December 17, 2024 | Advertise with us

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Freeland resigns from cabinet, Trudeau’s future called into question

On the same day that she was set to deliver a federal fiscal update, federal Finance Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland resigned from cabinet sending political shockwaves through the country.

In a scathing letter, the second-highest elected official in Canada said she has been ‘at odds’ with the Prime Minister for several weeks. She said, “To be effective, a Minister must speak on behalf of the Prime Minister and with his full confidence. In making your decision, you made clear that I no longer credibly enjoy that confidence and possess the authority that comes with it.” Freeland said Trudeau offered her a different cabinet role last week, but she did not want to accept it.

Referencing the election of Donald Trump and the ‘nationalist’ economic policy, along with the threat of 25% tariffs, Freeland said she wanted to keep our ‘fiscal powder dry’ and prepare for a trade war. Speaking to a public disagreement over the recent GST Holiday and $250 cheque plan, Freeland said the country should not spend money on “political gimmicks.”

Freeland was set to deliver an economic update where she would reverse the decision to send out $250 cheques, outline a billion-dollar border security package, and reveal a federal deficit of over $60 billion.

Freeland will remain a Member of Parliament for the Toronto seat of University-Rosedale and said she will still run in the next election.

Federal housing minister Sean Fraser also resigned from cabinet yesterday citing personal and family reasons. He will not run in the next election. Dominic LeBlanc was named the new Minister of Finance, replacing Freeland.

This news prompted multiple calls for the Prime Minister’s resignation, including from multiple Liberal MPs, Jagmeet Singh, and the Bloc and Conservatives are calling for a federal election.

The Liberals held an in-person caucus meeting last night in Ottawa.

The SKoop will continue to cover this developing story in the days ahead.

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Moe provides an update from Council of Federation meetings in Toronto

The Premier of Saskatchewan is meeting with the Council of Federation and other Premiers to discuss top-of-mind issues and how to respond to Trump’s tariffs.

Premier Scott Moe sat down with SaskToday immediately following that conference call for an annual Year-End Interview. He was asked at that time if he had an update on where things stood.

Moe indicated the issues at the centre of discussion going forward will be “first, border security as it pertains to drugs and, and illegal migrants,” and the second would be “trade discussion, market access, trade deficits that may or may not exist across the border.

Moe also pointed to the province's “extensive” contact list in the US government. “This past week, I've been on video calls with multiple governors and starting to line up some of our other contacts in Washington as well,” Moe said.

“As a province, we've worked hard at this over the last decade or even longer. And now we're going to need to use those contacts to reach out and to talk about the importance of Saskatchewan and Canada being involved in, alongside the United States in providing energy security and food security, not only for our continent but providing that same energy and food security for our allied nations around the world. It's an important conversation.”

Moe was hopeful that the government would invest more in border security, "But I think you're going to see fairly significant investments. I would say significant investment increases our border security. And the provinces are going to play a role in enhancing what the federal government is going to attempt to do.”

Asked if the premiers were concerned about the stunning resignation Monday of Chrystia Freeland from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau‘s cabinet, Doug Ford said: “We all are.”

Moe said the Premiers have an important role to play as the federal government figures things out.

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Binding arbitration hearings on new teachers contract begins in Saskatoon

The Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation and Saskatchewan Government began binding arbitration hearings in Saskatoon yesterday.

The two parties agreed to binding arbitration in June, putting an end to a protracted bargaining process that saw multiple rounds of labour action, including strikes and work-to-rule orders.

Arbitration runs from Dec. 16 to 20 in Saskatoon, with former University of Saskatchewan law professor Daniel Ish serving as arbitrator.

In binding arbitration, both sides will present their arguments and the arbitrator will enforce a binding agreement.

The STF said, “The panel will weigh the facts and rationale presented and the arbitrator’s decision will be delivered in the form of a legally binding written report, delivered after the process has been completed.”

After a year of bitter disputes, protests, a series of full-scale and rotating job actions and the rejection of a second contract offer from the government bargaining committee in May, both sides agreed to commit to binding arbitration.

More news and info

• Terry Fox on the $5, big money for the border — what we learned from the economic statement (CBC News)

• NDP concerned Marshals Service ‘poaching’ from existing police forces (CKOM News)

• Pierre Poilievre is The Canadian Press Newsmaker of the Year for second year in a row (Canadian Press)

• Canada Post operations to resume on Tuesday, company says (Canadian Press)