Trudeau taps LeBlanc as finance minister after Freeland resigns: source

CITYnews halifax / By The Canadian Press and Meredith Bond

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.

LeBlanc is currently the Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental Affairs. The Liberal MP has represented New Brunswick since he was first elected in 2000.

Trudeau’s government was on its heels Monday after Chrystia Freeland stepped down as finance minister and deputy prime minister.

Freeland was set to present the fiscal update in the House of Commons at 3 p.m. on Monday afternoon, but released a letter in the 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.”

Her 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 has stepped away from cabinet altogether.

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh said Trudeau should resign as Liberal leader, but stopped short of calling for an election and did not say that his party will end its support for the minority government.

Freeland’s announcement follows news that Housing Minister Sean Fraser will not seek re-election. Fraser, a frequent target of Conservative attacks over the government’s handling of the immigration and housing files, was considered a strong communicator and rising star for the Liberals.