It is really really important that you deal with Trump either by letter or by personal contact. Trying to deal with him on telephones or through the media is not a good idea.
[Trudeau and Trump] have certain things in common: they both are celebrities. Both use social media in a very big way. Both scored a big upset.
The rubber hits the road if Trump somehow turns his sights on Canada, as he has with Mexico, Australia and Germany, and takes some gratuitous comments on Canada's laxity on security or that Canada is not pulling its weight and has to do more in NATO, and so on. At that point, the pressure is on Trudeau politically, both from the media in Canada, from the opposition, maybe from his own party members, to shoot back.
Trudeau has to defend Canadian interests and values. But he has to do it in a way that doesn't say that Trump is stupid or outrageous or completely xenophobic - staying away from the epithets, and restricting his comments to areas where there's either false information, fake news, alternative facts, etcetera, about Canada.
Thirty-five states have Canada as their largest export market. Let's say we get into a trade war with the United States - hopefully not, but let's say. Many states in the union are going to have trouble and more costs getting their stuff up to Canada. If we make the border a little thicker in terms of tariffs, and hit back, that will start to impact the states, in particular large business interests that are in Canada. And that starts to put indirect pressure on the White House.
Trudeau's not somebody's who's going to make strange faces if Trump says something rude. Trudeau's very aware of his personal image.
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Jean Chretien Former Prime Minister of Canada
