U.S. President Barack Obama called Canada an “extraordinarily helpful” partner in the fight against climate change.
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It was their first formal meeting since Trudeau took office, although the leaders have spoken by telephone and have been seen chatting informally at the G20 gathering earlier this week in Turkey.
Their 23-minute meeting covered a range of topics, including the fight against Islamic extremism, the refugee crisis and the economy.
Newly elected Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, 43, installed on a liberal agenda at odds with the authoritarian policies of a few other Asia-Pacific leaders, brought a dash of vitality to an annual forum whose most concrete outcome is usually a photo op of mainly middle-aged men in funky shirts.
President Aquino cited the strong relations between the Philippines and Canada, as evidenced by the dynamism of the Filipino-Canadian community, Secretary Coloma said, adding that Prime Minister Trudeau saw great potential for growth in the two countries’ bilateral trade.
The prime minister and his wife Sophie Grégoire-Trudeau have been invited to Washington and are expected to go early in the new year, it was revealed.
“Canada and USA are both important oil and gas producers, and we make no apologies but we need to shift from carbon intensive energy to other sources”, he said.
“I’m sure Michelle’s going to want to visit with Canada’s new first lady so we are going to be looking for a date for that to happen”, said Obama.
Trudeau – like Harper – favored Keystone, though took a cautious approach after its rejection and was criticized domestically for not rebuking Obama over the USA decision.
Canada past year deployed 69 military trainers to northern Iraq to train Kurdish militia, as well as six CF-18 fighter jets that have conducted 1,121 sorties in Iraq and Syria as of November 15.
Mr Trudeau’s campaign promise to end airstrikes on Islamic State (IS) militants in Syria is being questioned after the deadly attacks in Paris.
In a press briefing, Trudeau said that he has been made aware of the situation, and he was also told that a Canadian solution is in the process of being developed.
Trudeau said that over the last decade many people felt Canada had not being doing enough on the environmental front.
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“I just want to point out that I had no grey hair when I was in your shoes seven years ago and so, if you don’t want to go grey like me, you need to start dyeing it soon before it’s too late”, Obama said.
