CANADIAN Prime Minister Justin Trudeau faced the biggest test of his political career after Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland, long one of his most powerful and loyal ministers, resigned from the Cabinet on Monday.

The move raised questions about how much longer the prime minister of nearly 10 years — whose popularity has plummeted — can stay on as his administration scrambles to deal with incoming US President-elect Donald Trump.

Mr Trudeau swiftly named ally and close friend Dominic LeBlanc, the public safety minister who recently joined him at dinner with Mr Trump at Mar-a-Lago, to replace Ms Freeland.