Conservative MP Jivani says Trump gave him a message for Canadians during Washington trip

Conservative MP Jamil Jivani says he met with Trump administration officials on Wednesday as he visits the United States capital on an independent trip billed as an effort to improve Canada-U.S. trade relations.

Jivani said U.S. President Donald Trump gave him a message to share with fellow Canadians.

“Productive meetings today with the White House and State Department. The President asked me to pass along a message: ‘Tell the Canadians I love them.’ I’ll have much more to say later,” the Ontario MP said in a post on X.

CBC News has reached out to the White House for comment.

Conservative MP Jamil Jivani posted on X that he spoke with U.S. President Donald Trump while in Washington. (@JamilJivani/X)

Jivani, a university friend of U.S. Vice-President JD Vance, offered to work with the Liberals before heading on the trip, but says he was snubbed.

In a video posted to social media, the MP said he has “something to offer to help build bridges of communication between our two countries.”

Speaking on his way to a caucus meeting earlier Wednesday, Prime Minister Mark Carney said while Jivani was briefed by Canada-U.S. Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc, the Liberal government is in “constant contact with the U.S. administration” and has its own list of “extensive contacts.”

“Minister 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 or the prime minister of Canada,” Carney said.

When asked about the briefing, Jivani said that he exchanged emails with LeBlanc, but they have yet to speak over the phone or in person “despite weeks of effort.”

“We are working on a meeting for next week where I can fully debrief him on my meetings in Washington,” he wrote. “I hope I get the chance to speak with the prime minister also, instead of us having to communicate through the media. I look forward to meeting with them and the opportunity to put partisanship aside.”

CBC News has reached out to LeBlanc’s offices to ask when the briefing took place and what topics were discussed, but has not received a response.

Jivani said he plans to meet with General Motors representatives and other automotive and manufacturing heavyweights. He will also attend the National Prayer Breakfast in the U.S. capital on Thursday — an annual gathering of thousands of politicians and power brokers.

Canadian politicians across the spectrum have attended the prayer breakfast in previous years. But Jivani is offering his unique experience as a friend of Vance. The pair met at Yale Law School and have stayed in touch.

Jivani emails PM, Liberal MPs with offer

Jivani shared four emails with CBC News dated from Dec. 14 to Feb. 2 in which he offered to collaborate with the Liberals. He sent the first directly to the prime minister.

“I ask with humility, would you please consider how I might be able to help in a way that is constructive and strategically aligned with the federal government’s efforts?” he wrote, citing the 2017 multi-partisan strategy for negotiations that led to the creation of the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA).

He cc’d LeBlanc and other key MPs in subsequent emails.

While his messages centred on the need for collaboration on the imperiled free trade deal (U.S. President Donald Trump has recently said “America doesn’t need it”) Jivani also criticized the “divisiveness” between Conservatives and Liberals.

“The timing and spectacle of recent floor-crossings appears to many Canadians as an effort from you to demoralize Conservatives and the millions of citizens who vote for us,” he wrote. “This is unfortunate, as it does not need to be this way for Conservatives and Liberals to co-operate where there are shared national objectives.”

Jivani also said that he has had the opportunity to share his insights with Canada’s outgoing ambassador to the U.S., Kirsten Hillman, but said he believes establishing a line with Carney and LeBlanc is critical to present a united front.

Conservative MP Gérard Deltell told reporters that while he has not met with Jivani to discuss his efforts to connect with U.S. officials, his party is keen to help the Liberal government in its negotiations with the Trump administration.

“We have offered our help … we hope that we’ll have a great collaboration with the government to be sure that Canada, Canadians will be the big winners,” he said.

“The advice I’ve given all of our MPs is you need to fight for jobs in your community,” said Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, referencing GM Canada’s 1,200 layoffs at its Oshawa, Ont., plant.

It’s a move the plant’s union describes as “a decision to cave to Donald Trump.”

Jivani told CBC News he wants to “convey a sense of urgency,” to U.S. stakeholders about the job losses in his community.

But Industry Minister Mélanie Joly told reporters she was skeptical.

“I haven’t heard him once, not only denouncing what GM is doing, but also promoting the interests of the workers at GM that are facing unjustified, and unjustifiable, tariffs by the American administration,” she said.