Canada’s former minister of finance and foreign affairs said on Monday, January 5th that she will leave the Ottawa parliament to work as an economic advisor to Ukraine.
AFP reports indicate that Chrystia Freeland was appointed by President Volodymyr Zelensky while serving as the Canadian prime minister’s special representative for the reconstruction of Ukraine, after holding several political leadership roles in recent years.
Freeland, whose mother was Ukrainian, wrote on X
Ukraine is at the forefront of today’s global fight for democracy, and I welcome this chance to contribute on an unpaid basis as an economic advisor to President Zelensky.
Freeland, 57, a former journalist, speaks Ukrainian, English, French, Italian, and Russian fluently. She was the first woman to be finance minister in Canada and served as deputy prime minister.
Zelensky praised Freeland in a post announcing her appointment on Monday, saying she “is highly skilled” and “has extensive experience in attracting investment and implementing economic transformations.”
A year ago, Freeland ran to replace Justin Trudeau as leader of the Liberal Party and as prime minister after his dramatic resignation from government. She lost and ultimately agreed to join the government of her opponent, Prime Minister Mark Carney.
Freeland resigned as then-Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s finance chief in December 2024 after clashing with the U.S. president-elect at the time, Donald Trump, over his tariff threats. Trump responded:
Her behavior was totally toxic, and not at all conducive to making deals which are good for the very unhappy citizens of Canada. She will not be missed!!!
Freeland, meanwhile, gloated about ‘the Donald’ disliking her during her unsuccessful bid last January to lead Canada’s Liberal Party, which she lost to Mark Carney—even clipping footage of the U.S. president insulting her to use in her campaign videos.
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