Profile Text
Freeland in 2018, photo by palinchak /Bigstock.com
Birth Name: Christina Alexandra Freeland
Place of Birth: Peace River, Alberta, Canada
Date of Birth: August 2, 1968
Ethnicity: * father – Scottish, possibly other * mother – Ukrainian
Chrystia Freeland is a Canadian writer, journalist, and politician. She has been Minister of International Trade, from November 4, 2015 to January 10, 2017, Minister of Foreign Affairs, from January 10, 2017 to November 20, 2019, Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, from November 20, 2019 to August 18, 2020, Deputy Prime Minister of Canada, from November 20, 2019 to December 16, 2024, Minister of Finance, from August 18, 2020 to December 16, 2024, Minister of Transport and Internal Trade, from March 14, 2025 to September 16, 2025, and Special Representative for the Reconstruction of Ukraine, from September 16, 2025 to January 9, 2026; as well as, a Member of Parliament for Toronto Centre, and then University—Rosedale (both ON), cumulatively, from November 24, 2013 to January 9, 2026.
Chrystia is the daughter of Halyna Mykhailvna (Chomiak), a lawyer and 1988 federal NDP candidate, and Donald Freeland, a lawyer and farmer. Her mother was born in a displaced persons camp in Bad Wörishofen, Germany, to Ukrainian Catholic parents. Chrystia is married to British writer Graham Bowley, with whom she has three children.
Chrystia’s paternal grandfather was John Wilbur Freeland (the son of John Wilbur Freeland and Olive Houck). Chrystia’s grandfather Wilbur’s sister Beulah was married to Progressive Conservative MP Ged Baldwin.
Chrystia’s paternal grandmother was named Helen Caulfield. Helen was a war bride, from Glasgow, Scotland.
Chrystia’s maternal grandfather was named Mykhailo/Michael Khomiak/Chomiak. Mykhailo was born in Stroniatyn, Galicia. He was the editor-in-chief of Krakivs’ki visti, a Ukrainian-language, pro-Nazi newspaper, launched in occupied Krakow, Poland during World War II. He is generally considered to have been a Nazi collaborator.
Chrystia’s maternal grandmother was named Alexandra Loban. Alexandra was born in Rudniki, near Iwano-Frankivsk, Stanislawow.
Sources: https://www.thestar.com
Genealogy of Chrystia Freeland – https://www.geni.com
Obituary of Chrystia’s paternal grandmother, Helen (Caulfield) Freeland – http://www.legacy.com