Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and U.S. President Joe Biden discussed the importance of democracy the rule of law during a meeting the G20 summit in Brazil on Monday.
A statement from the White House says Biden and Trudeau talked about the economy, climate change, migration and defence, just weeks before president-elect Donald Trump takes office.
The statement said Biden “underscored the importance of Canadian defence investment and the modernization of the Columbia River Treaty.”
Canada has been under increasing pressure from allies, including the U.S., to meet the NATO target of spending two per cent of GDP on defence. While all allies have agreed to spend at least that much, Trudeau has said Canada will only reach the target in 2032.
The White House statement also said both leaders “agreed that strengthening democracy and rule of law were essential to the prosperity and success of North America.”
The meeting came a day after The Associated Press reported that Biden has authorized …