Freeland violated law by answering questions about byelection: elections commissioner

OTTAWA — The Commissioner of Canada Elections said former Liberal MP Chrystia Freeland unintentionally violated the Elections Act by answering reporters’ questions about a 2024 Toronto byelection at two government-organized press conferences.

A report on the incidents published by the commissioner’s office Friday cites rules restricting who can make a contribution to a candidate.

Freeland was the deputy prime minister and finance minister during two government budget announcements on June 23 and 24, 2024, when she was asked about Toronto—St. Paul’s Liberal candidate Leslie Church.

Both of these events were held outside the riding and Church was not present at either.

The report said journalists asked Freeland about both government policy and the byelection.

The commissioner’s report said in response to the questions Freeland expressed her support for Church, who recently had resigned as Freeland’s chief of staff in order to run.

The report said because Freeland shared these remarks as a government representative at official government events that had a total commercial value of $910.58, her remarks amounted to a campaign contribution by the Government of Canada.

Freeland was not aware that her comments in this forum would have violated the Elections Act, the report said.

Freeland, who faced no personal financial penalty, signed an undertaking with the commissioner not to make the same mistake again and her former riding association paid $910.58 to the Receiver General in January.

Freeland officially resigned as MP for the Toronto riding University—Rosedale on Jan. 9.

The report noted that Freeland had no prior history of non-compliance with the Elections Act.

Church lost that byelection to Conservative Don Stewart before winning the seat in last spring’s general election.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 13, 2026.

David Baxter, The Canadian Press