Only time will tell if today's meeting between Canada's PM and America's prez was the start of a beautiful friendship.
What happened: Mark Carney travelled to the White House for his first meeting as prime minister with President Donald Trump. The two held a press conference — where Trump, unsurprisingly, did most of the talking — before a working lunch flanked by top advisers.
Big picture: During the presser, Trump reaffirmed he won’t lift tariffs on Canada, but that he was open to eventually renegotiating the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA). He said the U.S. doesn’t need Canadian auto and steel exports, and repeated a false claim about “subsidizing” Canada by US$200 billion.
- Trump also said he still wants Canada to become the 51st state, but added that any such move would be “friendly” and Canadian sovereignty would not impede any negotiations.
- Carney, playing to Trump’s inner real estate developer, said that some places are never for sale, including Canada. Trump replied, “Never say never.”
Why it matters: Despite the 51st state needling by Trump, it seemed that both sides got along fine. After the meeting, Carney said, “I feel better about the relations [between Canada and the U.S.] in many respects,” and that progress had been made on ending the trade war.
What’s next: Carney confirmed that he and Trump will keep talking over the coming weeks and meet in person again during the G7 meeting next month in Kananaskis, Alberta.—QH