Canada’s Trudeau won’t attend Washington summit with US & Mexican presidents on new trade deal

Canadian PM Justin Trudeau will not attend talks in Washington this week to mark the start of a new North American trade deal. Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador is due to meet US President Donald Trump at the White House on Wednesday, on his first trip outside of Mexico since taking office.

Lopez Obrador had publicly urged Trudeau to join him in Washington. However, the Canadian leader’s office said he will be attending cabinet meetings and a sitting of parliament in Ottawa.

“We wish the United States and Mexico well at Wednesday’s meeting,” the statement said. Trudeau previously said he was not sure about attending, citing tensions over possible US tariffs on Canadian aluminum, Reuters reported.

Mexico’s president said the two will talk by telephone later on Monday morning, but the Canadian statement did not mention the telephone call.