Trudeau won’t attend Washington summit, Mexican president says
- by Virginia Carter
- in World Media
- — Jul 7, 2020
Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau attends a news conference at Rideau Cottage, as efforts continue to help slow the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada June 22, 2020.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will not visit Washington this week to celebrate a new North American trade pact with his U.S. and Mexican counterparts Donald Trump and Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, his office said on Monday (July 6).
Trump is hosting the meeting on Wednesday to highlight the benefits of the new deal - the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement.
"Despite recent discussions about Canada's possible participation, the Prime Minister will be in Ottawa this week to hold scheduled cabinet meetings and take part in a long-planned meeting of parliament", his office said.
Trudeau previously said he was not sure about attending, citing tensions over possible USA tariffs on Canadian aluminum, Reuters reported.
'We're obviously concerned about the proposed issue of tariffs on aluminum and steel that the Americans have floated recently, ' Trudeau told reporters.
The Associated Press reported earlier Monday that Lopez Obrador and Trudeau are expected to speak by phone ahead of the Mexican president's trip to Washington. The official said Trudeau has asked to speak with Trump by phone.
President Donald Trump, Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, right, and Mexico's President Enrique Pena Nieto, left, participate in the USMCA signing ceremony, Friday, Nov. 30, 2018 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. At the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation summit in London previous year, Trudeau and other world leaders were caught on a hot mic mocking Trump.
As of Sunday, the US has seen more than 2.8 million cases of COVID-19 and 129,000 deaths.
