Tension over tariffs has strained the U.S.-Canada relationship in recent weeks, but one top Canadian official said a meeting with U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick gave him reason for optimism.

Lutnick met with Ontario Premier Doug Ford on Thursday, and the latter heralded it as a “positive” experience.

According to The Hill:

“We shared a tremendous amount of views back and forth, and I’m feeling very positive,” Ford told reporters outside the U.S. Department of Commerce building.

“I just look forward to reaching out again next week, but this, I can honestly say, was the best meeting I’ve ever had coming down here,” he added.

The two are slated to meet again next week.

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“Now keep in mind, Secretary Lutnick is a perceived businessman, a shrewd negotiator, and he’s doing what’s right for his country, and I’m doing what’s right for my province, and in turn our country,” the premier said, noting the U.S. has not agreed to call off or alter current tariffs on imports from Canada.

Ford has notably been a vocal advocate for Canada’s retaliation efforts against President Trump’s tariffs on steel and aluminum imports.

Trump’s embrace of tariffs has been pilloried by his detractors on the left, but Lutnick and others see it as a way to even the existing trade imbalance between America and other nations:

National Post also reported on the recent Lutnick-Ford meeting:

“And I just look forward reaching out again next week, but this I can honestly say it was the best meeting I’ve ever had coming down here.”

When asked why, he said it was because “we feel like the temperature has come down.”

But the outcome appeared largely to be an agreement to have officials from both countries speak again next week.

LeBlanc and Champagne, who spoke separately from Ford at a news conference from the Canadian Embassy, also would provide few details of what was discussed.

“They understand the impact these tariffs are having,” Champagne said.

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“We leave Washington I think better equipped in making sure we can defend Canadian interests.”

The ministers were not clear whether much will change in the relationship between the two countries after Mark Carney replaces Justin Trudeau as prime minister Friday.

Here’s a recent Fox Business Network clip in which Lutnick makes the case for Trump’s tariff policy:

And here’s a clip of Ford’s recent remarks about the meeting:

This is a Guest Post from our friends over at WLTReport. View the original article here.
 

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