Canada Day 2025: Program and artist lineup announcement
OTTAWA, ON, May 28, 2025 /CNW/ - Canadian Heritage invites the media to learn about the program and artists performing for Canada Day 2025 on Thursday. The Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture and Minister responsible for Official Languages, and Jonathan Goldbloom, Chairperson of the Board of Directors, VIA Rail Canada, will take part in the announcement.
Journalists wishing to attend this announcement must confirm their attendance by sending their full name and the name of the media outlet they represent to media@pch.gc.ca by 7 a.m. on Thursday, May 29. Details on how to attend will be provided afterward.
Please note that all details are subject to change. All times are local.
The details are as follows:
DATE:Thursday, May 29, 2025
TIME:9:00 a.m.
SOURCE Canadian Heritage
View original content: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/May2025/28/c1106.html
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Hamilton Spectator
8 hours ago
- Hamilton Spectator
U.S. politics threaten to complicate Canada's co-hosting of 2026 World Cup
OTTAWA - With less than a year to go until the 2026 World Cup, political tensions and U.S. policy threaten to pose problems as Canada, the United States and Mexico prepare to co-host the tournament. Next year's FIFA World Cup will be the biggest ever, with the three countries hosting a record 48 teams. Between June 11 and July 19, they will play 104 matches, most of them in the U.S. With millions of fans expected to cross borders to attend the games, U.S. President Donald Trump's harsh immigration policies — which include travel bans on some countries, immigration raids and mass deportations — are generating anxiety. 'This is all being driven by the United States. And we're entirely the guilty party here,' said Victor Matheson, a professor at College of Holy Cross in Massachusetts who specializes in sports economics. 'You could have significant immigration problems with fans and players going across borders.' The U.S. has travel bans in place for 12 countries and restrictions in place for seven, and is considering banning travellers from another 36 countries. Though there are exemptions for athletes, staff and families, the unpredictability of Trump's administration means no one knows for certain what kind of rules might be in place by the time the tournament starts. Economist Andrew Zimbalist, who wrote a book on the economics of hosting the World Cup, said Trump has the ability to make it difficult for people to travel, but it's not clear whether he will actually do so. 'I think probably Trump himself might not have the answers because … he responds very impetuously to changes in his environment,' he said. Concerns about visas or political opposition to Trump might lead some soccer fans to decide not to attend at all, while others opt to attend the games in Canada instead, Zimbalist suggested. But he also pointed out that the quarter, semifinals and final are all taking place in the U.S. A spokesperson for Canadian Heritage said Canada could see a million international visitors during the tournament. 'Given the tri-national nature of the event, it is anticipated that international and domestic travellers will move back and forth between Canada and the United States. The focus will continue to be on the flow of movement, the safety of travellers and the security of the borders,' the spokesperson said. A spokesperson for the Canada Border Services Agency said the agency is working closely with federal government departments, host cities and FIFA 'in the safety and security planning for this international event.' Matheson said fans — particularly those from countries that have found themselves in Trump's crosshairs — have good reasons to be worried. 'I would be very concerned about planning a vacation that has you travelling from Mexico or from Canada into the United States and back. I don't think that you can guarantee that vacation of a lifetime is actually going to be there for you to actually take,' he said. He said it's one thing to be denied entry, another to end up in jail and deported — potentially to a prison in El Salvador. 'No one wants to go to the World Cup to watch some soccer games and then end up in jail,' he said. Trump's moves to impose tariffs on much of the world, including Canada, could also affect the World Cup. Matheson offered the example of someone who makes jerseys for a country's team who would want to ship those jerseys across the border with the team. 'Tariffs make that type of inventory management pretty challenging,' he said. Tim Elcombe is a professor at Wilfrid Laurier University whose areas of expertise include sports, politics and international affairs. He said 'there was a sense that having the event in Canada, the United States and Mexico would almost be a bit of a calming of the political waters,' as the cup returned to Western countries. Instead, he said, the 2026 tournament may be even more politically charged than the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Canada is co-hosting one of world's biggest sporting events with a country whose president has instigated a trade war and threatened annexation. Canadians have cut travel to the U.S. and stopped buying American products — and it's not clear what all of that might mean for the World Cup. While Vancouver and Toronto will host some games, 'really this is an American-centric competition,' Elcombe said. 'So how will Canadians feel about this? Will we get behind it? Will it become the event I think they were hoping it would be?' In early July, labour and human rights groups, including Human Rights Watch, wrote to FIFA president Gianni Infantino to say U.S. policies under Trump pose a 'serious threat' to individuals, especially non-citizens. The letter accused FIFA of ignoring 'the clear evidence of the significant deterioration of the rights climate in the United States.' Elcombe said while the United States is likely to take the brunt of scrutiny, Canada is not immune. 'Canada is going to have to be prepared for a very critical eye in terms of focus on some of the issues in Canada from a human rights perspective, because I think they will be exposed,' he said, citing Canada's relationship with Indigenous Peoples as one example. MacIntosh Ross, a fellow at the Scott McCain and Leslie McLean Centre for Sport, Business and Health at Saint Mary's University, said Canada should put pressure on the U.S. government 'to make sure that things happen in a safe or as safe a manner as possible.' 'The Canadian organizers and the Canadian government need to be very clear about their expectations for their partners in this World Cup and reiterate them and state them over and over again,' he said. Elcombe noted Infantino, who has 'very much established himself as a friend and supporter of President Trump,' could be a key player in determining how the coming months unfold. It's difficult to predict what Trump might do, Zimbalist said. If there are political issues in the United States that he wants to distract people from, 'you can see him doing crazier and crazier things internationally to get people's minds off of what's actually happening.' But Trump also has shown that he cares about the World Cup and looking good as he hosts the tournament. 'I think he does care about image and he does care about being on the world stage,' Zimbalist said. 'So I can see that being a significant deterrent, actually.' This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 27, 2025.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Yahoo
Government of Canada grants $1,859,000 to Just For Laughs Festival
MONTRÉAL, July 21, 2025 /CNW/ - Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions (CED) This year, the Just For Laughs Festival is back in Montréal from July 16 to 27 with new diverse programming where festive comic entertainment is front stage! Today, the Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Industry and Minister responsible for Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions (CED), along with the Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture and Minister responsible for Official Languages, announced a total of $1,859,000 in funding for the Just For Laughs Festival. CED is providing a non-repayable contribution of $1,359,000 under its Quebec Economic Development Program (QEDP) for the 2025 and 2026 editions of the festival. This assistance serves to support the promotion and marketing of the event, in addition to fostering the development of new products. For its part, Canadian Heritage is providing $500,000 through the Canada Arts Presentation Fund to support the 2025 edition of the festival. This funding will allow audiences to access rich bilingual programming, including comedy shows of all kinds. Quotes "The Just For Laughs Festival is one of our metropolis's flagship events which, on top of generating significant economic impacts, helps to position Montréal as the world capital of festivals. That is why our government is today announcing significant funding to attract festivalgoers from all walks of life and to provide the public with a renewed experience. Congratulations to the entire team! I invite Montréalers and tourists from home and abroad to take advantage of a rich program that illustrates our diversity and cultural vitality!" – The Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Industry and Minister responsible for CED "The Just For Laughs Festival is an integral part of Montréal's cultural life. By showcasing both established artists and emerging talents, this major international event reflects the vitality, creativity and strength of our comedy scene. Our new government is proud to support this festival, which perfectly embodies the richness of our culture. Don't miss this great opportunity to come together and laugh!" – The Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture and Minister responsible for Official Languages Quick facts Montréal's Just For Laughs Festival is the largest comedy festival in the world, a must-attend event that, every summer, transforms the metropolis into the world capital of laughter. For over 40 years, it has been celebrating humour in all its forms, bringing together renowned artists, rising stars and the next generation of talent in a rich, daring, inclusive program. CED's Quebec Economic Development Program helps communities seize economic development and diversification opportunities that are promising for the future. The Canada Arts Presentation Fund provides financial assistance to organizations that professionally present arts festivals or performing arts series. It also supports organizations that offer support to arts presenters. Associated links CED: CED | Financing ( Canadian Heritage: Canada Arts Presentation Fund - Just For Laughs Festival: Just For Laughs Montréal is back in full force in 2025! - JFL Montréal SOURCE Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions View original content: Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data


Hamilton Spectator
19-07-2025
- Hamilton Spectator
Oxford municipalities celebrate golden anniversary
It has been 50 years since Oxford County restructured into the exact two-tier system we see today. On January 1, 1975, the county underwent a significant municipal reorganization through amalgamation, which was part of a broader provincial initiative during the 1960s and 1970s to streamline local governance across Ontario. The Ontario government was looking to improve efficiency in service delivery, reduce administrative costs, clarify responsibilities between local and county governments and encourage urban-rural integration. Before 1975, Oxford County consisted of numerous small towns, villages, and townships, many with overlapping or inefficient governance. Each had separate councils, services and tax structures. Oxford County Warden and Zorra Township Mayor Marcus Ryan said any community should celebrate its anniversaries when they occur and he sees it as looking at the past while understanding the present. 'Everybody gets caught up in their day-to-day lives all the time and rightfully so. But it's an opportunity to focus on, ok, who are we, how do we get these services, how do we all collectively decide how much tax we pay and what do we spend those taxes on?' Ryan added he knows from experience that a lot of people don't know the answers to those types of questions. He and other members of council along with Zorra staff, are holding a free barbeque with live music at the township's administration building in Thamesford on Tuesday, August 12, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. to mark the occasion. 'This is an opportunity to talk to people we don't always get and I'm always a big fan of talking to constituents as much as possible about how things actually work.' The number of local municipalities in Oxford County was significantly reduced in 1975 from over 20 to just eight. East Zorra and Tavistock were combined, North Norwich, South Norwich, and the Village of Norwich were merged into the Township of Norwich and Zorra was created by West Zorra, West Nissouri and North Oxford joining forces. Other municipalities are Woodstock, Ingersoll, Tillsonburg, Blanford-Blenheim and South-West Oxford. The Township of Blandford-Blenheim and the Drumbo Heritage Society celebrated the 50th anniversary during this year's Canada Day festivities at Drumbo Park. 'The displays you curated were a wonderful way to highlight the rich heritage of Blandford-Blenheim, and the cake was a sweet touch that added to the sense of unity. We were thrilled to see both former and current mayors, as well as members of council, and former and current township staff, come together to commemorate this significant milestone,' said a post on the township's website. Kenn R. Howling was the inaugural mayor in 1975. South-West Oxford celebrated the milestone on May 24 with the 'SWOX Township Fare – 50th Anniversary Celebration' at the Mount Elgin Community Centre. George Jakeman was the first mayor of the township in 1975. Oxford County became a two-tier government system where the upper tier handles region-wide services such as waste management, long-term care and planning. Lower-tier municipalities are responsible for local roads, parks, fire protection and more. The 1975 amalgamation helped create more balanced municipal governments and better-aligned urban-rural service delivery. However, like many such reorganizations, it was not without controversy. Some residents felt and still feel a loss of local identity, and not all efficiencies were realized immediately. East Zorra-Tavistock (EZT), while not holding a specific event to mark the milestone, did acknowledge the anniversary at the grand opening of its new administration building in Hickson. Mayor Phil Schaefer shared a personal memory he has from half a century ago. 'I was 15 at the time and I remember when the restructuring happened. My father Walter was the clerk of the Village of Tavistock at the time, and he became the deputy clerk/tax collector for the Township of East Zorra-Tavistock,' he explained. 'The initial council of the amalgamated municipality was quite large as it consisted of all members of the predecessor municipalities.' The first mayor of EZT was Harold Vogt while Robert C. Matheson, who had previously served as the last reeve of the former West Zorra Township, held the inaugural role in Zorra. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .