Trudeau Announces Closer Ties with UK Post- Brexit

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, met yesterday with Prime Minister Theresa May of the United Kingdom (UK).

The two leaders took the opportunity to set the foundation for an even stronger Canada-UK relationship, especially in the areas of trade and innovation, defence and security, domestic policy coordination, and promotion of common values such as gender equality.

They reiterated the importance of ensuring the early ratification of the Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) while the UK is still a member of the EU. They also emphasized their desire for a seamless transition on trade as the UK exits the EU.

May hopes to use CETA as a model for a future trade deal with Canada after  the United Kingdom leaves the E.U.  “We believe it makes sense to take the trade agreements the UK is part of as part of the European Union with Canada and say that’s the basis at the point we leave, for a bilateral relationship between the U.K. and Canada,” May said according to the CBC.  She revealed that it has already been discussed with the E.U.

May Supports Trudeau in Boeing Dispute

Theresa May also revealed her support for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in his trade dispute with US aircraft giant Boeing.  Boeing has accused Bombardier of selling aircraft at low prices thanks to government subsidies. “We won’t do business with a company that’s busy trying to sue us and trying to put our aerospace workers out of business,” Trudeau said according to the CBC.  Canada has a deal to buy 18 Super Hornets as interim replacements for the aging CF-18’s from Boeing.

May has promised to raise the issue with US President Donald Trump.  “I will be impressing upon him the importance of Bombardier to the United Kingdom, and particularly, obviously, to jobs in Northern Ireland,” she said.  Bombardier announced it was cutting 95 jobs at its Northern Ireland plant.  May will meet with Trump in New York, later this week at the U.N. General Assembly.