Freeland's departure could spell the end of Trudeau-Nater

Shockwaves went through the country earlier this week when hours before the release of the Fall Economic Statement, federal Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland announced that she was resigning from her position. 

“This week’s events provide yet another reason why we need an election to give Canadians the opportunity to decide who they wish to govern our country,” said Perth-Wellington Conservative MP John Nater. 

The loss of Freeland, who was a critical part of the Trudeau cabinet, is a big blow to Trudeau and the governing Liberals. 

“Mere hours before she was to release the statement, which was expected to – and in fact did – crash through the $40 billion so-called fiscal guardrail, the former Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance effectively announced that she had lost confidence in the Prime Minister,” said Nater. 

In her spring budget outlook, Freeland had pledged that the government would stay at or under the $40 billion deficit. But the Fall Economic Statement which was delivered by House Speaker Karina Gould highlighted that the deficit had not slowed but rather grew to nearly $62 billion. A by-election loss in British Columbia dealt another blow, the third such loss in 2024 alone for the Liberals. In all, 13 Liberal Members of Parliament have called on the Prime Minister to resign, while 24 more have declared that they will not be seeking re-election. 

Wayne Long (Saint John-Rothesay), Rene Arseneault (Madawaska-Restigouche), Francis Drouin (Glengarry-Prescott-Russell), Helena Jaczek (Markham-Stouffville),Ken McDonald (Avalon), and Ken Hardie (Fleetwood-Port Kells) favour Trudeau resigning and they are also not seeking re-election. 

“Right now, Justin Trudeau is being kept in office by one person: Jagmeet Singh,” said Nater. “It’s up to Jagmeet Singh and the NDP to stop propping up the Liberal Government and give Canadians a say.”

With Christmas less than a week away, the local MP was asked if he had heard any rumblings about another non-confidence motion being made against the Prime Minister. 

“There are no provisions to trigger a confidence vote in the House of Commons prior to Christmas,” said Nater.  “That said, we will use all tools at our disposal to continue to hold the Liberal government to account.”