OTTAWA — Prime Minister Mark Carney says he spoke to U.S. President Donald Trump to explain the mutual benefits of the Gordie Howie International Bridge, which will soon connect Windsor, Ont., and Detroit, after the president threatened on Monday evening to block the opening of the new border crossing.

Carney said he told Trump that Canada paid for the bridge and the construction of the bridge included U.S. workers and steel.

“This is a great example of cooperation between our countries. Look forward to it opening,” said Carney, on Tuesday morning before a cabinet meeting in Ottawa. “And what is particularly important of course is the commerce and the tourism and the voyages of Canadians and Americans that will go across that bridge.”

Carney also told reporters that Trump asked that Pete Hoekstra, the U.S. ambassador to Canada who is from Michigan, “play a role in smoothing the conversation in and around the bridge.”

Carney also said he discussed the upcoming Olympic women’s hockey game between Canada and the United States.

“It was a positive conversation. It’s a big game today. And we’re going to win.”

More to come.

National Post

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