Ottawa/CMEDIA: Following the US Pres Donald Trump’s reported decision to hold off his proposed tariffs against Canada for a month, Canada Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is hosting this Friday a Canada-U.S. economic summit in Toronto.
The Prime Minister’s Office says the event will assemble Canadian trade and business leaders, along with organized labour, to discuss strategies to grow the economy, break down internal trade barriers and diversify export.
Members of the Council on Canada-U.S. Relations, which is advising Trudeau on bilateral relations and Trump’s tariff threat would also be present.
“This is an important opportunity to build a long-term prosperity agenda for Canada…that is resilient, that breaks down barriers between provinces and territories, and that is diversified in global trade,” Trudeau said in the statement on Wednesday.
Trudeau said Friday’s summit is meant to “explore ways to grow Canada’s economy, make it easier to build and trade within the country, diversify export markets and rejuvenate productivity.”
Internal Trade Minister Anita Anand, who has been working with the provinces on a way forward said, “We are at a pivotal moment in the history of our country,” she said Wednesday during a news conference in Halifax.
Last week the committee on internal trade, including Anand, premiers and provincial ministers, met and agreed to improve labour mobility and adopt the same requirements for goods and services.
Trump announced earlier this week he was delaying to impose 25 percent tariffs on Canadian goods for at least a month following a call with Trudeau on Monday.
Trudeau promised the president that Canada is moving ahead with its previously announced $1.3-billion border security plan, which includes reinforcing the nearly 9,000-kilometre border with new helicopters, technology and personnel.
According to a statement, Trudeau did commit to three new measures on the call: creating a “fentanyl czar”; promising to list Mexican cartels as terrorists under Canadian law; and establishing a new $200-million intelligence directive on organized crime and fentanyl.
