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US President Donald J. Trump shakes hands with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, USA, 13 February 2017. EPA/SHAWN THEW

Trump-Trudeau: Setting Differences Aside

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The United States and Canada share a long border, but the two countries are at the Antipodes on issues such as immigration, refugees and free trade. However, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau decided to set differences aside on his first official visit to the White House on Monday.

This was the first bilateral meeting between the two leaders since Trump became president on Jan. 20. Both leaders stressed the countries' shared economic goals and co-operation at a joint news conference.

Mr Trudeau said the US and Canada had always been strong allies, fighting alongside one another on various battlefields.

"But there are times when we have differed in our approaches. And that's always been done firmly and respectfully," he said.

One of the key differences between the two countries is how to redefine the North American Free Trade Agreement (Nafta) signed by the US, Canada and Mexico more than 20 years ago. Trump has said in several occasions his intention to renegotiate the deal in order to protect the creation of jobs in American soil.

In Canada, both conservatives and liberals feel that NAFTA, implemented in 1994, has been a key element in their country's economic wellbeing by enhancing trade between Ottawa and Washington to the point where they are now the world's two top trade partners.

The trio of Canada, the United States, and Mexico was usually called The Three Amigos, but in the Trump era, the gang is cracking, reported El País. The three countries joined the trade alliance in 1994, under the Bill Clinton administration, but the group leader now wants to change the rules.

At the press conference, Trump made clear that his concerns about Nafta were far more focused on the United States’ southern neighbor than its northern one. “We have a very outstanding trade relationship with Canada; we’ll be tweaking and doing things that benefit both of our countries,” said Trump, adding that the relationship with Canada was a “much less severe situation than that on our southern border”. Trump continued to enthuse that “our relationship with Canada is outstanding – we’ll work together to make it even better.”

Trudeau did his best to try to find common ground with his counterpart. He told reporters “both President Trump and I got elected on commitments to support the middle class” as the Canadian prime minister then emphasized how important “the continued effective integration of our two economies” was, reported The Guardian. 

During the bilateral meeting with Trump, Trudeau wanted to avoid other conflictual issues, including immigration or the taking in of refugees, so that the pair may establish a good relationship as quickly as possible.  Nevertheless, their answers at the press conference made their differences evident:

Mr Trump defended his controversial travel ban, saying he wanted "to have a big beautiful, open door", but that "we cannot let the wrong people in".

 I won't lecture Trump over refugee ban

In a high display of diplomacy, the prime minister resisted to criticize Trump's travel ban on citizens from seven Muslim-majority countries and stated that Canada continues to "pursue our policies of openness" without compromising security and would serve as a "positive example in the world". 

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said also he will not lecture President Donald Trump on Syrian refugees.
"The last thing Canadians expect is for me to come down and lecture another country on how they choose to govern," he said at the White House.

The Canadian leader also made global headlines for accepting nearly 40,000 refugees, and has said his country will welcome those fleeing persecution and war, reported the BBC.

 

A Committee to deal with issues of working women

Trump and Trudeau announced the creation of a bilateral committee that will deal with the challenges posed to women in the workplace and how to increase their participation in the economy, reported EFE.

Trump said that it is necessary for the US to adopt policies to keep women in the workforce, make it easier for them to both hold a job and deal with family issues and increase their access to capital. Meanwhile, Trudeau emphasized the need to break down the "significant barriers" that continue to exist for women in the workplace and create more pathways to success.

Seated at the side of the Canadian premier was Ivanka Trump, the president's daughter who during the election campaign helped her father promote a tax plan to provide childcare and more affordable daycare centers.

Ivanka, who has a very close relationship with her father, still does not have an official title or duties within the new government. In fact, Trump has selected very few women or minorities for his cabinet posts.
    
    

 

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