Watch Live: CityNews Tonight Vancouver

EXCLUSIVE: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau talks NAFTA, pipeline with NEWS 1130

VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – Ahead of NAFTA talks resuming on Wednesday, NEWS 1130 had a chance to have a one-on-one with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who continues to stress his government won’t sign anything that doesn’t benefit Canada.

“We’re going to remain constructive and you know thoughtful and contributing at the negotiating table but we will not agree to a bad deal for Canada,” Trudeau told NEWS 1130.

He said Chapter 19 of the existing deal is in place to make sure all three countries follow the rules, it allows for independent panels to resolve disputes between companies. But the White House views it as an infringement of U.S. sovereignty.

RELATED: Trudeau confirms federal funding for Metro Vancouver transit

But despite Canada and the U.S. failing to come to terms so far, Trudeau said he remains confident both sides can work out their differences.

“We’re going to just keep working away at it,” Trudeau added. “We believe that there’s a win, win, win to be had. We have an incredibly successful trading relationship with the United States and with Mexico, there’s always room to update it and that’s exactly what we’re focused on doing.”

LISTEN: NEWS 1130’s Sonia Aslam speaks exclusively with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau

He said every day at the table brings Canada closer to a deal.

When asked if he would be travelling to Washington, DC to help clinch a deal, Trudeau responded with a blunt “no,” adding it wouldn’t be necessary.

“We have a great team of negotiators that are doing really excellent work around the table and they have my entire confidence.”

Canada missed an Aug. 31 deadline to reach a deal with the US — a deadline imposed by the Trump administration. The refreshed deadline is Oct. 1.

Trudeau stands ground on pipeline future

Trudeau confirmed his government will do further consultations with First Nations groups, following last week’s Federal Court of Appeal’s decision to overturn approval for the expansion of the controversial pipeline.

A lack of consultation was one of the reasons the government’s approval of the project was shut down, but Trudeau clarified they’re not just doing this to appease the courts and to push the project.

“It’s more than just appeasing the courts. It’s about demonstrating that we can get resource projects built in the right way in this country in partnership with Indigenous peoples, with local communities, by responding to concerns about the environment, concerns about the protection of marine mammals, for example,” he said.

“This is all about whether or not we can continue to be a resource-exporting nation and as we’ve said from the very beginning, you can’t make a choice between the economy or the environment — you have to do them together.”

RELATED: Trudeau meets with Indigenous body that helps pipeline project ‘move forward’

While in the Lower Mainland, Trudeau and B.C. Premier John Horgan — who don’t see eye-to-eye on the project — met, but Trudeau didn’t say if the pipeline was discussed.

“When it comes to this specific project, we have differing views but the underlying principals of working with Indigenous peoples, making sure the science is right in protecting our oceans — we’re very much in agreement.”

He was asked if the ongoing battle between the west and Ottawa has strained relations, which is something Trudeau denied.

When asked if regrets purchasing the pipeline for $4.5 billion, he sidestepped the question. “I think if we hadn’t taken the actions that we did, a private proponent would have seen this court decision and would have abandoned this project altogether. Because we’re a government that has a higher tolerance for risk, we know that we can move forward on a project that is in the national interest, in the right way.”

He didn’t seem concerned that the in-fighting and threats exchanged between B.C., Alberta, and the federal government made the country look bad to other potential investors.

Top Stories

Top Stories

Most Watched Today