Trudeau, Harper to cross paths in Washington while talking NAFTA
WASHINGTON In a scheduling twist, the current prime minister and his predecessor will both be in Washington, speaking on the same day, about the same issue: the renegotiation of NAFTA, which enters a highstakes phase this week.
Old political nemeses Justin Trudeau and Stephen Harper might literally cross paths. Harper is scheduled to attend a panel discussion on trade Wednesday afternoon, just as Trudeau is a few blocks away at the White House, discussing thorny trade issues with President Donald Trump.
The former Conservative prime minister is on a panel at an event hosted by Dentons law firm that also features Newt Gingrich, a Trump confidant and former top U.S. lawmaker, and a separate appearance by U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross.
Some people in the senior ranks of the Canadian government and at Washington’s Canadian embassy were caught off-guard by Harper’s itinerary — those contacted by The Canadian Press last week said they were unaware Harper would be there on the same day as Trudeau.
One Liberal joked he’d spent enough time in his life worrying about Harper’s plans and didn’t intend to fret about them this week.
The law firm timed the event to coincide with the fourth round of NAFTA negotiations, which runs Oct. 11 to 15 in Washington and which are expected see a ratcheting up in intensity as countries begin to broach more difficult issues.