Question of Priorities; President-Elect or Global South

External Affairs Minister Mark McGuigan to Prime Minister Trudeau: “Invitation from President-Elect Reagan,” December 16, 1980

During the transition period, Canadian officials mused about the possibility of an informal pre-inauguration between Reagan and Trudeau. Richard Allen, a hardline Republican who served as foreign policy advisor to the Reagan campaign and would be the new President’s first National Security Advisor, advised McGuigan that while a Canada visit was not possible, Reagan hinted that a willingness to meet Trudeau, as well as Mexican President Lopez Portillo in Washington to discuss the President-elect’s proposed North American Accord. Trudeau had already scheduled a trip to Mexico, along with stops in Algeria, Senegal and Nigeria to plan the North-South Cancun Conference to be held in October 1981.