Nations lining up to seek Ottawa’s advice on dealing with Trump, claims Canada's FM Joly

Canada’s foreign minister Friday (Nov 15) claimed Donald Trump’s election in the United States has boosted Canada’s influence on the world stage, with more and more nations now seeking Ottawa’s advice on how to deal with the GOP leader. Mélanie Joly, minister of foreign affairs of Canada made this statement while speaking to reporters at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit in Peru. Trump will assume office in January but his administration’s policies are expected to loom large in talks at the summit.

Trump on his campaign trail had promised to impose a minimum tariff of 10 per cent on all imports entering the United States. Leah Scarpelli, a partner at the Washington law firm ArentFox Schiff, was quoted as saying by CBC News that while he was not expecting any specific tariff targeting Canada, “I think the risk for Canada is that you just get swept in with tariffs on everywhere.”

Ottawa itself is worried over looming uncertainties; however, Joly claimed no country was better equipped than Canada to deal with Trump.

“If there’s a country in the world that understands the United States, it’s Canada,” Joly said. “That’s why there are so many delegations, so many countries, coming to see us to ask about how we, they, can adapt.”

“I think Canada’s influence is actually increasing because of the impacts that the world is now facing with the new administration,” she added.

She added that Canada was hoping to host Trump next year when the G7 leaders’ summit is held in Kananaskis, Alberta.

Earlier on Thursday, Joly held a meeting with outgoing US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. The foreign minister also met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and discussed cooperation on air transport and combatting fentanyl.

Joly claimed she sent “clear messages to China that we will never accept any foreign interference.” She added, “We need to have a predictable relationship”.

It was not clear whether Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who is also in Peru for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit, will meet Chinese leader Xi Jinping or not.

(With inputs from agencies)