FILE PHOTO: Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau answers questions from the media in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, August 8, 2018. REUTERS/Christinne Muschi/File Photo

OTTAWA (Reuters) - Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau dismissed speculation on Thursday that he would call an early election this fall, a year ahead of schedule, saying his Liberal government remains focused on renegotiating NAFTA and strengthening the economy.

“It has never been in our plans and it is not in our plans. There will be no federal election this fall,” Trudeau told a news conference as he visited the province of Quebec.

Trudeau’s center-left Liberals are facing challenges on trade and immigration and are essentially tied in opinion polls with the right-leaning Conservative opposition.

A prominent Toronto Star columnist, Chantal Hebert, wrote on Monday that Canadians deserved a fall election because the political context has changed so dramatically since Trudeau was elected with a surprise majority three years ago.

Most notably, the Canada-U.S. relationship has soured since Republican President Donald Trump took office in 2017 and sparked the renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) between Canada, Mexico and the United States. Trump has since imposed tariffs on steel and aluminum imports from Canada and other countries.

The United States is Canada’s largest trading partner, taking some 75 percent of its goods exports.

Trudeau is also under pressure at home, with a dramatic shift in the political leadership of key provinces away from his Liberal party, setting the stage for a heated battle over climate change and carbon pricing.

Trudeau shuffled his cabinet in July, stressing the need to diversify trade away from the United States while leaving key ministers in place. [nL1N1UE0I2]

The Canadian Broadcasting Corp’s poll tracker, an aggregation of the latest federal opinion polls, in July showed the Liberals with 36.4 percent support, the Conservatives with 34.7 percent, and the left-leaning New Democrats with 19.1 percent support. </s> Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the government has no plans to call an early election this fall, according to a report from Dow Jones Newswires supplied to EFE on Thursday.

The comment follows speculation in the Canadian media about a possible early vote, which one widely-read columnist suggested could reset the Trudeau government's mandate amid heightened trade tensions with the US and conflicts with the recently elected government of Ontario, Canada's largest province. </s> Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has poured cold water on all chatter of a snap election.

"It has never been in our plans and it is not in our plans — there will be no federal election this fall," Trudeau said emphatically Thursday in Saint-Eustache, Que.

The prime minister told reporters his government has plenty of work to do "to strengthen the middle class, to build a renegotiated NAFTA that benefits Canadians and others, to continue to work on reconciliation, to continue to grow a stronger economy that works for everyone."

Speculation about a fall election has been floated recently by some high-profile columnists including The Toronto Star's Chantal Hébert and Susan Delacourt in iPolitics.

In her piece this week, Hébert noted the political environment has changed dramatically since Trudeau's Liberals won in 2015. She pointed to the election of Donald Trump in the United States and rise of provincial leaders challenging the Liberals' signature carbon pricing plan.

Federal Conservatives flagged the columns in a fundraising missive warning supporters that Liberals want to catch Tories "off guard."

"Two months ago, we emailed you about the possibility of Justin Trudeau calling an early election. Why wouldn't he?" the party claimed in the fundraising email Wednesday. "He has reneged on virtually every election promise he made."

Todd Korol / Reuters Former prime minister Stephen Harper waves to supporters at his election night headquarters in Calgary on Oct. 14, 2008.

Canadians will head to the polls on Oct. 21, 2019 in accordance with fixed-election-date legislation passed by the previous Tory government.

Former prime minister Stephen Harper argued in 2006 that fixed election dates even the playing field and "stop leaders from trying to manipulate the calendar" for their own political advantage.

However, Harper ignored his own law in 2008 when he called a snap fall election, arguing at the time that Parliament had become "dysfunctional."

Though opposition Liberals and New Democrats blasted the move as a broken promise, Harper's Tories were re-elected with a bigger minority government in 2008 and, three years later, captured a majority. </s> OTTAWA – There will be no snap election this fall, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Thursday.

Responding to a question about the prospect of the government calling a federal election a year early, Trudeau said: "It has never been in our plans and it is not in our plans, there will be no federal election this fall."

There had been some murmurings about why the "conditions are almost perfect" for a snap fall election and that "Canadians deserve a federal election this fall" from political columnists.

Their arguments cite the drastically changed dynamics between Canada and the U.S. since the federal Liberals came to power in 2015 with a majority government; and the increasing disagreement over implementing a national carbon tax, as possible reasons for voters to go to the polls a year before scheduled.

The federal Conservative Party sent out a fundraising pitch to their supporters on Wednesday raising the possibility of an early election being called, and asking the party faithful to chip in to an "early election fund." Citing the same opinion pieces, the party said they need to be ready because "the Liberals want to catch us off guard."

“We have a lot of work that we’ve done, we have a lot of work that we’re going to continue to do,” Trudeau said to media in Quebec, offering the economy, reconciliation with Indigenous peoples, and renegotiating NAFTA as examples.

The next federal election is set for Oct. 21, 2019. </s> Trudeau's running is seen as designed to give the Liberals a lift at a time when polls show their Conservative Party opponents are hard on their heels

MONTREAL, Canada – Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Sunday he will run for re-election in 2019 legislative polls.

The Liberal Party leader was officially nominated by his party in the central Montreal district of Papineau, a centrist stronghold he has represented since 2008. He was re-elected in 2011 and 2015.

He spoke of his "deep conviction that despite the politics of fear and division, staying positive, pulling people together, looking for ways to emphasize our common ground, our shared values among our differences, is the only way to build a stronger country, a stronger world."

Trudeau also promised to reduce the gap between rich and poor, and to lift up indigenous populations.

In mid-July, Trudeau reshuffled his government, setting the stage ahead of the legislative elections due to take place on October 21, 2019, amid tensions on global trade and the rise of populism.

The move appeared designed to give the Liberals a lift at a time when polls show their Conservative Party opponents are hard on their heels. – Rappler.com </s> Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will meet with U.S. Vice President Mike Pence on Saturday on the sidelines of the Summit of the Americas in Lima, Peru, Canadian officials confirmed Friday.

The meeting is scheduled for 10:30 am local time, officials at the Prime Minister’s Office said.

The meeting comes amid efforts to renegotiate the North America Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and signs that U.S. President Donald Trump is considering rejoining the recently signed Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).

Speaking on background, Canadian officials said they expect the meeting to focus on NAFTA and the benefits of free trade for all three North American nations.

Trudeau is also scheduled to meet with Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto Friday to discuss NAFTA.

Trump said on Thursday the NAFTA talks between Canada, Mexico and the U.S. were “coming along great” and “we’re getting pretty close to a deal.”

That same day Trump tweeted that the U.S. would only join the CPTPP, a multinational trade deal his administration walked away from last year, if it offered “substantially better” terms than those provided under previous TPP negotiations.

Canadian officials have yet to officially react to the possibility of Washington joining the 11-nation trade pact, which also includes Australia, Brunei, Chile, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam.

Officials at the PMO said Trudeau would not “shy away from touting the benefits of progressive trade” if the topic of CPTPP comes up.

Trudeau’s trip to Peru is focused on drumming up investment in Canada and the prime minister is expected to play the role of salesman-in-chief by addressing participants of the III CEO Summit of the Americas “Invest in Canada” session, PMO officials said.

Trump had been scheduled to attend the Americas summit but decided this week to send Pence instead so he could remain in the United States to focus on formulating a U.S. response to a suspected chemical weapons attack in Syria last weekend. </s> Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has embarked on a furious media campaign in recent days, attacking US President Donald Trump's trade policy in a move that shows a substantial shift in his attitude toward Trump.

Trudeau has released fiery public statements in the days since Trump announced that the US would impose tariffs on imports of steel and aluminum from Canada, Mexico, and the European Union. Trudeau has also appealed directly to US audiences as part of his media blitz.

"Let me be clear: These tariffs are totally unacceptable," Trudeau said at a press conference announcing retaliatory measures.

Trudeau's strong words continued in an appearance on NBC's "Meet the Press," the top-rated US political Sunday show, where he called the tariffs "frankly insulting" during an interview with the host Chuck Todd.

The Trump administration says it imposed the tariffs on national-security grounds, arguing that domestic metals industries need to be protected in the event that a geopolitical issue cuts off access to imported steel and aluminum.

Because the US and Canada are close allies on geopolitical issues, Trudeau took particular offense to the justification.

"The idea that, you know, our soldiers who had fought and died together on the beaches of World War II and the mountains of Afghanistan, and have stood shoulder to shoulder in some of the most difficult places in the world, that are always there for each other, somehow — this is insulting to that," Trudeau said on NBC.

Trudeau also stepped up criticism of the Trump administration on negotiations over the North American Free Trade Agreement, or NAFTA.

Generally upbeat about the talks to this point, Trudeau pulled back the curtain and expressed frustration with the Trump administration's handling of the negotiations. Trudeau had told reporters Thursday that Trump agreed to a sit-down meeting to hammer out details of a new NAFTA, but Vice President Mike Pence reversed course just a few days later.

Trudeau's frustration while recounting the story was palpable, leaving reporters taken aback.

A White House official said Trudeau's version of events was "simply inaccurate."

Trump's relationship with Trudeau in his first 18 months in office started amicably, with a strong handshake and a relatively cordial first meeting a month after Trump's inauguration.

During that meeting, Trump backed off his strong criticisms of NAFTA expressed during the campaign — he had called it the "worst trade deal in history" — and suggested the US could be willing to merely tweak the deal.

The early meetings seemed to point to Trudeau taking a softer approach to Trump, trying to maintain a strong relationship while gently prodding the president on economic issues.

But trade strained the relationship. In March, audio leaked of Trump bragging during a fundraising dinner about bluffing to Trudeau on trade.

"Trudeau came to see me. He's a good guy, Justin. He said: 'No, no, we have no trade deficit with you. We have none. Donald, please,'" Trump said. "I said, 'Wrong, Justin, you do.' I didn't even know ... I had no idea. I just said, 'You're wrong.'"

NAFTA talks soon hit significant hurdles over a series of US demands. Then the Trump administration kick-started its tariffs.

Given the increased blows from the US, Trudeau appears to have decided to take a different track.

"This is not about the American people. We have to believe that at some point their common sense will prevail," Trudeau said Thursday. "But we see no sign of that in this action today by the US administration."

The Trump administration, for its part, has not taken the blows lying down. In a statement on Thursday, the White House called out Trudeau by name.

"The United States has been taken advantage of for many decades on trade. Those days are over," the statement said. "Earlier today, this message was conveyed to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada: The United States will agree to a fair deal, or there will be no deal at all." </s> On Sunday, Canadian Prime Misister Justin Trudeau formally announced that he will seek reelection to the office of Prime Minister in the 2019 federal elections. The announcement was made during a party event in his Montreal riding of Papineau as reported by CBC News. The Liberal leader also took the opportunity to land a few jabs at Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer. The partisan crowd cheered, wildly at times, with each jab Trudeau landed. Some of his biggest cheers, however, came when he talked about his plans for the future.

Trudeau listed two of his major initiatives, if reelected, as protecting Canada’s oceans, and raising the standard of living for indigenous people. He also addressed the need to do something about the income and wealth gap that exists between the rich and the poor. Trudeau touched on several other issues he hopes to have the opportunity to work on during a second term in office, including both domestic and foreign affairs.

As reported by The News, he also discussed the need for Canadians to recognize and strengthen their common bonds rather than emphasizing their differences, taking a not so subtle jab at U.S. President Donald Trump.

With Conservative party opponents making ground on Liberal candidates and their agenda over the past several months, particularly in issues regarding the trade war with the U.S., Trudeau has been making moves to help strengthen his reelection odds and his party. He shuffled cabinet positions in mid-July in the hopes it would address the rise of populism and ease the trade war tensions. Whether the moves will provide the desired boost to the party remains to be seen.

According to Elizabeth Kelly at Narcity, not everyone is looking forward to another term for Trudeau. She reported that the reaction to his announcement was neither surprising or exciting outside of his own party, and that even within it, not everyone is sold on him running again. She said that while some people expressed mild disappointment on social media, some got salty, and a fair portion were even downright hateful in what they posted regarding his nomination.

Some of the concerns people are expressing are the refugee crisis and trans-mountain pipeline. Despite Twitter’s reaction to Trudeau’s re-election campaign, Calculated Politics has the Liberal Party currently holding a 38 percent lead. </s> Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Thursday he offered to go to Washington this week to complete talks on renegotiating the North American Free Trade agreement but that Vice President Mike Pence called and told him a meeting with the U.S. president would only happen if Trudeau agreed to put a five-year sunset clause into the deal.

Trudeau said he refused to go because of the "totally unacceptable" precondition. He made the comment while outlining Canada's response to U.S. tariffs on steel and aluminum imports.

Late Thursday, President Donald Trump responded in a statement released by the White House, "Earlier today, this message was conveyed to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada: The United State (sic) will agree to a fair deal, or there will be no deal at all."

In a call to Trump last Friday, Trudeau offered to meet Trump because he felt they were close to an agreement that only required a "final deal-making moment."

Trudeau said Trump seemed agreeable before Pence called him on Tuesday.

"I stated that I thought we were quite close to reaching an agreement, and perhaps the time had come for me to sit down with the president in Washington in order to finalize the NAFTA agreement," Trudeau said in French. "We already had the bones of a very good agreement for all parties, and I thought it might be opportune for all of us to sit down for a few hours and discuss it."

Trudeau has long said he wouldn't agree to a sunset clause because businesses need certainty when they make long-term investments and putting a sunset clause in every five years would create uncertainty.

"I had to highlight there was no possibility of any Canadian prime minister signing a NAFTA deal that included a five-year sunset clause and obviously the visit didn't happen," Trudeau said.

Pence discussed preliminary issues that the Trump administration wanted clarity on before any in-person meeting at the White House, including the sunset clause, according to a White House official who spoke on condition of anonymity to describe internal discussions. The official said a range of issues remain to be resolved but the U.S. looks forward to continuing the negotiations with Canada.

Trudeau earlier deplored a decision by Trump to impose tariffs on steel and aluminum imports. Canada announced plans to slap tariffs on $12.8 billion worth of U.S. products, ranging from steel to yogurt and toilet paper

Trudeau said he regrets the action but said they must do it.

"We have to believe that at some point their common sense will prevail. But we see no sign of that in this action today by the U.S. administration," Trudeau said.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau dismisses speculation that he would call an early election this fall and states that his government remains focused on renegotiating NAFTA and strengthening the economy.