How a tiff over tariffs exposed the Canadian government’s fragility

Canada’s government is in trouble.

The government currently in charge of the country — led by longtime Prime Minister Justin Trudeau — took its latest hit on Monday, when Trudeau’s right-hand official (and former staunch ally), Finance Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland, surprised Canadians by offering her resignation in a spectacular fashion, issuing a letter that sharply criticized her old boss.

Freeland specifically cited her disagreements over how to manage Canada’s economy in the face of looming US tariffs as the breaking point in her relationship with Trudeau. President-elect Donald Trump threatened new tariffs on Canada shortly after his election; that threat has put a strain on Trudeau’s government, but they are only part of a larger problem. Trudeau and his party have been steadily losing public and parliamentary confidence for years. Deals meant to keep Trudeau’s party in power crumbled this year, and pressure on Trudeau to resign has begun to build, especially given his party is expected to suffer in national elections next year.