Here's where Kamala Harris stands on key issues in upcoming presidential election

U.S. Vice-President Kamala Harris was moving swiftly on Monday to try to lock up the Democratic presidential nomination, the day after President Joe Biden, 81, abandoned his re-election bid in the face of growing opposition by his own party and endorsed Harris.

With Democrats rallying behind her, Harris looks set to lock up the party's nomination and take on former president Donald Trump, the Republican candidate, in the Nov. 5 election.

Should that happen, here's a look at where she stands on key issues.

Canada

Top of mind for Canadian officials heading into the November election in the U.S. is the looming review of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement in 2026. Harris was one of 10 U.S. senators to vote against the trade agreement, saying it didn't do enough to protect American workers or the environment.

During his presidency, Trump pushed for renegotiation of the old North American Free Trade Agreement, and his administration introduced billions of dollars' worth of tariffs, particularly on Chinese imports. He has threatened more tariffs and decreased aid to Ukraine, fighting off Russia's invasion, if he wins a second term in office.

Biden's tenure brought some stability but not much change. He largely kept Trump's tariffs in place, despite promises to reverse them. There has also been tension over the Biden administration's Buy American procurement rules.

Federal NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh said he wasn't concerned by some signalling that Democrats could continue leaning toward protectionist policies under Harris. Singh, speaking from Timmins, Ont., told reporters that Trump was a bully but that Biden was more open to compromise on important aspects of trade.

WATCH | Harris 'knows Canada very well,' says minister Champagne:

Champagne on Kamala Harris: 'She knows Canada very well'

4 months ago

Duration 1:13

Innovation, Science and Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne shares his thoughts on U.S. President Joe Biden’s endorsement of U.S. Vice-President Kamala Harris as the next Democratic Party presidential candidate.

Abortion

Harris has been outspoken on abortion rights, an issue that resonates with younger voters and more liberal Democrats, and was a vocal critic of the U.S. Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade in 2022.

At the beginning of this year, she launched a "fight for reproductive freedoms" tour, pushing for further access to abortion across the country while mobilizing voters on abortion issues ahead of the election.

WATCH | Harris says Senate out of touch with most Americans' views on abortion:

Senate not in line with most Americans on abortion access: VP

3 years ago

Duration 0:55

U.S. Vice-President Kamala Harris, who presided over Wednesday's vote in the Senate on the Women’s Health Protection Act, said the outcome suggests the legislative body is not is not "where the majority of Americans are" on abortion access, and makes clear for people who care about the issue that "the priority should be to elect pro-choice leaders."

Climate

Harris has made clear that clean energy and environmental justice are priorities.

When Biden announced Harris as his running mate in the 2020 race, he emphasized her tough stance against big oil when she served in key roles in California. As the state's attorney general, Harris won multimillion-dollar settlements with oil majors Chevron and BP over alleged pollution violations from underground fuel storage tanks.

She is a proponent of the Biden administration's strategy to expand offshore wind energy and other renewables with lease auctions and subsidies, striking a contrast with Trump, a fossil fuel booster who has criticized offshore wind and other clean energy technologies.

Last year, Harris made her debut at international climate negotiations, announcing a $3-billion US commitment to the Green Climate Fund and making her first major international speech focused on climate.

As vice-president, Harris has also been involved in Environmental Protection Agency policy rollouts that tackled long-standing environmental justice issues, such as a multibillion-dollar program to replace lead pipes and lead paint across the country.

Immigration

Early into her tenure, Harris was appointed by the Biden administration to lead its immigration response at the southern U.S.-Mexico border and was tasked with exploring the root cause of mass migration from Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador.

One of her most significant achievements came when she secured $4.2 billion US in private-sector investments for job creation and economic development in Central America.

The initiative was meant to quell the flow of migrants out of those countries and into the U.S., and the administration has said that it's on track to reach its goals in the region.

Gun reform

Harris has been outspoken about the need for gun reform in the U.S. and oversaw the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention as vice-president.

Israel-Hamas war

Israelis on Sunday scrambled to understand what her candidacy would mean for their country as it confronts increasing global isolation over its military campaign against Hamas militants in the Palestinian enclave of Gaza.

Israel's left-wing Haaretz daily newspaper ran a story scrutinizing Harris's record of support for Israel, pointing to her reputation as Biden's "bad cop" who has vocally admonished Israel for its offensive in Gaza. In recent months, she has gone further than Biden in calling for a ceasefire, denouncing Israel's invasion of Rafah and expressing horror over the civilian death toll in Gaza.

In March, she bluntly stated that Israel was not doing enough to ease a "humanitarian catastrophe" during its ground offensive in Gaza. Later, she did not rule out "consequences" for Israel if it launched a full-scale invasion of refugee-packed Rafah in southern Gaza.

"With Biden leaving, Israel has lost perhaps the last Zionist president," said Alon Pinkas, a former Israeli consul general in New York. "A new Democratic candidate will upend the dynamic."

War in Ukraine

At this year's Munich Security Conference, Harris delivered a tough speech slamming Russia for its invasion of Ukraine and pledging an "ironclad" U.S. commitment to NATO's Article 5 requirement for mutual self-defence.

The Kremlin said on Monday that Harris had made no noteworthy contribution to relations with Moscow except for statements "unfriendly towards our country." She has accused Russia of waging a "barbaric and inhumane" war in Ukraine.

China

Harris has long positioned herself within Washington's bipartisan mainstream on the need for the U.S. to counter China's influence, especially in Asia. She would likely maintain Biden's stance of confronting Beijing when necessary while also seeking areas of co-operation, analysts say.

The vice-president has made several trips aimed at bolstering relations in the economically dynamic region, including one to Jakarta last September to fill in for Biden at a summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). During the visit, Harris accused China of trying to coerce smaller neighbours with its territorial claims in the disputed South China Sea.

Biden also dispatched Harris on travels to shore up alliances with Japan and South Korea, which have had reason to worry about Trump's commitment to their security.

Iran

Harris could also be expected to hold firm against Israel's regional arch-foe, Iran, whose recent nuclear advances have drawn increased U.S. condemnation.

After a series of failed attempts, Biden has shown little interest in returning to negotiations with Tehran over resuming the 2015 international nuclear agreement, which Trump abandoned during his presidency.

Harris would be unlikely to make any major overtures without serious signs that Iran is ready to make concessions.