Close X
Thursday, November 14, 2024
ADVT 
National

Trudeau arrives in Golden State for APEC summit in San Francisco

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 15 Nov, 2023 05:15 PM
  • Trudeau arrives in Golden State for APEC summit in San Francisco

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau touched down Wednesday in northern California to begin three days of meetings with fellow leaders at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation in San Francisco. 

The government's newly acquired Airbus CC-330 taxied to a stop at San Francisco International Airport, where Kirsten Hillman, Canada's ambassador to the U.S., led a coterie of emissaries who greeted the prime minister as he disembarked. 

The iconic motorcycle cops of the California Highway Patrol accompanied the prime minister's motorcade, sirens blaring, to the edge of the security zone where the summit is being held. 

Trudeau's first order of business was a bilateral meeting with California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a kindred Liberal spirit whose efforts to combat climate change have made him a prominent and valuable ally. 

From there, Trudeau was to attend a roundtable discussion about food affordability, then appear at an APEC reception hosted by U.S. President Joe Biden later in the day before a welcome dinner with tech leaders. 

U.S. President Joe Biden, meanwhile, was sitting  down with Chinese President Xi Jinping in an effort to defuse a year of international tensions, a meeting widely seen as the focal point of the summit. 

Reports suggest the two leaders were working on a deal to resume bilateral military communications and keeping artificial intelligence out of their respective nuclear defence systems. 

Trudeau, meanwhile, will be aiming for tangible progress on policy priorities in the Indo-Pacific, during bilateral meetings with fellow APEC leaders.

Federal officials say at least two bilateral economic initiatives with key Indo-Pacific partners will be on Canada's "deliverables" list. 

The absence of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi also makes it unlikely there will be much drama surrounding Trudeau's allegations of a link between agents of India's government and the June shooting death of a prominent Sikh leader in B.C. 

"Modi is not there, so India is not there," said Andreas Schotter, an associate business professor at Western University.

"It's been reported as giving the prime minister a chance to avoid the discussion about the issue, but I don't think it's a good thing. I think a meeting would have been better than avoiding it."

There's still plenty of important work for Canada to do at APEC, officials say: It's vital to be at the table in a part of the world where the decisions that are made are likely to affect Canadians for generations. 

The main goals for Trudeau include deeper collaboration with APEC nations that will foster middle-class growth and healthy regional competition, all with an eye toward advancing the fight against climate change. 

Officials say Trudeau will promote new Canadian efforts to foster more efficient food production and healthier supply chains, as well as removing trade barriers with countries in the Pacific Rim.  

The region accounts for about half of the world's merchandise trade, and is the destination for more than 88 per cent of Canadian exports. APEC's merchandise exports and imports alike now both exceed US$12 trillion annually.  

Canada's share of that pie reached $1.3 trillion last year, an increase of 22 per cent, thanks to partners that include the U.S., China, Mexico, Japan, South Korea and Vietnam. 

The summit comes one year after the Liberal government launched a new $2.3-billion Indo-Pacific strategy aimed at fortifying regional alliances as a hedge against China's expansive power. 

 

MORE National ARTICLES

Human activity and climate change cause cascading effects for Arctic ecosystem

Human activity and climate change cause cascading effects for Arctic ecosystem
Most of the planet is covered by oceans, which have absorbed 90 per cenet of the recent warming caused by planet-warming gases such as carbon dioxide and methane. Global sea temperatures have been at record highs since April, meterologists report as climate change is linked to more extreme and deadly events. 

Human activity and climate change cause cascading effects for Arctic ecosystem

Canada mulling 'game plan' if U.S. takes far-right, authoritarian shift: Joly

Canada mulling 'game plan' if U.S. takes far-right, authoritarian shift: Joly
Joly added that Ottawa's close political and economic ties to the U.S. means that "we must certainly prepare several scenarios." She suggested Canada has a game plan in mind but wouldn't get into details.

Canada mulling 'game plan' if U.S. takes far-right, authoritarian shift: Joly

NDP calls on feds to give study permits to institutions with 'credible' housing plan

NDP calls on feds to give study permits to institutions with 'credible' housing plan
Immigration Minister Marc Miller said in a recent interview with The Canadian Press that the federal government is reconsidering international student flows, particularly since some students have been victims of fraud. 

NDP calls on feds to give study permits to institutions with 'credible' housing plan

Thousands of residents around West Kelowna on evacuation alert as fire flares

Thousands of residents around West Kelowna on evacuation alert as fire flares
The Regional District of Central Okanagan posted the evacuation alert for as many as 4800 properties just before 10:30pm, Wednesday, about four hours after the McDougall Creek blaze was spotted 10 kilometres northwest of West Kelowna.

Thousands of residents around West Kelowna on evacuation alert as fire flares

B.C. police seek suspected getaway driver in killing of Sikh temple leader Nijjar

B.C. police seek suspected getaway driver in killing of Sikh temple leader Nijjar
Homicide investigators in British Columbia say they are seeking a third suspect in the killing of Surrey Sikh temple leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who was gunned down on June 18. Pierotti told a media briefing that the suspected getaway driver waited for the other suspects in a silver 2008 Toyota Camry that was parked near 121 Street and 68 Avenue before and during the killing.

B.C. police seek suspected getaway driver in killing of Sikh temple leader Nijjar

152 affordable homes being built for seniors in Delta

152 affordable homes being built for seniors in Delta
Located at 1054 - 54A St., KinVillage Apartments will have 145 one-bedroom and seven two-bedroom homes. All units will be adaptable or accessible, allowing the suites to be easily and inexpensively modified to meet residents’ needs as they age. 

152 affordable homes being built for seniors in Delta