Carney says Freeland's resignation is 'consistent' with taking Ukraine adviser role

Prime Minister Mark Carney said Ontario Liberal MP Chrystia Freeland's upcoming resignation from the House of Commons is "consistent" with taking a role as an unpaid economic development adviser for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. 

On Monday Freeland announced her immediate resignation as Carney's special representative on the reconstruction of Ukraine and eventual resignation as a member of Parliament.

"My judgment was that taking that role would be consistent with resigning as an MP, and I welcomed her doing that," Carney said during a press conference Tuesday at the Canadian Embassy in Paris.

Carney said he did not ask Freeland to stay on as a MP, when he was asked about that prospect given the Liberals hold a minority government.

Carney is in Paris to meet with Ukrainian allies, including the U.S., to discuss security guarantees for the war-torn nation as part of a potential peace deal with Russia being negotiated by the United States. 

"Nothing's assured, but there's real momentum in this peace process. And the security guarantees are incredibly important, but as is the reconstruction and the prosperity plan, and she'll be there to work on that," Carney said.

Freeland has previously said she would not run in the next election. 

The outgoing MP will become CEO of the Rhodes Trust, a global educational charity in Oxford, England, starting on July 1. 

Opposition MPs, including Conservative foreign affairs critic Michael Chong and interim NDP leader Don Davies, said Freeland should have resigned as a MP before taking a job with another nation's leader. 

A byelection will be called in Freeland's University--Rosedale after she officially leaves the seat.

Picture Courtesy: THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld