Winnipeggers watched closely as a new leader took power south of the border.
Donald Trump took the oath of office Friday morning in Washington and officially became the 45th President of the United States.
Controversy has surrounded the billionaire businessman ever since he won the election in November.
A pair of Winnipeggers travelling to the U.S. on Friday morning watched the inauguration ceremony before catching a flight to Las Vegas.
Tracy Klawuhn and Ryan Workman said they plan to visit Trump’s Las Vegas hotel during their trip, which coincides with Inauguration Day, to see if there are any protests they can take part in.
“It depends how peaceful it is. I don’t want to get into anything but if it’s peaceful, for sure,” said Workman. “I think it’s even more important being outside of the U.S. for them to know how much these things affect the world.”
“He’s already talking about bypassing NAFTA and the free trade agreements.”
Former Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Lloyd Axworthy watched President Trump’s inaugural address from his Winnipeg home.
Axworthy said Trump’s “America first” attitude dominated his opening remarks as president, which Axworthy said is a concern when it comes to global issues like immigration, security, and trade.
“This was a statement of retreat from that kind of international reality and cooperation,” said Axworthy. “He’s now made the border a barrier by his very statement.”
Axworthy said Trump’s presidency could have implications for Manitoba.
“Our hydro sales are very important to us. He was talking America first, buy America and you know, there’s just kind of an isolationism that may affect us.”
In Ottawa for a meeting of big city mayors with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Winnipeg Mayor Brian Bowman said his primary concern during Trump’s term is keeping the border open for business.
“There was a discussion with the Prime Minister that cities are going to be part of that dialogue with U.S. lawmakers to do our best to influence those that can work collaboratively with us, to ensure that trade is flowing both ways,” Bowman said.
Christopher Gunning, the U.S. Consul based in Winnipeg, has one message to Manitoba businesses -- relax.
“While there may be rough patches and there’s going to be choppy points, don’t forget that the relationship between Canada and the United States is not only fundamental, it is transcendental in terms of how the two economies function,” Gunning said. “There’s no country, there’s no business community that is better positioned to work with the new administration than Manitoba and Canada, in particular.”
Klawuhn said she worries President Trump’s brash and often confrontational style will send the wrong message.
“He’s a bit of a celebrity and I think people look up to him,” said Klawuhn. “I think that impacts how we treat each other, and I can see that impacts the way young people will treat one and other.”
