From the Editor: Events to keep an eye on in 2025

Just a few weeks ago, we counted down the final seconds of 2024, saying goodbye to a year full of historical moments.

The first days of 2025 have proved that this year will have no shortage of significant events to watch out for, shaping the communities and countries we live in.

For starters, this will be a big year for Canadian federal politics. On Jan. 6, Justin Trudeau announced he will be resigning as prime minister once the Liberal Party finds a successor, proroguing Parliament until March. Calls for Trudeau to step down have been echoed across the country for months, following Canadians’ dissatisfaction with the economy and cost of living, among other issues.

Trudeau’s departure comes before the 2025 federal election, an event that will make up the majority of our news feeds this coming fall. The election will let Canadians decide which party they want to see run the federal government for the next four years. Throughout 2025, it’s important to familiarize yourself with each party and their campaigns so you can make an informed decision at the polls.

Another big political event in 2025 is, of course, incoming president Donald Trump’s inauguration on Jan. 20 and how he will conduct his presidency thereafter. Trump has threatened to place 25-per-cent import tariffs on Canada and Mexico after taking office. He’s even gone as far to suggest that Canada should become the 51st U.S. state by “economic force.” Regardless of your opinions on Trump, the way he decides to conduct his work after Jan. 20 is most definitely important to keep an eye on.

Regarding global politics, this year’s G7 leaders’ summit will take place in June in Kananaskis, Alta. The G7 comprises of leaders from the U.S., the U.K., France, Germany, Japan, Italy, and Canada who meet to plan how democracies can respond to economic and societal challenges. The findings from these meetings are significant and help shape our societies.

Other global events to watch out for include areas of conflict. The wars in Gaza, Sudan, Ukraine, and newer developments in Syria have continued to persist into the new year, carrying tragedy and human divide. While these conflicts may not explicitly take place in Canada, their effects are felt worldwide, and updates on their status are to be expected throughout the year.

This year also marks the halfway point of the 2020s. The first half of this decade saw many historic events, namely the rise of the Black Lives Matter movement, the COVID-19 pandemic, and countless climate change-related devastations.

As we enter the latter half of the 2020s, issues of health and safety continue to prevail with reported cases of the avian flu, also known as H5N1, on the rise. Climate change devastation and conservation efforts should also be expected this year. Whether it be record-breaking heat, floods in China, Spain, and Brazil, or Typhoon Yagi in Southeast Asia, it would be naïve to think similar events we saw in 2024 won’t happen again in 2025. In fact, wildfires have already begun to break out, notably in the United States’ Los Angeles area.  

Last year saw a huge uptick in the use and popularity of artificial intelligence (AI) — generative advancements that took society and many social media platforms by storm. While AI can be incredibly useful and help enhance our lives, it also has a dark side, making the news about this transformative technology especially interesting to watch out for.

On the fluffier side of things, 2025 marks the beginning of a new generation — generation beta. Those born between 2025 and 2039 will fall into the generation, which experts say will be “shaped by an entirely different world” and will likely make up less than 14 per cent of Canada’s population by 2040, Global News reported.  

In the world of sports, 2025 won’t see the same large-scale events as last year, but there is still lots to look forward to, including the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Considering the Vancouver Canucks’ shocking comeback last year, we can only hope the team will see that same success in 2025. 

The annual and highly anticipated Super Bowl is scheduled for Feb. 9 this year in New Orleans. While the competing teams have not yet been determined, Kendrick Lamar will be performing at the halftime show, which is, let’s face it, the best part of the entire event.

This year is guaranteed to have lots in store for us, so buckle up your seat belts and keep an eye out for breaking events.