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Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau faced the biggest test of his political career when Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland, long one of his most powerful and loyal cabinet ministers, resigned from the Cabinet on Monday.
The surprising move comes as the government grapples with dealing with incoming U.S. President Donald Trump, raising questions about how long the prime minister, whose popularity has plummeted over concerns over inflation and immigration, can remain in office for nearly a decade. raised questions.
“Canadians are stunned that the Minister of Finance has resigned or been removed from office by Governor Justin Trudeau,” President Trump wrote on Truth Social, adding, “Her actions are completely harmful and an unfair deal.” It was in no way conducive to doing so.” Good for the very unfortunate Canadians, but she will never go away!!!”
President Trump previously mocked Trudeau by referring to Canada as a province. And Freeland said he was not well-liked when he renegotiated free trade agreements with Canada and Mexico during President Trump’s first term.
Prime Minister Trudeau quickly named Freeland’s successor as Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc, a longtime ally and close friend who recently accompanied Trump to dinner at Mar-a-Lago. Freeland did not make that trip.
LeBlanc told reporters after being sworn in that he was focused on finding common ground with Trudeau and Trump on border security and economic issues, focusing on the cost of living facing Canadians. .
“It was not an easy day,” Trudeau later told a room of party supporters. He called it one of the “toughest days” for the party, but did not say what he planned to do.
Prime Minister Trudeau faces calls to resign
Jagmeet Singh, leader of the opposition New Democratic Party that Trudeau’s ruling Liberal Party has relied on to maintain power, called on Trudeau to resign early Monday.
“He has to go,” NDP Leader Singh said.
The main opposition party, the Conservative Party, has not called for Prime Minister Trudeau to resign, but has called for an election to be held.
However, a vote of no confidence in the government is not imminent as parliament is on vacation and will soon adjourn.
Freeland, who was also deputy prime minister, said Trudeau told her on Friday that he no longer wanted her job as finance minister and offered her another position in the cabinet. But in her resignation letter, she said the only “honest and viable path forward” was to leave cabinet.
“In recent weeks, you and I have found ourselves at odds about the best path forward for Canada,” Freeland said.
Customs duties are taxes levied on products purchased from abroad and are applied in almost all countries.
Freeland warns of ‘expensive political gimmicks’
Prime Minister Freeland and Trudeau disagreed on the recently announced two-month sales tax holiday and C$250 ($175) checks to Canadians. Freeland said Canada is dealing with President Trump’s threat to impose steep 25 per cent tariffs and should avoid “expensive political gimmicks” that it “cannot afford”.
“Our country faces significant challenges,” Freeland said in the letter. “That means not depleting the fiscal spark today and securing the reserves that may be needed for the coming tariff war.”
Liberal Party officials said Freeland was offered the position of Canada-U.S. relations minister without a portfolio or department. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly about the matter, said the position was in name only and did not carry any of the tools Freeland had in previous trade negotiations. He said it would have been. US.
Freeland, who chairs the Cabinet Committee on U.S. Relations, is expected to issue a fall economic statement and is likely to announce border security measures to help Canada avoid President Trump’s tariffs. . President Trump is threatening to impose a 25% tax on all products imported into the United States from Canada and Mexico unless neighboring countries stem immigration and drug numbers.
The statement shows a much larger than expected deficit for the fiscal year and a deficit of more than $1 billion for border security.
Will Prime Minister Trudeau survive?
Prime Minister Trudeau has said he intends to lead the Liberal Party into the next election, but Freeland’s departure is a major blow as many party members say they do not want him to run for a fourth term.
Prime Minister Trudeau met with MPs on Monday night. Most of them then dismissed reporters and refused to comment on what was said at the meeting.
Liberal MP Chad Collins said they were “not united”.
“There are still many members who want a change in leadership, and I am one of them. I think the only way forward for us is to elect new leadership,” he said.
In more than a century, no Canadian prime minister has been elected to four consecutive terms.
Federal elections must be held by October. Since the Liberal Party itself does not hold a full majority, it must rely on the support of at least one of the other major parties in Parliament. If the NDP withdraws its support, an election could be called at any time.
Singh said all options are on the table.
Prime Minister Trudeau took advantage of his father’s popularity.
Trudeau channeled the star power of his father, the late Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, in 2015 as he reasserted the country’s liberal identity after nearly a decade of Conservative rule.
But Canadians are now complaining about other issues, including the rising cost of living and increased immigration as the country emerges from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s accomplishments include opening the country broadly to immigration. He also legalized cannabis and introduced a carbon tax aimed at combating climate change.
Freeland also said in the letter that Canadians “know when we’re working for them, and they know when we’re working for them as well.” We know that our time in power will inevitably come to an end.”
Prime Minister Trudeau is bringing in another cabinet member.
Separately, Prime Minister Trudeau is seeking to bring Mark Carney, the former governor of the Bank of England and the Bank of Canada, into his government. Mr. Carney had long been interested in entering politics and becoming leader of the Liberal Party. LeBlanc’s appointment to the finance department suggests that won’t happen.
Daniel Behrand, a political science professor at McGill University in Montreal, said Freeland’s resignation is a political earthquake.
“This is clearly a minority government on life support, but so far the (opposition) NDP has rejected calls to stop it,” Behrand said, adding: “Will this resignation force the NDP to rethink its strategy? I don’t know,” he said. ”
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