Good morning! Kamala Harris certifies Donald Trump’s election victory, JetBlue faces a major fine, and Canada’s Chrystia Freeland kicked off the chain of events that led to Justin Trudeau’s resignation. Have a lovely Tuesday.
– Internal politics. Before Justin Trudeau’s announcement yesterday that he will resign as prime minister of Canada, there was a sign this was coming. It was on Dec. 16, when Chrystia Freeland announced her resignation as Canada’s finance minister and deputy prime minister.
Long one of Trudeau’s most trusted allies, Freeland’s exit indicated just how far the prime minister had fallen from the heights of his popularity and political success. Her resignation letter, too, was not the bland stuff of your typical political reshuffle. “For the past number of weeks, you and I have found ourselves at odds about the best path forward for Canada,” she wrote in the letter to Trudeau, adding that she’d declined his request to serve in a position other than finance minister. She announced her resignation hours before she was scheduled to give Canada’s first economic update after the U.S. election—a critical one amid Donald Trump’s tariff threats, a matter on which she and Trudeau disagreed.
Trudeau has been in power for a decade. After early successes, he’s recently struggled with many of the same challenges that animated the U.S. election: inflation, housing, and immigration. The Liberal Party he led is in even worse shape—as Trudeau hinted at yesterday. He added that he could not continue as PM amid “internal battles.” Asked about Freeland’s resignation, he said: “I had really hoped that she would agree to continue as my deputy prime minister and take on one of the most important files that not just this government, this country is facing, but she chose otherwise.”
Freeland’s resignation kicked off the crisis that led to Trudeau’s exit, and it also placed her squarely in the middle of the conversation about who will take his place. Before becoming Canada’s first female finance minister and deputy PM, the 56-year-old served as minister of foreign affairs and renegotiated Canada’s free trade deal with the U.S. and Mexico. For years best known as Trudeau’s closest ally, she is now known for precipitating the end of his premiership. There are other candidates in the race to lead both the Liberal Party and the country, but Freeland is one to watch as Canada decides who will be its counterpoint to Trump 2.0.
Emma Hinchliffe
emma.hinchliffe@fortune.com
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ALSO IN THE HEADLINES
Bet on beauty. There’s a new Fortune 500 female CEO at Ulta Beauty (No. 360). The beauty retailer promoted COO Kecia Steelman to the job. She takes over from retiring CEO Dave Kimball at the $11 billion company that was previously transformed by Mary Dillon. CNBC
- Peaceful transfer of power. Jan. 6 isn't just the anniversary of the insurrection—it’s also the date U.S. election results are certified. This time, Vice President Kamala Harris oversaw the proceedings certifying her former opponent’s win. Before the session, Harris said she would be “guided by love of country, loyalty to our Constitution and my unwavering faith in the American people.” AP
- Not again. Venezuela’s opposition leader, María Corina Machado, asked supporters to protest President Nicolás Maduro beginning a third term. Machado has been in hiding for months and has continued to support the opposition; data collected by her party shows that Maduro lost the country’s election last summer. Wall Street Journal
- The only nun. Sister Simona Brambilla is the first woman to head a major department of the Vatican, with Pope Francis appointing her to oversee religious orders. She is not serving in the role alone, though, and will co-lead with a cardinal. New York Times
- Down with delays. JetBlue, led by CEO Joanna Geraghty, was fined $2 million by the Department of Transportation for “chronically delayed flights.” This is the first time the DOT has issued a fine like this. A statement from JetBlue said that “accountability for reliable air travel equally lies with the U.S. government.” CNBC
MOVERS AND SHAKERS
The Law School Admission Council, an access and equity-focused nonprofit for the law school admissions process, named Sudha Setty president and CEO. She is currently dean of the City University of New York School of Law.
Incline P&C Group, a services provider for the insurance program market, named Sheel J. Patel chief risk and strategy officer and Lauren Wiedenfeld chief financial officer. Most recently, Patel was the firm’s CFO. Wiedenfeld served as VP of finance and accounting operations at Incline.
iCIMS, a recruiting software provider, appointed Nikki Grigsby as chief customer officer. Previously, she was chief operations and HR officer at Syndigo.
Montefiore Health System, an academic health system in New York, appointed Ruth E. Cassidy as chief pharmacy officer. Most recently, she was SVP of clinical support services and chief pharmacy officer at SBH Health System.
iHeartMedia, an audio media company, named Nicky Sparrow EVP of multicultural sales and Dee Dee Faison VP of multicultural partnerships and alliances. Most recently, Sparrow was iHeartMedia’s SVP of multicultural sales and Faison was the company’s director of client success.
ON MY RADAR
Women are Syria’s best hope for lasting peace. Will they be heard? The Persistent
Pensions: The industry where women are in charge Financial Times
Why is everyone talking about Emily Wilson’s The Odyssey translation? Philadelphia Inquirer
PARTING WORDS
“I’m a big believer in trying not to be hard on yourself because the world is so mean right now and so aggressive and negative. So why would we do it to ourselves?”
— Actor Jennifer Aniston on doing your best when it comes to mental health
