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Prime Minister Mark Carney said he plans to visit Washington next week to attend the World Cup draw and expects to speak with US President Donald Trump there.
But he also downplayed expectations for the trip, which comes weeks after Trump abruptly ended trade talks in anger over Ontario Premier Doug Ford's anti-tariff ad campaign it referenced Ronald Reagan.
“I don’t want to put too much weight on it,” Carney said at a news conference Wednesday. “The important thing is when negotiations will resume. They haven't resumed negotiations yet, so this is a fundamental point.”
The prime minister said he plans to attend the draw because it is an important event for Canada, which will co-host the tournament next year with the United States and Mexico.
Carney said he and Trump communicate frequently despite talks between the two countries being suspended.
“That's something I don't want to get involved in, which is every little detail. There are meaningful meetings, conversations and negotiations, and that's not what I'm hinting at,” he said.
Prime Minister Mark Carney says he “doesn't want to exaggerate” anything in Canada-US talks as he confirms he will see US President Donald Trump at a FIFA World Cup event next week in Washington. Carney said this was not a sign of a resumption of trade talks.
For example, he said, the two men had a short conversation on Tuesday. But, pressing reporters for details, Carney said it was “not newsworthy.”
“My conversation with the president yesterday was not newsworthy,” he said. “I was simply answering a question. It was not worthy of attention.”
Carney admits 'poor choice of words'
Asked on Sunday at the G20 summit in South Africa when he last spoke to Trump, Carney did not answer directly, saying they had discussions, he was busy and they would resume dialogue when necessary.
Asked to reiterate the details of his latest call with Trump, Carney responded: “Who cares? I mean, these are details. I spoke to him. I'll talk to him again when it matters.”
“Who cares?” The response drew criticism from opposition Conservatives this week. Carney admitted on Tuesday that he made a “bad choice of words” in this answer.
The FIFA draw meeting will not be the first time Trump and Carney have met in the same room since trade talks collapsed.
Days after Trump ended talks, the two men acknowledged each other during a toast at a dinner ahead of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in South Korea. But they didn't seem to have much to say to each other.
