Canada finance min quits over rift with PM on Trump tariffs

OTTAWA: Canada's finance minister Chrystia Freeland quit on Monday after clashing with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on issues including how to handle possible US tariffs, dealing another blow to an already unpopular government.

- Reuters

In a stinging resignation letter, Freeland dismissed Trudeau's push for increased spending as a political gimmick that could hurt Ottawa's ability to deal with the 25% import tariffs US President-elect Donald Trump says he will impose.

Freeland quit just hours before she was due to present a fall economic update to parliament, a document widely expected to show the minority Liberal government had run up a much larger 2023-24 budget deficit than predicted.

The resignation by Freeland, 56, who also served as deputy prime minister, leaves Trudeau without a key ally when his government is already in trouble.

"This will likely trigger a leadership crisis within the Liberal caucus (it) is politically and personally devastating for Trudeau," said Nik Nanos, founder of the Nanos Research polling firm.