Canadian cabinet minister Freeland to leave, will take on special Ukraine role

By David Ljunggren

OTTAWA (Reuters) - Prominent Canadian Transport Minister Chrystia Freeland will leave cabinet and take on a new role as Canada's special representative for Ukrainian reconstruction, Prime Minister Mark Carney said on Tuesday.

The move marks an end to Freeland's 12-year domestic political career. At one point she had been tipped as a potential future prime minister but lost badly to Carney for the leadership of the ruling Liberal Party in March.

Freeland, 57, who is of Ukrainian descent and speaks the language, helped drive Canada's hardline approach on Russia. Ottawa has imposed a raft of sanctions on Moscow and promised Kyiv billions of dollars in aid.

"Chrystia is truly uniquely positioned for this timely and essential work towards a better future for Ukrainians and peace in Europe," Carney said in a statement. He did not give details as to what the new role would entail.

Freeland, who has represented parliamentary constituencies in Toronto since late 2013, quit as finance minister in December 2024 but returned to government after Carney won an election in April, taking on the joint roles of minister of transport and internal economy.

In recent weeks, however, rumors had swirled around Ottawa that she would soon be leaving.

In a separate statement, Freeland did not mention her new role. She said she would not run again in the next election.

"No one holds political office in perpetuity ... I know that now is the right time for me to make way for others and to seek fresh challenges for myself," she said.

Freeland served a variety of senior roles after the Liberals took power in late 2015, including as minister of foreign affairs.

Her abrupt resignation in December 2024 from the position of finance minister fueled an internal revolt that resulted in the former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announcing he would quit.

(Reporting by David Ljunggren in Ottawa; Editing by Matthew Lewis)