Two members of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s cabinet will travel to Palm Beach, Florida, on Friday to meet with members of Donald Trump’s team.
Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly and newly appointed Finance Minister Dominique Leblanc are heading south for further talks with members of the future Trump administration ahead of the January 20 inauguration.
“We look forward to continuing the discussions that took place during the Prime Minister’s meeting with President Trump last month at Mar-a-Lago,” Jean-Sébastien Comeau, LeBlanc’s communications director, said in a statement.
The two also seek to build on a “positive dialogue” they had with President Trump’s border czar Tom Homan earlier this month.
In an exclusive interview with CTV’s Power Play host Vassie Kapelos on Dec. 19, Homan said border negotiations with Canada are “positive.”
“There’s no better conversation to have in Canada,” Homan said.
“Obviously we have to take action, but the results of our conversations make me very optimistic that we will have a good border security plan.”
President Trump has threatened to impose a 25% tariff on all Canadian imports if sufficient measures are not taken to address the influx of illegal drugs and immigrants across the border.
The federal government last week laid out a five-pronged approach to tightening border security, but gave no details on where or how the $1.3 billion in funding planned for the fall economic report would be allocated. Ta.
Friday’s trip to Palm Beach, Florida, will focus on what Canada has done so far to address President Trump’s border issues.
“Ministers will focus on Canada’s efforts to combat fentanyl trafficking and illegal immigration, the measures outlined in the Canada Border Plan, and the negative impact that the imposition of a 25% tariff on Canadian goods will have on both Canada and the United States. ”’ Comeau said in a statement.
The meeting also came amid President Trump’s repeated comments online about Canada becoming the “51st state” and the prime minister becoming its governor.
“…to Governor Justin Trudeau of Canada: National taxes are too high, but if Canada becomes the 51st province, taxes will be cut by more than 60%, business size will instantly double, and they will become the world’s We deserve military protection like any other country,” reads part of Trump’s Christmas message posted on his social media platform Truth Social.
The Prime Minister’s Office has not directly addressed Trump’s repeated statements.
With files from CTV News’ Mike Le Couteur and Stephanie Ha
