Gov. Janet Mills criticized Trump’s tariffs on Canadian goods during a meeting with New Brunswick Premier Susan Holt on Tuesday afternoon.
FREDERICTON, NB — Gov. Janet Mills and New Brunswick Premier Susan Holt met Tuesday in Fredericton for what appeared to be a friendly conversation, but was often overshadowed by growing tensions between the U.S. and Canada at the federal level.
NEWS CENTER Maine’s Donovan Lynch attended the meeting.
The discussion, hosted by the local Chamber of Commerce, focused largely on trade and tourism. However, political undercurrents from Washington, particularly policies and rhetoric from President Donald Trump, shaped the conversation.
Mills openly criticized Trump’s embrace of tariffs on Canadian goods and sought to distance herself and the American public from recent remarks made by the former president, including a suggestion that Canada could become the 51st U.S. state.
While Holt welcomed Mills’ visit and praised her commitment to cross-border dialogue, the two leaders reached a stalemate on tourism.
Holt reiterated comments she made last week in Boston, saying she couldn’t encourage Canadians to travel to the U.S. at this time. She cited safety concerns tied to the Trump administration’s aggressive immigration enforcement.
“The big picture is that tourism is not something that we can collaborate on right now,” Holt said after the meeting. “New Brunswickers are staying home, more Canadians are coming to New Brunswick, more Mainers are coming to New Brunswick — and we can understand and support why they’re doing that. But at the end of the day, we still want Maine and Maine businesses to be successful.”
Mills attempted to reassure her Canadian counterpart and the audience that Maine remains a safe and welcoming destination.
“When it comes to safety, let me just say that you can come to Maine and hike Mount Katahdin, hike the Appalachian Trail, enjoy our ski slopes,” she said.
Back in Maine, Republican leaders criticized the governor’s visit. Jason Savage, executive director of the Maine GOP, wrote in a statement that “Governor Janet Mills should be working to fix the many problems she and her administration have created right here in Maine rather than running off to Canada.”
Mills is scheduled to remain in New Brunswick through Tuesday afternoon before traveling to Halifax to meet with the Premier of Nova Scotia.
