“Western investment is usually assumed to walk hand-in-hand with the democratic values of its home countries, and indeed, opening an economy to outside money is one of the textbook steps in a shift from authoritarianism to an open society.”

Canadian politician and journalist

Chrystia Freeland is a Canadian politician and journalist who served as Canada’s deputy prime minister from 2019 to 2024. A member of the Liberal Party, she was elected to the House of Commons in 2013 and later represented University of Toronto Centre, then University, Rosedale. Freeland served in cabinet from 2015 to 2025 under Justin Trudeau and Mark Carney. Her public work has centered on national politics and government, alongside a journalism career that preceded her time in office.