OTTAWA, Canada (AFP) — A senior economic advisor for US President Donald Trump told Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his cabinet on Monday that Canada should not fear the trade intentions of the new American administration.
Speaking at a retreat in Calgary to map out Ottawa’s demands in a renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), Trump advisor Stephen Schwarzman said Canadians should not be “enormously worried” about the protectionist rhetoric coming out of the White House.
Trump pledged on the campaign trail to secure a new trade deal with Canada and Mexico or, failing that, ripping up the 1994 trilateral trade pact.
But Schwarzman, who is also head of the investment firm Blackstone, said this and other proposed measures, such as a “border tax” on imports, are not aimed at Canada.
“Canada has been a great partner for the US for as long as anybody can remember,” Schwarzman said.
“There may be some modifications, but basically, things should go well for Canada… It’s a model for how trade relations should be, it’s a positive sum game. Canada is well-positioned.”
Trump has regularly assailed China and Mexico on trade and vowed to reclaim manufacturing jobs lost overseas.
The US president’s son-in-law and senior White House advisor Jared Kushner was reportedly expected to travel to Calgary on Tuesday to speak with Trudeau and his team.
But a spokesman for Trudeau said the visit would not occur.
“We can now confirm to you that no other officials from the US administration, beyond Mr. Schwarzman, will be present here at the retreat,” Trudeau spokesman Cameron Ahmad said.
“A high level of engagement between our government and the US administration certainly continues,” he added.
White House spokesman Sean Spicer, meanwhile, told reporters that Trump would meet with his Canadian and Mexican counterparts in the next month.
“He’s already spoken to both the president of Mexico and prime minister of Canada about his desire to renegotiate, and I think as he meets with both of these individuals over the next 30 days or so, that’s going to be a topic,” Spicer said.
“Now, if they come in and express a willingness to do that, you could negotiate it within the current parameters and update it through the existing structure,” he said.
“If they don’t, and he decides to pull out, we would have to go back to the drawing table in the future.”
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