A look at events in December 2025

1 – No competing bids emerged for Hudson’s Bay’s 1670 royal charter, clearing the way for the Thomson and Weston families to buy it for $18 million. The families were the only parties to signal interest before the deadline, making their joint offer the likely winning bid pending court approval. They planned to donate the charter to four Canadian institutions and provide $5 million for conservation and public access. The decision followed months of shifting offers, including earlier individual bids from both families before they united for a joint proposal.

2 – National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak ripped into the Carney government’s approach to consultation with First Nations. First Nations chiefs voted unanimously to press the government to uphold the oil tanker ban off the northern British Columbia coast. Woodhouse Nepinak addressed the Assembly of First Nations’ December meeting citing its failure to consult meaningfully with First Nations and cuts to federal investments in First Nations communities.

2 – U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement ordered 20 armoured vehicles from a Canadian defence manufacturer, near Toronto. A partially redacted procurement document said only Brampton, Ont.‘s Roshel meets the department’s requirements and can complete the order within 30 days. The $10-million contract is for a type of armoured tactical vehicle used by Ukraine in its war with Russia. The department was awash in controversy and allegations of human rights abuses in U.S. President Donald Trump’s campaign to expel vast numbers of immigrants living in the country illegally.

3 – The European Union said Canada will need to pay the euro equivalent of C$16-million to join a defence procurement agreement with the continent. Canada announced this week it would officially be joining the $245-billion Security Action for Europe program, part of the ReArm Europe initiative. Defence Minister David McGuinty said the deal has been finalized, but was guarded with his words when asked how much Canada would need to pay. McGuinty said the government will have more to say on the matter soon.

3 – B.C. Conservative Party Leader John Rustad was ousted from his position by members of his party. The party said Rustad was “professionally incapacitated’’ and therefore unable to continue as leader, with the board of directors making the decision. Trevor Halford has been installed as interim leader after 20 MLAs representing a caucus majority said they had lost confidence in Rustad and wanted him out. Rustad had refused to quit for months despite a caucus rebellion that saw five of his MLAs leave in the last year.

4 – Canada said it would serve Stellantis a notice of default after the automaker shifted some of its production to the United States. Industry Minister Mélanie Joly said a contract for federal funds for a Windsor battery plant included a job guarantee in Brampton, Ont. Stellantis announced in October it was moving planned production of its Jeep Compass from Brampton to Illinois. U.S. President Donald Trump upended the North American automobile industry with his tariffs and boasted this week about Canadian auto plants relocating to the United States.

4 – Federal ministers faced pointed questions from chiefs at the Assembly of First Nations gathering in Ottawa, where major projects and the B.C. pipeline deal dominated the agenda. Energy Minister Tim Hodgson was pulled from a scheduled panel after backlash over signing the Alberta pipeline agreement without meeting coastal leaders. Chiefs later passed a unanimous resolution calling for that deal to be scrapped and for the northern tanker ban to stay in place. Youth delegates also urged leaders to defend land and water rights, warning that development pressures are accelerating.

5 – Prime Minister Mark Carney and the presidents of the U.S. and Mexico met to talk trade at the 2026 World Cup draw. There were no staff in the room for the 50-minute meeting, and it’s not yet known what the three leaders discussed. This was Carney’s first private meeting since U.S. President Donald Trump suddenly ended trade talks in October in response to Ontario’s anti-tariff TV ad. Carney has had two cordial meetings with Trump at the White House, but this was the first in-person meeting between Trump and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum.

5 – Canada drew Switzerland, Qatar and a yet-to-be determined European team in the draw for FIFA’s 2026 Men’s World Cup. B.C. Premier David Eby told watch party attendees the province is excited to host some of the games and the good-paying jobs they’ll create.

6 – Montrealers paused to remember the 14 women murdered at Polytechnique 36 years ago, with leaders urging Canadians to keep confronting violence against women. Prime Minister Mark Carney said progress has been made on gun control but not enough, and pledged tougher bail conditions in cases of intimate partner violence. Fifteen beams of light rose above Mount Royal — 14 for the victims and one for all femicide victims, as families called the duty to remember “as relevant as ever.”

6 – Sixty-two Indigenous artifacts from the Vatican arrived in Montreal, welcomed by First Nations, Inuit and Metis leaders who said the return is emotional and long overdue. The items will be returned to their home communities as part of ongoing reconciliation work. Leaders said the pieces are not “artifacts” but belongings and ancestors, carrying memory, dignity and teachings that can help revive culture and technique. They say this is only the beginning — with more items still in Vatican collections and hopes that they will be returned.

6 – Hopes of English fans were dashed as Canadian fans learned which teams would play in the country for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. FIFA released the full schedule of the expanded 48-team, 104-game tournament Saturday in Washington D.C. Canada is staging 13 games, seven in Vancouver and six in Toronto. Three of those games are in the knockout rounds. Toronto will host No. 72 Ghana versus No. 30 Panama (June 17, Group L), No. 9 Germany versus No. 42 Ivory Coast (June 20, Group E), Panama versus No. 10 Croatia (June 23, Group L) and No. 19 Senegal versus a playoff winner — Iraq, Bolivia or Suriname — (June 26, Group I). Vancouver will host No. 26 Australia versus a European playoff winner (June 13, Group D) and No. 86 New Zealand versus No. 34 Egypt and No. 8 Belgium (June 21 and 26, Group G).

7 – The NHL said the Heritage Classic game was coming back to Canada next season. The Winnipeg Jets and Montreal Canadiens will face off in the 2026 Tim Hortons NHL Heritage Classic at Winnipeg’s Princess Auto Stadium on Oct. 25. It marks the league’s eighth Heritage Classic and first since 2023. Winnipeg will host its second outdoor showcase after falling to the Edmonton Oilers at the home of the CFL’s Blue Bombers in October 2016 before a crowd of over 33,000.

8 – The Golden Globes nominees were announced, and there are some major snubs and surprises. “Wicked: For Good” and Jon M. Chu did not make the cut, even though Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande got nominations on their own. Sydney Sweeney was snubbed for a best dramatic actress nod, even after her transformative turn as a boxer in “Christy” was well-received at the Toronto International Film Festival. But “KPop Demon Hunters” was nominated for box office achievement — which is surprising, considering Netflix doesn’t report box office results.

8 – Canada’s artificial intelligence minister touted new digital agreements with Europe. Evan Solomon announced the deals with the EU and Germany as he began two days of meetings in Montreal with his G7 counterparts. The agreements cover AI and other digital technologies. Canada is aligning itself with the EU, which has been a proponent of AI regulation while the U.S. under the Trump administration has opposed regulation.

9 – A strike by Air Transat pilots was avoided after a tentative deal was reached with the travel company. Leisure airline Air Transat’s owner Transat AT confirmed the tentative deal, although neither it nor the union representing some 750 pilots has released any details. Transat AT had been cancelling flights and winding down operations ahead of a possible work stoppage, a move that impacted thousands of travellers.

9 – Prime Minister Mark Carney thanked Canada’s ambassador to the U.S. for her years of service in the aftermath of her resignation announcement. Carney thanked Hillman in a media statement, saying she has resolutely defended Canadian values and interests during a period of transformation in the relationship between Canada and the U.S. Hillman said she would end her tenure in Washington, D.C. in the new year. She said it’s the right time to put in place a team to see through the negotiations on renewing the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement on trade.

10 – The Bank of Canada left its key interest rate unchanged at 2.25 per cent. It was the final rate decision of the year. In October the Bank of Canada lowered it by a quarter point. Bank of Canada governor Tiff Macklem said inflationary pressures continue to be contained despite some added costs related to tariffs.

10 – Alberta Premier Danielle Smith was facing a recall petition in her Brooks-Medicine Hat riding. She was one of 21 MLAs targeted in a wave of citizen-led petitions challenging the UCP government. Heather VanSnick was leading the petition drive in Smith’s southern Alberta riding of Brooks-Medicine Hat and said the premier was ignoring local concerns, while she argued the recall is being misused for politics. VanSnick needs to collect just over 12,000 signatures to move the process forward within 90 days.

11 – Rising floodwaters in British Columbia’s Fraser Valley forced families and farmers to relive a familiar situation. Atmospheric river weather systems sent cross-border outflows pouring into the province from Washington state. Residents were anxiously watching to see whether it would be as bad as the billions in damage from 2021’s catastrophic flooding of the Sumas Prairie. Major highways connecting the Lower Mainland to the Interior remained closed and evacuation alerts and orders were expanded.

11 – A member of the Canadian Armed Forces was arrested and charged in a foreign interference investigation. Master Warrant Officer Matthew Robar was charged with multiple offences including communicating special operational information and breach of trust. The investigation began in 2024 and focused on the unauthorized disclosure of safeguarded information to a foreign entity. The Department of National Defence said Robar’s arrest and charges stemmed from an operation between the military police and RCMP, and that he would be tried in the military justice system.

12 – A hockey team’s bus crashed in northern Alberta, sending at least two people to hospital. Police said the bus went into a ditch south of Athabasca and two teens were taken to hospital in Edmonton for non-life-threatening injuries. RCMP said those on the bus were between 15 and 19 but declined to identify the team. The Crowsnest Crush with the National Junior Hockey League said its weekend games against the Athabasca Rivermen were cancelled because of a bus accident. 

12 – The mayor of flood-struck Abbotsford, B.C., blasted the feds for what he calls its flooding inaction. Ross Siemens said he had not been contacted by the federal government about this week’s flooding. The floodwaters forced hundreds of households to evacuate their homes while inundating poultry barns and forcing livestock relocations. Flooding began receding but the B.C. River Forecast Centre’s David Campbell said draining the Sumas Prairie would take days.

13 – A shooter dressed in black killed two people and critically injured nine others at Brown University, Rhode Island, during final exams. Providence Mayor Brett Smiley said authorities initially reported eight injured victims, but later confirmed the additional person’s injuries. Students were forced to shelter-in-place for hours as police searched the campus. The suspect remains at large, and the FBI assists in the ongoing investigation.

13 – The United States beat Canada 4-1 to sweep the four-game Rivalry Series in women’s hockey. The U.S. outscored Canada 24-7 over the course of four games. The two teams next face each other in preliminary round action at the 2026 Olympic Games in Italy. Hockey Canada is expected to announce its 23-player Olympic roster early next month before the Canadians open defence of their gold medal against Finland on Feb. 4.

14 – Australians grieved after a deadly attack at a Hanukkah celebration on Sydney’s Bondi Beach. Police said two men opened fire during the family event, killing at least 15 people and wounding dozens more. Leaders said the violence was driven by antisemitic hatred and struck at a place symbolic of Australia’s open, relaxed culture. Gun ownership is rare in Australia – making the scale of the attack especially shocking.

14 – Acclaimed actor and filmmaker Rob Reiner died at 78. He and his wife, Michele, were found dead at their Los Angeles home, with authorities treating their deaths as an apparent homicide. Reiner rose to fame as Michael Stivic on the ‘70s TV sitcom “All in the Family” and directed iconic films such as “The Princess Bride” and “When Harry Met Sally.” Beyond film, he co-founded Castle Rock Entertainment, championed liberal causes, and remained a prominent figure in Hollywood for decades.

15 – A new Canadian study said the COVID-19 vaccine protects pregnant women from getting severely ill or giving birth prematurely. Researchers led by the University of British Columbia analyzed data on almost 20,000 pregnant Canadians infected with COVID-19 in 2021 and 2022. The study found vaccinated pregnant women were about 60 per cent less likely to be hospitalized and 90 per cent less likely to need intensive care. The authors said the risk of premature birth is 20 per cent lower during the Delta wave and 36 per cent lower during the Omicron wave among women who are vaccinated.

15 – Ontario Premier Doug Ford unveiled a multibillion-dollar plan, Destination Niagara, aimed at doubling visitors to the Niagara Region. The strategy included more casinos, a new theme park, an electric tram, and an observation wheel, though funding sources remain unclear. Ford hoped to extend the average visitor stay from under two to four days to a week. To support growth, the province is seeking proposals to expand the Niagara District Airport, including a longer runway and international passenger flights.

16 – The head of the Bank of Canada said he is confident in the anchor of its two per cent inflation target. Governor Tiff Macklem told a business crowd in Montreal that this is more important than ever in a period of economic volatility. He said the central bank was gearing up for a mandate review next year that will equip it to keep prices stable in a more shock-prone world following a year of U.S. trade disruption. The central bank recently held its key interest rate steady at 2.25 per cent.

16 – Rome opened a long-awaited subway station deep beneath the Colosseum. Commuters and tourists entering the station beside the iconic amphitheatre could view displays of ceramic vases and plates as well as the ruins of a cold plunge pool and thermal bath from a first-century home. Italian officials said there were plans to open a museum within the station in the future. The multibillion-euro Metro C subway line has been in the works for two decades.

17 – Alberta’s Court of Appeal struck down the requirement for new lawyers to swear allegiance to the monarch. The court said the oath violated religious freedom and is unconstitutional. The ruling followed a challenge by a Sikh law graduate who said he cannot swear loyalty to any figure but his faith’s deity. The ruling removes the oath requirement across Alberta, unless the province calls for an appeal.

18 – Ontario and Ottawa’s agreement to speed up major projects approvals could be the first of many. Premier Doug Ford and the prime minister signed an agreement that major projects in that province will go through Ontario’s process alone, rather than both provincial and federal. Prime Minister Mark Carney said he’d like to get similar deals in place with every province. Carney said the federal government is currently negotiating agreements with Manitoba and Prince Edward Island.

18 – Canadian defender Nikola Markovic was taken first overall in the MLS SuperDraft. DC United snapped up the 21-year-old sophomore centre back from Gatineau, Que. Markovic was named the ACC Defensive Player of the Year. He won gold with Quebec at the 2022 Canada Games and joined the CF Montreal academy at 18, spending a year and a half there before starting at North Carolina State.

19 – A panel looking at Alberta’s relationship with Ottawa called for turfing the Mounties and asking voters if they want to leave the Canada Pension Plan. Premier Danielle Smith’s hand-picked Alberta Next panel issued a new report of findings and recommendations. It said a referendum on quitting the CPP should come after residents get more information on the pros and cons of going it alone. The report came after months of public town hall meetings across the province and other online and survey feedback.

19 – A court ruling said one of the main organizers of the 2022 “Freedom Convoy” won’t have to forfeit a long-haul truck used in the blockade. The convoy paralyzed downtown Ottawa for more than three weeks in January and February 2022 to protest the federal government and public health measures. Chris Barber received an 18-month conditional sentence and the Crown submitted a forfeiture application for the truck as “offence-related property.” Barber’s lawyer said the judge decided making him give up his truck would be a disproportionate punishment.

20 – A paraplegic engineer from Germany became the first wheelchair user to launch into space. Michaela Benthaus was joined by five others as they soared from West Texas with Jeff Bezos’s company Blue Origin. The company said the 10-minute space-skimming flight required only minor adjustments to accommodate Benthaus.

20 – At least 16 files disappeared from the U.S. Justice Department’s public webpage for documents related to Jeffrey Epstein. The missing files were dropped less than a day after they are posted, with no explanation from the government and no notice to the public. One notable photo showed President Donald Trump alongside Epstein, Melania Trump and Epstein’s longtime associate Ghislaine Maxwell.

21 – Carter Hart played in his first professional hockey game in Canada since being acquitted of sexual assault last summer. The Sherwood Park, Alta., native and Vegas Golden Knights goaltender was in net tonight against the Oilers in Edmonton. He was the first of the five former Canadian junior hockey players acquitted in the case to return to the ice north of the border. All five pleaded not guilty to charges stemming from a sexual encounter with a woman at a London, Ont., hotel after a 2018 Hockey Canada gala.

22 – Canada Post and its union reached tentative agreements to end more than two years of labour strife. The agreements covered both the Urban Postal Operations and Rural and Suburban Mail Carriers bargaining units. The Canadian Union of Postal Workers recommended its members approve the deals when ratification votes are held early in the new year. Canada Post says the four-year tentative agreements include higher wage increases, enhanced benefits and a weekend parcel delivery model.

22 – Alberta’s election agency approved a proposed referendum question on the province separating from Canada. The question seeks a yes or no answer to: “Do you agree that the province of Alberta should cease to be a part of Canada to become an independent state?” The head of the citizens’ group behind the push for a referendum was confident he would collect the nearly 178,000 signatures needed to get the vote.

23 – The FBI said it wanted to interview former prince Andrew Mountbatten Windsor about his connections to Canadian sex offender and fashion mogul Peter Nygard. The revelation comes in the U.S. Justice Department’s latest release of documents related to Jeffrey Epstein. An April 2020 letter to the FBI’s U.K. counterparts said evidence links Mountbatten Windsor to both Epstein and Nygard in two separate sex-trafficking investigations. Nygard is alleged to have trafficked adult women and minor girls from the U.S., but he denies all allegations.

23 – Elections Alberta approved three more recall petitions, bringing the total number of active campaigns to 26. Most target members of Premier Danielle Smith’s UCP caucus, including first-term backbenchers and the premier herself. Petitioners cite anger over the government’s use of the notwithstanding clause to end a teachers strike. If enough signatures are gathered, voters will decide whether the MLAs keep their seats.

24 – A Powerball ticket bought in Arkansas turned into a post-Christmas windfall worth $1.8 billion. The win ended a three-month jackpot drought and ranked as the fourth-largest lottery prize in U.S. history. The odds are steep – one in 292.2 million. The winner can take the full payout over time, or an estimated $735 million U.S. in cash before taxes.

25 – During his first holiday message as Pope, Leo the 14th urged the faithful to shed indifference toward those who are suffering. Leo  presided over a Christmas Day mass in St. Peter’s Basilica and delivers the traditional blessing to a crowd of about 26,000 in St. Peter’s Square. The first U.S. pontiff highlighted suffering in Gaza, Yemen, and among migrants crossing the Mediterranean Sea and the American continent. He also called for peace, justice and stability in troubled regions like Lebanon, Ukraine and Syria.

25 – Christmas Day brought widespread weather warnings across Canada, with powerful winter storms in the east. Much of Newfoundland and Labrador faced blizzard conditions, with Environment Canada forecasting up to 50 centimetres of snow for parts of Labrador and wind gusts near 120 kilometres an hour. Elsewhere in the province, snowfall totals were expected to reach 40 centimetres, creating whiteout conditions and knocking out power to more than 4,500 customers. Some Christmas Day church services are also cancelled.

26 – Prime Minister Mark Carney spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as he prepared to head to the United States. Zelenskyy was set to visit Florida over the weekend for a meeting with President Donald Trump on a potential agreement to end the war with Russia. A statement from Carney’s office said the PM and the Ukrainian leader discussed the latest negotiations to end the war.

26 – Thousands of people wee without power in Newfoundland and Labrador as a winter storm hammers the province. Environment Canada left weather warnings in place for much of the province. Newfoundland Power reports roughly 4,200 customers were without power.

27 – A bear cub rescued last week in northeastern British Columbia was expected to survive after being found in critical condition near Dawson Creek. The Northern Lights Wildlife Society said a volunteer drove eight hours from Smithers to reach the female cub. Co-founder Angelika Langen said the cub appeared to have suffered burns while hibernating. Langen called the rescue a “Christmas miracle” and said the cub is recovering.

27 – Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was named The Canadian Press’s Male Athlete of the Year for the second time after a historic season. The Hamilton native earned the honour after taking home NBA MVP, Finals MVP and leading the Oklahoma City Thunder to a championship. He received 89.3 per cent of the CP vote.

28 – U.S. President Donald Trump insisted Ukraine and Russia were closer to a peace deal than ever before. His comments came after a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at Mar-a-Lago. Both leaders acknowledged thorny issues remain.

28 – Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe said economic uncertainty driven by U.S. and Chinese tariffs forced the province toward tough budget decisions. Moe blamed President Donald Trump’s trade policies and says Saskatchewan would avoid retaliatory export measures while working with Ottawa.

29 – Canada cruised past Denmark at the world junior hockey championship, thumping the Danes 9-1.

29 – A new report from the B.C. government described a scenario in which a “megathrust” earthquake could kill thousands of people if it hits the province.

30 – Iran designated Canada’s navy as a terrorist organization in response to Ottawa’s recent decision to add an Iranian military branch to its list of extremist groups.

31 – Prime Minister Mark Carney said now is a time to reflect on the moments that brought us joy and the people who made our lives special. He said in his New Year’s Eve message that Canada faced challenges this year but the country is strongest when it’s united. Carney also said Canadians make the country strong by taking care of each other and that he will resolve to carry that spirit and those values forward into 2026. 

31 – Macklin Celebrini is among 25 players named to Canada’s finalized men’s hockey roster ahead of the NHL’s return to the Olympics. The 19-year-old from North Vancouver sits third in league scoring behind superstar countrymen Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers and Nathan MacKinnon of the Colorado Avalanche. Joining the San Jose Sharks centre as newcomers up front are Nick Suzuki of the Montreal Canadiens, Bo Horvat of the New York Islanders and Tom Wilson of the Washington Capitals. Canada plays its first Olympic game on Feb. 12 against Czechia.