Trudeau says he has ‘full confidence’ in Freeland despite rumours of tensions – National
Justin Trudeau reaffirmed on Thursday its “full confidence” in Chrystia Freeland amid reports of tensions between the prime minister’s office and the finance minister.
Speaking at the close of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization summit in Washington, D.C., Trudeau was asked about the possibility of replacing Freeland – also his deputy prime minister – with Mark Carneyformer governor of the Bank of Canada and the Bank of England.
The question followed a report from the Globe and Mail Last Thursday, “tensions” were raised between the PMO and Freeland over her recent handling of the economic file. This article, as well as Previous Toronto Star reportspositioned Carney as a possible successor to Freeland as finance minister.
“As for Chrystia, she has been a close friend, an ally and a partner who has done great things for Canada and she will continue to be,” Trudeau told reporters Thursday. He then cited the Liberal government’s latest spending plans on housing and child care.
Free land tabled its fourth federal budget in Aprila plan that included billions of dollars in spending to try to improve “generational fairness” for younger Canadians. The budget included a controversial plan to increase the inclusion rate on some capital gains, a change adopted by the Liberals in June despite the opposition of some industrial groups and business leaders.
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“These are all things that Chrystia has done and will continue to do. I have full confidence in her abilities and in the work that we will accomplish together,” Trudeau said.
The prime minister also acknowledged that he had been talking to Carney “for years about getting him into federal politics,” but did not directly say whether he was being considered for the finance minister position.
“I think he would be an exceptional addition at a time when Canadians need good people to get involved in politics,” Trudeau said.
The Liberal government has felt political pressure in recent months since the party lost what was supposed to be a safe seat in the riding. Toronto-St. Paul’s Federal By-Election end of June.
Trudeau himself has faced calls, including of a Liberal MP and a former Cabinet ministerto leave the party leadership while the government is in place behind Pierre Poilievre’s Conservative Party in the polls. Freeland has He also defended Trudeau against such calls.claiming that he has the “full support” of the Liberal cabinet.
— with information from Touria Izri of Global News
© 2024 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
