Freeland remains on as finance minister, supports Trudeau as party leader

A reporter asked Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland if she discussed her job security with Trudeau as party leader. 'I did not,' she said.

Freeland remains on as finance minister, supports Trudeau as party leader
The Canadian Press / Nick Iwanyshyn
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With the fall session of Parliament set to begin, Finance Minister Chrystia has finally quashed alleged tensions with the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).

On Monday, a reporter asked the deputy prime minister if she discussed her job security with Trudeau at the helm. “I wanted to know, if at any point this summer, you had discussions with the Prime Minister … to drop your portfolio? He asked. “I did not,” she said.

Rumoured tensions between the PMO and Freeland emerged amid supposed efforts to recruit Mark Carney as her replacement. Neither office provided comments to the media on the matter.

Carney, a former Bank of Canada governor, joined the Trudeau government as chair to an economic growth task force last week after months of speculation. The announcement came during the national caucus meeting last week in Nanaimo, British Columbia.

The appointment comes with Freeland’s blessing, who considers Carney a close friend. He is listed as her son’s godfather.

Freeland first told reporters her job is not on the line in July, contrary to media reports. A Globe and Mail exclusive cited concerns from the PMO over her continued effectiveness.

At the time, Trudeau called her “a close friend and ally.” He did not directly address the discussions surrounding Carney at the time.

Trudeau later admitted to recruiting him for federal politics. “I think he'd be an outstanding addition at a time when Canadians need good people to step up in politics,” he said.

On Carney, Minister Freeland said she speaks to him “often,” and is “grateful” for any “support” he can offer the Liberals. 

“Just had a really good national caucus meeting, and I think all of us left that meeting absolutely committed to supporting Justin Trudeau as the … leader of our government … who will lead our party in the next federal election,” she told reporters Monday.

Some Liberals believe Carney could succeed Trudeau as party leader. When asked in January, he indicated he has no interest in the job. “It's easy not to rule out something that doesn't exist,” he told CTV News.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has insisted he intends to lead the party into the upcoming federal election, next October.

“In the near term, the prime minister is going to be the leader of the Liberal Party in the next election,” added Carney. “And I support him.”

Carney, who lives in Ottawa, served as Canada’s central bank governor from 2008 to 2013. He also served as governor to the Bank of England until 2020.

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