Trudeau’s style topped substance on first trip
Prime minister created a stir but acknowledged actions mean more
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had one overarching goal for his first official trip abroad, which ended Friday: to show the world that Canada was, in his words, “back.” And the world did sit up and take notice of his arrival.
It started as soon as he touched down in Turkey last weekend for a gathering of leaders from the 20 richest countries, the G20. Scheduled to give a speech to some of the world’s most important business and labour groups, he was swarmed by excited delegates almost as soon as he entered the room.
By the time his final news conference at the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation summit in the Philippines ended many days later, the excitement had reached a crescendo. On Thursday, RCMP officers had to escort Trudeau through a crowd of hundreds of foreign journalists eager for even a glimpse of the so-called “APEC hottie.”
Counterparts from other countries also welcomed the prime minister’s first appearance on the world stage with enthusiasm; the week saw Trudeau sit down with the world’s most powerful leaders, including those from China, Japan and South Korea, not to mention U.S. President Barack Obama.
“We’ve seen the incredible excitement that Justin generated with his campaign in Canada,” Obama said after meeting Trudeau on Thursday.
“I’m confident that he’s going to be able to provide a great boost of energy and reform to the Canadian landscape.
Most of the leaders with whom Trudeau interacted at the G20 and APEC had known Stephen Harper, a veteran on the international stage after 10 years in power.
Trudeau wanted to show he was different, and where better to start than with climate change? He brought it up everywhere, seeking to reassure everyone he met that after 10 years of apparent Conservative inaction and even obstructionism, Canada was here to help.
“Canadians right across the country, as well as our friends and neighbours internationally in many countries, have felt that Canada hasn’t been doing enough on the environmental front,” he said as Obama looked on.
“One of the first tasks I have on energy and climate issues is to reassure Canadians and others that we are serious about meeting reduction targets, about being positive actors in the fight against climate change.”
It was difficult to discern exactly what Trudeau brought to the table besides enthusiasm. Trudeau did not have any new emission-reduction targets to sell, for example.
Perhaps enthusiasm was enough; perhaps it was unfair to expect more given that the Liberals have been in power for only a little more than two weeks.
The prime minister faced a similar problem with the sweeping Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade deal, which he has only promised to review, and with Canada’s participation in the war against the ISIL.
Trudeau stood by his previous pledge to withdraw Canadian warplanes from Iraq and Syria despite last week’s attacks in Paris, and instead increase the number of Canadian special forces troops training Kurdish forces in northern Iraq. But he left most other details to the imagination.
There were also some small gaffes. Trudeau mispronounced Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto’s name twice, and praised China during a meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
Some will chalk those mistakes up to growing pains and describe the trip as a learning experience. Many Canadians had expected him to put his foot in his mouth repeatedly during the election. Instead, he ran a solid campaign.
As for substance, it could be argued this first trip was really was about making an impression and repositioning Canada in the world’s mind, with the meat coming later.
Still, expectations are high. During their meeting in Turkey, Chinese President Xi Jinping said Trudeau’s father, former prime minister Pierre Trudeau, had “extraordinary political vision” when he made Canada one of the first western countries to establish diplomatic relations with communist China in 1970.
South Korean President Park Geun-hye echoed the sentiment two days later in the Philippines, saying the senior Trudeau was “integral to raising Canada’s international stature in the world,” which included “strengthening and enhancing Canada’s relationship with Asian countries.”
During his Philippines news conference, Trudeau talked about the “buzz” that has greeted him in each new phase of his political career.
He acknowledged the excitement about his arrival on the world stage, as with every other phase, will soon pass and people will start to focus “on the actual substance.”
Whatever that turns out to be.
We’ve seen the incredible excitement that Justin generated with his campaign in Canada.