Posted on 01/06/2017 8:11:02 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s top advisers have had about a dozen high-level meetings with President-elect Donald Trump’s most trusted officials, CTV News has learned.
The two sides have met 10 or 12 times since the U.S. election, and as recently as Tuesday -- a five-hour meeting between Trudeau’s chief of staff, Katie Telford, his principal secretary Gerry Butts, White House chief strategist Steve Bannon and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner.
The meetings have been mostly focused on trade, with the intention of convincing the incoming Trump administration that any tariffs on Canadian goods would hurt the U.S. economy.
CTV News was told that throughout these meetings, Trump's team became more receptive to Canada's case that the two economies remain integrated, that Canada is the biggest export market for 35 states, and so imposing taxes or tariffs at the border could hurt both economies.
The news comes as American Ambassador Bruce Heyman says he's leaving Ottawa in the next few weeks, following a New York Times report that Trump is denying diplomats' requests for extensions on their terms.
Heyman tweeted Friday morning, that he and his wife Vicki will be leaving Canada on or around Jan. 20, the day of Trump’s inauguration.
Heyman told CTV's Question Period last month, that outgoing U.S. President Barack Obama had asked all his political appointees to resign as of Trump's inauguration, following an example set by former president George W. Bush.
But Heyman suggested he was willing to remain until Trump found a replacement.
The New York Times report said several ambassadors, particularly those with school-aged children, had asked the Trump administration to remain in their posts for a few months, and some are now scrambling to obtain visas so they don't have to leave part-way through the school year.
The paper says it's a break with precedent, as most administrations allow a grace period.
The Heymans have grown children.
Heyman was an Obama fundraiser before he became his envoy to Canada.
Other major U.S. partners like Britain and Germany also have politically appointed ambassadors, while posts in other countries are filled by career diplomats who remain in their roles even when the administration changes.
Heyman became the U.S. ambassador to Canada in March, 2014, following a 33-year career at Goldman Sachs. He succeeded David Jacobson, Obama's first appointee as ambassador to Canada.
Vicki Heyman also tweeted about the departure, saying it's been "an honour & complete delight to represent the U.S. in Canada."
"We will miss all of you but promise to stay in touch!" she said.
It was been a an honor & complete delight to represent the U.S. in Canada. We will miss all of you but promise to stay in touch!#CanadaLove https://t.co/TxIiw3yB36
Heyman must be tone-deaf. Which part of GTFO’/Yer’ fired didn’t they understand?
Would love to see Trump meet Trudeau on Lake Champlain and demand a rematch.
That said, Canada is way too important to US security to go putzing around. Traditionally, the first foreign leader a new US president meets with is his Canadian counterpart. No reason to get stupid now. We’ve had 8 years of stupid. Let’s get back to tradition.
“Top Trudeau advisers have high-level meetings with Trump officials”
yeah, yeah, i know, trudeau is going to build a wall and have their southern neighbor pay for it ...
A new girl started Wednesday in my daughter’s class. She said they are friends.
I deeply regret that President Trump will not be meeting with Mr. Harper. President Trump will double over with laughter when he meets the dreamy Justin.
Yeah. Me too. I still don’t understand the Harper hate. He was a statesman and a just do your job kind of guy. Instead we ended up with Justine. And I don’t have enough verbs to describe him. I will end though with the fact he is clueless. Completely out of his depth and a complete disaster coming for our country.
Trudeau is just a politician...Canadian and American business interests have been intertwined for over a century Trump is smart enough to know how important the trade relationship has always been and it is probably in need of an overhaul on both sides of the border. The fact Trudeau gets it is important and if he can park his ego, stop acting like a fratboy freshman hobnobbing with dictators and get down to business, North Americans will all prosper.
The Harper hate was brought on and fomented by our crooked media. We have no alternative to the propaganda media. We used to have Sun News, but the left made sure they went under. The libs took a page out of Obama’s play book. The Bush Derangement Syndrome was the model for the Harper Derangement Syndrome. Trudeau’s campaign was modeled after Obama’s.
Now, all we need is our “Trump” to clean up the mess in a few years. If we can last that long.
Harper and Trump would have gotten along fine. This pair is more like Godzilla meets Bambi. Trump might die laughing at the baby PET.
I think I heard Kevin O’Leary say that about Trump and The Boy Justin. I fault the Canadian media and ill-informed people. Very frustrating.
Canadians are like everybody else, susceptible to media propaganda. The media hated Harper because he was a conservative, he had to go.
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