Canada is ready to fight potential protectionism under Biden administration: Trudeau

OTTAWA — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says Canada is ready to stand up for Canadian jobs and interests if president-elect Joe Biden seeks to cut international trade.

Canada got a lot of practice fighting tariffs and renegotiating trade agreements under President Donald Trump’s administration.

Trudeau says in an Ottawa news conference today that U.S. barriers to Canadian imports hurt Canadian businesses and workers but they hurt Americans, too.

Trudeau says he will keep working with the Trump administration until Biden takes over in January, including on efforts to get Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor released from Chinese detention.

Trudeau particularly congratulated Biden’s running mate Kamala Harris, who is to become vice-president in January.

He says seeing a Black and South Asian American woman elected to the vice-presidency is inspiring, and a reminder that everyone has a place in the corridors of power.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 9, 2020.

The Canadian Press