Prime Minister Justin Trudeau met Friday with U.S. President Joe Biden on the margins of a mini-summit at the White House aimed at bolstering hemispheric trade and economic stability throughout the Western Hemisphere.

The two leaders discussed a wide range of issues, Trudeau said, including what he described as the urgent need for a 害羞草研究所渉umanitarian pause害羞草研究所� in the war raging between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

害羞草研究所淲e all want it to stop,害羞草研究所� he told a news conference at the Canadian Embassy.

害羞草研究所淐ountries like Canada and the United States and others are continuing to encourage everything that can be done to protect human life, including with humanitarian pauses.害羞草研究所�

But Trudeau offered few other details of the meeting, beyond noting that Biden himself did not raise the Liberal government害羞草研究所檚 plan for a digital services tax on foreign tech companies 害羞草研究所� a sore spot with some U.S. lawmakers.

And he defended that plan, which U.S. critics 害羞草研究所� including David Cohen, the U.S. ambassador to Canada 害羞草研究所� want halted pending a global taxation framework from the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development.

害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檙e a government that believes that everyone should pay their fair share of taxes,害羞草研究所� Trudeau said.

害羞草研究所淲e are hopeful that there will be a common framework eventually, sometime in the future. But we害羞草研究所檝e been very, very clear about our responsibility to Canadians, particularly for services delivered to Canadians on Canadian soil.害羞草研究所�

Cohen warned earlier this week that Canada could be in for a 害羞草研究所渂ig fight害羞草研究所� with the U.S. over the tax, which is slated to take effect in January. Critics see the country-by-country approach as overly aimed at the U.S. tech sector.

Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland said Tuesday she害羞草研究所檚 害羞草研究所渃autiously optimistic害羞草研究所� that a solution can be found before the end of the year.

Friday害羞草研究所檚 brief and rapidly assembled White House meeting, hosted by the president, marked the first official gathering of all 12 countries taking part in a nascent trade partnership aimed at fortifying economic growth and supply chains.

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The White House is hoping that in turn, more stability in South America and the Caribbean will help ease the relentless pressure it faces from the crush of irregular migration at the U.S.-Mexico border.

In addition to the U.S. and Canada, the framework includes Mexico, Chile, Barbados, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Panama, Peru, Uruguay and the Dominican Republic.

But the summit, which lasted only a few hours, wasn害羞草研究所檛 even the president害羞草研究所檚 top priority Friday: in the afternoon, Marine One hoisted Biden skyward for a trip to Lewiston, Maine, the site of the country害羞草研究所檚 latest deadly mass shooting.

害羞草研究所淲e envision a brighter future for all the people of the Americas in which vibrant economies build more equitable societies and democratic governments, through effective institutions, deliver for all,害羞草研究所� the group said in a joint statement.

害羞草研究所淭o this end, we recognize the need to accelerate inclusive and sustainable trade and investment in the region, address the climate crisis, and expand social and economic opportunities that leave no one behind.害羞草研究所�

James McCarten, The Canadian Press