In a significant political transition, Canada’s former Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland has announced her departure from parliament to assume an advisory position with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s administration. The high-profile move, confirmed through simultaneous social media announcements from both parties on Monday, marks a notable shift in Freeland’s distinguished political career.
Freeland will serve as an unpaid economic development adviser to Ukraine while maintaining her Ukrainian heritage and longstanding support for Kyiv throughout its conflict with Russia. Her appointment has already sparked controversy among Canadian opposition lawmakers, with Conservative foreign affairs critic Michael Chong asserting that “one cannot be a Canadian MP and an adviser to a foreign government.”
The career transition follows Freeland’s public break with former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in late 2024, when she resigned from cabinet citing disagreements over handling potential U.S. tariffs. Her distinguished tenure included groundbreaking roles as Canada’s first female finance minister, where she managed the country’s pandemic financial response, and key positions overseeing foreign affairs and international trade.
Additionally, Freeland will assume leadership of the prestigious Rhodes Trust educational charity in the United Kingdom this July. Her departure from Canadian politics includes relinquishing both her parliamentary seat for Toronto’s University-Rosedale riding and her position as Canada’s special representative for Ukrainian reconstruction.
Zelensky praised Freeland’s “extensive experience in attracting investment and implementing economic transformations” in his announcement. The appointment comes as Ukraine continues its defense against Russian aggression and as the USMCA trade agreement—which Freeland helped renegotiate during the Trump administration—faces another round of negotiations this year.