The Globe and Mail reports in its Saturday edition that even if Prime Minister Justin Trudeau plays it as safe as possible on Monday when he meets with President Donald Trump, nothing is certain. The Globe's Adam Radwanski writes that Mr. Trump's one-on-ones
with other heads of state seem to be all
about unpleasant surprises. It is possible Canada has prepared
more for the PM's interaction
with Mr. Trump than has
any other country. It is also
anyone's guess how much that
matters. By all accounts, Mr.
Trump lacks interest in the
detailed briefings that precede
such meetings. He has a weak grasp of foreign relations more so than
any modern U.S. president. Mr. Trump often reacts
negatively when caught off
guard by something he should
have known about. Mr. Trudeau might try to
account for that by playing it
extremely safe, letting the President
take the conversational
lead as much as possible. Even
then, there is no telling what
might capture the President's attention
and how he might act
out. Maybe he will see an unflattering
comparison with Mr. Trudeau
on cable news and be
defensive. The best-case scenario, from
Ottawa's perspective, has to be
as uneventful a Monday as possible.
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