Canada ready to help citizens in U.S. in case of post-election disruption: Freeland – CTV News

OTTAWA —
As Americans across the United States line up to cast their ballots and wait for the record-breaking advance votes to be counted, Canadians and their leaders are watching closely to see how the outcome will impact this country.
Whether U.S. President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence are re-elected, Democratic nominee Joe Biden and his running mate Kamala Harris turn them into one-term leaders, or it takes days for a clear winner to be declared, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says he and his officials will be keeping a close eye on how things unfold. 
We’re going to continue to watch and make sure we’re standing up for Canadian interests every step of the way. But we will allow the American elections obviously to unfold as they will, and Canada will watch, Trudeau told reporters on Tuesday. 
The prime minister said he plans to watch part of the election coverage tonight, but he isnt expected to comment on the results until a clear winner is declared. 
Trudeau noted that given the high rate of mail-in ballots cast due to the still-surging COVID-19 pandemic, its possible some key battleground states will be too close to call tonight, leaving the answer to who will lead that country for the next four years unanswered for an indeterminate amount of time. 
Regardless of who wins, Trudeau is pledging to work alongside the U.S. administration and keep on top of the ebbs and flows and movements and expressions of will within American society. 
Obviously, elections matter and we will watch the results of this one, but Canada is well positioned and ready to continue to work with the American people and the American government regardless of the outcomes of tonight, he said. 
Conservative Leader Erin OToole offered similar assurances that if he was the prime minister, hed be committed to working very closely with whomever the next U.S. president is to keep the relationship strong, given the extensive economic, social, and policy ties between the two countries. 
The Americans are a very close and important ally. Its important for the prime minister to find common ground in the best interests of our citizens, and to try to work together on issues. I will do that regardless of who the president is, OToole told reporters on Tuesday. OToole also has plans to spend part of his night watching the results roll in, but isnt expected to weigh in until a victor is declared. 
In an interview on CTVs Power Play former Canadian ambassador to the U.S. Gary Doer issued a caution to the federal party leaders watching tonights election outcome.
My advice in 2012 when I was in Washington was: Let the American people decide who the president is going to be, he said, adding that he thinks regardless of the outcome its really important that the other political leaders support how Trudeau deals with whomever gets sworn-in in January.
BLANCHET, SINGH HOPE FOR TRUMP LOSS 
Though, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh and Bloc Quebecois Leader Yves-Francois Blanchet have taken a less-diplomatic position, with both in recent days saying they are hoping for a Trump defeat tonight. 
On Monday, Blanchet said that while he tries to be careful about speaking about the internal affairs of other countries, he hopes Trump loses the presidency — and that he loses so clearly, that any attempt to challenge the result would be utterly in vain. Its not only the United States, or Quebec, or Canada that would fare better if this man was to leave the Oval Office,” he said. 
Singh took his remarks even further on Tuesday, tweeting early on that he hopes Americans vote him out. 
The NDP leader said that over the last four years Trump has fanned the flames of hatred and division, and failed the hundreds of thousands of Americans who have died from COVID-19. 
Trump makes the world a more dangerous place for all of us and I hope to see him lose, Singh said. 
In a later press conference Singh doubled down on his position, saying he thinks its a moral imperative for him to speak out. 
Reacting to Singhs approach, former foreign affairs minister John Manley said on CTVs Power Play that it indicates he doesnt ever expect to be the prime minister of Canada.
Theyre expected to work with whoever the United States chooses, and they will do so because they work for Canadians and Canadians interests are going to be served by having some kind of working relationship with the president of the United States. Jagmeet Singh doesnt obviously think hell ever be in that position so he can say whatever he wants, Manley said. 
PANDEMIC IMPACTS, POSSIBLE UNREST 
Trudeau also noted on Tuesday how COVID-19 is playing in to the U.S. election, not only in how the campaign and voting process were carried out, but in drawing battle lines between Americans based on Trumps response to the pandemic. 
We were extremely lucky in Canada, that all different orders of government and for the most part political parties worked together to be there to support Canadians, Trudeau said, on a day where the new COVID-19 cases still continue to rise and various levels of politicians grapple with the appropriate balance of health restrictions and business supports. 
In the United States, we saw that there was significant political debate around how to engage best with COVID-19 and obviously, that is something that is at play in this election, he continued. 
Another factor Canadian officials are keeping close watch for is the potential for civil unrest or protests as a result of the outcome, or in the instance of potential instability prompted by lack of a clear winner by nights end. 
Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland told reporters that the government will respect the choice made by American people but Canada stands ready to be there for Canadians who live in the United States, should violence break out. 
We’ll be there for them, she said. 
Freeland said she spoke with Canadas Ambassador to the U.S. Kirsten Hillman on Monday and wants to assure Canadians that our government is absolutely ready and we have thoughtfully prepared for all eventualities. 
Hillman recently told CTVs Power Play that there are protocols in place and diplomatic officials will be monitoring the facts on the ground. 
I really want to assure Canadians that, you know, just as we were ready when we came into office in 2015, just as we were ready in 2016, we are ready today, Freeland said.read more