Canada’s Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly has expressed concerns about the outcome of the 2024 US presidential election, fearing an authoritarian shift and unveiling that Ottawa is developing scenarios to deal with the potential result of the vote.
Canada is mulling its “game plan” to be prepared in case the United States creates a “difficult situation” by taking an authoritarian shift, she said, speaking to a Montreal broadcaster last week.
“In general, there is our game plan, precisely to be able to manage what could be a rather difficult situation,” Ottawa's top diplomat further emphasized.
“I will work with my colleagues and with the mayors, the provincial premiers, with the business community, with the unions, with everyone in the country, so that we are ready regardless of the election outcome,” she added.
Joly drew an analogy to her government’s experience working with the administration of former US president Donald Trump, which sought to limit long-established bilateral trade in crucial sectors.
Trump, who has vowed “retribution” against his opponents and those who defied him, is again running for the Republican nomination in November’s election, despite a string of ongoing criminal lawsuits.
According to press reports, Trudeau and the former US president did not get along very smoothly during Trump’s time in office, raising growing concerns in Ottawa in case he is reelected.
In April, during a visit to New York, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, also took a veiled swiped at Trump by saying he was worried about the future of the American democracy.
“Right now, it’s not just that [US democracy] is being taken for granted by so many citizens, it’s actually being devalued,” he said.
He did not refer to Trump by name but had harsh criticism for policies and practices closely identified with the former president, from isolationism to stoking voter anger.
In 2021, Trudeau blamed Trump for having incited his supporters to wage the violent January 6 attack on the US Capitol.
Trump once said Canada’s PM was lying, and another time the former US president called his younger counterpart, a “two-faced” guy.