Elections Canada has reported that former Liberal MP and Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland unintentionally violated the Elections Act by responding to queries concerning a 2024 byelection while participating in two government-organized press conferences. The Commissioner of Canada Elections highlighted this breach in a recently published report that references laws limiting contributions made to candidates, marking Freeland's statements as inappropriate under the given context.

During press announcements related to budgetary matters on June 23 and 24, 2024, Freeland was questioned about Leslie Church, a Liberal candidate for Toronto—St. Paul’s, who had previously served as Freeland’s chief of staff before resigning to pursue her candidacy. The report from the commissioner indicates that Freeland's supportive comments towards Church were made in her capacity as a government representative at official functions, which had a stated commercial value.

In their findings, the commissioner determined that Freeland's remarks constituted a campaign contribution by the Government of Canada due to her status and the nature of the events, which were meant for governmental engagement rather than political campaigning. This incident could have implications for future conduct by officials, indicating a need for clearer boundaries between governmental duties and electoral engagement, particularly in the context of upcoming elections in Canada.