Jamil Jivani, Member of Parliament, Meets with US Vice President-Elect Amid Tariff Threats from Trump Administration.
A member of Parliament from the Conservative party has leveraged a long-standing friendship to connect with key figures in Donald Trump’s inner circle as Canada braces for the president-elect’s upcoming return to the White House amidst the looming threat of substantial tariffs.
Jamil Jivani shared a photo on social media over the weekend featuring vice-president-elect JD Vance and British Conservative Opposition Leader Kemi Badenoch. According to a source familiar with the gathering, the trio had dinner in Arlington, Va., located near Washington.
Their discussions centered around the importance of strengthening relationships between the three countries, as per the source.
Vance and Jivani also delved into the Canadian politician’s petition aimed at safeguarding Christians and the concerning trend of church arson incidents in recent times. Vance voiced his support for the petition on social media last week.
The Canadian Conservative Member of Parliament for Durham and the American Senator for Ohio have been close friends since their time at Yale, with Jivani previously writing about their tight bond and his participation in Vance’s wedding.
This marks the first instance where Jivani has publicly mentioned his meeting with his friend post the November election, which solidified Vance’s position as Trump’s deputy for the forthcoming administration.
The source revealed that Jivani extended an invitation to the vice president-elect to visit his riding in Ontario in the upcoming year, with plans for Vance to explore Bowmanville.
This demonstration of cross-border engagement coincides with Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre strategizing how to respond to Trump’s tariff threats against Canada and Mexico in anticipation of the imminent review of the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement.
A federal election is mandatory by October next year, but an earlier election could occur if the Liberals lose the House’s confidence. The victor will oversee the 2026 review of the trilateral agreement.
