Confusion reigns over fate of Liberals' fall economic statement after Freeland's cabinet resignation

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OTTAWA — As Canada’s political universe remains in limbo following the shocking resignation of its finance minister and a fall economic statement apparently on hold, Canada’s opposition leader described Monday’s bizarre state of affairs as further proof that the Trudeau Liberals are on their last legs.

“The Government of Canada itself is spiralling out of control, right before our eyes and at the very worst time,” said Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre in a noon-hour press conference in the foyer of the House of Commons.

“Canadians were already anxious about the reckless $40-billion deficit the government had announced last spring, but today in mere hours we’re expecting to learn it’ll be much higher than that.”

Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland’s bombshell resignation came just hours before the government was to deliver its Fall Economic Statement sent shockwaves through Ottawa.

Just before the journalists’ lockup was to begin at a government complex at 111 Sussex Dr., an announcement told reporters the expected embargo was on hold indefinitely.

Hardcopies of the Fall Economic Statement remained shrouded under a black cloth, with staffers looking just as confused as the reporters who’ve so far waited all morning for news on if the statement will be released.

As well, there’s no word on if the finance minister’s expected 4 p.m. tabling of the statement in the House of Commons is still going to happen.

An announcement made at 1:15 by a finance department staffer said the lockup will begin shortly before 2 p.m., but had no word about the scheduled pre-release press conference with the finance minister.

During his press conference, Poilievre said Freeland’s resignation — coupled with Housing Minister Sean Fraser’s Monday morning announcement that he too is stepping down, raises far too many questions about the future of the Trudeau Liberals.

“Housing Minister Sean Fraser has resigned in the middle of a housing crisis, the finance minister is resigning in the middle of an economic crisis, and a fifth of his Liberal caucus has lost confidence in him,” Poilievre said.

“Justin Trudeau has lots control, and yet he clings to power. We cannot accept this kind of chaos, division, weakness while we’re staring down the barrel of a 25% tariff from our biggest trading partner and closest ally.”

He issued a statement for Liberal MPs, saying that while they supported the government in good faith, it’s time for them to look in the mirror.

“You are good and decent patriotic people who were let down by a prime minister and his top advisor Mr. (Mark) Carney, who betrayed Ms. Freeland and you,” he said.

“Carney and Trudeau, the backroom boys, have taken the Liberal party away from anything it used to stand for.”

Poilievre also made a plea to NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh, who has maintained an informal alliance with the Trudeau Liberals since publicly tearing up the formal supply and confidence agreement the two parties signed shortly after the last federal election.

“A fifth of Liberal MPs have written a letter for him to resign. His deputy prime minister has walked out on him. His housing minister has quit, that on top of numerous other female ministers who stormed out after his appalling mistreatment and abuse and dishonesty towards them,” Poilievre said.

“So why is Jagmeet Singh making the entire country wait for him to get his pension?”