WASHINGTON—Canada needs to allow U.S. President Donald Trump to “declare victory” on the North American Free Trade Agreement, Canadian Ambassador David MacNaughton said Thursday.

MacNaughton, taking questions alongside his Mexican counterpart at an event in Washington, said Canada is optimistic that the revised deal can be, as Vice-President Mike Pence said last week, a “win-win-win” for all three countries.

But asked if Canada can allow Trump to sell the revised deal to his base, MacNaughton said Canada must let the president tout the outcome as his own triumph.

“This was such a big part of the president’s campaign last year, and I think for any of us to think that we can sort of just ignore that would be crazy. We have to find ways where he can declare victory without it being seen in either Mexico or Canada as being a loss,” MacNaughton said.

Read more: Revised NAFTA might make U.S. items cheaper for Canadian online shoppers

MacNaughton suggested that Trump’s bellicose public words obscure a collaborative behind-the-scenes relationship between his White House and the government of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

“I know that people seize on some of the words the president uses every once in a while, everybody focuses in on that. But the reality is, in terms of our discussions with the administration — with the White House as recently as Friday — that’s what the United States is focused in on too: how do we make this a win-win-win,” he said.

He wryly tipped his cap to the president for furnishing the “creative tension” needed to make progress.

The first round of NAFTA talks will begin on Aug. 16 in Washington. The Trump administration issued a vague but lengthy list of desired changes on Monday, which included such proposals as better access to Canadian markets for various U.S. industries, cheaper cross-border shopping for Canadian consumers and the elimination of the agreement’s contentious dispute-resolution system.

The three countries agree that the new deal would ideally be struck by the beginning of 2018, since negotiations will get more complicated the closer they get to the Mexican elections in June. But the list of U.S. demands will make it “challenging” to finish in a mere few months, MacNaughton said, even if there isn’t any real controversy.

Also on Thursday morning, Trump’s nominee for ambassador to Canada, Kentucky Republican fundraiser Kelly Knight Craft, had a low-key confirmation hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Craft’s approval by the full Senate appears assured.

Craft, who owns a consulting firm and whose husband is a coal billionaire, said she will work to improve the bilateral economic and energy relationship. She said she will also work “to advance our shared environmental goals.”

“The United States is fortunate to have a neighbour that shares our strong commitment to democratic values and works tirelessly to promote peace, prosperity, and human rights around the world,” she said.

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Among the Craft supporters in the room was John Calipari, the coach of the University of Kentucky’s men’s basketball team. Craft is a member of the university’s board of trustees.

“She is a kind-hearted person who cares about people. Very conscientious, very people-oriented. I think the people of Canada are going to say, ‘Wow, we’ve got someone that’s really engaged; this is not for funsies,’” Calipari told the Star. “She’s engaged. And she’s got the ear of the administration.”

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