is only one and it is gifted to the role model. >> Reporter: that puzzles parents. >> I think why not. Sell them all. >> Sinclair says growing up she didn't have female role model athletes to look up to. >> Through this barbie I hope to show especially young girls obviously that anything is possible and that you know chase your dreams they can come true. >> Reporter: a goal that much larger than a game. Sarah plowman, "ctv news," fredericton. >> Todd: that's it for us tonight. I'm todd van der heyden. For omar sachedina and all of us here at "ctv national news," thank you for watching. Have a great rest of your evening and I will see you right here again tomorrow.

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Get down! Get into a new station 19 on ctv [ ] >> We know the policy solutions we need to have the government at all levels have the fortitude and courage to be able to implement them. >> A warning as they paint a grim picture of food security. >> We are pretty unanimous in saying we have to review this because the system really has lived beyond its usefulness. >> West jet calls for a federal review into the way that airports are funded. >>> Canada's long-standing position has been to support and to call for two state solution. >> Canada maintains its stance on the middle east as ireland, norway and spain say they will recognize the palestinian state. Thank you for joining us. We are getting a troubling new look at just how much canadians are struggling with the cost of living a new report suggests a quarter are facing food insecurity and almost half are worse off financially than they did last year. >> Reporter: officials of the daily bread food bank say demand has never been greater. Thousands of new clients arriving each month. They have jobs but not enough money to pay their rent and afford groceries. >> We are welcoming about 12 to 13,000 torontonians who have never used a food bank before. There come into the food bank for the very first time on a monthly basis. We are growing at three to 5 percent here in the city of toronto every single month. This past april there were 11,000 clients visits up from about 60,000 prepandemic. >> Numbers match report released by food banks canada. It works with 5100 local food banks and community groups and all provinces and territories. Here's a look at the findings. 44 percent of people feel they are doing worse financially compared to last year. One and four are experiencing food insecurity. >> The stand out from me really is that behind all of these numbers are real people and real folks who are struggling to make ends meet like never before. Families with jobs that should be able to afford food to put on their table. >> Reporter: food banks canada looked at the overall situation with poverty across the country, comparing the progress of every government. Here's a sample of the report card. The federal government was devon -- given a d. Ontario with the minus. Québec a c+, alberta d- and british columbia b+. The yukon inconclusive, not enough data. >> Nova scotia and pei did manage to bring their scores up a bit. I don't want to just that no one is taking action. >> Reporter: activist say federal and provincial governments need a coordinated poverty reduction plan. They claim there needs to be a greater sense of urgency to address this growing problem.

>>> West jet is calling for a full federal government review into the way airports are funded in canada. Canada's major airports are operated on federally owned land and they must pay rent to the government. Part of those costs and up getting past on to consumers in the form of extra fees charged on their tickets. The ceo says they faced... And is calling on ottawa to stop collecting rent. >> Joining me to discuss this is... At mcgill university. John what is your take on this. Do you think the aviation funding model needs to be reviewed? >> Yes. We've made it clear in a few of our academics... A couple weeks ago and I think we were pretty unanimous in saying we have to review this because the system really has lived beyond its usefulness. Covid has done a number in terms of the financial status of canadian airports. There has to be a review in terms of how airports are being funded and how they are going to fund future expenditure. >> What you expect a potential review to look like? >> Right now we are in a user paying model which everybody has been saying is broken. Is not the way we should be looking at it. West jet is looking at it the same. They want to have these charges removed because he wants fares to be able to go lower. The problem is if you remove those charges from the canadian travelling public, someone has to fuel those revenues that are being generated by those fees. Unfortunately the remedy for that would be all of canadian taxpayers rather than just air travellers who will be funding airports, ready to take on that challenge just yet. >> What sort of revenue do these fees bring in for the government and does it all go back into maintaining and improving the airport? >> The airport improvement fees are fees that you pay at each airport. That money stays with the airport. That's being used to fund the capital needs of the airports. The other fees that are there... Some of the other operational fees stay with the government. The big number is the rent that is being paid by the airports to the government and it's over $500 million a year. That rent is being thrown back in the general revenues. The airlines, the airports would like to see that show up back in the airports as an investment by the federal government to prove -- improve the state of the airport situation. >> How likely do you think the government is to take this request seriously? >> I think they are starting. We've got a review underway by the competition bureau about the state of competition and in the impact of these fees and that is starting shortly. We have a government looking at alternative financing models for the airports to look at having additional sovereign funds that we have in canada invest in airports. And make it easier for those funds that are investing overseas and invest in canada. There is some attention now weather the government is ready and willing to start looking at user pay as a concept and to review alternative, there's no indication that the government is ready to talk about that just yet. >> West jet also announced that they will introduced the lowest fees to passengers who are willing to forgo a carry-on bag. Do you think that's a smart business model and an option that passengers are likely to take up? >> Everybody's going to want cheaper fair. I think whatever we see happening by these additional fees that are showing up left right and centre, this is not unheard of. Airlines are trying to peel back the onion and to make some of the fees -- some of the services that you expect in a ticket, roll them back and make them optional and have additional revenues to it. It's another attempt to look at so-called ancillary fees, they've called them junk fees. And to basically add another level of fee structures on top of what they charge as a ticket. So it really is an attempt by the airlines to segment their travelling public into various buckets and they are looking to charge those people. >> Thank you so much for your time today. Program coordinator of the global aviation leadership program at mcgill university. >> My pleasure. >> The crown has wrapped up it's case against admitted killer jeremy skibicki. Today handwritten letters penned

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