Where does Justin Trudeau go without Chrystia Freeland?
No minister is truly irreplaceable — but Freeland came closer than most
Kkritika Suri
Chrystia Freeland’s Resignation Marks a Major Blow to Trudeau’s Government
In 2018, following her prominent role in managing relations with Donald Trump, Chrystia Freeland was described by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as “exactly the right person to do what she's doing.”
Reflecting on her recruitment into politics, Trudeau said, “Quite frankly, there probably isn’t a day that goes by where I don’t thank my lucky stars for having been able to convince her to leave her great job in New York to run in an uncertain byelection where I couldn’t even guarantee she was going to win the nomination, and then come to sit with the third party in the House. Because she was the kind of person I knew Canada needed serving within Parliament and hopefully serving within government.”
Freeland, a celebrated journalist and author, was the first high-profile candidate brought into the Liberal Party by Trudeau’s team in 2013. Her expertise and focus on economic inequality aligned perfectly with the Trudeau Liberals' “middle class” message during their successful 2015 campaign.
When Donald Trump’s election in 2016 became the Trudeau government’s first major foreign policy challenge, Freeland was promoted to foreign affairs minister and took center stage in managing Canada-U.S. relations.
A Critical Role in Government
After a bruising 2019 election left Trudeau politically weakened, Freeland became deputy prime minister — the first person to hold the title in over a decade — and was tasked with repairing relations with provinces, particularly those in the west that had turned against the Liberals.
In 2020, as tensions grew between Trudeau and then-finance minister Bill Morneau, Freeland stepped in to take charge of fiscal policy and helped steer Canada through the pandemic. Her notable achievement during that period was the creation of a nationwide child care program. Later, as Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, Freeland, who has Ukrainian heritage, took the lead on one of Canada’s most significant foreign policy responses.
No cabinet minister is truly irreplaceable, but Freeland’s role in Trudeau’s government over the last nine years has been second only to the prime minister himself. Her unexpected resignation on Monday, therefore, dealt a severe blow to Trudeau’s leadership, making it increasingly difficult for him to steady his government.
Resignation Sparks Turmoil
Freeland’s departure was already significant on its own, but its timing magnified its impact. She resigned just hours before she was scheduled to deliver the fall economic statement — a critical moment for any finance minister.
Her resignation letter, addressed publicly to Trudeau, came as a sharp rebuke. Adding to the shock, it arrived just as Canada prepares to face the looming return of Donald Trump, whose presidency had previously posed immense challenges for Canada.
Freeland’s exit highlights growing fractures in Trudeau’s cabinet. Since Jody Wilson-Raybould’s turbulent resignation in 2019, several ministers have left on strained terms, including Freeland’s predecessor in the finance portfolio. This trend underscores a recurring pattern in Trudeau’s government, where high-profile individuals, often recruited for their expertise rather than partisan loyalty, have aired grievances after their departures.
While Freeland faced criticism as a communicator on fiscal matters, her skills as a writer were evident in her parting note. She described her meeting with Trudeau and outlined her reasons for stepping aside, framing the moment as one of grave national importance.
She urged the government to preserve its fiscal strength, warning against “costly political gimmicks” — a likely reference to the government’s plan to send $250 cheques to 18 million Canadians. Her letter also emphasized the need for a united response to challenges like Trump’s possible return.
“Inevitably, our time in government will come to an end,” she wrote. “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.”
A Difficult Path Ahead for Trudeau
Freeland’s resignation deepens Trudeau’s political troubles. The prime minister has faced mounting challenges, including the loss of previously safe seats in Toronto and Montreal byelections, and open calls for his resignation from dozens of Liberal MPs.
While Trudeau has demonstrated persistence in the face of adversity, his position has only grown weaker. An unpopular prime minister, already struggling to maintain support, must now grapple with the loss of his most trusted and high-profile minister.
Finance ministers and prime ministers have clashed before in Canadian politics. Conservative MP Michael Chong recently invoked the example of John Turner, who left Pierre Trudeau’s cabinet in 1975. However, Freeland’s departure, given its timing and tone, appears unprecedented in its potential consequences.
Her exit comes on the eve of major fiscal decisions and at a time when Canada faces renewed uncertainty from Trump’s possible return to power. Freeland’s call for strength, intelligence, and unity rings clear — but the Trudeau government, at this moment, seems far from meeting those standards.
