Two senior Canadian ministers are scheduled to meet with members of President-elect Donald J. Trump’s team in Florida on Friday to discuss a border security plan aimed at mitigating Mr. Trump’s threats of imposing tariffs on Canadian imports.
The discussions will follow a dinner between Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Mr. Trump during the Thanksgiving weekend, as well as a recent phone call between Trudeau’s cabinet members and Thomas D. Homan, Mr. Trump’s designated border czar.
Mélanie Joly, Canada’s foreign minister, and Dominic LeBlanc, who recently transitioned from public safety minister to finance minister, arrived in Florida on Thursday evening.
According to Jean-Sébastien Comeau, a spokesperson for Mr. LeBlanc, the talks will focus on Canada’s initiatives to combat fentanyl trafficking and illegal migration. He also noted that the discussions would address the detrimental effects of potential 25 percent tariffs on Canadian goods for both Canada and the United States.
While neither minister’s office provided specific details about their schedules, a Canadian official indicated that Ms. Joly is expected to meet with Republican Senator Lindsey Graham and that both ministers may engage with Howard Lutnick, Mr. Trump’s nominee for commerce secretary.
The Trump transition team has not responded to inquiries regarding the meetings.
Mr. Trump has threatened to impose tariffs on Canadian imports upon taking office in January unless Canada reduces the flow of migrants and fentanyl into the U.S. Such tariffs could severely impact Canada’s economy, which is heavily reliant on exports to the United States, with many industries closely integrated across the border.
Mr. Trump has also publicly criticized Mr. Trudeau on social media, referring to him as “Governor Justin Trudeau of Canada.” On Christmas Day, he suggested that if Canada were to become the 51st state, it would benefit economically and militarily.
In addition to Canada, Mr. Trump has expressed interest in other territorial expansions, including reclaiming control over the Panama Canal and “owning” Greenland.
Mr. Trump remains unpopular among Canadians, with polls indicating that his election win and tariff threats were among the most anger-inducing news stories for Canadian respondents this year.
On Christmas, Mr. Trump also proposed that NHL legend Wayne Gretzky could run for prime minister of Canada, humorously suggesting a “DRAFT WAYNE GRETZKY Movement.” Mr. Gretzky has previously supported several Conservative rivals of Mr. Trudeau’s Liberal Party.
Last week, Prime Minister Trudeau faced political challenges as Chrystia Freeland, the deputy prime minister and finance minister, unexpectedly resigned. Freeland, who played a key role in renegotiating the North American Free Trade Agreement during Trump’s first administration, expressed frustration over recent economic decisions made by Trudeau’s government.
Following her resignation, calls for Trudeau to step down as leader intensified among Liberal members of Parliament, and opposition parties have vowed to challenge his government when Parliament reconvenes at the end of January.
Mr. Trump criticized Ms. Freeland on social media after her resignation, stating that her behavior was “totally toxic” and detrimental to making beneficial deals for Canadians.