Chrystia Freeland’s resignation as Liberal MP takes effect Friday
Global News
Chrystia Freeland's absence from the Liberal caucus will leave Prime Minister Mark Carney two seats short of a majority government.
Former finance minister Chrystia Freeland’s resignation as a member of Parliament takes effect today as she takes up a new voluntary role advising the Ukrainian government.
Freeland’s absence from the Liberal caucus will leave Prime Minister Mark Carney two seats short of a majority government, despite his party’s gain of a pair of seats last year when two Conservative MPs crossed the floor.
A byelection must now be called for the Toronto riding of University-Rosedale which Freeland represented for more than a decade. The Canada Elections Act requires the writ to be issued between 11 and 180 days after the Speaker of the House of Commons notifies Elections Canada of a vacancy.
The earliest date for a byelection would be in March.
The University-Rosedale Liberal riding association did not immediately respond to questions about who might be selected to replace Freeland as the Liberal candidate. It is considered a safe seat for the Liberals, with Freeland winning with almost two-thirds of the vote last year.
With Freeland’s seat vacant, the House of Commons standings sit at 170 for the Liberals, and 172 for oppositions parties, with the Conservatives at 142 seats, the Bloc Québécois at 22, the NDP with seven and the Green Party with one.
The loss of Freeland from the Liberal caucus may not be the only one Carney has to contend with. A series of diplomatic vacancies in the U.K. and Europe may soon see the prime minister tap caucus members to fill the posts.
Conservative MP Matt Jeneroux also has indicated his intention to resign his Edmonton seat sometime before the spring.
'It does appear to be yet another roadblock towards Canadians visiting the United States,' McKenzie McMillan, managing partner at The Travel Group in Vancouver, told Global News.
Drew Nickerson, 13, died in hospital after he was attacked by three dogs while riding his bike in the community of Welshtown, N.S., on Jan. 3.
Carney's office says he will be the first sitting Canadian prime minister to visit the middle eastern country as he seeks to broaden trade relations and drum up foreign investment.
Colabor Group Inc. says it is seeking court protection from creditors under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act and is asking Superior Court for an initial order today.
A major study in Quebec found that people are consuming far too much sugar and sodium, well above the amounts recommended by Health Canada.
Canadian imports to the United States increased in October as the overall balance of trade moved from a surplus in September to a slight deficit.
An engine stall in a plane flying 200 to 300 feet above ground near Lloydminster, Alta., in September 2024 preceded its fatal crash, federal investigators say.
The beloved senior pup would have celebrated his 15th birthday in February, but this past Christmas was the family’s last with Lucky.
Canola farmers and producers in Saskatchewan say they will be watching closely next week as Prime Minister Mark Carney visits China for trade talks that will include agriculture.
Freeland made the announcement amid concerns raised by the opposition Conservatives, who said she should have resigned earlier after accepting a role advising a foreign government.
Premier Scott Moe is hoping Prime Minister Mark Carney can make progress on market access for canola, which remains subject to Chinese tariffs.
A Statistics Canada report shows mood disorders among seniors are on the rise, and advocates say loneliness is playing a role.
An on-again, off-again machine in Saskatchewan that’s vital for diagnosing cancer has been disrupted again, putting at least one family in a bind.