National

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau headed to Laos for ASEAN Summit

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 08 Oct, 2024 10:53 AM

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is travelling to Laos today to take part in the ASEAN Summit.

Canada is not a member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, but has a strategic partnership with ASEAN and is hoping to conclude a trade deal with the 10-nation bloc by the end of next year.

Canada and Indonesia are also working toward a trade deal that's set to be signed by the end of this year.

The trip marks the first official visit to Laos by a Canadian prime minister and Trudeau is set to meet with leaders from several member nations during the summit.

Together, the ASEAN countries represented Canada's fourth-largest trading partner in 2023 when it comes to merchandise trade.

The summit begins on Thursday and Trudeau is set to travel to Germany on Saturday for a meeting of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group, which will be chaired by U.S. President Joe Biden.

Prev Next

MORE National ARTICLES

90% of B.C. communities adopt province's plans for more small-scale housing

Almost all British Columbia communities have adopted the provincial government's plan to tackle the housing crisis by allowing more multi-unit homes on properties. The province says nearly 90 per cent of 188 local governments have followed the legislation that would allow for row homes, triplexes and townhouses on former single-home lots.

90% of B.C. communities adopt province's plans for more small-scale housing

TransLink warns of huge public transport cuts unless '$600m funding gap' is addressed

Metro Vancouver's transportation provider TransLink is warning of massive service cuts unless a $600-million funding gap is addressed. It says overall transit reductions of up to 50 per cent would be required starting in 2026, eliminating about 145 bus routes and "significantly reducing" SkyTrain, SeaBus and HandyDART services.

TransLink warns of huge public transport cuts unless '$600m funding gap' is addressed

Calgary officials send crews to Jasper fire, explain why evacuation centre shuttered

Calgary emergency officials say they’re sending crews to help the Jasper wildfire while explaining why they briefly shuttered their evacuation centre just as the fire roared into the townsite and started burning structures. Sue Henry, the head of Calgary’s emergency services, said 19 Calgary crews were headed north to the fire scene.

Calgary officials send crews to Jasper fire, explain why evacuation centre shuttered

Poverty more prevalent among those who died during B.C.'s heat dome: study

A study of British Columbia's deadly heat dome in 2021 says the risk factor most strongly associated with dying during those sweltering days was whether that person was receiving income assistance.

Poverty more prevalent among those who died during B.C.'s heat dome: study

Suspect arrested in sexual assault

Police in Victoria say they've arrested a suspect who they believe violently sexually assaulted a woman last week. Victoria police say a woman was threatened and assaulted in the early morning hours of July 18th after an unknown man took her to an area near a piece of public art known as the Commerce Canoe before fleeing.

Suspect arrested in sexual assault

Manitoba RCMP officer charged with assault following investigation: police watchdog

A Manitoba RCMP officer has been charged after a woman complained she was assaulted during a domestic call last year. Police were called to a home in The Pas in September after receiving reports of a dispute between two women.