‘She will not be missed’: Trump on Chrystia Freeland’s departure from Canadian cabinet

By Rachel Aiello and Stephanie ha

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    OTTAWA (CTV Network) — As Canadians watched a day of considerable political turmoil for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his government given the sudden departure of Chrystia Freeland on Monday, it appears that U.S. president-elect Donald Trump was also watching it unfold.

“The Great State of Canada is stunned as the Finance Minister resigns, or was fired, from her position by Governor Justin Trudeau,” Trump said in a Truth Social post late Monday night.

“Her behavior was totally toxic, and not at all conducive to making deals which are good for the very unhappy citizens of Canada,” Trump continued, ending his post with: “She will not be missed!!!”

Earlier on Monday – just hours before she was set to unveil the fall economic statement – Freeland announced she was stepping down as finance minister, sparking a major political blow for the prime minister.

Based on her resignation letter, Freeland and Trudeau did not see eye to eye on how to handle Trump and his tariff threat, and it appears to have been a central catalyst to the breakdown of their relationship.

In her letter, Freeland said because of the potential economic impact of U.S. trade action, Canada should keep its “fiscal powder dry” for a coming “tariff war” and not pursue “costly political gimmicks, which we can ill afford and which make Canadians doubt that we recognize the gravity of the moment.”

“Our country today faces a grave challenge. The incoming administration in the United States is pursuing a policy of aggressive economic nationalism,” she wrote. “Inevitably, our time in government will come to an end. But how we deal with the threat our country currently faces will define us for a generation, and perhaps longer.”

Trump’s threat to impose a 25 per cent tariff on all Canadian imports unless Canada halts the flow of illegal drugs and migrants over the shared border has loomed large over Trudeau’s government as the January inauguration of the new Republican administration nears.

Trump’s referral to the prime minister as “Governor Justin Trudeau” is now his second in a week, after Trudeau said Canada “will respond” if the U.S. moves ahead with tariffs.

In an effort to respond to Trump’s border concerns and potentially mitigate tariffs, in Monday’s mini-budget the federal government proposed a $1.3-billion border security package with money rolling to several agencies and organizations, including the Canada Border Services Agency and the RCMP. The full-fledged plan, promoted ahead of the release of the financial package, has yet to be revealed.

While Trump has taken to social media to weigh in on the latest domestic political development, and again revive his jab about Canada becoming America’s “51st state,” the only passing mention Trudeau has made of losing his deputy at this point was in brief remarks made to Liberal loyalists late Monday.

“It’s obviously been an eventful day. It has not been an easy day, but I wanted to come here tonight and speak with you dedicated, devoted members of the Liberal party, because you, not me or any other politician, are the beating heart of this movement,” Trudeau said.

Trump-Freeland tensions date back to NAFTA talks

Trump’s comment on Monday is not the first time he has publicly criticized Freeland.

Back in 2018, amid the high-stakes and high-drama NAFTA renegotiation that Freeland was Canada’s lead on as foreign affairs minister at the time, the then-president said publicly “we don’t like their representative very much.”

Despite this, Trudeau put her in charge of the revived special cabinet committee on Canada-U.S. relations in early November. At the time, Freeland was asked by reporters about potentially leading bilateral relations again given their past relationship, but she did not answer directly.

“In my experience, President Trump respects strength. He respects people and countries who are strong and clear in defending their countries, in defending their national interest. That’s what I’ve always done and that’s what I will continue to do,” she said at the time.

Then, when Trudeau went to Mar-a-Lago in late November to meet with Trump, Freeland was not part of Canada’s delegation.

It was a move Freeland called “the right choice,” amid some suggestion that it was because the meeting was predominately about the border, and she was focused on finalizing the fall economic update.

It turns out that would be an update she’d end up not personally delivering, as she opted to leave cabinet after being told by Trudeau that he wanted to move her into a different portfolio, one reportedly to do with managing the cross-border relationship.

Trudeau did take Dominic LeBlanc to the dinner, as public safety minister. On Monday, Trudeau appointed LeBlanc to become finance minister while retaining his intergovernmental affairs responsibilities.

With files from CTV News’ Spencer Van Dyk

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