Kamala Harris likely to follow Biden's path on Canada-U.S. relationship, experts say

Observers expect Kamala Harris to follow President Joe Biden's roadmap for America's relationship with Canada as she moves to secure the Democratic party's presidential nomination.

«On the key things that matter for Canada-U.S. relations, her outlook is very similar to the president,» said Christopher Sands, director of the Canada Institute at the Woodrow Wilson Center in Washington.

Biden endorsed Harris, his second-in-command, as he dropped out of the 2024 presidential race Sunday.

Biden bowed to weeks of pressure after appearing confused and frail during a debate with Republican rival Donald Trump last month, followed by missteps on the world stage during the NATO leaders' conference.

The vice-president moved quickly to shore up support for her bid to be the party's presidential nominee. Harris has received the blessing of important Democratic figures, including former House speaker Nancy Pelosi, who holds significant influence within the party.

«The most important thing is the remarkable degree to which the party has coalesced around Harris,» said the University of Pennsylvania's Marc Trussler.

Trussler, director of data science for the university's program on opinion research and election studies, said the main question following Biden's departure was whether the Democrats could present a united front in his wake.

Harris looks to be able to sweep the support of delegates ahead of the party's national convention next month, where a choice of presidential candidate will be confirmed.

Trussler, who is Canadian, said this was the critical moment when the Democrats had to decide what the election was going to be about: Biden's mental acuity or Trump's policies.

«It seems more likely than not this election will now be about Donald