The resignation of Chrystia Freeland as deputy prime minister and finance minister sent shockwave's throughout the political landscape on Monday.
On Friday, prime minister Justin Trudeau told Freeland he no longer wanted her in the top economic post, leading her to resign on the same day she was expected to present the government's long-anticipated fall economic statement.
The two have found themselves "at odds about the best path forward for Canada," she wrote, an assertion she’s sought to downplay in recent days as reports of fraying tensions between the two top Liberals re-emerged.
The latest round of frustration between their two offices was reportedly connected to disagreements over measures such as the two-month GST/HST pause and the in-limbo $250 workers' benefit cheques, as well as the government's ability to abide by its fiscal anchors.
Speaking on AM800's The Shift with Patty Handysides, Lydia Miljan, political analyst from the University of Windsor says the cheques could have had Freeland questioning how Canada's credibility would have looked to the world markets.
"She certainly didn't want to be the person that has our credit rating fall on her watch. I mean that's a terrible legacy for her to have, so yeah, I think she had no choice but to resign, and I've got to give her kudos for doing it the way she did, because she has put the government in chaos."
Miljan says Trudeau and the PMO have lost sight of what matters.
"Calls himself a proud feminist, at the same time that he's planning to get rid of his finance minister and deputy prime minister. Clearly he is missing some logical sequencing, I mean he's so believing his virtue signalling that he doesn't think that other people have any doubts about him," she said.
Windsor-Tecumseh MP Irek Kusmierczyk told Patty Handysides that Freeland's resignation was a 'tough day'.
"She's not only a colleague but really she's become a close friend. You look at the look that we've been able to do together for our community here, getting the funding for the batter plant here, getting the funding for investment tax credits that our luring companies to our region."
While speaking to reporters on Monday, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh called on Trudeau to resign and Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre reiterated his call for a "carbon tax election".
Kusmierczyk says Trudeau still has 100 per cent of his support.
"It's because you have a prime minister that has stood up and said he's going to back communities, manufacturing communities like Windsor, like St. Thomas, like Allison, is going to make record investments, put his money where his mouth is and actually make those investments in communities like ours, and we're seeing that incredible turn around happen," he said.
Longtime Trudeau ally and senior cabinet minister Dominic LeBlanc, was sworn-in as Freeland's replacement in the finance portfolio, in a ceremony held at Rideau Hall late Monday afternoon.
-With files from CTV News
