OTTAWA (AP) — Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau‘s government plunged into crisis Monday after Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland abruptly resigned, citing disagreements over how to handle former U.S. President Donald Trump’s threats of tariffs ahead of his return to office.
Freeland, who also served as deputy prime minister, delivered a scathing resignation letter on the day she was scheduled to present an economic statement, accusing Trudeau of choosing “costly political gimmicks” over addressing Trump’s “aggressive economic nationalism.” The president-elect has threatened to impose 25% tariffs on Canadian goods unless border security is tightened.
The political upheaval deepened as eight Liberal Party MPs publicly called for Trudeau’s resignation, according to The Globe and Mail. The crisis coincided with the Liberals’ loss of the Cloverdale-Langley City seat in British Columbia to the Conservatives, marking their third by-election defeat this year.
“Everything is spiralling out of control. We simply cannot go on like this,” said Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre, calling for an immediate federal election.
Trudeau, whose approval rating has plummeted from 63% to 28% since first taking office, addressed Liberal Party donors in Ottawa Monday evening, acknowledging “It has not been an easy day.” While he did not announce plans to step down, sources said he promised to reflect on the day’s events during a caucus meeting.
The political turmoil comes as Canada grapples with Trump’s impending return to the White House. Trudeau recently visited Trump at Mar-a-Lago, but experts suggest there’s a split among U.S. allies over how to handle his upcoming presidency.
Canada’s provincial and territorial leaders met in Toronto to address the tariff threat, with Ontario Premier Doug Ford attempting to reassure international observers about Canadian stability amid what he called “chaos” in Ottawa.
The next federal election must be held by October, with recent polls suggesting the Liberals could face significant losses to the Conservatives.
