Former cabinet minister Chrystia Freeland has officially resigned from her seat in the House of Commons, leaving the Liberal government with one less MP temporarily. This move comes amidst a fluid situation in the House, with the Liberals gaining a seat when former Conservative Michael Ma switched to their party on the final sitting day in December. With Freeland’s departure, the Liberals are now one seat short of a majority.
Freeland’s former riding, a safe stronghold for the Liberals, is expected to remain vacant until MPs reconvene later this month. Once the Speaker of the House notifies the chief electoral officer of the vacancy, a byelection must be called within 11 to 180 days.
The byelection campaign will last a minimum of 36 days, with the earliest possible date being March 2, according to Elections Canada. The government faces a confidence vote on spending estimates by the end of March, emphasizing the significance of every vote in the current Parliament.
Freeland, who has taken on an advisory role with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, is not the only former minister expected to leave. Prime Minister Mark Carney hinted at multiple upcoming byelections, mentioning possible vacancies for former ministers Jonathan Wilkinson and Bill Blair due to diplomatic appointments. If they step down, the same byelection process will apply to their ridings as well.
Conservative MP Matt Jeneroux is also anticipated to resign in the near future. While there were speculations about him switching to the Liberal party, Jeneroux announced his retirement from politics instead. Carney suggested that several opposition MPs are contemplating joining the Liberals, reflecting the dynamic political landscape in the House.