Trudeau will wait for clear winner
OT TAWA • Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the government will take a cautious approach as election results roll in south of the border next week, but it won’t weigh into the fray.
American voters are already casting ballots by mail and in early polling locations, but many will vote on Election Day next Tuesday. Trudeau said the government will be watching the results on election night, but it will have nothing to say.
“Like people in countries around the world, Canadians are watching closely the elections in the United States and like people around the world we won’t be commenting on possible outcomes.”
He said the choice is for Americans to make and whatever happens his government will work with the new or returning U. S. administration.
“We will continue to stand up and defend Canadian interests, look for greater opportunities for cooperation and look to deepen the already close ties between Canada and the United States, regardless of the outcomes.”
Trudeau met virtually Thursday with European Union officials, including President of the European Commission Ursula Gertrud von der Leyen and president of the European Council Charles Michel.
Michel echoed Trudeau and said they welcome closer relations with the U.S.
“We are totally convinced that it’s good for the future, if it’s possible, to have a staunch alliance with the United States. This is our choice, our political will and we will respect what will be the choice made by the American voters.”
U. S. President Donald Trump has refused to say if he will respect the result of the vote and has made sweeping and unsupported accusations that the electoral system is fraudulent.
Trudeau was asked how the government will respond to a disputed vote in the U. S. and said he is confident the U. S. will be able to sort out a winner and the government will remain silent until it does.
Trudeau said it can take time, as it did in 2000, for the U. S. to determine a winner, but the government will wait to offer congratulations until there is a clear victory.
The European Union is in lengthy negotiations with the United Kingdom on a post-brexit trade deal.
Trudeau also declined to offer an opinion on those talks.
“Canada is extremely pleased to be the only G7 country that has a free trade deal with every other G7 country and we would certainly like to keep that,” he said.
“The UK is engaged in many different negotiations right now. But Canada is certainly there to ensure this certainty that can be given to British companies, at least with Canada as other things are worked out in a more complex way.”