Canada in Touch With Trump's Team on Trade, Hopes to Maintain Ties - Minister

Canada hopes to maintain strong trade relations with the United States under Donald Trump's presidency, Canada's new International Trade Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne told Sputnik.

DAVOS (Sputnik) — The minister added that he had a chance to exchange views with member of Trump's Transition Team Anthony Scaramucci at Davos during a joint session.

"We have a relationship which is very broad and very comprehensive. Our economies are much integrated. So we are going to build on that, and we are already in discussion with our American friends, and we are going to find points of contact," Champagne said.

"The inauguration is coming, but we are already establishing contacts. We will build on a very strong basis," the minister said.

According to the minister, Trump's team understood that Canada has a very special relationship with the United States, especially in trade.

"They [Trump's team] understand the extent of the relationship and the benefits that it has provided over decades for both sides," Champagne said.

The minister said that 35 states of the United States had Canada as their biggest export market, and 9 million US jobs depended on trade with Canada.