National News

“Sunny ways, my friends. Sunny ways.” 

With those words, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau began his time in office, having brought the Liberals out of the political wilderness and into a majority government in October 2015.

Those sunny ways followed him into an unseasonably warm November day weeks later, when he attended his official swearing-in at Rideau Hall. As Trudeau made his way up the driveway to the governor general’s residence, he was surrounded by family, members of his new cabinet and throngs of cheering supporters.

Here's a look at some of this week's top news photos as selected by the Canadian Press editors.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 10, 2025.

A person walks with an umbrella on a rainy day in Vancouver, on Saturday, January 4, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ethan Cairns

Former Bank of Canada governor Mark Carney signalled through his campaign team Friday that he will launch his bid to replace Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as leader of the Liberal party late next week, after garnering support from more than two dozen Liberal MPs in the past few days.

And in an interview airing Saturday, former B.C. premier Christy Clark told CBC Radio's The House that she is "very seriously" considering a leadership bid, but expressed disappointment with the short timeline for the race.

Authorities in Los Angeles say a Quebec water bomber is out of service after colliding with a drone while fighting wildfires Thursday.

A pair of Quebec water bombers and their crews have been helping since Tuesday to fight the massive fires north of downtown L.A., which have killed at least 10 people and burned more than 10,000 homes and other structures.

The L.A. County Fire Department says the plane known as Quebec 1 was struck by a civilian drone at 1 p.m., sustaining wing damage.

Federal Health Minister Mark Holland says provincial and territorial health plans will cover primary care provided by nurse practitioners, pharmacists and midwives. 

Holland says regulated health-care professionals who aren't doctors will be able to bill the government for medically necessary services that would otherwise be provided by a physician. 

The minister says the changes are part of a new interpretation of the Canada Health Act that takes effect on April 1, 2026. 

The federal Liberals will announce a new leader on March 9, the party announced late Thursday, giving potential candidates just two weeks to decide to run and potential voters less than three weeks to join the party in order to vote.

The National Board of Directors met Thursday night to decide the initial rules for the race to race to succeed Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who announced Monday he will resign as soon as a new leader is chosen.

Contenders have until Jan. 23 to declare their candidacy and will have to pay a $350,000 entry fee to participate in the race.

Alberta is preparing to send water bombers, night-vision helicopters and incident command team support to help battle wildfires ravaging parts of Los Angeles.

Premier Danielle Smith says on X that neighbours are always there for each other in times of need and the province will assist its American friends in this crisis.

Water-bombing pilots and crews from Quebec and a British Columbia company are already fighting the wind-whipped flames in the Southern California city.

Liberal MPs are meeting in Ottawa today for the first time since Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced he will step down.

The national caucus meeting, set to take place both in person and online, was originally set to last six hours to give MPs time to discuss Trudeau's previous refusal to resign.

Now, the focus will be on next steps for the party as it begins a national search for a leader who can hold their own against popular Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre.

Incoming U.S. president Donald Trump has been courting controversy in Canada since his election victory, with threats to impose whopping tariffs on Canadian goods and musings about the country becoming "the 51st state."

While Trump's comments have drawn anger and fear among Canadians, reaction from Americans who live, study or work in Canada has been mixed – and largely influenced by how they voted in the presidential election. 

As Liberal party brass begins to chart course for an expedited race to find Justin Trudeau's successor, potential contenders are weighing whether or not to join the fray -- including former central banker Mark Carney.

The former Bank of Canada governor issued a statement Monday evening saying he is encouraged by support he has heard, and that he's considering his decision with family over the next few days.

Former Montreal MP Frank Baylis declared his intent to enter the race in an interview Monday with The Hill Times.