Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland quits cabinet the day of fall economic statement

  • Canadian Press

Chrystia Freeland delivers remarks on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on December 11, 2024. Freeland announced today she is leaving her cabinet post as finance minister. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Spencer Colby

OTTAWA -- Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland has resigned from cabinet, the day she is set to present the fall economic statement.

In a resignation letter, she says Prime Minister Justin Trudeau offered her another role in cabinet Friday, but that the only "honest and viable path" is to leave cabinet.

Freeland says for the past several weeks that she and the prime minister have found themselves at odds about the best path forward for Canada.

She says Canada faces a grave challenge with the incoming Trump administration and its threat of tariffs.

She says the government needs to take the threat seriously and that means "eschewing costly political gimmicks."

She says she is committed to running again for her seat in the next federal election.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 16, 2024.