Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau declined an invitation from the White House to celebrate a new trade agreement between North American countries.

Trudeau, along with President Trump and Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, were scheduled to meet on Wednesday, but the Canadian leader will instead conduct online meetings with Cabinet officials as cases of the novel coronavirus continue to rise.

“The entry-into-force of the new NAFTA is good for Canada, the United States, and Mexico. It will help ensure that North America emerges stronger from the COVID-19 pandemic,” a spokesman for Trudeau said in a statement, according to Bloomberg.

“We wish the United States and Mexico well at Wednesday’s meeting. While there were recent discussions about the possible participation of Canada, the Prime Minister will be in Ottawa this week for scheduled cabinet meetings and the long-planned sitting of Parliament,” the statement continued before noting Canada looks forward to working with NAFTA partners to ensure the new agreement is a success.

Read more at Washington Examiner.