Former finance minister and deputy prime minister, Chrystia Freeland, views her resignation as a positive outcome for former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau amidst his declining popularity. Her book, “Unreliable Boyfriend,” serves as a manual for navigating the challenges posed by U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration, while also shedding light on the deterioration of her political alliance with Trudeau in the final stages of his leadership.
In the book, Freeland recounts a conversation with former Liberal prime minister Jean Chrétien, a month prior to her resignation, which influenced her decision to step down. According to Freeland, Chrétien believed that resigning was in the best interest of Canada, the Liberal Party, and ultimately, Trudeau, as it prevented him from leading the party to defeat.
Trudeau informed Freeland via a Zoom call just before she was scheduled to present the government’s fall economic statement in late 2024 that she would be replaced as finance minister. She made the sudden choice to resign on the same day the statement was to be unveiled in Parliament, leading to Trudeau’s subsequent resignation a few weeks later.
Amid questions about her role in the declining popularity of the Trudeau government, Freeland defended her record as finance minister, emphasizing her successful navigation through the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic while maintaining Canada’s AAA credit rating and ensuring fiscal sustainability.
Despite the political fallout, Freeland fondly recalled her early collaboration with Trudeau, expressing her belief that history will reflect positively on his legacy, although she wished he had stepped down earlier. She clarified that her book is not centered on Trudeau but rather on her ideas and vision for the future.
The Conservative Party held a significant lead in the polls towards the end of Trudeau’s tenure, prompting former Bank of England Governor Mark Carney to succeed him as Liberal leader and lead the party to victory in the 2025 election.
