Canada to return to its honest broker role under Trudeau

With Trudeau�s decisive victory on Monday, Canadian voters reclaimed their country�s liberal identity

AP, Toronto: With a host of policies that differ dramatically from his predecessor, Justin Trudeau’s victory over the most conservative leader in Canada’s history will reverberate beyond the country’s borders.
The first major shift came Tuesday when Trudeau announced he had spoken with President Barack Obama and told him he will remove Canada’s six fighter jets from the US-led bombing campaign against the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria.
Among the other areas in which Trudeau differs from Conservative Stephen Harper: climate change, immigration and whether relations with the US should hinge on the future of the Keystone XL oil pipeline.
Speaking at a rally in Ottawa, the 43-year-old Trudeau - son of one of the country’s most dynamic politicians - underlined the sea change.
“I want to say this to this country’s friends around the world: Many of you have worried that Canada has lost its compassionate and constructive voice in the world over the past 10 years. Well, I have a simple message for you on behalf of 35 million Canadians. We’re back,” he declared.
With Trudeau’s decisive victory on Monday, Canadian voters reclaimed their country’s liberal identity, giving the new prime minister a commanding majority in parliament that will allow him to govern without relying on other parties.
That means change in Canadian policies on a broad spectrum of issues.
“Trudeau will return Canada to its traditional approach in foreign affairs which is characteristic of every single government but Harper’s,” said Robert Bothwell, a professor at the University of Toronto. “Canada will go back to multilateralism, back to strong support for the United Nations.”
There will be a “new way for Canada to be on the world stage,” agreed Liberal lawmaker Marc Garneau, who won re-election Monday.
The son of the late Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, who swept to office in 1968 on a wave of support dubbed “Trudeaumania” and governed for most of the next two decades, the younger Trudeau channels the star power - if not quite the political heft - of his father.
Tall and trim, he is a former school teacher and member of Parliament since 2008. He becomes the second-youngest prime minister in Canadian history and has been likened to Obama.
The White House said Obama called to congratulate Trudeau on Tuesday afternoon and said in a statement the two leaders “committed to strengthening the countries’ joint efforts to promote trade, combat terrorism and mitigate climate change.”
Trudeau said he discussed his commitment to withdraw Canadian fighter jets from the U.S.-led aerial bombing mission against Islamic State group radicals in Syria and Iraq. Trudeau believes Canada’s military involvement should be restricted to training missions only.
“He understands the commitments I’ve made around ending the combat missions,” Trudeau said.
Trudeau’s victory will likely improve ties with the United States, at least for the remainder of Obama’s presidency. Harper was frustrated by Obama’s reluctance to approve the Keystone XL pipeline from Alberta to Texas and clashed with the president on other issues, including the Iran nuclear deal.
Although Trudeau supports the Keystone pipeline, he argues relations should not hinge on the project.
“Theoretically, Justin is for Keystone, but he can obviously jettison that,” Bothwell said of the project, which Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton recently expressed opposition to. Republican contenders are for the project.
Still, there are differences that could lead to friction with the US, including the decision to remove the jets from the campaign against the Islamic State group. Harper had said such a move would hurt relations with the US.
Trudeau said Tuesday that the US president understood his commitment to end Canada’s involvement in the combat mission.

 

Canada to return to its honest broker role under Trudeau

With Trudeau�s decisive victory on Monday, Canadian voters reclaimed their country�s liberal identity

AP, Toronto: With a host of policies that differ dramatically from his predecessor, Justin Trudeaus victory over the most conservative leader in Canadas history will reverberate beyond the countrys borders. The first major shift came Tuesday when Trudeau announced he had spoken with President Barack Obama and told him he will remove Canadas six fighter jets from the US-led bombing campaign against the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria. Among the other areas in which Trudeau differs from Conservative Stephen Harper: climate change, immigration and whether relations with the US should hinge on the future of the Keystone XL oil pipeline. Speaking at a rally in Ottawa, the 43-year-old Trudeau - son of one of the countrys most dynamic politicians - underlined the sea change. I want to say this to this countrys friends around the world: Many of you have worried that Canada has lost its compassionate and constructive voice in the world over the past 10 years. Well, I have a simple message for you on behalf of 35 million Canadians. Were back, he declared. With Trudeaus decisive victory on Monday, Canadian voters reclaimed their countrys liberal identity, giving the new prime minister a commanding majority in parliament that will allow him to govern without relying on other parties. That means change in Canadian policies on a broad spectrum of issues. Trudeau will return Canada to its traditional approach in foreign affairs which is characteristic of every single government but Harpers, said Robert Bothwell, a professor at the University of Toronto. Canada will go back to multilateralism, back to strong support for the United Nations. There will be a new way for Canada to be on the world stage, agreed Liberal lawmaker Marc Garneau, who won re-election Monday. The son of the late Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, who swept to office in 1968 on a wave of support dubbed Trudeaumania and governed for most of the next two decades, the younger Trudeau channels the star power - if not quite the political heft - of his father. Tall and trim, he is a former school teacher and member of Parliament since 2008. He becomes the second-youngest prime minister in Canadian history and has been likened to Obama. The White House said Obama called to congratulate Trudeau on Tuesday afternoon and said in a statement the two leaders committed to strengthening the countries joint efforts to promote trade, combat terrorism and mitigate climate change. Trudeau said he discussed his commitment to withdraw Canadian fighter jets from the U.S.-led aerial bombing mission against Islamic State group radicals in Syria and Iraq. Trudeau believes Canadas military involvement should be restricted to training missions only. He understands the commitments Ive made around ending the combat missions, Trudeau said. Trudeaus victory will likely improve ties with the United States, at least for the remainder of Obamas presidency. Harper was frustrated by Obamas reluctance to approve the Keystone XL pipeline from Alberta to Texas and clashed with the president on other issues, including the Iran nuclear deal. Although Trudeau supports the Keystone pipeline, he argues relations should not hinge on the project. Theoretically, Justin is for Keystone, but he can obviously jettison that, Bothwell said of the project, which Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton recently expressed opposition to. Republican contenders are for the project. Still, there are differences that could lead to friction with the US, including the decision to remove the jets from the campaign against the Islamic State group. Harper had said such a move would hurt relations with the US. Trudeau said Tuesday that the US president understood his commitment to end Canadas involvement in the combat mission.