Conservative MP Jamil Jivani says he met with White House officials on Feb. 4, and that U.S. President Donald Trump asked him to pass along a message to Canadians: “Tell the Canadians I love them.”

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

“Productive meetings today with the White House and State Department,” Jivani said on social media on Feb. 4. “More meetings with Senators, GM, and others this week.”

Jivani told the American outlet Semafor that he held unofficial meetings with Vance and his wife Usha Vance, as well as with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Feb. 4.

Jivani had said on Feb. 3 that helping Canada in trade relations with the United States is “not a partisan” issue, a sentiment in line with the Conservatives’ declared position that they want to help the Liberal government in trade talks.

“CUSMA and trade with the United States is so important to the Canadian economy and to our future as an independent, self-reliant nation that Conservatives and Liberals don’t need to fight over this at all. In fact, we need to work together,” Jivani said.

Jivani said that he has a “strong network” in the United States, and that he plans to build on that to help in trade talks and tariffs relief. Jivani’s Bowmanville—Oshawa North riding in Ontario is among the regions hard-hit by U.S. tariffs due to the levies on the auto sector.

“The reality is that three-fourths of our exports go to the United States,” Jivani said. “If we want an economy that is good for our young people, if we want an economy that supports public services for seniors in our communities, we’ve got to work with the Americans.”

Jivani told Semafor that he is focused on defusing tensions between Canada and the United States, and that key to this will be Ottawa not seeking further close relations with China.

Prime Minister Mark Carney recently signed a series of deals with China on trade issues, and said the strategic partnership he is establishing with Beijing “sets us up well for the new world order.” U.S. officials have been critical of the deals, saying they may impact Canada’s free trade negotiations with the United States.

Jivani said that his talks with U.S. officials focused on the upcoming USMCA/CUSMA renewal talks, while clarifying that he’s not speaking on behalf of the federal government, according to Semafor. He added that he hopes his meetings in the United States would mean that “we don’t need to go further with China.”

“It kind of shows to me—before we’re even really doing everything possible to get this done with the U.S., now we’re willing to work with a government that, less than a decade ago, we were saying was a genocidal state,” Jivani told Semafor.

Washington Trip

During the Conservative convention in late January, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said he has made a “good faith offer” to the Liberal government to help remove U.S. tariffs. Poilievre held a private meeting with Carney on Feb. 4, where the two said they discussed issues related to affordability, public safety, and the economy.

Asked by reporters if he had any advice for Jivani on his trip, Poilievre said on Feb. 4 that he tells all Conservative MPs they need to fight for jobs in their communities.

“He’s going to fight for those autoworkers, as all of our MPs have been doing,” Poilievre said.

Carney was also asked about Jivani’s trip on Feb. 4, to which he responded that the Conservative MP has been briefed by the minister responsible for Canada-U.S. trade, Dominic LeBlanc. Carney however dismissed the significance of Jivani’s trip, saying he’s not a trade official.

“We have extensive contacts with the U.S. administration, constant contacts with the U.S. administration. Mr. LeBlanc gave a briefing to Mr. Jivani, who I don’t believe is the trade critic for the Opposition, certainly not the minister of international trade, nor the prime minister,” Carney told reporters in Ottawa.

Canada-US Relations

Carney last travelled to Washington in December, where he met with Trump on the sidelines of the FIFA World Cup draw.

Relations between Carney and Trump soured following Carney’s speech on Jan. 20 at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, where he criticized U.S. foreign policy and protectionism, and said middle powers should band together against “great powers.” Trump told the WEF the next day that Carney “wasn’t so grateful,” and the following day, after Carney rebuffed Trump’s comment that “Canada lives because of the United States,” Trump rescinded an invitation for him to join the U.S.-led Board of Peace.

Trump and other U.S. officials have also criticized Carney for his recent agreements with China and slashing tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles, with Trump threatening 100 percent tariffs on Canada over the issue, while Carney has said he isn’t pursuing a free-trade deal with Beijing.

Carney and Trump held a private call in late January, during which, according to U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Carney walked back some of his comments at the WEF. Carney denied this claim, saying he meant what he said.

Canada hasn’t been able to secure a trade deal with the United States to remove 35 percent tariffs on products that don’t fall under the USMCA.

The Liberal government has said it now has its sights set on the USCMA review, which is due later this year.