Tory MP Describes Meetings With Trump Officials as ‘Productive’ During Washington Trip

Conservative MP Jamil Jivani says he is wrapping up his trip to Washington where he met with officials in the Trump administration, and hopes to share what he learned with Prime Minister Mark Carney when he returns to Ottawa.

“I’ve been having some very productive, promising and positive conversations with the White House, with the State Department, with Senators representing border states that we do a lot of business with in Canada,” Jivani said in a Feb. 5 video posted on X.

Jivani said on Feb. 5 he was “hopeful and optimistic” that something “really good” could be done to help Canadian workers and businesses amid trade disputes between the countries, but said those type of results may take some time.

Jivani said he hopes to share what he had learned with the prime minister and Canada-U.S. Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc when he returns to Ottawa, beginning “a truly non-partisan approach to working with the United States.”

“This is not a partisan issue. It’s not about Liberals or Conservatives,” he said. “This is about Canadian workers and Canadian businesses and how we can make sure our economy is growing.”

Jivani said he would meet with business leaders in Washington before heading back to his riding of Bowmanville-Oshawa North in central Ontario on Feb. 6. Jivani held meetings on Feb. 6 with GM, the National Association of Manufacturers and American Automotive Policy Council, and the United States Trade Representative.

Jivani said he also received a message from U.S. President Donald Trump. The president asked Jivani to “tell the Canadians I love them,” the Tory MP said in a Feb. 4 X post following a meeting with the White House and State Department.

Jivani, who is a close friend and former university roommate of U.S. Vice-President JD Vance, had said on Feb. 3 he would travel to Washington to help improve Canada-U.S. relations and advance trade talks, including on the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).

Jivani noted that he went to a law school in the United States and has a “strong network there,” which could help “build bridges” between Canada and its southern neighbour.

The MP said he is “alarmed” that automotive workers in Oshawa have had their lives “turned upside down” because of U.S. tariffs and economic uncertainty. A total of 1,200 automotive workers were recently laid off at the General Motors’ Oshawa auto assembly plant.

Carney was asked about Jivani’s trip on Feb. 4, to which he responded that the Conservative MP has been briefed by Minister LeBlanc. Carney however dismissed the significance of Jivani’s trip, saying he’s not a trade official.

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre was also asked by reporters about what advice he gave to Jivani prior to his trip to Washington, and Poilievre responded that he has told all MPs to “fight for jobs in your community.”

“Mr. Jivani’s community has been hit with a massive job loss, 1,200 jobs in the auto sector,” Poilievre said. “He’s going to fight for those auto workers, as all of our MPs have been doing.”