Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau faced a major setback ahead of the elections when Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland resigned on December 16. Freeland disagreed with Trudeau on key issues, especially how to handle potential US tariffs. In her resignation letter, she criticized Trudeau’s push for more spending, calling it a political stunt that could harm Canada`s ability to deal with the 25% tariffs threatened by US President-elect Donald Trump. This resignation is a blow to an already unpopular government. After Freeland’s resignation, Trump mocked Trudeau again, making fun of him during a dinner on December 10 and suggesting Canada could become the 51st US state. Dominic LeBlanc was quickly appointed as the new Finance Minister.