LONDON (Sputnik) — May Trudeau discussed potential for a bilateral free trade agreement between the United Kingdom and Canada, a statement published by the Downing Street said.
"The Prime Ministers also discussed their shared belief in the benefits of free trade, and said they looked forward to maintaining trade ties and starting conversations on the potential for a bilateral free trade agreement once the UK has left the EU," the statement of the spokesperson said, adding that the prime ministers ended the call by saying they were looking forward to their next meeting during the 2017 G7 Summit in Sicily, scheduled for May 26-27.
Prime Minister May also expressed her condolences to Trudeau after the shooting at the Islamic Cultural Center in Quebec City, the spokesperson added.
On February 28, the Quebec City Islamic Culture Centre was attacked by two gunmen. Six people were killed and 17 injured. The gunmen reportedly shouted "God is great" in Arabic while carrying out the attack. Both suspects were arrested by the police.
On Wednesday, the UK parliament voted in favor of Brexit bill allowing May to trigger Article 50 of Lisbon Treaty and start the withdrawal process. On Thursday, the UK government issued the White Paper on Brexit, reinstating May’s promise to focus on bilateral free trade agreements.
On June 23, 2016, the United Kingdom held a referendum, as a result of which the country decided to leave the 28-nation bloc. According to the final results, some 52 percent of voters supported Brexit.
