Deputy Prime Minister of Canada Chrystia Freeland causes everyone’s surprise by announcing her resignation from the post of Minister of Finance, citing a “disagreement” on the course of action with Justin Trudeau.
Chrystia Freeland made the announcement on Monday via an X publication.
“It was the honor of my life to serve in government, to work for Canada and Canadians,” she wrote. We have accomplished a lot together.”
After a discussion with Prime Minister Trudeau, he told her that he no longer wanted her to remain Minister of Finance, thus offering her another position within the cabinet, she underlined in her press release.
“I concluded that in my eyes the only honest and viable path is to resign from the cabinet,” underlined the Minister of Finance.
“To be effective, a minister must speak in the name of the Prime Minister and with all his confidence,” she wrote. In making your decision, you have made it clear that I no longer credibly possess that trust and that I no longer possess the authority that comes with it.”
This is the second resignation in one day for the federal Liberals, a day dedicated to the announcement of the fall economic update and two days before the holiday break.
At the time when Mme Freeland published his press release on social networks, Housing Minister Sean Fraser delivered his departure speech.
Mr. Fraser, who is leaving for family reasons, was informed of his colleague’s resignation during the press briefing with journalists.
“A disagreement” with Trudeau
Mr. Trudeau and Ms. Freeland had “disagreement over the best path forward for Canada.”
“Today, our country is facing a great challenge,” she commented. The new US administration is pursuing a policy of aggressive economic nationalism, which includes a threat of 25 percent tariffs.”
According to her, this threat must be taken “seriously”. “We must preserve our fiscal capacity today, so that we can have the reserves we might need during a tariff war. We must avoid costly political tricks that we cannot afford and that make Canadians doubt that we recognize how serious this moment is,” she said.
At the time of writing, it is unclear who will deliver the economic update speech, scheduled for this afternoon.
According to Canada’s Minister of Public Services and Procurement, Jean-Yves Duclos, Chrystia Freeland should present the economic update despite her resignation from cabinet, he told TVA News.
Ms Freeland confirmed she will continue to work as a Liberal MP.
She also committed to running again in her riding in Toronto during the next federal election.
