Lawrence Martin, Globe and Mail »
Something else was apparent at this meeting that should ease fears of a blow-up. It was apparent that Trump respects Mark Carney; that given his reputation, his clout, his standing in the domain of international finance, he takes him very seriously.
In Canada-US relations, the personal rapport between the president and the prime minister is vitally important. Differences on issues shrink if they like one another, enlarge if they don’t. Given the egomaniacal nature of Trump, even moreso.
It is critical, therefore, that a rapport was established between the two men and it seems that was the case. Trump made the point on his way out of the meeting that he regards Mr. Carney much differently than Justin Trudeau: “I like this guy.”
To my mailbox came an e-mail from Gordon Giffin, the Atlanta lawyer who served as ambassador to Canada during Bill Clinton’s presidency. Your Prime Minister, he wrote, “gets an A-plus for the way he handled the White House today – confident, competent, with a clear sense of what he wanted to achieve. He is uniquely suited for the moment.”
