Freeland leaving cabinet for Ukraine envoy position: sources

Longtime Liberal Chrystia Freeland is stepping down from cabinet, sources tell CBC News.

Those sources, who spoke on the condition they not be named, said the transport and internal trade minister is taking up an envoy role related to Ukraine.

The Toronto MP could make the official announcement as early as Tuesday, they said.

The news was first reported by the Globe and Mail.

Freeland has been a fixture in Canadian politics since the Liberals swept into power in 2015, and served as former prime minister Justin Trudeau's deputy.

She's held prominent roles in the front bench, including becoming the first woman appointed as finance minister in 2020.

She sent shock waves through Ottawa when she abruptly resigned as finance minister in December, just hours before she was set to table the fall economic statement.

At the time, she called out her own government's economic stewardship and "costly political gimmicks."

Her exit escalated caucus pressure on Trudeau to resign, triggering a leadership race that she ran in, but that ultimately made Mark Carney leader. The Liberals would go from 20 points behind the Conservatives to a comeback win in April's election.

Freeland has had a role guiding Canada's diplomatic posture, as both international trade and foreign affairs minister. She helped lead Canada's negotiating team during U.S. President Donald Trump's first term in office, landing what is now known as the CUSMA trade deal.

She's attracted ire from Trump, who called her "toxic," and from Russia, which sanctioned her back in 2014.

Sources say Canada-U.S. Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc will absorb Freeland's internal trade duties and government House leader Steve MacKinnon will take on transport.