National

Fiscal update in limbo after Freeland quits as finance minister

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 16 Dec, 2024 11:44 AM

The Liberal government's plans to unveil a fall economic update on Monday were thrown into disarray by the finance minister's abrupt resignation.

Chrystia Freeland released a letter Monday morning announcing her decision to step aside after she and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau "found ourselves at odds about the best path forward for Canada."

See my letter to the Prime Minister below // Veuillez trouver ma lettre au Premier ministre ci-dessous pic.twitter.com/NMMMcXUh7A
— Chrystia Freeland (@cafreeland) December 16, 2024

Freeland's letter cited the threat of tariffs from incoming U.S. president Donald Trump and said she made "strenuous efforts this fall to manage our spending" to counter that threat.

But, she said, Trudeau's decision to offer her a different cabinet post on Friday has shown a lack of confidence in her as minister and she hs stepped away from cabinet altogether.

Media and stakeholders were gathered in Ottawa in the morning to receive embargoed copies of the fall economic statement, but the documents were not handed out. Media have been told the documents will be distributed at 1:45 p.m. ET.

Freeland was set to present the fiscal update in the House of Commons later on Monday afternoon.

A senior government source, who was not authorized to speak publicly about the plans, said a cabinet minister will present the update in Parliament. It is not yet clear who that will be, though the source noted it does not have to be the finance minister.

Prev Next

MORE National ARTICLES

Avian flu at 2 farms in Abbotsford

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency says it has detected the presence of highly pathogenic avian influenza at two more commercial poultry farms in Abbotsford. The agency currently lists 43 premises in B-C where the flu has been detected in bird flocks.

Avian flu at 2 farms in Abbotsford

Emergency alert test coming as B.C. mops up from 'bomb cyclone' with high winds

A test for Canada's emergency alert system is set to take place just as British Columbia cleans up from a so-called "bomb cyclone" weather system that cut power and battered parts of the coast with hurricane-force winds. The national alert system is typically tested twice a year, with the next test set to take place today at 1:55 p.m. Pacific time.

Emergency alert test coming as B.C. mops up from 'bomb cyclone' with high winds

B.C. port union challenges constitutionality of labour minister's back-to-work order

The union representing port supervisors in British Columbia is formally challenging the legal and constitutional authority of the federal labour minister to order them back to work. In a legal document dated Tuesday, International Longshore and Warehouse Union Local 514 says it's questioning whether the order issued by Labour Minister Steven MacKinnon last week violates the right to collective bargaining and the right to strike.

B.C. port union challenges constitutionality of labour minister's back-to-work order

Some Canadian cities building temporary housing facilities to accommodate refugees

A significant increase in the number of refugees and asylum seekers in Canada has prompted some cities to start building temporary housing for new arrivals. The city of Ottawa is working to establish what's known as a sprung structure that serves as both a temporary shelter and a centre to provide settlement services such as language training and employment assistance.

Some Canadian cities building temporary housing facilities to accommodate refugees

Trial sees texts between men accused in migrants' deaths by Manitoba-Minnesota border

The trial of two men accused of human smuggling is getting a look at messages the prosecution says prove the pair conspired to sneak people across the Canada-United States border. Steve Shand and Harshkumar Patel have pleaded not guilty to charges of organizing several illegal crossings of Indian nationals from Manitoba to Minnesota in late 2021 and early 2022.

Trial sees texts between men accused in migrants' deaths by Manitoba-Minnesota border

Canadians favour government intervention in Canada Post, port labour disputes: poll

Polling firm Leger found 63 per cent of respondents to a new survey were in favour of the Liberal government's move to step in and ask the Canada Industrial Relations Board to order a resumption of port operations and move negotiations into binding arbitration. Nineteen per cent were opposed, and another 19 per cent said they didn't know.