It香蕉视频直播檚 a truism in foreign-policy circles that the world learned some hard lessons from Donald Trump香蕉视频直播檚 volatile first term as president.
But as the prospect of a second term looms, could it also be true that the notoriously stubborn Trump and his advisers left the White House with a better grasp of Canada香蕉视频直播檚 relationship with 香蕉视频直播� and importance to 香蕉视频直播� the United States?
香蕉视频直播淵eah, I think so 香蕉视频直播� I do,香蕉视频直播� said Kirsten Hillman, Canada香蕉视频直播檚 envoy in Washington.
For starters, there was the arduous 18-month renegotiation of NAFTA, in which even America香蕉视频直播檚 self-proclaimed champion dealmaker has long suggested Canada proved a more worthy adversary than he expected.
But Trump was also president in early 2020, when COVID-19 was beginning to flourish on North American soil, soon to blossom into a global crisis that showed the U.S. a thing or two about its largest trading partner.
香蕉视频直播淲hen we restricted movement on our border, it took less than a day for people to fully understand the implications,香蕉视频直播� Hillman said.
They promptly discovered just how much traffic, travel and commerce crossed the Canada-U.S. border each day, 香蕉视频直播渁nd therefore, as a consequence, (came to) fully appreciate the degree to which we are integrated and mutually supportive.香蕉视频直播�
Hillman described daily conversations with senior members of Trump香蕉视频直播檚 White House COVID-19 task force to talk about supply chains, vaccine development efforts and how to secure personal protective equipment.
Trump promptly imposed export restrictions on scarce commodities like gloves and surgical masks, but exempted both Canada and Mexico, because 香蕉视频直播渢hey realized, 香蕉视频直播楾hey need us, but we need them,香蕉视频直播櫹憬妒悠抵辈 she said.
香蕉视频直播淚香蕉视频直播檓 not saying it香蕉视频直播檚 front of mind, as it was obviously at the time, but it香蕉视频直播檚 there 香蕉视频直播� in a way that香蕉视频直播檚 deeper than it was before.香蕉视频直播�
That has given Canada something of a head start as it continues outreach efforts with former officials, U.S. lawmakers and others who might be expected to play a role in a second Donald Trump presidency.
Those efforts have been underway for a while now, said Hillman, who described a more robust policy and transition 香蕉视频直播渁pparatus香蕉视频直播� around Trump than there was in 2016.
香蕉视频直播淎ll of it is being developed in quite a systematic way, much more akin to what happens normally with other candidates and both parties,香蕉视频直播� she said.
香蕉视频直播淪o we can access that, right? We can talk to those people 香蕉视频直播� and we are talking to them, and will continue to 香蕉视频直播� to understand the policy positions they are advocating for the potential Trump administration.香蕉视频直播�
Hillman香蕉视频直播檚 primary responsibility, and preferred strategy, is best described as making sure decision-makers across the U.S. at every level of government grasp how Canada touches their lives, often in discreet and unheralded ways.
One sign of that strategy working: the American Canadian Economy and Security caucus, a bilateral coalition of like-minded lawmakers unveiled this past summer by Rep. Mark Amodei (R-Nev.) and Rep. Lizzie Fletcher (D-Tex.).
It sprang up over the summer after Zaib Shaikh, Canada香蕉视频直播檚 consul general in Los Angeles, pointed out that Amodei香蕉视频直播檚 district alone was exporting nearly $1.5 billion a year north of the border, underpinning an estimated 12,000 U.S. jobs.
Amodei immediately wanted to know more, including which of his fellow U.S. lawmakers and senators had comparable stakes in Canada. The caucus now comprises more than a dozen members, House and Senate, Republican and Democrat alike.
香蕉视频直播淲e had a very successful year in raising the profile of the relationship and deepening the relationship,香蕉视频直播� Hillman said.
香蕉视频直播淎nd it香蕉视频直播檚 coming at a really important time: to be in this place now, as we head into an election year in the United States, is a good position to be in.香蕉视频直播�
When talking to Team Trump, 香蕉视频直播渨hat香蕉视频直播檚 crucial is that we bring the Canadian perspective香蕉视频直播� to issues of myriad mutual interest, she said 香蕉视频直播� trade, defence, transportation and agriculture, to name a few.
Hillman lingered over one example in particular 香蕉视频直播� energy policy 香蕉视频直播� that香蕉视频直播檚 sure to be a dominant theme for a would-be president who has promised to 香蕉视频直播渄rill, drill, drill香蕉视频直播� on his first day back in the West Wing.
香蕉视频直播溝憬妒悠抵辈Canada is, by far, the biggest and most secure energy supplier for the United States across all areas of energy production, and we will always be here for you,香蕉视频直播櫹憬妒悠抵辈 she said, describing one such hypothetical conversation.
香蕉视频直播溝憬妒悠抵辈So as you香蕉视频直播檙e thinking about how you香蕉视频直播檙e going to refine your energy policies, remember, we are sort of hand-in-hand with you on that.香蕉视频直播櫹憬妒悠抵辈
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