As many Americans come to grips with the outcome of the election, several Canadians ponder how the change in leadership will impact them.

Manitoba's former premier Gary Doer was in Winnipeg to help answer that question on Wednesday. He told a crowd of more than 200 people from the city’s business community that he is optimistic about president-elect Donald Trump’s future.

“He will in my view exceed expectations,” he said. “He prides himself on being a deal maker and I think there will be an attempt in Washington to end the gridlock.”

Doer, who served as Canada's ambassador to the United States, said it is good thing that Governor Chris Christie is leading Trump’s White House transition team.

Working with Christie on different panels, Doer explained the Governor has always been pro-trade, particularly with Canada. He sees this as a positive sign for the country, despite Trump previously criticizing free-trade deals.

Doer said there are challenges ahead, such as Trump's plan to tax profits made by U.S. companies in other countries.

He said the key for Canadian firms is to remind America that Canada is its biggest customer and buys more American goods than the European Union.

“You've got to be as populist as the populist president-elect, and you've got to talk as customers over and over and over again to get through in Washington," Doer added.

Canada also has an advantage over other countries, when it comes to trade with the U.S., Doer said. He explained that goes for unions who represent workers on both sides of the border.

He said when he got to Washington, the steel plant in Selkirk, north of Winnipeg, was under threat from trade restriction provisions.

"The steelworkers are the same union in Selkirk as they were in the United States. I went to the union and said we need help getting a waiver from the nine provisions ... that completely negated Canadian companies from competing," Doer said. "I think the chamber [of commerce] and labour should work together ... because we have a mutual interest in employment."

Doer was premier representing the NDP in Manitoba from 1999 until 2009. He served as ambassador to the U.S. from October 2009 until March 2016.

With files from The Canadian Press.