HAMILTON, Canada

Prime Minister Mark Carney met Monday with a bipartisan delegation of US senators in Ottawa to discuss trade, border security, and joint efforts to combat the fentanyl crisis.

"Today, the Prime Minister, Mark Carney, met with a bipartisan delegation of United States senators in Ottawa. The Senator for Oregon, Ron Wyden, the Senator for Alaska, Lisa Murkowski, the Senator for New Hampshire, Maggie Hassan, and the Senator for Nevada, Catherine Cortez Masto, were present," said a statement by his office.

Carney and the senators "underscored the significance of the trading relationship between Canada and the U.S., including the important economic impact of Canadian businesses in the senators' home states."

The discussion also focused on "the sectors most impacted by the shifting trade landscape and Canada's recent measures to transform our steel industry."

On continental security, Carney highlighted "Canada's successes in dismantling illegal drug smuggling and securing the border," and both sides expressed a joint commitment to addressing the opioid crisis.

"The Prime Minister and the senators expressed a shared commitment to tackling the scourge of the fentanyl crisis on both sides of the border," the statement said.

As Canada negotiates a new trade and security relationship with Washington, Carney said he remains focused on securing his country's interests.

"The Prime Minister affirmed his focus on securing the best deal for Canadians."

The statement noted that "senior officials, including the Prime Minister’s Chief of Staff, Marc-Andre Blanchard, were in Washington, D.C., to advance negotiations," and Minister Dominic LeBlanc will continue talks this week.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, US Senator Ron Wyden said: "We want to work with all sides, the executive branch, in both countries to get some stability back in the economy in the US and in Canada."

Wyden said he suggested strengthening the US-Canada-Mexico agreement, and further proposed that Canada pass a law to permanently abolish the digital services tax.

"I ask that Canada move as quickly as possible to get a law passed in Parliament making sure that it's gone permanently. The Prime Minister was receptive to that. He said he would get on it in the fall," he added.

For his part, Carney refrained from offering any additional comment and described the meeting with the Senators as "good."