Liberal MP James Maloney dismissed recent speculation that Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland could be on the Liberal chopping block, calling such rumours “whispers in the shadows.”

Maloney made the comments at a news conference with Freeland on Monday.

“I can tell you unequivocally we are united behind this person beside me. Chrystia Freeland has done a great job, and there isn’t a single person in my caucus who would say anything to the contrary,” he said.

Liberal MP James Maloney says the LPC caucus has complete confidence in Freeland as Finance Minister

“Unequivocally, we are united behind this person beside me. Freeland has done a great job and there isn’t a single person in my caucus who'd say anything to the contrary” pic.twitter.com/sxGbpBSZbz

— Mackenzie Gray (@Gray_Mackenzie) July 29, 2024

“These whispers in the shadows — and that’s what they are — take them for what they’re worth. It’s like listening to talk radio, sports radio,” Maloney said.

Maloney’s comments come after some reports of “tension” between Freeland and the Prime Minister’s Office. It also comes amid some speculation that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is courting former Bank of Canada and Bank of England governor Mark Carney as a replacement.

Sources in the PMO believe Freeland has been “ineffective at selling the government’s economic policies,” a report published in the Globe and Mail said.

Reports from the Toronto Star also noted that some Liberal MPs wanted a cabinet shuffle before Parliament returns in the fall, and some sources told the outlet that a shakeup should move Freeland from her position as finance minister and deputy prime minister.

Maloney said on Monday that the deputy prime minister has the support of caucus.

“I talk to my caucus colleagues every single day and we have complete confidence in Chrystia Freeland as finance minister.”

Freeland today: "this building and the great apartments that are here now that people are living in, and there are apartments still available for people to rent” and James Maloney says he’s got full confidence in whatever this is.

The apartment building they are in front of is… https://t.co/tJvdSduA5o

— Melissa Lantsman (@MelissaLantsman) July 29, 2024

Freeland also stated that she still feels as though she has the support to continue in her role: “I feel I have the support I need to do my job and to focus on what my job is, which is delivering for Canada and Canadians,” she said. “I absolutely take the point of view of our caucus, of my caucus colleagues really, really seriously. Our government is our caucus and our government’s policies need to be based on conversations within caucus.”