Chrystia Freeland aims to revitalize the Liberal party with her extensive government experience and unique background
OTTAWA: Chrystia Freeland is stepping into the spotlight as a Liberal leadership candidate. She’s highlighting her government experience to show she can help rebuild the party and guide Canada through tough times.
Freeland’s journey started as a journalist in the Soviet Union. She even managed to navigate the tricky waters of Donald Trump’s presidency, which didn’t always sit well with him.
Her recent resignation as finance minister, right before a big fiscal update, played a part in Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stepping down. Quite the dramatic turn of events!
Let’s take a quick look at her background. Born on August 2, 1968, in Peace River, Alberta, she grew up in a family with a lawyer dad and a Ukrainian mom who was a refugee and even ran for the NDP.
Freeland studied Russian history at Harvard and Slavonic Studies at Oxford. While in Kyiv as an exchange student, she got involved in the Ukrainian independence movement, which made headlines back then.
Her career kicked off as a journalist in Kyiv and Moscow, working for big names like the Financial Times and the Washington Post. She later returned to Canada, editing for The Globe and Mail and writing about the rise of oligarchs and income inequality.
In 2013, she was elected to the House of Commons, just two years before Trudeau took office. She made waves during the election by trying to enter a men-only club where a Conservative minister was speaking.
Freeland held various cabinet positions, including trade and finance, where she played a key role in saving a crucial trade deal with the EU and renegotiating NAFTA.
In 2018, she stirred things up when Saudi Arabia expelled Canada’s ambassador after her department called for the release of women’s rights activists.
Named deputy prime minister in late 2019, she became the first woman to serve as federal finance minister in 2020, overseeing significant spending during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Her role in intergovernmental affairs saw her tackle Alberta separatism, and she’s known for building friendships across party lines, especially with Ontario Premier Doug Ford.
On the personal side, she’s married to New York Times journalist Graham Bowley, and they have three kids: two daughters, Natalka and Halyna, and a son, Ivan.
Freeland believes in listening to the people, stating, “Democracy means when people tell you something, you have to listen. And I will say our party hasn’t been good enough at that.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published on January 19, 2025.
Dylan Robertson, The Canadian Press
