Trudeau affirms full confidence in Freeland amid reports of tension – National [Video]

Justin Trudeau on Thursday reaffirmed his “full confidence” in Chrystia Freeland amid reports of tension between the prime minister’s office and the finance minister.

Speaking at the close of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization summit in Washington, D.C., Trudeau was asked about the possibility of replacing Freeland — also his deputy prime minister — with Mark Carney, former governor of the Bank of Canada and the Bank of England.

The question followed a report from the Globe and Mail on Thursday of “tension” between the PMO and Freeland over her recent handling of the economic file. That article, as well as previous reporting from the Toronto Star, positioned Carney as a possible successor to Freeland as finance minister.

“In regards to Chrystia, she has been a close friend and ally and partner in doing really big things for Canada and will continue to be,” Trudeau told reporters Thursday. He went on to cite the Liberal government’s latest spending plans …