On Wednesday local time, UK Prime Minister Starmer and Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau held a phone conversation in which they discussed ways to enhance trade relations between the two countries and emphasized the importance of trade cooperation among allies and partners. However, they did not publicly commit to resuming bilateral free trade agreement negotiations that were suspended last year due to agricultural disputes.
According to a statement from the UK Prime Minister's Office, Starmer indicated during the call that he "welcomes international dialogue on the importance of trade and cooperation between allies and partners." He also noted that the existing £26 billion trade relationship between the UK and Canada is very robust, and both parties will continue to seek new means to support economic growth and benefit both nations' people.
The statement also mentioned that Starmer expressed respect for the Canadian government under Trudeau's leadership, particularly praising their efforts to curb drug trafficking across Canadian borders. However, the statement did not address the previous threats made by former US President Trump to impose a 25% tariff on Canadian goods.
Since January 2024, negotiations on the free trade agreement between Canada and the UK have been on hold due to agricultural-related disputes. Although both parties did not publicly commit to resuming the talks, the phone conversation signifies that both countries remain devoted to maintaining and further developing their economic and trade cooperation.
