PM TALKS CLIMATE CHANGE,
President’s not-so-subtle TPP message to Canada raises eyebrows
Justin Trudeau’s first trip abroad as prime minister ended eventfully as he talked climate change, free trade and the Islamic State with U.S. President Barack Obama.
Trudeau was in the Philippines for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, which brings together leaders from 21 countries on either side of the Pacific to talk trade and business. The summit followed a meeting in Turkey earlier this week of leaders from the world’s 20 richest countries, the G20.
Trudeau met with a number of counterparts representing the largest and most influential countries in Asia. But it was the meeting with Obama, his first since last month’s election, that was the most highly anticipated — and the most important.
When the two leaders emerged from their 23-minute closed-door meeting, they said little about what was actually discussed. Instead, they praised the Canada-U.S. relationship and talked in generalities.
Obama noted “the incredible excitement that Justin generated with his campaign in Canada,” and added he was confident Trudeau would “provide a great boost of energy and reform to the Canadian political landscape.”
Obama did most of the talking during the press conference. He said the two discussed the situation in Syria, counter-terrorism efforts “given the long shared border we have,” the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) free trade deal, and climate change.
The president raised eyebrows when he delivered what appeared to be a not-so-subtle message that he expects Canada to sign on to the trade deal. Trudeau has promised to consult Canadians and hold a parliamentary debate on the agreement, which was finalized during the election campaign.
Obama said Canada and the U.S. are “both soon to be signatories to the TPP agreement.” And while the president acknowledged Trudeau’s promise to consult, he said he believed Canada would agree that the deal was beneficial for all.
Asked about Obama’s comments at a separate press conference, Trudeau noted that the 11 other countries had acknowledged in a communiqué released on Wednesday his pledge to consult.
Trudeau wouldn’t say what would happen if Canada wanted to change the trade deal but other countries refused. “I’m not going to engage in hypotheticals,” he said. “We look forward to hearing from Canadians about the concerns they may have, but also the great opportunities that no doubt come with a deal like this.”
There were a few moments of levity, such as when the two leaders revealed that Trudeau and wife, Sophie Grégoire-Trudeau, would be visiting the White House early next year. Trudeau joked that his wife would be excited to see Michelle Obama’s vegetable garden, which prompted a broad smile from Obama.
They also talked about their first phone call, in which Obama warned that Trudeau would have to dye his hair if he wanted to keep it from turning grey. “So young and yet so cynical,” Trudeau joked.
But it wasn’t all fun and games, as the two faced questions about the oilsands and the war against the Islamic State (ISIL), which has been a major focus of world leaders since last week’s terrorist attacks in Paris.
Trudeau stuck mostly to his talking points, which included re-affirming Canada’s commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and participating in the fight against ISIL, despite a plan to withdraw Canadian jets from Iraq and Syria. Other countries, including the U.S., have been ramping up their bombing efforts.
However, Trudeau said Canada would be involved in the effort to “degrade and defeat ISIL over the long haul.” Asked at the press conference marking the end of APEC exactly what he meant, Trudeau said there was no denying that the effort would take months, “and yes, probably years.”
The previous Conservative government committed Canada to missions lasting between six and 12 months, at which point it said it would seek extensions. But Trudeau, who is planning to ramp up efforts to train Kurdish and Iraqi forces to fight ISIL, said Canadians had elected him to tell the truth.
“People understand there are going to be no quick solutions in getting rid of ISIL,” he said. “Engagement by Canada needs to be done with a responsible approach that recognizes that this is a problem without a quick solution, and we shouldn’t pretend that it is.”
Trudeau’s meeting with Obama took place two weeks after the U.S. president rejected the controversial Keystone XL pipeline.
Neither leader mentioned Keystone by name. However, asked if he would prefer to see Alberta’s bitumen remain in the ground, Obama said he believed oil prices would remain low “for a while,” before calling on both countries to embrace an eventual transition away from fossil fuels.
“This is going to be a messy, bumpy process worldwide,” he said of such a transition. “But I am confident that we can get it done and the fact that we now have a very strong partner in Canada to help set up some global rules around how we approach this, I think, will be extraordinarily helpful.”