Canadian finance minister resigns in order to blow Trudeau

(MENAFN) On Monday, Chrystia Freeland resigned as Canada’s Finance Minister, citing a major disagreement with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau over the country’s economic direction. In her resignation letter, Freeland slammed Trudeau’s focus on "costly political gimmicks," particularly as tensions rise over US tariff threats under President-elect Donald Trump. Trump’s proposal of a 25% tariff on imports from Canada and Mexico has led Freeland to advocate for a more cautious approach, emphasizing the need for Canada to preserve financial reserves in case of a trade war.

Freeland also criticized Trudeau’s proposals, including a sales tax holiday and $175 payments for Canadians, labeling them unaffordable. She argued that this moment of challenge required the government’s full attention on the nation’s needs, not political distractions.

Freeland, who also served as deputy prime minister, had been scheduled to present the autumn economic statement, but it was instead delivered by Karina Gould, revealing a larger-than-expected fiscal deficit of $43.45 billion. Dominic LeBlanc, a close ally of Trudeau, has been appointed as Freeland’s replacement. Freeland expressed her intention to remain in Parliament and run for re-election in 2025, but her resignation comes at a difficult time for Trudeau, whose popularity is slipping due to concerns about inflation and immigration.

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