Freeland 'absolutely' thinks Liberals can win again under Trudeau, plans to run for re-election

A decade after she was first elected, Canada's Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland says she plans to run again in the next federal election, while sidestepping the question of whether she's eyeing Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's job.

In an interview on CTV's Your Morning, Freeland was asked about the Liberals' current standing in the polls and the sentiment among some voters that Trudeau should step aside, and whether she would like to lead the Liberal Party of Canada if the job opened up.

In response, Freeland said she was focused "first and foremost on supporting Canadians," after earlier in the interview discussing the range of promised affordability-focused measures from the fall economic statement that will take some time to roll out.

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"People need our support. Canadians don't want us focused on ourselves, they want us focused on them. And I am also absolutely supporting our prime minister, who is leading our team doing a really, really great job," Freeland said.

Trudeau has repeatedly re-emphasised in recent interviews, and when asked on Parliament Hill, that he intends to stay on and lead the party the next federal election—currently scheduled for October 2025—despite some internal grumbling about his continued leadership after eight years. 

According to the latest monthly seat projections by Nanos Research, support for the Conservatives has been trending sharply up since the summer and if an election took place today, they'd be "comfortably in majority territory." 

Still, Freeland said she "absolutely" thinks the current minority Liberals can win the next election with Trudeau leading the charge.

"I really have to tell you… and journalists never believe this, my focus isn't on the polls. My focus is on my neighbours. My focus is on the Canadians I meet when I travel across the country," Freeland said.

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"It sounds so kind of sappy, but truly, you know, when you are put by your fellow Canadians in a position like mine, your job is to wake up every day and think 'what are the problems people have? And what can I try to do today to make it better?' That's what I focus on."

Freeland was first elected as the member of Parliament for Toronto Centre, Ont. in a July 2013 byelection, and was then re-elected to represent the neighbouring riding of University-Rosedale, Ont. in the three subsequent federal elections.

Asked whether now a decade into elected federal office whether she's ready to make a change—a suggestion that's previously caused some speculation about Freeland eyeing an international role post-politics—or whether she is planning to run again, the deputy prime minister was clear.

"I'm definitely running in the next election," she said. "Up to my up to my neighbours to decide whether I get re-elected."