After Donald Trump was elected to be the 47th president of the United States on Nov. 4, Parliament has begun to prepare for the ways Trump’s second term might affect Canada.
On Thursday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau released a statement via the Government of Canada website saying that parliament will re-establish a Cabinet Committee focusing on relations between Canada and the United States.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Chrystia Freeland spoke on Parliament Hill after acting as vice chair of the first Canada-U.S. Relations Cabinet Committee meeting on Friday.
Freeland said that the Committee will be “operational” and “action-oriented,” working as a way for ministers to come together and discuss urgent issues. She said that Friday’s meeting was productive and that the Committee plans on meeting frequently, with another meeting planned for early next week.
According to Freeland, Friday’s meeting focused on the trade relationship between Canada and the U.S. as well as their border. She said that she will be meeting with a plethora of individuals from various labour sectors, such as leaders from the steel, automotive, oil and gas sectors as well as leaders of “Canada’s biggest banks” to bring their perspective into decision-making.
Freeland also said that she has had discussions with Ukraine’s Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal and plans to meet with Canada’s Ukrainian community.
Freeland then turned the floor over to the Minister of Foreign Affairs Mélanie Joly to further discuss relations between Canada and the U.S.
Joly said she is approaching the U.S. election on “three levels,” by speaking with President Biden’s office, members of the Trump administration and the teams of “key senators” during the transfer of power.
Joly said she has also been in contact with other world leaders to ensure that Canada is not only “investing in the relationships we have in the U.S.,” but also maintaining global relationships.
Freeland returned to the floor to take questions from reporters. After questioning about Canada’s response to Trump’s proposed plan to place tariffs on all imported goods and whether they will impose reciprocal tariffs, Freeland sought to remind Canadians that the current trade relationship between Canada and the U.S. is governed by a deal that Trump helped to instate as President.
Freeland said that Trump called the agreement a “model trade deal” and said that their unified support on their trade relationship is important to keep in mind.
Freeland also said that she has spoken with members of the Liberal Party, the New Democratic Party and the Conservative Party in crafting the new Committee, saying they will be working together in discussions of Trump’s second term.
“We have a capacity to recognize when there is an issue that touches the national interest, and at our best as a country we have a capacity, when we recognize such an issue, to work together,” said Freeland.
Joly concluded the discussion by sharing that Parliament’s goal is to be able to have all parties work together amidst the creation of the Canada-U.S. Relations Cabinet Committee.
Before the re-establishment of the Canada-U.S. Relations Cabinet Committee, Trudeau released a separate statement congratulating Donald Trump and J.D. Vance on their electoral success, saying that he is looking forward to working alongside the Trump administration “on issues such as trade, investment, and continental peace and security.”