Canada’s two top ministers traveled to President-elect Trump’s Florida home on Thursday to discuss border security and trade issues as Inauguration Day approaches.
New Treasury Secretary Dominique LeBlanc and Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly will meet in Palm Beach, Florida, on Thursday, LeBlanc spokesman Jean-Sébastien Cuomo told The Associated Press.
Cuomo said LeBlanc and Jolly will meet with Trump’s incoming “border czar” Tom Homan after Christmas to discuss Canada’s plans to secure the border as part of a bid to avoid sweeping tariffs.
The spokesman said LeBlanc and Jolly “look forward to building on the discussions the Prime Minister had when he met with President Trump at Mar-a-Lago last month and the positive call the ministers had with Mr. Tom Homan earlier this year.” Go down” month. “
Trump suggests Canada becomes 51st state after Trudeau says tariffs will kill economy: Sources
U.S. President Trump (left) talks with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau during the plenary session of the NATO summit at the Watford Grove Hotel in northeast London. (Nicolas Kamm/AFP via Getty Images)
In addition to discussing border security, Canadian leaders want to focus negotiations on fentanyl trafficking and the “negative impacts” of Trump’s tariffs on goods.
“Ministers intend to focus on Canada’s efforts to combat fentanyl trafficking and illegal immigration and the measures outlined in the Canada Border Plan, as well as the negative impact that a 25 per cent tariff on Canadian goods would have on both Canada and the United States,” Cuomo said at a press conference. added in the statement.
Trump threatens to impose tariffs on Canadian imports when he takes office in January unless Canada reduces the flow of immigrants and fentanyl into the United States
U.S. President Donald Trump (right) meets with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at Winfield House in London on December 3, 2019. (Getty Images)
Trump made sarcastic remarks about Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on social media, calling his ally “Governor Justin Trudeau of Canada.”
Trump weighs in on political turmoil in ‘great state of Canada’, slams ‘Governor Justin Trudeau’
Ahead of his Christmas Day statement, Trump suggested to Trudeau that if tariffs on Canada were going to kill its economy, then maybe Canada should become America’s 51st state.
Canadian flag. (Vaughan Ridley/Getty Images)
At the same time, Trump threatened to impose tariffs on imported Canadian products, making Canada, which is highly integrated with the U.S. economy, uncomfortable.
About 60% of U.S. crude oil imports come from Canada, and 85% of U.S. electricity imports also come from Canada.
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Nearly C$3.6 billion (or US$2.7 billion) worth of goods and services cross the border every day. Canada is the largest export destination among 36 US states.
Fox News Digital has reached out to the Trump campaign for comment.
Fox News Digital’s Bradford Bates and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
