Reuters
- Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau suggested he’s looking forward to working with President Joe Biden.
- Speaking on NBC News’ “Meet the Press” in an episode that will air Sunday, Trudeau said, “It’s great to see America re-engage.”
- “That need to work closely as neighbors continues,” Trudeau said. “But now it continues with an administration with whom we have a little more in common.”
- Visit the Business section of Insider for more stories.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau indicated he’s looking forward to fortifying the country’s relationship with the United States now that President Joe Biden is in office.
“It’s great to see America re-engage” on the global sphere again, Trudeau said in early remarks from a forthcoming interview with NBC News’ “Meet the Press.”
When asked by “Meet the Press” host Chuck Todd about global policy initiatives Trudeau expects the Biden administration to push forward, Trudeau said Canada and the United States will have to “work together” on several issues, including climate change and solidifying the middle class.
“And of course as a Canadian, I believe that we all need to work together in a more active way, and I’m glad to see the new administration – this is something I spoke with President Biden about directly – it’s great to see America re-engage,” Trudeau said.
“I think certainly there were things that were more challenging under the previous administration in terms of moving the dial in the right direction on the international stage,” he continued. “But at the same time, you know, we all have democracies that go in different directions from time to time.”
Additionally, the coronavirus pandemic continues to be a major concern and a point of unity between Canada and the United States, Trudeau said.
“The approach that the president is taking on COVID right now much more aligns with where Canada has been for quite a while, grounded in science, grounded in protection of people as the best way to protect the economy, and understanding that, that being there to support people is absolutely essential so that we can get through this as quickly as possible,” he said.
The relationship between the United States and Canada frayed during the years of former President Donald Trump’s tenure.
Trump mocked Trudeau in private and in public, calling him “weak” and “very dishonest.” Trudeau was once caught on a hot mic laughing at the former president.
In an attempt to pressure Trudeau into revising the North American Free Trade Agreement, Trump threatened to hit Canadian cars and auto parts with tariffs.
And former trade advisor Peter Navarro said in 2018 that there’s a “special place in hell” for Trudeau.
Trudeau spoke positively of some aspects of the NAFTA agreement between Canada and the United States, saying the renegotiation “helped.”
“We were able to get them to remove some of the steel and aluminum tariffs that they brought in. And we were able to work together on a number of things” with the Trump administration, Trudeau said on “Meet the Press.” “So obviously that need to work closely as neighbors continues, but now it continues with an administration with whom we have a little more in common, perhaps.”
Trudeau’s interview on “Meet the Press” is expected to air Sunday.
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