Canada and California signed a memorandum on Thursday to reinforce their cooperation on climate policies, with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau suggesting it should be permanent despite changes in who controls government.
During a joint press conference in Los Angeles, Trudeau and California Gov. Gavin Newsom both commented on the prospect of their partnership not withstanding time due to the democratic process.
“Well, he has no term limits,” Newsom quipped in answering a reporter’s question. “So you know, you may be talking to him for a few more decades. I recognize I’m the future ex-governor of California.”
Newsom then mentioned the work done by former California Republican governors Ronald Reagan and Arnold Schwarzenegger in enacting environmental policy, as a way to demonstrate there can be bipartisan support.
The governor said this gives him “deep confidence” his policies can endure.
Also addressing the legacy of his policies, Trudeau said that due to democracy, nothing could stop a future government from reversing “all the good work done by the previous government, except citizens themselves.”
“Canadians and Americans need to—Californians need to—continue to have confidence that we are moving forward, and that nobody should ever be empowered to move us back,” Trudeau said.
It seeks to establish a “flexible framework” to “promote and carry out cooperative activities” in order to reduce pollution and protect nature.
“Clean transportation,” “clean technology and innovation,” and “circular economy” are among the determined areas of cooperation.
More specifically, the MOC states there can be collaboration on the area of reaching zero-emission targets for vehicles. Many of the clauses involve information sharing of best practices on environmental issues.
Canada and California signed a memorandum of understanding in 2019 to tackle vehicle “climate pollution.”
Trudeau has been travelling through the United States this week. He made a stop in Colorado Springs to visit the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) Headquarters, and then headed to Los Angeles for the Summit of the Americas.
