Canada and the ISIS combat mission: U.S. would like to talk

The U.S. ambassador to Canada has hinted that Washingtonmay try toconvince the incoming Liberal government to maintain a combat missionagainst ISIS, even though prime minister-designate Justin Trudeau has vowed to end it.

"Idon'tactually want to presume an outcome here,"Ambassador Bruce Heyman told CBC News chief correspondent Peter Mansbridge."He hasn't formed hisgovernment, and we'd like the opportunityto comein and sit down with the government and talk about the broad aspect of the coalition and what we're trying to get accomplished."

Mansbridge asked Heyman if he was suggesting the U.S. wouldlike the opportunity to lobby Ottawa to continue with the existing mission.

• Trudeau, Obama commit to deepening Canada-U.S. relationship
• Justin Trudeau: I'll end ISIS combat mission, restore relations with Iran
• Justin Trudeau's turn to face the weight of expectations
• Canada-U.S. relations 'significantly better' on this 4th of July, says U.S. ambassador

"What I'm really saying is I'd like the opportunity at every file with every minister to sit down and have a conversation," Heyman said."Develop a relationshipso thatwe can sit across the tableand talk about opportunities. And where there aredifferences, have a good understanding for each other of where we see things differently and work to really good outcomes that work for both of us."

Canada has deployed CF-18sto take part in the U.S.-led coalition's airstrikes against ISIS. But Trudeau has said he wants to pull those fighters,provide more humanitarian aid in Iraq and Syria and have Canada's military involved in training missions, not bombing missions.

Trudeau, who spoke with U.S. President BarackObamaon Tuesday,said they discussedCanada's role in the mission and that the president "understands the commitments I have made around ending the combat mission."

U.S.-Canada differences 'small,'ambassador says

Heymandenied that relations between the U.S. and Canada havebeen damaged under Prime Minister Stephen Harper's watch. Some suggest a tense relationship has developed over the Keystone XL pipeline. Harper has lobbied the U.S. for years to approve the pipeline, calling theapproval a "no-brainer" and that he"would not take no for an answer."

"I wouldn'tusethat term [damaged] at all," Heyman said."In fact, Ireflectedback over thelast coupleof days on the U.S.-Canadarelationship, and as Ithink about the U.S.-Canada relationship right now, there werea lot of successes, and we have to thankthe prime ministerfor the work that he did on enhancing it."

Heymansaid the U.S. and Canada are at record levels of trade andthey had just signed the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal.

"I would say there are smaller differences on a few issues."

Mansbridge also asked Heyman about the suggestion byWisconsin governor andformer Republican presidential contender Scott Walker that he would consider putting up a wall at the Canada-U.S. border.

"That's absurd," he said. "That's just absurd."