Chrystia Freeland to Resign as MP to Take Ukraine Role

Former deputy prime minister Chrystia Freeland has announced she will resign as a Member of Parliament on Friday as she prepares to take on a new role advising Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Freeland will serve as an unpaid economic development adviser to the Ukrainian government.

Freeland confirmed the decision in a post on social media on Wednesday, stating that she has formally notified the Speaker of the House of Commons that she will vacate her seat effective Friday, Jan. 9. She said the move follows her earlier announcement that she intended to leave Parliament in the coming weeks.

Freeland also said she consulted the federal ethics commissioner throughout the process of accepting the advisory position and followed all guidance provided. Her decision comes amid pressure from opposition parties, including Conservatives and the NDP, who argued she should not hold a parliamentary seat while advising a foreign government.

With Freeland stepping down, Prime Minister Mark Carney now has up to 180 days to call a byelection in the Toronto riding of University–Rosedale, which Freeland has represented since 2015. Carney has indicated that multiple byelections may be called in the near future, though he has not provided a specific timeline.

Speaking to reporters in Paris earlier this week, Carney said he believed Freeland’s decision to resign was appropriate given the nature of her new role. He added that he did not ask her to remain in Parliament and welcomed her choice to step aside in order to avoid any conflict of interest.

Opposition critics have continued to raise concerns about potential access to sensitive information. Conservative ethics critic Michael Barrett said that advising a foreign government, even in an unpaid role, raises serious questions about divided loyalties. Other opposition figures echoed the sentiment, emphasizing that serving as an MP is a full-time responsibility that should not overlap with foreign advisory positions.