Trump, Trudeau talk trade

President pledges ‘ bridges of commerce’ with Canadian PM

WASHINGTON Pledging “bridges of commerce” with Canada, President Trump told Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Monday he wants relatively minor changes to the North American Free Trade Agreement, adding that most of his problems with the trade deal involve the deal’s third partner, Mexico.

“We’ll be tweaking it,” Trump said about NAFTA, which he attacked during the presidential campaign as a “disaster” that sent U. S. jobs to other countries. Trump did not specify what changes he would seek, but said most of the agreement’s impact on U. S.- Canada trade relations is “a much less severe situation than what’s taken place on the southern border” with Mexico.

“We’re going to work with Mexico,” Trump said.

Trump praised Trudeau for talks that covered from trade to counter- terrorism. “We should coordinate closely and we will coordinate closely to protect jobs in our hemisphere and keep wealth on our continent and to keep everyone safe,” the president said.

Trudeau praised the trade pact, and said he had “productive” discussions with Trump, including the topic of “cross- border commerce.” He called Canada an “essential partner” of the USA.

“Relationships between neighbors are pretty complex, and we won’t always agree on everything,” he said, but added that he believes the U. S.- Canadian relationship will remain strong.

The two leaders also announced new efforts to fight drug abuse and help more women start their own businesses.

Trump’s pledge to rework NAFTA — or void it — hovered over his first face- to- face meeting with Trudeau.

Trump, 70, and Trudeau, 45, are virtual polar opposites politically. Trudeau leads the Liberal Party of Canada, half his Cabinet is female, and he is a backer of free trade. Canada also has accepted 40,000 Syrian refugees.

Trump’s immigration order — temporarily stayed by a federal court panel — would bar any Syrian refugees from traveling to the United States, only two of his 16 official Cabinet picks are women, and he has signaled a more protectionist stance on trade.

At the news conference, Trudeau demurred when asked for his thoughts on Trump’s order.

“The last thing Canadians expect is for me to come down and lecture another country on how they choose to govern themselves,” he said.

ANDREW HARNIK, AP President Trump welcomes Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau outside the West Wing of the White House on Monday. It marked the two leaders first face- to- face meeting.