Justin Trudeau said he expects to have a 鈥渞espectful鈥� discussion with Donald Trump when they meet in D.C., as experts say the prime minister will have to strike a 鈥渢ricky balance鈥� in terms of developing a strong working relationship with the new U.S. president.
The two leaders will meet on Monday in Washington, D.C., where their topics of discussion are expected to include possible renegotiations of the North American Free Trade Agreement, NATO and border security.
The meeting is widely viewed as a critical first step in building warm relations between the two leaders and their respective administrations.
During a town hall meeting in Yellowknife on Friday, Trudeau spoke about the upcoming meeting, saying he was 鈥渃ounting on having a good, working, constructive relationship鈥� with Trump.
鈥淲e鈥檙e going to talk about all sorts of things we align on, like jobs and economic growth, opportunities for the middle class.鈥� Trudeau said. 鈥淭he fact that millions of good jobs on both sides of our border depend on the smooth flow of goods and services across that border.鈥�
He acknowledged that he and Trump will also likely discuss things they 鈥渄isagree on, and we鈥檒l do it in a respectful way.鈥�
Many suggest Trudeau will have to walk a fine line between being respectful to the controversial new U.S. president while also appearing resolute on issues that matter to Canadians.
Scott Reid, who was communications director for former prime minister Paul Martin, told CTV News Channel on Friday that typically these types of bilateral meetings are dictated by 鈥渟elf-interest and strategy.鈥� But that鈥檚 not necessarily the case with the meeting Monday, when Reid says Trudeau will have to strike the right tone, posture and composition.
鈥淚 think the meeting will be dictated as much by psychology as anything else,鈥� Reid said.
Trump likes 鈥渟trength,鈥� Reid said, but he also seems 鈥渁 bit insecure at times.鈥� Therefore, a 鈥測oung, good-looking prime minister, kind of the darling of the international left, can鈥檛 let the president feel threatened. Otherwise, we all may pay the penalty.鈥�
Reid said he expects a combination of policy and process announcements to come out of the meeting. The announcements may be about trade or how to navigate Trump鈥檚 refugee travel ban.
鈥淏ut the fundamentals, where any of that goes, is going to come down to the working relationship established,鈥� Reid said. 鈥淒oes Trump say he sees Canada as a partner, or does he see Trudeau as a threat? That鈥檚 what鈥檚 really going to make the difference in this bilateral relationship.鈥�
At the same time, Trudeau 鈥渃an鈥檛 appear as though he鈥檚 crouching on the carpet,鈥� Reid said. 鈥淗e鈥檚 got to go there and be strong, and represent and stand up for our values and interests.鈥�
David Wilkins, a former U.S. ambassador to Canada, told CTV News Channel Friday that it鈥檚 鈥渧itally important鈥� that Trump and Trudeau develop a 鈥渨orking relationship.
鈥淭here are a lot of successes to build on,鈥� Wilkins said. 鈥淲e鈥檝e got the greatest trade relationship between our two countries the world has ever known.鈥�
For any possible issues of dispute, Wilkins said, the goal will be to find 鈥渃ommon ground.鈥�
Wilkins said the meeting is 鈥渓ess about personalities and more about issues. Both these individuals are professionals and they鈥檙e going to be working on the issues,鈥� he said.
Pro-business Trump is keen on creating jobs, which will benefit Canada, Wilkins said. 鈥淐anada doesn鈥檛 take jobs from the U.S., Canada and the U.S. together create jobs, so I think this administration, in the long haul, is going to be very positive for Canada.鈥�
Former White House speechwriter Mary Kate Cary told CTV News Channel that expectations should be kept 鈥渓ow.鈥� The two leaders appear to have a 鈥渃ordial relationship,鈥� but she says Trump 鈥渟hould be expected to do everything through an 鈥楢merica first鈥� lens.鈥�
In terms of policy, it is a 鈥渕ixed bag,鈥� Cary added, saying while the pair are in agreement over the Keystone XL pipeline, other issues such as foreign policy could lead to 鈥渟ubstantive鈥� discussions.
鈥淚n the end, I would advise Mr. Trudeau to have some tweets ready to go, as soon as the meetings are over,鈥� she said with a laugh.
Ottawa Citizen columnist Andrew Cohen said he thinks Trudeau 鈥渟hould be very charming.鈥�
鈥淎nd I mean that, I think the president is susceptible to charm. I think that the prime minister should not come with a catalogue of grievances.鈥�
Cohen said the prime minister should also express a 鈥渟ense of willingness to do business鈥� in order to protect Canadian interests and keep the United States happy.
鈥淚 would expect the prime minister would not go to multilateral questions where we have disagreements with the United States, whether it鈥檚 the United Nations or Russia or NATO,鈥� he said.
