Canada’s finance minister Chrystia Freeland quits

HAMILTON, Canada (AA) – Canadian Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland has announced her resignation from Cabinet, describing it as the “only honest and viable path.”

“It has been the honour of my life to serve in government, working for Canada and Canadians. We have accomplished a lot together. On Friday, you told me you no longer want me to serve as your Finance Minister and offered me another position in the Cabinet,” Freeland said in a letter addressed to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

She shared the letter on her X (formerly known as Twitter) account, stating, “Upon reflection, I have concluded that the only honest and viable path is for me to resign from the Cabinet.”

In the letter, Freeland noted the importance of a minister having the leader’s “full confidence” to be effective, saying, “In making your decision, you made it clear that I no longer credibly enjoy that confidence and possess the authority that comes with it.”

Freeland’s resignation comes amid political tensions over the government’s fiscal policy and Canada’s response to US economic pressures.

She also expressed growing concern about the threat of “aggressive economic nationalism” from the incoming Donald Trump administration, including the possibility of 25% tariffs.

“Inevitably, our time in government will come to an end. But how we deal with the threat our country currently faces will define us for a generation, and perhaps longer. Canada will win if we are strong, smart, and united,” she said.

Freeland affirmed her commitment to her constituents and the Liberal Party, saying she intends to remain as a Liberal member of parliament and run for re-election in Toronto in the next federal election.