OTTAWA -- Prime Minister Justin Trudeau spoke with U.S. Vice-President Kamala Harris on Monday about a series of cross-border issues, including the Democratsā āBuy Americanā policy, according to his office.
In a readout from the bilateral call, the PMO says the pair talked about Harrisā years spent in Montreal, which she ārecalled fondly,ā and the two leaders dug into some pressing policy matters.
Trudeauās office said on the call the prime minister discussed āavoiding the unintended consequences of Buy American policies,ā and raised climate change, the ācentrality of democratic principlesā and the need to promote diversity.
The readout from the conversation issued by Harrisā office didnāt reference U.S. President Joe Bidenās promise to prioritize U.S.-based suppliers, specifically. Itās an approach the Canadian government has suggested they will try to expand to become a so-called ābuy North Americanā policy.
In what sounds like a jam-packed call, the pair also found time to touch on firearm trafficking, gender-based violence, and the ongoing Chinese detention of Canadians Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor.
Harrisā readout was more brief, summarizing the call as one where Harris āunderscored Canadaās deep importance to the United States as an economic and strategic partner, and she expressed the United Statesā desire to work closely with Canada on a wide range of issues.ā
There is a bilateral meeting in the works between Trudeau and U.S. President Joe Biden, though given the pandemic and newly-tightened travel measures, itās set to happen virtually in some form and a date has not been announced.
Trudeau was the first foreign leader to receive a phone call from Biden after he took office in January. Political leaders in both countries have indicated their desire to reset the Canada-U.S. relationship, though itās gotten off to a rocky start with Bidenās rejection of the Keystone XL pipeline project which the prime minister supported.
According to the vice-presidentās statement about the call the two have agreed to āremain in close touch, and to support all efforts to expand bilateral cooperation.ā
