As the calendar turns, we pause to reflect on a year of significant transformation and notable events, both within Canada and on the world stage. The past twelve months were marked by complex trade dynamics, pivotal political decisions, and moments of both tragedy and achievement that defined 2025.
A Year of Political and Economic Crossroads
The relationship between Canada and the United States remained a dominant and often rocky theme throughout the year. The political landscape shifted notably in early January when Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced his intention to step down, following a Liberal leadership race, and prorogued Parliament until March 24.
Internationally, the election of Donald Trump set a new tone for North American relations. On January 7, then-president-elect Trump declared he would use economic force to bring Canada under the American flag and refused to rule out using force to absorb Greenland and reclaim the Panama Canal. This statement set the stage for a year of delicate diplomacy.
Alberta's Premier, Danielle Smith, engaged directly with the incoming U.S. administration, attending an unannounced meeting with President-elect Trump at his Mar-a-Lago compound in Florida on January 12 to discuss critical trade issues.
Significant Events at Home and Abroad
The year opened with tragedy in New Orleans on January 1, where ten people were killed and three dozen injured when a pickup truck plowed through New Year's revellers on Bourbon Street. The driver, a Texas native and U.S. military veteran, was later fatally shot in a confrontation with police.
In California, massive wildfires fanned by powerful winds led to a chaotic evacuation of tens of thousands in the Los Angeles area between January 7 and 8. The blazes, contained nearly a month later, resulted in approximately 30 deaths and the destruction of tens of thousands of buildings.
On the health front, a 65-year-old hospitalized man in Louisiana became the first person in the U.S. to die from avian flu on January 6, raising public health concerns.
Canadian Milestones and Losses
Canada witnessed its own series of impactful events. The nation mourned the loss of a civic leader when former Calgary mayor Rod Sykes died peacefully at home at age 95 on January 3. Sykes is widely credited with laying the groundwork for Calgary's light rail transit system and was mayor when the first section of Deerfoot Trail opened in 1975.
In a historic move for clean energy, Newfoundland and Labrador approved a massive $227-billion hydroelectric deal on January 9 to supply power to neighbouring Quebec, finalizing a pact five decades in the making.
The political scene in Calgary saw electoral change at city hall, contributing to a year of dynamic shifts in municipal governance.
Global Developments and Digital Shifts
The war in Ukraine continued to influence global geopolitics. On January 1, Ukraine halted the transit of Russian natural gas through its territory as a 2019 agreement expired, a move Kyiv claimed was a major setback for Russia in the nearly three-year-long conflict.
In the digital realm, social media underwent a significant change as Meta announced on January 7 it was eliminating independent fact-checking on its platforms, citing concerns over increasing partisanship and censorship.
Legal proceedings also made headlines, with President-elect Donald Trump receiving a conditional discharge on January 10 for his 2024 hush money case conviction. Furthermore, a freshly released U.S. Department of Justice report on January 13 stated Trump would have been convicted of charges stemming from his alleged interference in the aftermath of the 2020 election.
From trade tensions and political transitions to environmental disasters and technological policy shifts, 2025 proved to be a year that challenged norms and reshaped perspectives both in Canada and around the world.
