Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says he has a "level of confidence" that Canada will secure an exemption from hefty U.S. tariffs on steel and aluminum, crediting robust outreach efforts by his Liberal government.
In an interview today with CBC Radio's Metro Morning, Trudeau said Canada has delivered persuasive arguments to American officials about the level of integration between the two economies, and the close co-operation on security from past world wars to modern-day operations.
But the prime minister said he will take it "one step at a time," since he's dealing with an unpredictable U.S. administration.
"As usual with this president, we'll wait and see what he actually does," Trudeau said to Metro Morning host Matt Galloway about Donald Trump. "But I think there's a level of confidence because of the work we've been doing over the past week, not just with the president and his office, but throughout the United States — business, Congress, everyone else, that there's going to be a recognition that Canada is in a particular situation in our close relationship."
Trump's trade and manufacturing adviser, Peter Navarro, has said the planned tariffs would not immediately apply to Canada and Mexico.
He told Fox Business on Wednesday night that Trump intends to sign a proclamation that includes a clause to exempt the two neighbouring countries from the tariffs, which could come into effect within 15 to 30 days.
The tariff plan comes as the U.S., Canada and Mexico continue to renegotiate the 24-year-old North American Free Trade Agreement. Trump said earlier that the tariff would only exempt Canada and Mexico if those talks reached a successful conclusion.
White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders told reporters on Wednesday that exemptions to the proposed tariffs would be made on a "case-by-case" and "country-by-country" basis.
Common economic goals
In the CBC interview, Trudeau said he and Trump share a common goal of boosting the economy and creating jobs.
"Because our countries are so well connected, there is a close alignment within that, and when we move forward on things that are going to be good for the Canadian economy, and good for American middle class as well, we know that we're always going to be on the right track with this president," he said.
Trudeau confident of exemption for US steel tariffs0:36
Next week, Trudeau will tour regions of Canada that are heavily reliant on the steel and aluminum industries in a show of solidarity for those who would be hurt most by stiff U.S. tariffs.
Last night, Trudeau spoke with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and, among other topics, "discussed steel and aluminum trade and the importance of the rules-based multilateral trading system," according to a PMO briefing to reporters about the call.
India trip do-over? 'Absolutely.'
Trudeau was also asked about his recent trip to India that was overshadowed by criticism over his family's Indian-style wardrobe choices, and the dinner reception invitation extended to Jaspal Atwal, who was convicted of the 1986 attempted murder of an Indian cabinet minister.
Asked by Galloway if he would take another run at it and do things differently given the chance, Trudeau said: "Absolutely, absolutely.
"There wouldn't have been an invite to Atwal, for example."
Trudeau would do India trip all over again1:01
But the prime minister deemed the trip an overall success in terms of relationship building and $1 billion in bilateral investment.
Atwal is holding a news conference in Vancouver today.
On International Women's Day, Trudeau was also asked his feelings about the #MeToo and Time's Up movements. He said it is a moment in time of transformative change that is long overdue.
"We need a fundamental shift in how our workplaces function and how women feel protected and safe in those workplaces," he said.
Trudeau said that while his father, Pierre Elliott Trudeau, was strong in all the "classic male" ways, his mother Margaret taught him that strength has many aspects, including resilience and "strength through vulnerability."
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