Prime Minister Mark Carney downplayed the significance of Tory MP Jamil Jivani’s trip to Washington to improve Canada–U.S. relations, while adding that the MP was briefed by Dominic LeBlanc, the minister responsible for Canada-U.S. trade.
Jivani, a close friend and former university roommate of U.S. Vice-President JD Vance, announced his trip Feb. 3, saying the issue of reaching a new trade agreement with the United States is non-partisan and represents what the Tories have previously signalled about working together with the Liberal government for the benefit of all Canadians.
When asked by reporters about Jivani’s planned trip, Carney said that Jivani isn’t the prime minister and the trip appears to be more about gaining media attention.
Jivani’s Trip
For his part, Jivani said that his trip is about reaching a better deal for Canada and ensuring that the United States Mexico Canada Agreement (USMCA/CUSMA) review goes well, saying a favourable trade deal with the United States is “so important to the Canadian economy and to our future as an independent, self-reliant nation.”
In his Feb. 3 video, Jivani also criticized the “elbows up” approach of the Carney government, saying: “I just don’t find that impressive. I don’t find it serious. I take this issue seriously.”
Jivani added that he has a “strong network” in the United States that he plans to reach out to on his trip in order to help build improved ties between Washington and Ottawa.
“The reality is that three-fourths of our exports go to the United States,” Jivani said. “If we want an economy that is good for our young people, if we want an economy that supports public services for seniors in our communities, we’ve got to work with the Americans.”
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre met Feb. 4 with Carney for talks that reportedly centred around the prime minister urging Poilievre to support several Liberal bills on the budget, crime, and justice. Poilievre had also planned to discuss how Canada can reach a trade deal with the United States.
Prior to his meeting with Carney on Feb. 4, Poilievre spoke positively about Jivani’s outreach to Washington, saying he will fight for laid off auto workers and be a strong representative of Canada’s interests.
“Mr. Jivani’s community has been hit with a massive job loss—1,200 jobs in the auto sector—and he’s going to fight for those auto workers,” the Tory leader said. “Conservatives are here to work with the prime minister and with the government to knock down these unjust tariffs and fight for our workers, fight for their jobs, and fight for our economic independence.”
Canada–U.S. relations have soured in recent weeks after Beijing and Ottawa signed an agreement-in-principle allowing a reduced tariff rates on up to 49,000 Chinese EVs as well as broader cooperation on security, energy, and agriculture. Trump said that he will impose 100 percent tariffs on Canada if it makes a free trade deal with China, to which Carney responded that Canada is simply pursuing improved ties and tariff reductions with Beijing in a way that is “entirely consistent with CUSMA.”
