Chrystia Freeland Leaves Cabinet of Prime Minister Mark Carney

Chrystia Freeland is leaving the Cabinet of Prime Minister Mark Carney, an official familiar with the matter confirmed Tuesday, and is expected to take a role as an envoy for Ukraine.

The official confirmed her departure on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak ahead of a public announcement. Freeland, who lost the Liberal Party leadership to Carney in March, had returned to Cabinet earlier this year as minister of transport.

Freeland was previously one of the most powerful ministers in the government of former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, serving as both deputy prime minister and finance minister. Her abrupt resignation as finance minister and deputy prime minister last December set off a chain of events that prompted Trudeau to announce his resignation as prime minister and leader of the Liberal Party.

After stepping down from her finance post, Freeland ran for the Liberal leadership but received just 8% of the vote. Carney, who defeated her in the leadership contest, brought her back into Cabinet as his transport minister.

Freeland’s career has included high-profile roles on both domestic and international stages. She was Canada’s lead negotiator with the United States and Mexico during the renegotiation of the North American trade deal under the first Trump administration. Former U.S. President Donald Trump publicly criticized her after her 2019 resignation, calling her “totally toxic” and “not at all conducive to making deals.”

Born to a family of Ukrainian heritage, Freeland has been a consistent and prominent supporter of Ukraine in its war with Russia. In 2014, Russian President Vladimir Putin banned her from traveling to Russia in retaliation for Western sanctions. The planned envoy role would formalize her involvement in Canadian efforts related to Ukraine.

Robert Bothwell, a professor of Canadian history and international relations at the University of Toronto, said Freeland was a source of gravitas during the Trudeau government. “She supplied some of the gravitas that Trudeau lacked,” Bothwell said, adding that Freeland’s standing among some Liberal lawmakers was strained after the leadership contest. “She obviously wasn’t too popular, so she seemed to lack a certain amount of common touch.”

Freeland, 57, is a Harvard graduate and Rhodes scholar who speaks five languages. Over her career she has been both a senior cabinet minister and a former journalist, and she retains international connections that allies say have bolstered Canada’s profile on trade and foreign policy.

The timing of any formal announcement of Freeland’s envoy post and the precise scope of the role were not immediately available. A government statement is expected to follow the confirmation by the official who discussed the move with reporters ahead of the public release.