WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau mentioned Saturday he had an “excellent conversation” with Donald Trump at his Mar-a-Lago membership after the president-elect’s menace to impose vital tariffs on two of America’s main commerce companions raised alarms in Ottawa and Mexico Metropolis.
It was unclear, as Trudeau headed again to Canada from Florida, whether or not the dialog had alleviated Trump’s issues.
An individual accustomed to the small print of the leaders’ rapidly organized assembly Friday night time mentioned it was a “positive wide-ranging dinner that lasted three hours.”
The official, who was not approved to debate the matter publicly and spoke to The Related Press on situation of anonymity, mentioned subjects included commerce, border safety, fentanyl, protection, Ukraine, NATO, China, the Mideast and pipelines, in addition to the the Group of Seven assembly in Canada subsequent yr.
The Republican president-elect has threatened to impose tariffs on merchandise from Canada and Mexico if the nations don’t cease what he referred to as the circulate of medication and migrants throughout their borders. He mentioned he would impose a 25% tax on all merchandise getting into the U.S. from Canada and Mexico as certainly one of his first government orders when he takes workplace in January.
As he was leaving his West Palm Seashore lodge, Trudeau stopped briefly to reply a reporter’s query concerning the dinner assembly, saying it was “an excellent conversation.” Trump’s transition group didn’t reply to questions on what the leaders had mentioned.
Trump, throughout his first time period as president, as soon as referred to as Trudeau “weak” and “dishonest,” but it surely was the prime minister who was the primary G7 chief to go to Trump because the Nov. 5 election.
“Tariffs are a crucial issue for Canada and a bold move was in order. Perhaps it was a risk, but a risk worth taking,” mentioned Daniel Béland, a political science professor at McGill College in Montreal.
Trudeau had mentioned earlier Friday that he would resolve the tariffs challenge by speaking to Trump. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum mentioned a day earlier after talking with Trump that she is assured a tariff warfare with america will likely be averted.
Trudeau mentioned Trump bought elected as a result of he promised to deliver down the price of groceries however now he’s speaking about including 25% to the price of every kind of merchandise, together with potatoes from Prince Edward Island in Atlantic Canada.
“It is important to understand that Donald Trump, when he makes statements like that, he plans on carrying them out. There’s no question about it,” Trudeau mentioned earlier than leaving for Florida.
“Our responsibility is to point out that he would not just be harming Canadians, who work so well with the United States, but he would actually be raising prices for Americans citizens as well and hurting American industry and business,” he added.
To Nelson Wiseman, professor emeritus on the College of Toronto, Trump “doesn’t need convincing that new tariffs on Canadian products would not be in U.S. interests. He knows that, but cannot say it because it would detract from what he has said publicly. His goal is to project the image that he gets action when he talks.”
These tariffs may primarily blow up the North American commerce pact that Trump’s group negotiated throughout his first time period. Trudeau famous they have been in a position to efficiently renegotiate the deal, which he calls a “win-win” for each nations.
Trump made the tariff menace Monday whereas citing an inflow of migrants getting into the nation illegally, though the numbers on the Canadian border pale compared to these on the U.S.-Mexico border.
Trump additionally spoke about fentanyl from Mexico and Canada, though seizures from the Canadian border are few compared to the Mexican border.
Canadian officers say lumping Canada in with Mexico is unfair however say they’re able to make new investments in border safety.
When Trump imposed greater tariffs throughout his first time period in workplace, different nations responded with retaliatory tariffs of their very own. Canada, for example, introduced billions of latest duties in 2018 in opposition to the U.S. in a response to new taxes on Canadian metal and aluminum.
Canada is the highest export vacation spot for 36 U.S. states. Almost $3.6 billion Canadian (US $2.7 billion) value of products and providers cross the border every day.
