Not all fun in Canada sun as abortion and homophobia tackled
NOVELTY socks? Leo had learned his lesson. He stuck to plain black and left his Canadian friend to it (beige maple leaves – quite sedate).
But a certain gesture was required to beef this ‘bromance’ up to the next level. What could be better then, than for the Taoiseach and Canadian Premier Justin Trudeau to hold their bilateral meeting on Canadian turf in the same spot John Lennon and Yoko Ono held a famous bed-in for peace in 1969 – the Fairmont Queen Elizabeth?
Mercifully, Leo and Justin weren’t in their pyjamas. Straight off the back of his holiday in Chicago, Leo was sporting a tan as he pulled up outside the Royal Highland Regiment Armoury where an officer was feverishly vacuuming the red carpet and a regiment of rifles rested startlingly on the floor. Although an ‘official’ rather than a ‘state’ visit, he was getting the full military honours with a 19-gun salute because that is the number of shots for a prime minister, explained an officer.
As the pomp and ceremony began, they proceeded down the lines of troops. With it being his first time, Leo wavered slightly at the start of the second row and Trudeau gently manoeuvred him back beside Major Lance Richard Gosselin, the parade commander.
Gifts were exchanged in private – Trudeau presenting Leo with maple leaf cufflinks, while Trudeau – an avid ‘Star Wars’ fan – got a framed picture of Skellig Michael.
After that, it was on to the Fairmont Queen Elizabeth for their bilateral meeting where they talked the Ceta trade agreement between Canada and Europe, the Canadian health system – with Leo looking for tips – as well as the looming abortion question.
Trudeau said: “On the issue of reproductive rights, I shared our perspective that reproductive rights for
women are integral to women’s rights in general and women’s rights are human right.
“I encouraged him to look at it as a question of fundamental rights for women and we had a good discussion on that.”
Afterwards, the Taoiseach said he had been updating his counterpart on plans to have a referendum next year – “ideally in the first half of the year if that can be done”.
Business over, it was time to cut loose, with a carnival in full swing out on the streets. The sun was shining, the music was pumping and tens of thousands of people lined the Pride route.
The two heads of state had changed clothes – Trudeau in white slacks and a blue shirt, Leo in beige chinos and a grey shirt. Both had opened the top buttons of their shirts and rolled up their sleeves to show this was ‘down time’.
In a serious moment as he addressed the crowd, Leo said more needed to be done for diversity.
“We need to stand up to homophobic bullying in workplaces and schools, we need to make more advances in the area of sexual health; that is a key priority for me at home and internationally.
“We need to use our voices to stand up to communities who face real threats and real dangers.”
The first head of state to march in a Canadian Pride event, Leo walked the route with partner Matt Barrett, waving and smiling along the way.
The feel good factor was sky high. Asked if he was having fun, the Taoiseach smiled and said yes.
“The sun is shining,” he added.
It certainly beats staying in bed.