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Chrystia Freeland, one of Canada’s most prominent political figures, has announced her resignation from Prime Minister Mark Carney’s cabinet and confirmed she will not seek re-election.
Freeland will instead serve as Canada’s Special Envoy to Ukraine, a role Carney said was crucial as Ottawa continues to support Kyiv’s war effort and post-war reconstruction.
A Liberal MP since 2015, Freeland has held several high-profile positions, including finance minister, foreign affairs minister, and deputy prime minister. In 2020, she became Canada’s first female finance minister, steering the country through the Covid-19 economic crisis.
Her career has also been marked by pivotal moments in Canadian politics, including her public clash with former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, whose resignation followed shortly after her own in late 2024. She later contested the Liberal leadership but lost to Carney.
In her resignation statement posted on X, Freeland wrote:
“I have decided to step down from cabinet today and turn the page on this chapter in my life. I do not intend to run in the next election.”
Carney, in a separate statement, praised her “extraordinary service” and said he had personally asked her to take on the Ukraine envoy role.
Freeland, who is of Ukrainian heritage and has long been a vocal supporter of Kyiv, was previously banned from entering Russia for her strong stance against Moscow. Earlier this year, Canada pledged an additional C$2 billion ($1.46 billion) in military aid to Ukraine, underscoring the country’s ongoing commitment.
Freeland is also credited with helping renegotiate the USMCA (CUSMA in Canada) trade deal with the US and Mexico in 2018, a move that shielded Canadian industries from steep tariffs under then-US President Donald Trump.
In her farewell note, Freeland expressed gratitude for her years of public service, adding:
“For me and for my wonderful husband and children, public service has been a privilege and not a sacrifice. I hope more Canadian girls and women will step up and seek the joys and rewards of elected politics for themselves.”
