Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau traveled to Florida to meet with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump at his Mar-a-Lago club. The meeting, held on Friday, November 29, was primarily focused on addressing Trump's recent threats to impose sweeping tariffs on Canadian products.
The potential tariffs, which Trump suggested as part of his first executive orders, are linked to his concerns over the flow of drugs and migrants across the U.S.-Canada border. "We’re going to work together to meet some of the concerns," Trudeau stated earlier, emphasizing the importance of constructive dialogue to resolve these issues.
Trudeau's visit marks the first by a leader from the Group of Seven countries since Trump's election on November 4. Despite previous tensions, including Trump's past remarks calling Trudeau "weak" and "dishonest," the Canadian Prime Minister expressed optimism about maintaining strong bilateral ties. "Our responsibility is to point out that he would not just be harming Canadians... but he would actually be raising prices for American citizens as well and hurting American industry and business," Trudeau remarked.
The meeting also included key figures from Trump's incoming administration, such as Howard Lutnick, nominee for commerce secretary, and Mike Waltz, chosen as national security adviser. Canadian officials, including Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc, were also present.
As Canada remains the largest foreign supplier of steel, aluminum, and uranium to the U.S., the stakes are high. Nearly $3.6 billion Canadian (US$2.7 billion) worth of goods and services cross the border each day, underscoring the critical nature of this economic relationship.
Trudeau highlighted the success of the re-negotiated North American trade pact, describing it as a "win-win" for both nations. He reiterated Canada's readiness to engage in further discussions to avert a tariff war, noting, "It is through lots of real constructive conversations with President Trump that I am going to have, that will keep us moving forward on the right track for all Canadians."
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