JD Vance shouldn't visit Canada, friend and Ontario Tory Jamil Jivani says

Conservative MP Jamil Jivani, who is a longtime friend of the U.S. vice president, says JD Vance shouldn’t visit Canada. The revelation came when Jivani spoke to Politico in an article published on Thursday . “Right now we have strong political disagreements, and that’s kind of how it is,” he told the publication. He said it would not be “constructive” for Vance to visit, specifically his  Bowmanville—Oshawa North riding in Ontario, given the political climate between the two countries. The U.S. and Canada have been in a months-long trade war, since President Donald Trump implemented tariffs on Canadian goods. Tensions remain high due to Trump’s ongoing rhetoric about his northern neighbours, calling for Canada to become the 51st state. ‘Hype man for the Liberal party’: Ontario Tory Jamil Jivani unloads on Premier Doug Ford “They need to probably reconsider some of their rhetoric and their policy before coming to Canada. Our country should deserve more respect before being able to welcome them,” said Jivani, who met Vance at law school at Yale University 15 years ago. The pair were so close, Jivani wrote in a 2020 National Post article , that he performed a Bible reading at Vance’s wedding. Jivani drew comparisons between Vance’s upbringing in Appalachia and his own upbringing in Toronto, surrounded by “children of middle- and working-class immigrants.” “But my friendship with J.D. taught me that his Appalachian family and friends aren’t so different from my own,” Jivani wrote. “The challenges that many Appalachians experience — poverty, addiction, fatherlessness, inadequate health care — are challenges seen and felt by my loved ones, too.” Speaking to Politico this week, Jivani said he hadn’t spoken to Vance “in a while” as they were both busy; however, he took umbrage with how Trump and Vance have spoken about Canada. He said it was a “problem for me personally.” “I’m a proud Canadian. I’m focused on my community, and we’ll see what happens next,” he said. Also on Thursday, Jivani told CBC News he would be open to using his connection with Vance to help the Liberal government smooth over tensions between the U.S. and Canada. “JD and I were friends before politics and will be friends after politics. But we do have very strong political disagreements,” he said. He added that “if the opportunity came where I thought I would make a positive difference, of course I would take it” and that his constituents would want him to do so. “At this point, with a new government elected, it’s going to be up to the Liberal Party and Prime Minister Mark Carney to lead on behalf of Canada and I hope they will have good policies and a good approach to look out for these families affected by tariffs,” he said. Jamil Jivani: JD Vance, My friend the hillbilly Jivani kept his seat in Monday night’s federal election , when Liberal leader Mark Carney officially became prime minister. Jivani’s riding is deeply entrenched in the North American auto industry — an area that was threatened by Trump’s tariffs. A 25 per duty on “imports of certain automobile parts from all countries” was expected to go into effect on May 3, but U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced an exemption Thursday for parts that are compliant with the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement.

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