OTTAWA, Ontario — Chrystia Freeland, Canada’s minister of transport and internal trade, has resigned and will not run in the next federal election.
Steve MacKinnon, the leader of the government in the House of Commons, has been named the new transport minister.
Freeland, who ran for leadership of the Liberal Party prior to the most recent national election — losing to current Prime Minister Mark Carney — said in a statement that “with tremendous gratitude and a little sadness, I have decided to step down from Cabinet today and turn the page on this chapter in my life. … After 12 fulfilling years in public life, I know that now is the right time for me to make way for others and to seek fresh challenges for myself.”
Carney said he has asked Freeland to become Canada’s new special envoy for the reconstruction of Ukraine. Freeland has been one of the most vocal supporters of Ukraine since its invasion by Russia. Politico reports Freeland had been in discussion about the role for more than a month.
“Chrystia’s versatility, raw intelligence, and principled leadership have served Canadians with distinction through extraordinary challenges and changes,” Carney said in a statement. “Thank you, Chrystia, for your dedication, many contributions to Canada, friendship, and continued partnership.”
Freeland’s previous high-profile positions in government included becoming the first woman to serve as Canada’s finance minister. Her departure continues something of a revolving door at Transport Canada. MacKinnon becomes the fifth transport minister in little more than two years, following Omar Alghabra, who resigned in July 2023; Pablo Rodriguez, who resigned in September 2024; Anita Anand, who served only about six months, and Freeland, who replaced Anand when Carney became prime minister and named his cabinet.
MacKinnon said in a statement that he is “humbled to take on the role of Minister of Transport while continuing to serve as Leader of the Government in the House of Commons. … I’m continuing my work with the energy and determination these roles demand. There are big challenges ahead, and I am ready to meet them.”
MacKinnon, who represents the riding of Gatineau, Quebec, was first elected in 2015 and reelected in 2019 and 2021. His Liberal Party biography says he was previously a senior vice president at a global public relations firm, focusing on mergers, acquisitions, and financial communication.
