Trudeau to snub Trump on trade deal reception

Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will not be celebrating the new regional free trade agreement on Wednesday in Washington with Trump and Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador.

“While there were recent discussions about the possible participation of Canada, the prime minister will be in Ottawa this week for scheduled Cabinet meetings and the longplanned sitting of Parliament,” said Trudeau’s spokeswoman Chantel Gagnon.

Trudeau is conducting cabinet meetings online because of the coronavirus pandemic.

A senior U.S. administration official, speaking anonymously because they were not authorized to be quoted by name, said Trudeau had multiple conflicts related to the start of Parliament and coronavirus regulations which require Canadians who travel abroad to quarantine for 14 days on return. The official said Trudeau has asked to speak with Trump by phone.

Lopez Obrador said he would be speaking to Trudeau by phone.

Gagnon said the new treaty that took effect on July 1 “is good for Canada, the United States and Mexico. It will help ensure that North America emerges stronger from the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Nelson Wiseman, a political science professor at the University of Toronto, said Trudeau has less to lose by shunning Trump now that the new treaty is in effect.

“Trudeau loses in Canadian public opinion to be seen chumming with the very unpopular Trump,” Wiseman said. “Trudeau can afford to wait out Trump’s presidency now with less than four months to the U.S. election. Trudeau will still be in power after the election, Trump much less likely so.”