World

Former PM Harper Upstages Trudeau With Washington Trip

David Krayden Ottawa Bureau Chief
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Canada’s last Conservative prime minister met with President Donald Trump’s economic advisor Larry Kudlow on Monday.

Stephen Harper, who led Canada from 2006-2015, also met with Trump’s National Security Advisor John Bolton, CTV News reports.

The visit and the meeting were reportedly not discussed with current Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who remains critical of Harper.

The current leader of the Conservative Party of Canada, Andrew Scheer, says former prime ministers should be encouraged to facilitate good relations between Canada and the U.S., two countries that are closely linked by multiple defense agreements beyond NATO and NORAD. (RELATED: Trudeau Trumpets ‘Positive Politics’ As He Castigates Conservatives)

Harper is also the chairman of the International Democratic Union, a group that strives to bring Conservative-minded politicians together on the world stage. In this capacity, Harper also met with International Republican Institute Bob Paduchik, and tweeted out a photo of the event.

The meeting came during trade tensions between the two nations.

“We’ve been very nice to Canada for many years and they’ve taken advantage of that, particularly advantage of our farmers,” White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said Monday during a press briefing.

“At the G7, the president actually proposed that they get rid of all tariffs and drop all barriers and have really great trade and they refused that,” Sanders added.

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