Calls for PM Justin Trudeau to resign reach fever pitch as LeBlanc replaces Freeland
Public Safety Minister Dominic
LeBlanc will be sworn in as finance minister this afternoon, a senior
government official has confirmed.
The official, who was not authorized to speak publicly about the
appointment, says LeBlanc will be sworn in as finance minister at a ceremony at
Rideau Hall at 4 p.m. and that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will be present.
Trudeau's government was on its heels Monday after Chrystia Freeland stepped
down as finance minister and deputy prime minister.
Freeland made the surprise
declaration after the prime minister lost faith in her, saying she fought back
against some of his policy decisions and that he wanted to assign her to a new
role.
That has reignited calls for Trudeau to step down and call an
election.
In her resignation letter Monday morning, Freeland says she and
Trudeau have found themselves at odds for weeks about "the best path
forward for Canada."
She said the country faces a "grave challenge" with the
incoming Donald Trump administration and its threat of 25 per cent tariffs.
"We need to take that threat extremely seriously. That means
keeping our fiscal powder dry, so we have the reserves we may need for a coming
tariff war. That means eschewing costly political gimmicks, which we can ill
afford and which make Canadians doubt that we recognize the gravity of the
moment."
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said Trudeau has lost control of the government and repeated calls for an election.
