Ambassador says Trump's choice of J.D. Vance as running mate is a 'good thing' for Canada

Canada's ambassador to the United States says «we're very happy» that Ohio Senator J.D. Vance is Donald Trump's vice-presidential running mate because of the senator's connections to Canada.

In an interview with CBC's on Monday, Kirsten Hillman said Vance is «someone we know well at the embassy» who has been seen at «many events supporting the Canada-U.S. relationship.»

«That's a good thing for us, that he has this high level of knowledge,» Hillman added.

Vance, a staunch conservative and author of the bestselling memoir Hillbilly Elegy, was praised by Trump for his military service and for graduating from Yale Law School.

«After lengthy deliberation and thought, and considering the tremendous talents of many others, I have decided that the person best suited to assume the position of Vice President of the United States is Senator J.D. Vance of the Great State of Ohio,» Trump wrote on Truth Social.

Ohio's economy is deeply intertwined with that of Canada. According to the Office of the United States Trade Representative, in 2023 the state exported $21.4 billion in goods to Canada, representing 38 per cent of Ohio's total goods exports.

But Vance is linking himself to Trump, who has promised a worldwide tariff on imports if he wins — a measure which would be stricter than any trade policy during his first term.

Trump has offered few details about his trade policy in his campaign literature and in media interviews. He has said he envisions a 10 per cent global tax.

It's not clear if that policy would apply to Canada — but officials here are taking precautions. The federal government staged a large-scale diplomatic deployment in March when it sent more than dozen diplomats in various U.S. cities to meet American lawmakers on