Trump-Trudeau meeting strengthened US-Canada ties

The atmosphere at the White House appeared cordial as Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau flashed a charming smile that appeared to coax President Trump out of his usual scowl.

Their official joint statement was devoid of virtually any negative comments and, notably, made no mention of tearing up nor even renegotiating NAFTA.

Interestingly, in a Fox op-ed yesterday, former Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.) — an early supporter of the president’s — wrote that “A United States-Canada trade agreement may be a profitable parallel to a U.S.–Great Britain trade deal.” Gingrich’s thoughts seem to portend some significant change in NAFTA.

But let’s return to the official joint statement, which offered much good news for a variety of sectors.

It noted that “Canada is the most important foreign market for thirty-five U.S. States, and more than $2 billion in two-way trade flows across our shared border every day,” which creates and sustains millions of good-paying jobs for middle-class Americans and Canadians.

Energy and the environment were highlighted next; as the statement noted, the “world’s largest energy-trading relationship” works to our mutual benefit, and the Keystone XL pipeline is a top priority for both leaders.

{mosads}A clear focus was properly placed on border security, with no mention of the 9/11 myth that the terrorists came through Canada — rather, the statement focused on NORAD, pre-clearance and the “building [of] a 21st-century border” with information-sharing beneficial to both countries. The release expressed a clear understanding of the need for infrastructure spending and the adoption of strategies like co-locating border officers.

And in a pleasant surprise, the inclusion of the section on “Empowering Women Entrepreneurs and Business Leaders” was most welcome.

The statement concluded with a commitment to strengthening our common bond for “mutual prosperity and security.”

All in all, for those of us who have an interest in the special relationship between the U.S. and Canada, it was a very good day.

Let’s hope this goodwill continues.

Bill Owens, a former member of Congress representing New York’s 21st District, is a partner in the firm of Stafford, Owens, Piller, Murnane, Kelleher & Trombley, PLLC, in Plattsburgh, N.Y.

The views of contributors are their own and not the views of The Hill.