Chrystia Freeland greeted with standing ovation before ‘sombre’ Liberal caucus meeting
The former deputy prime minister and finance minister netted a mixed reaction from her caucus colleagues when she revealed Monday that she was leaving Justin Trudeau’s front bench.
OTTAWA–Liberal MPs swept into a hastily-convened meeting Monday night to air their grievances over former finance minister Chrystia Freeland’s shock departure from cabinet, a move that renewed calls inside an already fractured caucus for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to resign.
Caucus sources who spoke to the Star on the condition they not be named said an emotional Freeland received a standing ovation as she entered the room, but characterized the rest of the meeting as “sombre” once the prime minister arrived.
As one MP put it: “On a surreal day, we had a very awkward ending.”
That day began when Freeland announced her exit from Trudeau’s front bench early Monday, hours before she was set to table her fall budget update.
In a letter posted on X, Freeland, who also served as deputy prime minister, said Trudeau on Friday informed her that he “no longer” wanted her to serve as finance minister and wrote that he had offered her another post instead.
“To be effective, a minister must speak on behalf of the Prime Minister and with his full confidence. In making your decision, you made clear that I no longer credibly enjoy that confidence and possess the authority that comes with it,” Freeland wrote.
She said that she and the prime minister had recently found themselves “at odds about the best path forward for Canada” and that the only way to combat incoming U.S. President Donald Trump’s “America First” agenda was to do away with “costly political gimmicks, which we can ill afford.”
Sources said Trudeau faced questions about his decision to move Freeland and that a handful of MPs, including Etobicoke Centre MP Yvan Baker, called for him to step down.
Two MPs said that some of their caucus colleagues who spoke during the meeting and called for the prime minister to step aside were not among the MPs who previously did the same during an earlier caucus revolt in October. The sources said Trudeau spoke about the need for caucus to be “united” and to win the “highest number of seats possible” in the next federal campaign.
But Freeland’s announcement, which she only conveyed to the prime minister Monday morning, left her fellow caucus colleagues reeling.
Earlier in the day, Treasury Board President and Transport Minister Anita Anand appeared on the brink of tears shortly after Freeland’s announcement.
“I’ll just say that Chrystia Freeland is a good friend, someone I work with very closely,” Anand said. “This news has hit me really hard, and I’ll reserve further comment until I have time to process it.”
Housing Minister Sean Fraser, who said Monday he also intends to leave cabinet and won’t seek re-election for family reasons, and Labour Minister Steve MacKinnon, described Freeland as a respected friend.
Several Liberal MPs expressed surprise and disappointment at the news, with one characterizing Freeland’s exit as a “devastating blow” for Trudeau, who earlier this fall survived a challenge from dozens of MPs who called for his resignation.
Saint John MP Wayne Long, who has called on Trudeau to resign before, told the Star he hoped that Freeland’s move “opens the door to some cabinet ministers speaking up.”
Glengarry—Prescott—Russell MP Francis Drouin told CBC earlier on Monday he doesn’t see a way out for the prime minister after Freeland’s resignation.
“I think he needs to go.”
Montreal MP Anthony Housefather and former Trudeau minister Helena Jaczek both told CTV that the prime minister should step aside.
“If the prime minister remains, I believe he is the ballot question. Every Canadian before they ask anything else will be saying, ‘do I want Justin Trudeau to stay prime minister or not?’” Housefather said. “I believe the prime minister has passed that shelf life … we need to have a different leader with a different vision for the Liberal Party to be viable for the next election.”
Ottawa South MP David McGuinty, however, told reporters not to “underestimate” both the Liberal Party of Canada and the prime minister.
After Monday’s caucus meeting, Health Minister Mark Holland hesitated when asked about his own future in Trudeau’s cabinet.
“There’s a lot to take in today, so at this moment I’m not prepared to say anything,” Holland said, later adding that he was here “for the long run.”
Ruby Sahota, the Liberal caucus whip, said no one in the meeting called for the prime minister to step down, despite numerous reports of the contrary from her colleagues.
Etobicoke-Lakeshore MP James Maloney also said Trudeau maintains the confidence of his caucus, though Hamilton East-Stoney Creek MP Chad Collins said that the caucus was “not united.”
“There is still a number of our members who feel we need a change in leadership. I’m one of those,” he told reporters.
I think the only path forward for us is to choose a new leader and to present a new plan to Canadians with a new vision.
