Canadian PM responds to Trump's criticism of dairy industry

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, right, walks with Italy's Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni as he arrives for a working visit on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Ontario on Friday, April 21, 2017. (Justin Tang/The Canadian Press via AP) (The Associated Press)

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, right, shakes hands with Italy's Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni as he arrives for a working visit on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Ontario, on Friday, April 21, 2017. (Justin Tang/The Canadian Press via AP) (The Associated Press)

TORONTO – Canada's prime minister says he plans to be respectful and engage with the United States with a fact-based approach to solving problems a day after Donald Trump called Canada a "disgrace" for policies that hurt American farmers.

Justin Trudeau said Friday during a news conference alongside visiting Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni on Parliament Hill that he will stand up for Canada's interests and people.

Trump took aim at Canada's dairy industry this week for creating a new lower-priced classification of milk product that he argues hurts U.S. producers.

Gentiloni had been in Washington on Thursday. He and Trudeau on Friday were keen to display their support for free trade and open borders, including the Canada-EU free trade pact, amid growing populist opposition.