Politico | Justin Trudeau says he might skip USMCA summit with Donald Trump, citing coronavirus and US tariff threat
- Canadian PM appears prepared to stay home while US and Mexican counterparts meet in Washington to commemorate new trade pact
- US has been threatening to reimpose 10 per cent aluminium tariff in bid to slow exports from Canada
This story is published in a content partnership with POLITICO. It was originally reported by Andy Blatchford on politico.com on July 3, 2020.
Justin Trudeau is pointing to the threat of fresh US tariffs and the coronavirus pandemic as reasons he might skip a meeting in Washington next week with President Donald Trump and Mexico's Andrés Manuel López Obrador to mark the new continental trade deal.
The Canadian prime minister made the comments on Friday when asked by a reporter about his invitation to meet his North American counterparts to commemorate the trade pact, which came into force this week.
Trump and López Obrador are expected to meet on July 8-9. Trudeau appears prepared stay home from the USMCA celebration.
“We’re still in discussions with the Americans about whether a trilateral summit next week makes sense,” Trudeau told a press conference near Ottawa.