In August, virtually overnight, a financial collapse devalued savings and wiped out hundreds of thousands of jobs. In scenes reminiscent of the Great Depression, people lined up outside of banks and fought each other as they tried to get at their life savings. A special report that aired on the World at Six on Dec. 31, 1998. Reporter Bill Gillespie examines the plight of the homeless in major cities across the country. Listen to Homelessness in Canada .
Some people say they found hope in the wake of the tragedy.
This documentary was originally broadcast on December 28, 1998. Listen to Forever Changed . Some are excited about the prospects for improved crop yield. Others warn that the long term implications of changing the genetic makeup of plants could lead to superweeds and bugs immune to pesticides. Listen to Food at the Crossroads .