Chrystia Freeland is of Ukrainian descent and speaks the language fluently.Justin Tang/The Canadian Press
Chrystia Freeland is expected to leave her cabinet post as Transport and Internal Trade Minister for a special global role for Ukraine, sources say.
Ms. Freeland met separately Monday with Prime Minister Mark Carney and his Chief of Staff Marc-André Blanchard to discuss her future plans, two sources told The Globe and Mail.
Another source said Ms. Freeland, a former finance and foreign affairs minister under Justin Trudeau, is expected to be leaving the Carney government for a role as special international Ukrainian envoy. The source would not provide details of what the role would entail.
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The announcement could come as early as Tuesday afternoon, one source said. She will remain an MP for the time being.
Government House Leader Steve MacKinnon will take over as Transport Minister and Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc will assume duties for internal trade, the source said.
The Globe and Mail is not identifying the three sources who were not authorized to discuss the matter.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, right, and his wife Olena Zelenska with Ambassador of Ukraine to Canada Yulia Kovaliv, Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, September, 2023.Justin Tang/The Canadian Press
Ms. Freeland, who is of Ukrainian descent and speaks the language fluently, visited Kyiv on the weekend and with former prime minister Jean Chrétien.
A source close to Ms. Freeland said she has been in discussions with Mr. Carney for the past month about the move.
Aside from her role as special envoy for Ukraine, she also plans to do some writing, teaching and be involved in issues including international security, multilateralism and the defence of democracy, the source said.
The Globe is not naming the source who was not authorized to discuss the matter.
Ms. Freeland lost the Liberal leadership to Mr. Carney in March by a wide margin but he nonetheless kept her in his cabinet.
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She has been credited by many Liberals for forcing Justin Trudeau to step aside and call a leadership vote. She abruptly resigned in December on the day she was supposed to deliver the 2024 fall economic statement after he sought to replace her with Mr. Carney, the former governor of the Bank of Canada and Bank of England.
Mr. Carney did not take up Mr. Trudeau’s offer, leading to internal Liberal pressure for Mr. Trudeau to resign and hold a leadership contest.