'Quite troubling': University of Windsor political analyst reacts to Freeland resignation after demotion

According to a letter posted on social media, Chrystia Freeland was demoted from Finance Minister and offered a different role in caucus by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Dec. 13.

In her letter posted Monday, Freeland said she and Trudeau “have found ourselves at odds with the best path forward” in recent weeks.

“To be effective, a Minister must speak on behalf of the Prime Minister and with his full confidence,” Freeland wrote. “In making your decision, you made clear that I no longer credibly enjoy that confidence and possess the authority that comes with it.”

Her decision then to resign is not surprising, according to Lydia Miljan, political analyst from the University of Windsor.

“This is certainly what Mr. Trudeau likes to do,” Miljan said Monday. “He (PMJT) elevates women to very high-profile cabinet positions, (but) when they push back, when they try to do their job that they think is in the country's best interests and with due diligence and he disagrees, he will demote them and then say it's their fault, while at the same time saying he's a feminist. So, the pattern is quite troubling.”