The Current for January 28, 2019
Today on The Current: Will the firing of Canada's ambassador to China make repairing relations between the two countries even harder?; plus, how will the U.S. react to the unfolding political instability in Venezuela?; and does Canada's criminal justice system need special courts to deal specifically with sexual misconduct and violence?; and we speak to Jason Rezaian about the 544 days he spent in an Iranian prison.
Today on The Current:
- Prime Minister Justin Trudeau fired John McCallum, Canada's ambassador to China, over the weekend — following McCallum's comments on the extradition case of Meng Wanzhou. Observers are warning that while the prime minister may not have had a choice, McCallum's departure won't help solve the dispute between the two countries.
- As the world watches the unfolding political instability in Venezuela, U.S. President Donald Trump says that "all options are on the table" when it comes to the question of U.S. intervention. We look at the likelihood of putting American boots on the ground, and how the Venezuelan people might react to outside interference.
- Parti Québécois politician Véronique Hivon is pushing for a specialized court to hear sexual assault cases, in the hopes of rebuilding confidence in the justice system. We speak to Hivon about her proposal, and hear concerns from a defence lawyer. We also look at how a similar system is working in South Africa.
- U.S-born Jason Rezaian was an established journalist in Iran when he was suddenly arrested in 2014. He spent 544 days in Tehran's notorious Evin prison, as U.S. efforts to secure his release took place against the tense backdrop of the Iran nuclear deal. We speak to him about his time in the infamous prison, and his fight to prevent anyone else from suffering the same nightmare.