In the news today: Donald Trump set to return to the White House

Here is a roundup of stories from The Canadian Press designed to bring you up to speed…

Donald Trump set to return to the White House

Donald Trump is set to return to the White House with a massive agenda, leading a deeply divided United States on a starkly different path from his predecessor — and the Republican leader has signalled it means pushing away from America’s closest neighbour and ally.

Read More:

• Canadian leaders descend on Washington for Trump’s inauguration
• Hecklers interrupt Freeland’s leader campaign launch
• TikTok returns for U.S. users after Trump’s executive order promise

Canadians will be anxiously watching inauguration day ceremonies to see what is among Trump’s early priorities amid threats to slap Canada with a 25 per cent across-the-board tariff on Monday.

His team has reportedly prepared more than 100 executive orders, though it’s unclear what is in the package and how many will be signed immediately.

“I think we want to see what the president decides to do,” Kirsten Hillman, Canada’s ambassador to the U.S., told Bloomberg News last week.

Bright red hats and toques with “Trump” scrawled across the front descended on Washington, D.C., over the weekend for rallies and events ahead of the Republican leader’s return to office as the 47th president.

Here’s what else we’re watching…

Extreme cold sweeps Ontario until Wednesday

Environment Canada says the vast majority of Ontario is under prolonged extreme cold warnings, with wind chill values hovering around -40 degrees in many areas.

The weather agency has issued extreme cold warnings for areas around Lake Huron and Georgian Bay stretching to the north.

Communities around Lake Huron and Georgian Bay will see cold weather continue into Wednesday, where areas on the shore of Lake Superior are expected to see frigid temperatures cease on Tuesday.

The weather agency has also issued a snow squall warning watch for Northern Huron County and surrounding areas, which is expected to bring 30 to 60 centimetres of snow until Wednesday.

The agency says extremely cold temperatures put everyone at risk and frostbite can develop within minutes on exposed skin, especially with the wind chill.

Federal cabinet meets on inauguration day

Federal cabinet ministers are gathering in Montebello, Que., today as Donald Trump returns to the White House.

Trump has pledged to sign an executive order on inauguration day to impose 25 per cent tariffs on products from Canada and Mexico.

When he first made the threat, the president-elect said the tariffs were a response to what he called inaction by both countries on keeping migrants and illegal drugs out of the United States.

The Liberal government laid out a $1.3-billion plan to beef up the border in December that includes extra police and border guards, helicopters, drones and drug-sniffing dogs.

The federal government has prepared several plans to respond if the levies come into place today — plans that could include billions of dollars in retaliatory tariffs.

Legal arguments continue in hockey players’ case

More legal arguments are expected this week in the sexual assault case of five former members of Canada’s world junior hockey team as they prepare to face trial this spring.

Dillon Dube, Carter Hart, Michael McLeod, Cal Foote and Alex Formenton were charged with sexual assault early last year in an incident that allegedly took place in London, Ont., nearly six years earlier.

McLeod is facing an additional charge of being a party to the offence of sexual assault.

All five players are expected to plead not guilty. A jury trial is set to begin in London on April 22 before Superior Court Justice Maria Carroccia.

None of the evidence or arguments presented in this week’s hearings — or a stretch of similar hearings held last fall — can be reported at this time due to a publication ban.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 20, 2025.

The Canadian Press