Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is set to visit the White House in the hope of securing a fresh trade deal with the United States in the wake of his Liberal Party's election victory, according to President Donald Trump.
Mr Trump told reporters in Washington DC on Wednesday local time that he had received a phone call from Mr Carney, and that he had congratulated the Canadian leader on his election win.
"He called me up yesterday — he said, let's make a deal," Mr Trump said after a televised Cabinet meeting.
The US president also said that Mr Carney "couldn't have been nicer and I congratulated him.", and said he expects the Canadian prime minister will visit the White House within a week.
The comments come after Mr Trump said this week's Canadian election sends a "very mixed signal because it's almost even, which makes it very complicated for the country. It's pretty tight race."
Mr Carney's Liberals won Canada's federal election on Tuesday, but fell short of the 172 needed for majority control.
The Liberals had 169 confirmed seats with two races left to call in a setback for the party but a result that puts them in a strong position to pass legislation, including measures to confront United States President Donald Trump.
Not having an outright majority means Mr Carney's party will have to seek help from another, smaller party in the nation's next parliament.
Pierre Poilievre's Conservative Party had been on track to win the vote but Mr Trump's attacks, combined with the departure of unpopular former premier Justin Trudeau, transformed the race.
Mr Carney, who replaced Trudeau as prime minister just last month, convinced voters that his experience managing economic crises made him the ideal candidate to defy Mr Trump.
The US president downplayed any possible tensions with the Canadian, despite repeatedly calling for Canada to become the 51st US state.
"I think we're going to have a great relationship … They both hated Trump, and it was the one that hated Trump, I think, the least that won," the US president said on Wednesday.
"I actually think the Conservative hated me much more than the so-called Liberal."
In his victory speech in Ottawa on Tuesday, Mr Carney signalled a fresh approach to negotiating with the US and with Mr Trump.
"Our old relationship with the United States, a relationship based on steadily increasing integration, is over," he said.
"The system of open global trade anchored by the United States … [which] has helped deliver prosperity for our country for decades, is over.
"These are tragedies, but it's also our new reality."
ABC/wires
