Canada's Trudeau Has Yet to Decide Whether to Participate in USMCA Summit
July 03 2020 - 1:55PM
Dow Jones News
By Paul Vieira
OTTAWA--Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Friday he
has yet to decide whether to participate in a summit in Washington
next week with President Trump and Mexican President Andres Manuel
Lopez Obrador to mark the entry into force of a new North American
trade pact.
Talks are going on between U.S. and Canadian officials about
whether a trilateral gathering makes sense, Mr. Trudeau told
reporters at a press conference in Gatineau, Quebec.
He said there are issues he would like to address, among them
concerns over the threat of new U.S. tariffs on Canadian-made
metals, and a recent surge of Covid-19 cases in the U.S. At
present, Canada has closed its borders to nonessential travel from
the U.S. until July 21.
Mr. Trudeau said a factor weighing on his decision to attend is
whether he would have to self-isolate. Canada has restricted access
at its borders, and those allowed to enter are required to go into
quarantine for a two-week period to mitigate the risk of a spread
of the new coronavirus.
"At all times, we will follow all the rules and the advice of
public health," Mr. Trudeau said.
Mr. Lopez Obrador is scheduled to visit next week the White
House, July 8 and 9, for a meeting meant to mark the start of the
U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade pact, or USMCA.
Next week appears to be a busy one for Mr. Trudeau. He said
Friday he will host a virtual retreat of cabinet members over a
two-day period, in which the economic recovery, the threat of a
second wave of Covid-19 cases, and the fight against racism would
top the agenda. Further, Canada's Finance Minister, Bill Morneau,
is scheduled to deliver an economic update on Wednesday.
Write to Paul Vieira at paul.vieira@wsj.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
July 03, 2020 13:40 ET (17:40 GMT)
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