Former cabinet minister Chrystia Freeland is formally stepping down as a member of Parliament on Friday, temporarily reducing the Liberal government’s seat count in an already finely balanced House of Commons.
The resignation further unsettles a Parliament that was already in flux when MPs adjourned in December. The Liberals had gained ground on the final sitting day after former Conservative MP Michael Ma crossed the floor to join the governing party, following Chris d’Entremont’s earlier defection in November. That shift left Prime Minister Mark Carney’s government just one seat short of a majority — a margin now widened again by Freeland’s departure.
Although Freeland’s Toronto riding is considered a safe Liberal seat, it is expected to remain vacant when Parliament resumes later this month. Once the Speaker formally notifies the chief electoral officer of the vacancy, the government will have between 11 and 180 days to call a byelection. Campaigns must run for at least 36 days, making late February the earliest possible voting date, followed by additional time to certify results and swear in a new MP.
The timing is politically sensitive. The narrow passage of the Liberals’ main budget motion last fall — a confidence vote that could have toppled the government — underscored how critical every seat is in the current Parliament. The government is guaranteed to face another confidence test before the end of March on spending estimates, while its budget implementation bill will also require confidence votes at committee stage and third reading before heading to the Senate.
Freeland accepted what has been described as a voluntary advisory role with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyyearlier this week and confirmed she would be exiting Canadian politics.
Her resignation may not be the last. Carney has signalled that multiple byelections could be called in the near future, though he has not specified which ridings. Reports suggest B.C. MP Jonathan Wilkinson and Toronto MP Bill Blair — both former cabinet ministers — could be appointed to diplomatic posts, which would require them to vacate their seats and trigger additional byelections.
Meanwhile, Conservative MP Matt Jeneroux is also expected to leave Parliament in the coming year, though he has ruled out crossing the floor to join the Liberals. Carney has hinted that some opposition MPs are considering defecting, but NDP MP Lori Idlout said this week she has decided not to join the Liberals “at this point,” despite being approached.
With confidence votes looming and potential byelections on the horizon, Freeland’s exit has added fresh uncertainty to an already volatile parliamentary landscape.
