MNI BRIEF: Trudeau's Future In Question Amid Cabinet Shuffle
MNI (OTTAWA) - Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's own political future remains in question Friday as he shuffled cabinet following the finance minister's acrimonious departure Monday, uncertainty keeping Canada's dollar at four-year lows amid questions of who can deal with Donald Trump's 25% tariff threat.
Dominic LeBlanc was affirmed as Chrystia Freeland's replacement as finance minister -- Trudeau installed him Monday just hours after she refused to deliver a budget update. Some media citing unnamed sources said Trudeau pursued Mark Carney for a cabinet job like finance but that didn't happen. LeBlanc said earlier this week Carney isn't becoming finance minister before the spring budget, without elaborating.
David McGuinty took over one of LeBlanc's prior roles as Public Safety minister, Steven MacKinnon took on more powers in the labor file and Nate Erskine-Smith replaces Sean Fraser at housing after he declined to run in the next election. (See: MNI: Trudeau Deficit Unlikely To Fix Canada's Vibecession)
Trudeau made no comments at the swearing-in, breaking tradition and continuing a week of avoiding chances to elaborate on his future. Several Liberals have suggested the PM is considering his future and another on Friday called for him to step down. The split with a finance minister has little precedent in modern Canadian politics and adds to a list of key advisers quitting in recent months. Polls have long shown Liberals will lose an election due by next fall to Pierre Poilievre's Conservatives over anger around a cost-of-living squeeze, though Trudeau for months has insisted he will stay on and win.
Parliament went on break earlier this week and is due to return Jan. 27, and just before the shuffle NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh said he will introduce a non-confidence motion after that date. Other opposition parties have already voted to force a snap election, suggesting the government will collapse if they follow through.