OTTAWA -- Prime Minister Justin Trudeau spoke with U.S. Vice-President Kamala Harris on Monday about a series of cross-border issues, including the Democratsâ âBuy Americanâ policy, according to his office.
In a readout from the bilateral call, the PMO says the pair talked about Harrisâ years spent in Montreal, which she ârecalled fondly,â and the two leaders dug into some pressing policy matters.
Trudeauâs office said on the call the prime minister discussed âavoiding the unintended consequences of Buy American policies,â and raised climate change, the âcentrality of democratic principlesâ and the need to promote diversity.
The readout from the conversation issued by Harrisâ office didnât reference U.S. President Joe Bidenâs promise to prioritize U.S.-based suppliers, specifically. Itâs an approach the Canadian government has suggested they will try to expand to become a so-called âbuy North Americanâ 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.
Harrisâ readout was more brief, summarizing the call as one where Harris âunderscored Canadaâs deep importance to the United States as an economic and strategic partner, and she expressed the United Statesâ desire to work closely with Canada on a wide range of issues.â
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, itâs 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 itâs gotten off to a rocky start with Bidenâs rejection of the Keystone XL pipeline project which the prime minister supported.
According to the vice-presidentâs statement about the call the two have agreed to âremain in close touch, and to support all efforts to expand bilateral cooperation.â