US Vice President Joe Biden brought reassurances to Canada on Friday that its historically close relationship with America will not suffer under Donald Trump's administration. The two-day visit to Ottawa, which started with a dinner hosted by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau Thursday, comes as Canada's regional leaders met in the capital to finalize a national climate strategy. Biden was expected to address the 10 provincial leaders before they announce an agreement on a national carbon price.
The American vice president, lawmaker Wayne Easter told AFP, came "to calm the waters after some of the rhetoric heard during the campaign, and to reassure the political leadership in Canada on the change in administration in the United States." While campaigning this year, Trump warned that US environmental regulations were hamstringing businesses.
He has pledged to boost the oil and gas sector and revive the coal industry. And his pick Thursday of fossil fuel industry ally Scott Pruitt, a global warming skeptic, to head the Environmental Protection Agency has further cast doubts over America's commitment to battle climate change. The EPA both determines and implements US international commitments on climate.
But Easter, the co-chair of the Canada-US inter-parliamentary group, suggested that Trump might soften some of his positions after he comes into office next month. "Governing is much harder than taking policy positions as an outsider during a political campaign," he said. Easter pointed to strong trade and security linkages that have and will survive "bumps in the road."
Climate policy promises to be a sticking point, as the two neighbours appear to be headed down different paths. Trudeau has staked out his political future by aligning with US President Barack Obama on combating climate change, notably on the phasing out of coal-fired power plants. Under Trudeau's plan, carbon pollution would cost Can$10 (USD$8) a tonne in 2018, rising incrementally to Can$50 (USD$38) a tonne by 2022.
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