Chrystia Freeland, Canada’s finance minister, said in an explosive letter published Monday morning that she will quit cabinet.
It has ignited a storm of confusion on Parliament Hill, coming the same day she was set to table her fall economic statement – a delayed document that typically includes key economic metrics such as the size of Canada’s deficit.
Follow along for live updates:
12:05 p.m. EST: Hussen still has confidence in PM
“The prime minister is still the prime minister, and the government is still functioning,” Minister of International Development Ahmed Hussen told CTV News’ Judy Trinh.
When asked if he still has confidence in Trudeau, Hussen said, “Of course.”
12 p.m. EST: NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh: Liberals ‘obsessed with infighting’
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh released scathing reaction to Freeland’s departure, accusing the Liberals of being “obsessed with infighting, and ignoring the urgent challenges everyday Canadians are coping with.”
He also addressed Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, whose party is best positioned to form government if Trudeau falls.
“We’ll take no lessons from Pierre Poilievre, who gleefully licks his chops at Trudeau’s death spiral and Trump’s threats. Conservatives aren’t thinking about everyday people, either—they’re focused on making big businesses and ultra-wealthy CEOs richer at people’s expense.”
Poilievre is expected to address reporters at 12:15 p.m. EST.
11:45 a.m. EST: Ontario premier says it’s time for ‘unity’
Ontario Premier Doug Ford says Freeland’s departure from cabinet should promote “unity” among provincial leaders during uncertain economic times.
“This is a time for the premiers to step up, which we’re going to, and to project unity across the country,” he said during a scrum outside a premiers’ meeting in Mississauga, Ont.
Likely at the top of their agenda, they’ll discuss U.S. president-elect Donald Trump’s tariff threats – a core element of Freeland’s portfolio of issues that are now hanging in the balance.
Ford said Canada has a “great team” of premiers working together.
11:42 a.m. EST: Hajdu comments on Freeland’s departure
Minister of Indigenous Services Patty Hajdu says she respects Freeland’s decision to resign and wishes her “all the best.”
”Look, these are difficult and deeply personal decisions, and you know, obviously she has made that decision.”
11:37 a.m. EST: What does the NDP do now?
Many eyes are on the NDP and how that party’s leader, Jagmeet Singh, will handle Freeland’s departure and the party’s support for the government.
“Chrystia Freeland does not have confidence” in the prime minister, said CTV pollster Nik Nanos. How can Singh?
“How can he survive this?” asked Nanos, adding that Freeland’s departure is a lightning rod to internal conversations around the leadership of the Liberal party. “Should it be Justin Trudeau, or should it be someone else?” asked Nanos.
CTV News has requested comment from the NDP.
11:30 a.m. EST: Conservatives respond
Reacting to Freeland’s resignation, Conservative House leader Andrew Scheer said, “Even she has lost confidence in Trudeau.
“This government is in shambles,” Scheer added.
11:10 a.m. EST: Trudeau thrown under the ‘political bus’
Political analyst and CTV’s official pollster Nik Nanos calls this a disaster for Justin Trudeau while Freeland maintains her loyalty to the party.
“Justin Trudeau just learned what it’s like to be thrown under the political bus,” said Nanos in an interview on CTV News Channel.
“I can’t envision what Justin Trudeau can do right now to fix this.”
CTV News has cameras on the Hill waiting for Trudeau to emerge from a cabinet meeting.
11 a.m. EST: Anand comments on Freeland’s departure
On her way to the Liberal cabinet meeting, Minister of Transport Anita Anand says the news of Freeland’s departure has hit her hard.
“Chrystia Freeland is a good friend, someone I work with very, very closely as president of the Treasury Board and minister of transport,” she says.
“I’ll reserve further comment until I have time to process it.”
10:50 a.m. EST: ‘This is a disaster for the government’
Political analyst Lori Turnbull says that even if Housing Minister Sean Fraser had been the only one to resign today, it would still have been a big enough blow to Trudeau’s cabinet.
“Fraser’s departure would have been a hard enough day for the prime minister,” she told CTV News.
But speaking of Freeland’s departure, “This is a disaster for the government,” she adds.
10:20 a.m. EST: Liberal government in ‘disarray’: Scott Reid
Speaking to CTV News’ Vassy Kapelos, CTV political analyst Scott Reid described the news as “genuinely a thunderbolt out of the sky, clearly taking the prime minister, the prime minister’s office, the government, off balance, as well as the rest of us.”
“This is a direct, strong challenge to the prime minister and the government. They are in disarray at this moment,” Reid added.
10 a.m. EST: A last-minute choice?
Freeland’s departure comes at a volatile time for the Trudeau government. Not only is the party trailing the Conservative opposition in the polls, but it destabilizes the Liberals’ plan to table Monday’s landmark fall economic statement. It remains unclear who, if anyone, in the party was aware of her plans.
Chief Political Correspondent Vassy Kapelos tells CTV News Channel her show, Power Play, had scheduled an interview with Freeland at 5 p.m. EST to discuss the document.
Freeland’s letter mentioned a conversation between herself and the prime minister on Friday, wherein he asked her to change jobs.
“We are eagerly trying to figure out exactly what that means for the fall economic statement, for its tabling,” said Kapelos, adding she was waiting to hear word from her sources on the Hill.
9:07 a.m. EST: Freeland quitting cabinet
Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland writes in a bombshell letter posted on social media:
“On Friday, you told me you no longer want me to serve as your Finance Minister and offered me another position in Cabinet.
“Upon reflection, I have concluded that the only honest and viable path is for me to resign from Cabinet.”