Prime ministers in Westminster systems have extraordinary power, so much so that they have sometimes been referred to as “elected dictators.” In this context, it is counterintuitive, to say the least, for a prime minister to voluntarily cede power to someone who could be a contender for the job. But this is precisely what Prime Minister Justin Trudeau appears to have done in appointing Chrystia Freeland as deputy prime minister and minister of Intergovernmental Affairs.
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