On the refugee issue, Trudeau and Obama are on the same page on bringing Syrian refugees to their countries despite security concerns that have surfaced since the attacks in France last week that killed 129 people.
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As the US and a host of other nations are looking to intensify the airstrikes against this militant group which has claimed responsibility for the terrorist attacks in Paris as well as shooting down a Russian jet, Canada is planning to shift its focus.
But she quickly tamped down the phenomenon with some grounded facts: “Trudeau may be a heartthrob to some, but his heart belongs to his wife of 10 years”, the broadcast reporter said, showing footage of the Canadian prime minister, his wife, Sophie, and their three children.
During a joint press conference following the meeting, President Obama said, “We’ve seen the incredible excitement that Justin generated with his campaign in Canada”. “He gives me chills”, a woman said.
Canada’s new Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who famously earned the moniker “APEC hottie” from Filipino netizens, deftly deflected questions about his heartthrob status in Manila.
Pena Nieto also said on Twitter that he concluded his meeting with Trudeau by inviting him to visit Mexico.
Underscoring the eagerness on both sides for increased cooperation and coordination, Obama and Trudeau agreed that the Canadian prime minster will travel to the White House in January for more extensive discussions.
“I wouldn’t be able to handle every single month, four summits a month”, Trudeau said at his Manila briefing.
“If we’re going to prevent large parts of this Earth from becoming not only inhospitable but uninhabitable in our lifetimes, we’re going to have to keep some fossil fuels in the ground rather than burn them and release more unsafe pollution into the sky”, Obama said in defence of his decision to kibosh Keystone.
“So young, and yet so cynical”, Trudeau interjected.
Unlike Prime Minister Harper, then-Australian Prime Minister Abbott warmly greeted President Putin at the G-20 summit despite previously saying he wanted to “shirtfront” (a brutal shoulder charge in Australian football) Mr. Putin over the MH17 disaster.
Obama reiterated that tourists pose more of a threat than refugees in the United States and are “heavily screened”. During the election campaign, it emerged that the former head of Canada’s Defence Staff, General Tom Lawson, had met with his USA counterpart, General Martin Dempsey, on several occasions to discuss the establishment of a joint military unit to be deployed in offensive operations around the globe.
The story in Manila, snarled traffic on one hand and handsome leaders on the other, was summed up by Facebook user Santi Galasi: “An example of that wonderful Filipino trait where, despite being screwed over by circumstances, we find a reason to be happy”.
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We will provide direct help to students from low- and middle-income families to help them pay for their education and ensure that debt loads are manageable. Obama said oil prices are likely to remain low for some time, presenting what he said was an opportunity for companies to diversify. “But one of the things I’ve learned from those leaders is no, let’s talk about what we do at home in concrete terms, and share what works and doesn’t work”, he said.
