OTTAWA — The Liberal government's plans to unveil a fall economic update on Monday were thrown into disarray by the finance minister's abrupt resignation.
Chrystia Freeland released a letter Monday morning announcing her decision to step aside after she and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau "found ourselves at odds about the best path forward for Canada."
Freeland's letter cited the threat of tariffs from incoming U.S. president Donald Trump and said she made "strenuous efforts this fall to manage our spending" to counter that threat.
But, she said, Trudeau's decision to offer her a different cabinet post on Friday has shown a lack of confidence in her as minister and she has stepped away from cabinet altogether.
Media and stakeholders were gathered in Ottawa in the morning to receive embargoed copies of the fall economic statement, but the documents were not handed out until 1:45 p.m. ET.
Freeland was set to present the fiscal update in the House of Commons later on Monday afternoon.
A senior government source who was not authorized to speak publicly about the plans said a cabinet minister will present the update in Parliament. It is not yet clear who that will be, though the source noted it does not have to be the finance minister.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 16, 2024.
Kyle Duggan and Sarah Ritchie, The Canadian Press
