President Joe Biden spoke with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau Friday in his first call with a foreign official. The leaders discussed combatting the COVID-19 pandemic, strengthening economic ties, defense, and climate change. They also discussed the U.S.-Canada supply chain, along with promoting and protecting the economic relationship between the U.S. and Canada, including bilateral trade and energy commitments.
Trudeau raised Canada?s disappointment with the United States? decision on the Keystone XL pipeline, underscoring ?the important economic and energy security benefits of our bilateral energy relationship,? as well as his support for energy workers. Biden halted construction on the controversial pipeline via an executive order on his first day in office. The White House noted Biden acknowledged the disappointment regarding the decision, adding Biden “reaffirmed his commitment to maintain an active bilateral dialogue and to further deepen cooperation with Canada.?
The two leaders agreed to meet next month to continue the dialogue.
