Chrystia Freeland, Canada’s finance minister and deputy prime minister, resigned due to policy disagreements with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Freeland announced that she will remain a member of Parliament but will resign from her ministerial position due to rising tensions with the United States.
Freeland’s decision comes after US President-elect Donald Trump threatened to impose high tariffs of up to 25% on Canadian products. In her resignation message, she underscored the gravity of the situation and lambasted the government’s present strategy. “We must take this threat seriously and avoid political distractions,” Freeland said, pushing the government to prioritize economic stability as trade relations hang in the balance.
Trudeau’s departure follows her “productive” meeting with Trump in Florida, which yielded no concrete ideas to prevent an impending trade war. Trump has accused Canada of failing to solve cross-border concerns such as illegal immigration and drug trafficking, which is escalating economic tensions between the two countries.
Freeland, who has been finance minister since 2020, was also heavily involved in the 2022 trucker demonstrations. Both domestically and internationally, her support for freezing protestors’ financial assets, including digital donations, drew widespread condemnation.
With Freeland’s departure, Trudeau is under tremendous pressure. Economic challenges, soaring inflation, and internal party disagreement have all contributed to a drop in his support ratings. Some Canadian politicians are now pushing for fresh leadership to tackle the country’s economic and political difficulties.
Freeland’s departure creates a big gap in Trudeau’s cabinet as Canada braces for the ramifications of Trump’s “aggressive economic nationalism” and prepares to navigate a difficult future.
