Biden and Trudeau Conduct Virtual Meeting

The two leaders stressed the importance of cooperation in their virtual meeting (Flickr)

President Joe Biden met with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on February 23 in his first official meeting with a foreign leader. The two leaders promised to cooperate on fighting climate change, security, coronavirus policy, and combating racial discrimination. Due to safety concerns attributed to the pandemic, the meeting and subsequent press briefing were conducted virtually.

While tensions between the two countries remain, with Trudeau expressing “disappointment” over Biden’s decision to cancel the Keystone XL Pipeline project which would have boosted oil supplies between Canada and the United States, both expressed a commitment to fighting climate change in their administrations. In the press briefing, Biden promised that the two states would “align our policies and goals and achieve net-zero emissions by 2050,” with Trudeau adding that he was “really excited” to work with the U.S. president on climate change.

On the topics of security and diplomacy, the leaders agreed to bolster the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and “modernize the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD),” which is described as “a United States and Canada bi-national organization charged with the missions of aerospace warning, aerospace control and maritime warning for North America.” On a more global scale, Biden discussed collaboration to “coordinate our approaches to better compete with China and to counter threats to our interests and values.” Biden also affirmed his support for helping Canada secure the release of former diplomat Michael Kovrig and businessman Michael Spavor, both of whom have been charged and detained by China for espionage, adding that “human beings are not bargaining chips.”

Regarding economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, Biden noted that the two countries plan to work together on a “robust economic recovery that benefits everyone, not just those at the very top,” focusing specifically on the unique impact of the pandemic on women and Black and Latino communities. The two reaffirmed their commitment toward ending racial discrimination as well, with Biden discussing the importance of “rooting out systemic racism and unconscious bias from our institutions and our laws, as well as our hearts.”

The meeting between these two leaders signifies a strong potential for improvement in U.S.-Canada relations. During the past administration, insults were often thrown between Trudeau and former President Donald Trump, and trade tensions remained high with a 10 percent American tariff on Canadian aluminum. Trudeau concluded the meeting with promises to work closely in the future, stating, “And thank you in advance for all the great work we’re going to be doing together.”