Hour 1 of Ottawa Now for Thurs. March 19th, 2026

Since the United States and Israel threw the first stones against Iran on February 28th, Iran’s top leaders have been killed in airstrikes, while the country’s military capabilities have been severely degraded. Even still, 3 weeks later, Iran remains capable of inflicting damage through missile and drone attacks, rattling its neighbours in The Gulf and hammering the world’s Energy sector. Naturally, this has led to higher gas prices and a big headache for small business owners. In a recent survey of its members, the Canadian Federation of Independent Business found that 80 percent of nearly 1,200 respondents are gravely concerned that this battle in Iran will have severe repercussions. We dig deeper with Dan Kelly, the CFIB’s President, in Hour 1. Meantime, Ontario's Premier is generating a lot of buzz for his comments following a home invasion. CFRA's Andrew Pinsent delivers the latest developments. But first, we bring you up to speed on today's top headlines.