Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland says we shouldn’t be ‘afraid’ of Donald Trump’s return, even though many have made hostile remarks about Justin Trudeau and his government in the past .
“We can have differences and at the same time have effective, fruitful, respectful relationships […]», Said Ms. Freeland, who heads “Team Canada”, set up to prepare the country for the Trump administration.
At a press briefing on Wednesday afternoon, Ms. Freeland, also Minister of Finance, explained how economic relations between the two countries result in a “win-win” relationship.
The nature of this relationship could, however, change when Donald Trump takes power on January 20.
The context is different from 2016: former President Trump will return to power with a strong mandate while on this side of the border, the Trudeau government is weakened and polls predict a crushing defeat in the next elections.
What’s more, nearly a dozen people appointed this week to the highest levels of government by Donald Trump have already made openly hostile remarks towards the prime minister.
This is the case of billionaire Elon Musk, who openly wants Justin Trudeau to be replaced. Yesterday he was named responsible for cuts in the US federal bureaucracy. He will work in concert with Republican Vivek Ramaswamy, for whom Justin Trudeau is a “puppet of the global elite”.
Other people appointed by Mr. Trump, including Mike Huckabee, Kristi Noem, Marco Rubio and Michael Waltz, have already attacked Justin Trudeau either in speeches or in publications on social networks.
Things accelerated today.
Moments before Chrystia Freeland spoke in Ottawa, Donald Trump announced other appointments, including that of Tulsi Gabbard, a military veteran and former elected official from Hawaii who will take over the head of the intelligence services, a very powerful.
In a passionate speech in 2022, the latter attacked Justin Trudeau’s management of the “freedom convoy”, describing the use of the Emergency Measures Act as a “truly authoritarian and tyrannical” gesture. what Americans should fear.
Chrystia Freeland remained impassive.
“This is an election with serious consequences for the United States, for the world, and for Canada. We are ready to respond to these consequences, we understand that there are challenges, but we also understand that there will be opportunities […]“, she said.
One of the keys for Canada in the coming years: “I am completely convinced that the best way to find a win-win result is not to be afraid.”
