Canada’s view of its southern neighbour has understandably dimmed after President Donald Trump launched a tariff war. With Trump declaring more tariffs against Canada effective Friday , National Post spoke this week with former ambassador David Cohen, former president Joe Biden’s envoy to Ottawa from 2021 to 2025, who was tasked with resetting U.S.-Canada relations following the first tumultuous Trump term, which included its own tariff actions against Canadian goods.

Much of Cohen’s work involved navigating a landscape where bilateral co-operation could no longer be taken for granted and where he had to rebuild an alliance strained by trade disputes and fiery rhetoric. He’s since returned to private life but still gives talks boosting the U.S.-Canada relationship.

(This interview has

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