Chrystia Freeland facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Chrystia Freeland
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Freeland in 2023
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| Minister of Transport and Internal Trade | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Assumed office March 14, 2025 |
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| Prime Minister | Mark Carney | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Anita Anand | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 10th Deputy Prime Minister of Canada | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office November 20, 2019 – December 16, 2024 |
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| Prime Minister | Justin Trudeau | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Anne McLellan | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Vacant | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Minister of Finance | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office August 18, 2020 – December 16, 2024 |
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| Prime Minister | Justin Trudeau | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Bill Morneau | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Dominic LeBlanc | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Member of Parliament for University—Rosedale |
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| Assumed office October 19, 2015 |
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| Preceded by | Riding established | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Member of Parliament for Toronto Centre |
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| In office November 24, 2013 – October 19, 2015 |
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| Preceded by | Bob Rae | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Bill Morneau | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Personal details | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born |
Christina Alexandra Freeland
August 2, 1968 Peace River, Alberta, Canada |
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| Political party | Liberal | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Spouse | Graham Bowley | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Children | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Relatives |
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| Residences | Summerhill, Toronto, Ontario | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Occupation |
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| Awards | Rhodes Scholarship (1993) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Chrystia Freeland (born August 2, 1968) is a Canadian politician and former journalist. She has been a Member of Parliament (MP) for University—Rosedale since 2015. She is currently the Minister of Transport and Minister of Internal Trade. Before this, she held important roles like Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance. Many people see her as one of the most influential ministers in the Canadian government.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Chrystia Freeland was born in Peace River, Alberta, Canada, on August 2, 1968. Her father was a farmer and lawyer, and her mother was also a lawyer. Her parents divorced when she was nine.
From a young age, Freeland was an activist. She even organized a protest in grade five! She attended high school in Edmonton, Alberta. Later, she went to the United World College of the Adriatic in Italy. This was on a special scholarship to promote peace.
She studied Russian history at Harvard University. She also spent time in Ukraine, where she learned to speak Ukrainian fluently. While there, she helped a journalist share stories about hidden mass graves. These graves showed how many people were hurt by the Soviet secret police, the NKVD.
Her work in Ukraine caught the attention of the KGB, the Soviet secret police. They watched her and tapped her phone calls. She helped activists by bringing them money and equipment. She even used a secret diplomatic bag to send materials out of the country. Because of her activism, she was not allowed back into the Soviet Union in 1989. The KGB even called her "a remarkable individual" for how much she achieved.
After her time in Ukraine, she worked as an intern in London. She then earned a master's degree from the University of Oxford in 1993. She was a Rhodes Scholar, which is a very special award for students.
Journalism Career
Chrystia Freeland started her career as a journalist. She wrote for major newspapers like the Financial Times, The Washington Post, and The Economist. She worked in Ukraine, London, and Moscow.
She later became a deputy editor at The Globe and Mail, a big Canadian newspaper. She also worked as a managing director and editor at Thomson Reuters, a global news company. She wrote a weekly column for The Globe and Mail too.
Books She Wrote
Freeland has written two books:
- Sale of the Century: Russia's Wild Ride from Communism to Capitalism (2000): This book is about how Russia's economy changed from communism to capitalism. She interviewed many important Russian business people for it.
- Plutocrats: The Rise of the New Global Super-Rich and the Fall of Everyone Else (2012): This book became a bestseller. It won two awards: the Lionel Gelber Prize and the National Business Book Award. It talks about the rise of very wealthy people around the world.
Political Career
In 2013, Chrystia Freeland decided to leave journalism and enter politics. She joined the Liberal Party. She was elected as a Member of Parliament for Toronto Centre in a special election.
She strongly supported Ukraine during its political changes in 2014. She even visited Ukraine to meet with leaders there. Because of her support, Russia banned her from traveling to their country. She said it was an "honour" to be on Russia's sanction list.
In 2015, she ran in the federal election for a new area called University—Rosedale. She won with 50 percent of the votes.
Minister of International Trade (2015–2017)
After the 2015 election, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau chose Freeland to be the Minister of International Trade. In this role, she worked on a big trade deal between Canada and the European Union. This deal, called CETA, was the largest trade agreement for Canada since NAFTA. It was signed in October 2016.
Minister of Foreign Affairs (2017–2019)
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In 2017, Freeland became the Minister of Foreign Affairs. This means she was in charge of Canada's relationships with other countries. She extended Canada's military training mission in Ukraine.
She also looked into reports about Canadian-made military vehicles being used in other countries. She supported Canada joining the Arms Trade Treaty, which helps control the international trade of weapons.
Freeland spoke out against the unfair treatment of Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar. She also expressed concern when a human rights activist was arrested in Saudi Arabia. This led to some tension between Canada and Saudi Arabia.
She also discussed human rights issues in China, especially regarding the Uyghur people. In 2019, Canada gave safety to a Saudi teenager who was fleeing her family. Freeland personally welcomed her. She also spoke out against the leader of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro.
Deputy Prime Minister (2019–2024)
After the 2019 election, Freeland was appointed Deputy Prime Minister. This is a very important role, helping the Prime Minister with many tasks. She also became the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, dealing with issues between the federal government and Canada's provinces.
She continued to handle Canada's relationship with the United States. She helped with the new trade agreement between Canada, the U.S., and Mexico, called CUSMA. This agreement was approved in March 2020.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, she helped lead the government's response. She worked closely with provincial leaders, even those from different political parties.
Minister of Finance (2020–2024)
In August 2020, Freeland became the Minister of Finance. She was the first woman to hold this position in Canada. In this role, she manages the country's money and economy.
In her first federal budget in 2021, she announced a plan to create a national child care program in Canada. The government would help pay for half the costs, with provinces covering the rest.
In 2022, during the convoy protest in Ottawa, the government used the Emergencies Act to help end the blockades. As Finance Minister, Freeland worked with banks to stop financial services to some participants.
She also promoted programs to make housing more affordable for Canadians.
Resignation from Cabinet
On December 16, 2024, Freeland resigned from her roles in the government. She said it was due to disagreements over policies.
2025 Leadership Campaign
In January 2025, Freeland announced she would run to become the leader of the Liberal Party of Canada. During her campaign, a government report said that a social media campaign from China had targeted her. She received support from many Liberal MPs. She came in second place in the leadership election, behind Mark Carney.
Family and Personal Life
Chrystia Freeland is married to Graham Bowley, who is a writer and reporter for The New York Times. They have three children.
She has lived in Toronto since 2013. She speaks Ukrainian at home with her children. She also speaks English, Russian, Italian, and French. Her son's godfather is Mark Carney, who she ran against in the 2025 Liberal Party leadership election.
Family History
Freeland's paternal grandfather was a farmer and lawyer. Her paternal grandmother was from Glasgow, Scotland.
Her mother's parents were Ukrainian. Her maternal grandfather, Michael Chomiak, was a journalist before World War II.
Images for kids
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Enrique Peña Nieto, Donald Trump, and Justin Trudeau sign the Canada–United States–Mexico Agreement during the G20 summit in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on November 30, 2018.
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Freeland speaks at a 2018 press conference as Mike Pompeo and Jim Mattis look on.
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See also
In Spanish: Chrystia Freeland para niños
