Canada’s Finance Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland resigned on Monday from the cabinet of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau just hours before she was to present an annual fiscal government update in the parliament.
The move presents a major challenge to the stability of the Canadian government and may ultimately prompt Trudeau’s resignation as well.
Freeland, 56, was a powerful and loyal voice in the cabinet of the Liberal leader.
Nevertheless, Trudeau quickly named Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc, a childhood friend and close ally who recently accompanied him on a visit to incoming US President Donald Trump’s shadow White House at Mar-a-Lago, where they had dinner together.
Freeland, who did not make the trip, cited disagreements with Trudeau over how to respond to Trump’s threat to impose tariffs of 25 percent on imports from both Canada and Mexico once he takes office on January 20, 2025.
Freeland said in her letter of resignation that she and Trudeau have been “at odds about the best path forward for Canada,” calling Trump’s threat a “grave challenge” and warning Trudeau should be “pushing back against ‘America First’ economic nationalism.”
Trump expressed support for Trudeau following Freeland’s resignation.
“The Great State of Canada is stunned as the Finance Minister resigns, or was fired, from her position by Governor Justin Trudeau,” Trump posted on his Truth Social media network in an oblique reference to his quip naming Canada as the 51st state of the US.
“Her behavior was totally toxic, and not at all conducive to making deals which are good for the very unhappy citizens of Canada. She will not be missed!!!”
