Chrystia Freeland broke election laws, issued 16 penalties

Former Liberal MP and deputy prime minister Chrystia Freeland broke election laws, the Commissioner of Canada Elections has ruled.

Source: X

Former Liberal MP and deputy prime minister Chrystia Freeland broke election laws, the Commissioner of Canada Elections has ruled.

Freeland violated the Act by answering reporters’ questions about a 2024 Toronto byelection at two government-organized press conferences.

The report, released Friday, announced 16 administrative monetary penalties and an undertaking for violations of the Canada Elections Act.

Freeland was deputy prime minister and finance minister during two government budget announcements on June 23 and 24, 2024, when she was asked about Toronto—St. Paul’s Liberal candidate Leslie Church.

Both events were held outside of the Toronto—St. Paul’s riding, and Church was not present when journalists asked Freeland about the byelection and government policy.

Freeland responded by expressing support for Church, who had recently resigned as Freeland’s chief of staff to run.

Church ultimately lost that byelection to Conservative Don Stewart before winning the seat in the last spring’s general election.

Because the remarks were made as a government representative at official government events, the commercial value of $910.58 amounted to a campaign contribution by the Government of Canada.

Freeland, who now serves as the Advisor on Economic Development of Ukraine, signed an undertaking with Elections Canada not to make the same mistake again but faced no personal financial penalty.

Her former riding association paid $910.58 to Elections Canada last month.

According to the report, Freeland maintains that she was not aware that her comments in this forum would have violated the Elections Act. The report added that she had no prior history of non-compliance with the Elections Act.

Freeland officially resigned as MP for the Toronto riding of University—Rosedale on Jan. 9.