Category: Canada

Categories
-Top News Canada India News

Pause on trade talks further strains India-Canada ties

This comes just days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed concern over ‘anti-India activities of extremist elements’ in Canada…reports Asian Lite News

Amidst ongoing tensions with the Trudeau government over its inaction against Khalistan supporters, India and Canada have “paused” trade talks due to certain political developments. A spokesperson for Canadian Trade Minister Mary Ng confirmed the change, though no reason was offered for the delay.

This comes just days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed concern over ‘anti-India activities of extremist elements’ in Canada at his meeting with Canadian counterpart Justin Trudeau on the sidelines of the G20 Summit last week.

Confirming this, a senior Indian government official said that India-Canada talks on a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) are expected to resume only after the resolution of the issues between the two countries. “There were certain political developments in Canada on which India has also raised its objection for the time being [till] these political developments are settled, we have paused the negotiations with Canada. But the moment these political issues are sorted out, the talks will resume. There is no break, there is only pause,” said the official.

India and Canada were discussing an early harvest scheme or a preliminary free trade agreement to push bilateral trade with New Delhi interested in securing an easier visa regime for students and professionals.

In March 2022, the two countries had agreed to re-launch the CEPA negotiations and consider an interim agreement or Early Progress Trade Agreement (EPTA) that could bring commercial gains to both. Negotiations on CEPA/ EPTA resumed in April 2022; nine rounds of talks were held till July this year. The last round, from July 12-21, was held in virtual format. So far, the two countries have held discussions on tracks related to goods, trade remedies, rules of origin, origin procedures, services, institutional and core provisions .In 2022, India was Canada’s 10th largest trading partner; since 2018, India has also been the largest source of international students in Canada.

Ties between the two countries have been strained over the last few months after the activities of pro-Khalistan groups in Canada. In July, India had summoned the Canadian envoy and issued a demarche, days after posters naming senior Indian diplomats posted in Canada came up in some areas there.

On September 10, following a meeting between Modi and Trudeau on the sidelines of the G20 Summit, India issued a strongly-worded statement.

“He (Modi) conveyed our strong concerns about continuing anti-India activities of extremist elements in Canada. They are promoting secessionism and inciting violence against Indian diplomats, damaging diplomatic premises, and threatening the Indian community in Canada and their places of worship,” the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a readout of the meeting.

“The nexus of such forces with organised crime, drug syndicates and human trafficking should be a concern for Canada as well. It is essential for the two countries to cooperate in dealing with such threats. The Prime Minister highlighted that India-Canada relations are anchored in shared democratic values, respect for rule of law and strong people-to-people ties,” it added.

Addressing India’s concerns Trudeau had said in a press conference, “Canada will always defend freedom of expression, freedom of conscience, and freedom of peaceful protest, and it is extremely important to us. At the same time, we are always there to prevent violence and to push back against hatred. I think, on the issue of the community, it is important to remember that the actions of a few do not represent the entire community or Canada”.

Canadian PM Justin Trudeau’s stance resulted in the Modi government giving him a cold shoulder during the G20 Summit in Delhi, where he was stranded as his 30-year-old plane developed problems and the replacement aircraft too developed a snag.

It may be noted that while he was stuck here, banned organisation Sikhs for Justice managed to hold a so-called” referendum “event in Canadian Gurdwara with terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun making a public appearance and delivering an instigating speech hinting at ‘balkanizing’ India which eventually brought country’s intentions to curtail Khalistani terror under scanner.

ALSO READ: India-Middle East-Europe Corridor most ambitious of Biden’s PGII push

Categories
-Top News Canada India News

Canada Defers Trade Mission To India

A spokesperson for Canadian Trade Minister Mary Ng confirmed the change, though no reason was offered for the delay.

Canada has announced that it would postpone an October trade mission to India, Al Jazeera reported.

A spokesperson for Canadian Trade Minister Mary Ng confirmed the change on Friday, though no reason was offered for the delay.

The spokesperson, Shanti Cosentino, said: “At this time, we are postponing the upcoming trade mission to India.”

This comes at a time when negotiations for a free trade agreement between India and Canada have been stalled, sources informed on Friday.

The sources cited “certain political developments” in Canada as the reason for the pause in the negotiations, and added talks will resume once issues are settled between both the governments.

There were reports earlier that the two countries could reach an interim trade deal by the end of this year.

Canadian Trade Minister Mary Ng and her Indian counterpart Piyush Goyal in May issued a joint statement saying they hoped to boost trade and investment between their two countries by the year’s end.

But those talks have hit several high-level snags, as per Al Jazeera.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a pull-aside discussion with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on the sidelines of the G20 Summit raised “strong concerns” about the continuous “anti-India activities” by extremist elements in Canada.

Prime Minister Modi stated that it was essential for the two countries to cooperate in dealing with such threats.

“The Prime Minister conveyed our strong concerns about continuing anti-India activities of extremist elements in Canada. They are promoting secessionism and inciting violence against Indian diplomats, damaging diplomatic premises, and threatening the Indian community in Canada and their places of worship,” said an official statement after the Modi-Trudeau meeting.

While Trudeau was in India for the G20 Summit, Khalistani secessionists held a so-called ‘referendum’ in Surrey, British Columbia.

The separatists used objectionable language against Indian leadership and made remarks against the territorial integrity of India.

Recently, a Hindu temple was vandalised in Canada by extremist elements with Khalistan referendum posters, Australia Today reported.

The incident happened in British Columbia province in Canada.

“#Breaking Another #Hindu temple vandalised in #Canada by #Khalistan extremists – bogus #Khalistanreferendum posters put at door of @surreymandir to create fear among #Indian community,” Australia Today said on Twitter. (ANI)

Categories
-Top News Canada India News

Canada’s York University Joins Forces with Indian Institutes

The Canadian delegation will also visit the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) in Bengaluru, IIT Madras and BITS Pilani, Hyderabad….reports Asian Lite News

Canada’s top York University is entering into a partnership with O.P. Jindal Global University in Sonipat, Haryana, as part of its broader outreach in India.

Rhonda Lenton, president and vice-chancellor of York University, is visiting India this week to explore opportunities for two-way student exchange programmes and research partnerships, and firm up institutional collaborations.

“York University is proud to invest in several critical initiatives that will strengthen our ties to India and create mutually beneficial opportunities for our talented students and researchers, including an India Immersion Programme with Jindal Global University as it is important for Canadian students to understand India, its growth story and the impact of India on the world,” she says.

The Canadian delegation will also visit the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) in Bengaluru, IIT Madras and BITS Pilani, Hyderabad.

In Hyderabad, where her university has a presence with its Schulich School of Business MBA in India programme in collaboration with GMR Institute of Technology, she will speak at an education conclave on York’s role in fostering excellence, inclusion and global partnerships in the higher education sector. 

She will also address conclaves in Bangaluru, Chennai, Delhi and Kolkata.

“Plans are in the works for a pan-India entrepreneurship boot camp that will expose talented students to the world’s largest business and consumer market; and the launch of a new global research seed fund that will invest in global research collaborations with leading universities, industries, government agencies and NGOs in priority countries such as India,” says the Canadian university vice-chancellor.

Ranked among the top 40 universities in the world, York University’s Schulich School of Business has an impressive list of alumni from India who hold top positions in the corporate world.

ALSO READ: September Brings No Relief as Canada’s Wildfires Rage On

Categories
-Top News Canada India News

Trudeau Finally Flies Out From Delhi

Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology thanked Trudeau for his presence at the G20 Summit on behalf of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. …reports Asian Lite News

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who had been stranded in Delhi for two days after the G20 Leaders Summit due to a technical snag in his flight, departed from the national capital on Tuesday afternoon.

Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology thanked Trudeau for his presence at the G20 Summit on behalf of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. 

Chandrasekhar posted on his social media platform ‘X’ a photograph of himself seeing off the Canadian Prime Minister at the Palam Airport.

“On behalf of PM @narendramodi Ji and my colleagues in govt, I was at the airport today to thank Mr. Justin Trudeau, Hon’ble Prime Minister of Canada @JustinTrudeau

for his presence at the #G20Summit and wished him and his entourage a safe trip back home,” Chandrasekar posted.

Trudeau, who had arrived in India for the G20 Summit on Friday, had to extend his stay in New Delhi after a technical snag on his Airbus plane delayed his departure on Sunday night. A replacement aircraft expected to arrive in New Delhi on Monday night had an unscheduled diversion to London, which further delayed the Canadian Prime Minister’s departure.

This afternoon, Mohammad Hussain, Press Secretary at Canada’s Prime Minister’s Office told ANI: “The technical issue with the plane has been resolved. The plane has been cleared to fly. The Canadian delegation is expected to depart this afternoon.”

Canada-based CBC News reported that Trudeau continued to work from his hotel in New Delhi.

Earlier it was reported that the Royal Canadian Air Force sent a CC-150 Polaris from CFB Trenton to India on Sunday night to pick up Justin Trudeau and the Canadian delegation. Canada’s National Defence had said that the issue involves a part that must be replaced.

Canada’s National Defence in a statement earlier said, “The safety of all passengers is critical to the RCAF and pre-flight safety checks are a regular part of all of our flight protocols,” CBC News reported.

It further said, “The discovery of this issue is evidence that these protocols are effective.”

As per the news report, the issue with the 36-year-old CC-150 Polaris was discovered during the preflight check process. It is not the first time the Polaris fleet has caused issues for Trudeau.

In October 2016, an issue in the aircraft required it to return to Ottawa 30 minutes after taking off with Trudeau. In October 2019, the aircraft rolled into a wall while being towed into a hangar at 8 Wing Trenton, which caused “significant structural damage to the nose and right engine cowling,” CBC News reported citing the Air Force.

The VVIP plane remained out of service for 16 months in 2019. The Canadian government has bought nine planes, some new and some used, to replace its existing fleet, CBC News reported.

The widebody jets will replace RCAF’s 1980s-era Airbus A-310s, also known as the Airbus CC-150 Polaris, which is used for flying Trudeau’s abroad visits and transporting security personnel.

Meanwhile, in addition to attending the G20 Summit, Trudeau held a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the Summit in New Delhi.

Trudeau also congratulated PM Modi on the success of India’s G20 Presidency of the G20. During the meeting, PM Modi highlighted that India-Canada relations are anchored in shared democratic values, respect for the rule of law and strong people-to-people ties, according to the Ministry of External Affairs.

During the meeting, PM Modi raised “strong concerns” about the continuous “anti-India activities” by extremist elements in Canada, and stated that it is essential for the two countries to cooperate in dealing with such threats. (ANI)

ALSO READ: Canada school cancels Khalistan referendum event

Categories
-Top News Canada UK News

Pro-Khalistan Event Draws Thousands in Surrey

Khalistan

The vote was supposed to be held at a school in Surrey, but was cancelled after images of weapons on the poster were brought to the school authorities’ notice by concerned residents…reports Asian Lite News

Sikhs turned up in large numbers at a Khalistan referendum event in Canada just as Prime Minister Narendra Modi conveyed New Delhi’s strong concerns the same day about continuing anti-India activities in the North American nation to his counterpart Justin Trudeau at the G20 Leaders’ Summit.

The vote to weigh support for Khalistan, a separate homeland for Sikhs in India, was held on Sunday in the British Columbian province of Surrey at the Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara where its former president Hardeep Singh Nijjar was shot dead in June.

The outlawed Pro-Khalistani group Sikhs For Justice (SFJ), which organised the referendum, said more than 100,000 people attended the event, the Global News channel reported.

“The turnout tells us, and the wider community, that the issue of Khalistan is not an issue for a fringe group of people but rather… this is a deep-rooted issue that touches the hearts and minds of many Sikhs,” Jatinder Grewal, a Sikh for Justice director, told the Vancouver-based news channel.

The vote was supposed to be held at a school in Surrey, but was cancelled after images of weapons on the poster were brought to the school authorities’ notice by concerned residents.

In a strongly-worded condemnation, Modi told Trudeau on Saturday that the extremist elements are promoting secessionism and inciting violence against Indian diplomats, damaging diplomatic premises, and threatening the community in Canada and their places of worship.

“The nexus of such forces with organised crime, drug syndicates and human trafficking should be a concern for Canada as well. It is essential for the two countries to cooperate in dealing with such threats,” a Ministry of External Affairs statement quoted Prime Minister Modi as saying.

In a media interaction after meeting his Indian counterpart, Trudeau said that the actions of the few do not represent the entire community or Canada.

“Canada will always defend freedom of expression, freedom of conscience, and freedom of peaceful protest and it is extremely important to us. At the same time we are always there to prevent violence and to push back against hatred,” he said in response to a question on Khalistani extremism.

Just days before Trudeau had departed for India for the September 9-10 summit, Shri Mata Bhameshwari Durga temple in Surrey was vandalised with anti-India and pro-Khalistan graffiti slogans.

Despite New Delhi registering strong protests, an anti-India campaign has continued in Canada with pro-Khalistani graffiti and posters targeting Indian diplomats and temples across the country.

Incidents of Khalistani elements protesting outside the Indian consulate in Toronto displaying “Kill India” posters, had led to External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar saying that Canada was apparently allowing these protests driven by votebank politics.

ALSO READ-Modi, Trudeau Engage in Bilateral Talks at G20 Summit

Categories
-Top News Canada USA

September Brings No Relief as Canada’s Wildfires Rage On

A top official at Natural Resources Canada said there is potential for increased wildland fire activity across Central Canada, from the eastern half of the province of Alberta to Ontario.…reports Asian Lite News

The ongoing wildfire crisis in Canada has reached unprecedented proportions, with officials warning that the raging fires have shown no sign of abating in September as well.

Providing the national update on this year’s fire season through a press conference on Thursday, the federal authorities of Canada stated that the country witnessed 6,174 wildfires, two of which have exceeded one million hectares, reports Xinhua news agency.

As per the data made public by the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre, nearly 1,000 wildfires are raging across the country to date, with more than 600 designated as out-of-control.

A top official at Natural Resources Canada said there is potential for increased wildland fire activity across Central Canada, from the eastern half of the province of Alberta to Ontario.

“This is largely in alignment with last month’s forecast, which anticipated that the potential area at extreme risk would include southern British Columbia, the Prairies, part of Northwest Territories, and western Ontario,” Michael Martin, director general at Natural Resources Canada, said at the press conference.

In recent months, raging wildfires threatened the country’s critical infrastructures while forcing the authorities to issue over 200 evacuation orders.

In August, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau convened an emergency meeting to discuss the wildfire crisis in the Northwest Territories.

“Wildfires led to 284 evacuation orders while prompting a total of 232,209 Canadian evacuees in this season,” Martin further said, adding that despite the arrival of cooler night temperatures and decreasing lightning activity in the fall, ongoing warm and dry conditions may contribute to new fire starts.

“Some of the newer fires will continue to be active throughout September and possibly later into autumn,” he warned.

During this season, the wildfires predominantly raged throughout the province of Quebec, with 5.3 million hectares burned; Northwest Territories 3.6 million hectares; Alberta 2.3 million hectares; B.C. 1.9 million hectares; and Nova Scotia 25,000 hectares, according to details provided by officials based on data collected through satellite hotspots.

Federal authorities said they have continuously mobilized resources across the country for recovery and rebuilding amid growing calls for a national wildfire fighting force, more aid for evacuees and financial help to rebuild.

As of early September, 4,714 firefighting personnel have been deployed to battle the wildland fires, according to official figures.

During the press conference, Harjit Sajjan, president of the King’s Privy Council for Canada and minister of emergency preparedness, shed light on the previously announced funding while providing brief details about recently greenlit Canadian government programs.

“The last few weeks have been extremely difficult for Canadians. Community members have been forced to leave their homes, not knowing if their homes will still be there when they return,” he added.

“Thankfully, in Yellowknife, thousands of people are beginning to return home after three long weeks. We continue to mobilize resources across the country, and we will be there throughout the recovery.”

Meanwhile, the Canadian economy has been impacted by the wildfires.

In its latest projection on Wednesday, the Bank of Canada said that its target for the benchmark interest rate stood at 5 per cent.

Economic growth slowed sharply in the second quarter of 2023, with output contracting by 0.2 per cent at an annualised rate, reflecting a marked weakening in consumption growth, a decline in housing activity and the impact of wildfires in many regions of the country, the bank said.

Last week, Statistics Canada said that the country’s real gross domestic product by industry was essentially unchanged in the second quarter of 2023 after seven quarters of growth.

Growing drought and wildfires in many regions of the country contributed to lower crop production in the quarter as the yield outlook for the year declined.

ALSO READ-Wildfires burn 60,000 hectares in Italy this year

Categories
-Top News Canada India News

Canada school cancels Khalistan referendum event

After temples, Khalistanis target Indian consulate in Brisbane.

The school district added that the decision is in “no way an endorsement of, or criticism of, any political position”….reports Asian Lite News

A Khalistan referendum event, scheduled to take place on September 10 at a school in Canada, has been cancelled after images of weapons on the poster were brought to the school authorities’ notice by concerned residents.

The Surrey School District announced on Sunday that it has cancelled the event at Tamanawis Secondary School in Surrey town of British Columbia province as the event organisers failed to remove the “concerning images” despite repeated requests.

“Earlier today, our district cancelled a community rental of one of our schools due to a violation of our rental agreement. Promotional materials for the event featured images of our school, alongside images of a weapon,” the Surrey School District said in a statement published on The Indo-Canadian Voice website.

“Despite repeated attempts to address the issue, the event organisers failed to remove these concerning images, and materials continued to be posted throughout Surrey and on social media,” the statement read.

The poster featured a kirpan (dagger) as well as an AK-47 machine gun, along with the name of banned Khalistani group Sikhs For Justice (SFJ), which is led by Gurpatwant Singh Pannun.

It also had pictures of Khalistani leaders Hardip Singh Nijjar, who was shot dead in June at a parking lot in Surrey and Talwinder Singh Parmar, the mastermind of the 1985 Air India Flight bombing.

“As a school district, our primary mission is to provide quality education and support to our students and ensure a safe environment for our school communities. Our agreements, policies and guidelines, including those for rentals, support our district in creating a safe environment for our community. Anyone renting our facilities must adhere to this,” the statement by school authorities read.

The school district added that the decision is in “no way an endorsement of, or criticism of, any political position”.

The development comes amidst recent appearances of pro-Khalistani posters threatening Indian diplomats and installations in Canada.

SFJ’s Pannun has called on the Khalistan elements in Canada to “lock down” India’s Consulate in Vancouver on September 8.

ALSO READ: Canada ‘pauses’ trade talks ahead of G20 Summit  

Categories
-Top News Canada World News

Canada ‘pauses’ trade talks ahead of G20 Summit  

Biarritz: Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a conversation with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at the G7 Summit in Biarritz, France on Aug 25, 2019. (Photo: IANS/MEA)

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government first pressed pause and requested India to follow suit last month…reports Asian Lite News

Canada government has requested India to press ‘pause’ on trade talks between the two nation as as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau prepares to travel to India for the G20 Summit in national capital Delhi.

According to a Bloomberg report, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government first pressed pause and requested India to follow suit last month.  Canadian Press had first reported the request to ‘pause’ trade talks between India and Canada.

“The Canadian side has suggested a ‘pause’ to the ongoing fast-paced negotiations on an early-progress trade agreement with India,” India’s high commissioner to Canada Sanjay Kumar Verma said in an emailed statement to Bloomberg. “Though I am not aware of exact reason(s), most likely, the ‘pause’ will allow more consultations with the stakeholders.”

A government official also told Bloomberg, that trade negotiations are long, complex processes and Canada has paused to take stock of the situation, a government official told reporters on a briefing about Trudeau’s upcoming trip to India.

However, there has been no official confirmation from Canadian Trade Minister Mary Ng.

In May 2023, Indian Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal had visited Ottawa, and India and Canada sides appeared optimistic. Ng had said they were getting closer to signing the early-progress agreement, an initial deal that would focus on a few industries rather than an economy-wide accord.

Canada has had intermittent trade negotiations with India stretching back a decade, but in recent years Trudeau’s government has ramped up its efforts to diversify its economy away from China. A trade deal with India is part of that broader Indo-Pacific strategy.

Trudeau’s country is home to a vast Indian diaspora, including the largest Sikh population outside of India, and there have been calls for his government to make a trade deal contingent on India respecting the human rights of religious minorities.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is chairing the G-20 this year and several of Trudeau’s ministers have already gathered with their counterparts in India throughout the summer.

Trudeau is set to travel to New Delhi for the leaders’ summit next weekend, though it’s not yet clear whether he will meet one-on-one with PM Modi.

ALSO READ: 93 potential unmarked child, infant graves found in Canada

Categories
-Top News Asia News Canada

93 potential unmarked child, infant graves found in Canada

The Indigenous band began the search two years ago in August 2021. Wolverine said the search was based on historical stories communicated through time….reports Asian Lite News

Ground penetrating radar has unearthed 79 potential children’s graves and those that may be of 14 infants at the former Beauval Indian Residential School in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan, English River First Nation said.

“This is not a final number. It breaks my heart that there are likely more,” English River First Nation chief Jenny Wolverine said during a news conference in Saskatoon as reported by CTV News.​​​​​​​

The Indigenous band began the search two years ago in August 2021. Wolverine said the search was based on historical stories communicated through time.

“We were not sure what to expect and what we would find. But we did know the stories that were shared over generations about the treatment of the students and those students who never returned home,” she said.

Wolverine said the finding of possible gravesites marks the beginning of a “long and difficult journey.”

English River First Nation is located in the north of Saskatchewan and Beauval Indian Residential School opened there in 1860. A boarding school, it was run by a Roman Catholic mission until 1969. The school officially closed in 1983 when it was given to the 10 Meadow Lake Bands, which included English River First Nation. It was demolished in 1995.

The discovery of suspected graves is not the first tragedy at the school. In 1927, a fire killed 19 boys and one teacher, according to the University of Regina, Saskatchewan.

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission also published survivor stories, including that of “boys who were caught throwing snowballs (and) were punished with blows to their hands from the blade of a hockey stick.” Survivor Mervin Mirasty also told the commission that both he and his brother were sexually abused.

In 2013, a former supervisor at the school was found guilty of gross indecency for assaults on boys from 1959 to 1967, CTV News reported when the supervisor was paroled in 2016.

ALSO READ: Canada Confirms Trudeau’s Attendance At G20 Summit

Categories
-Top News Canada India News

Canada Confirms Trudeau’s Attendance At G20 Summit

At the G20 Summit in New Delhi, Trudeau will work with international partners to tackle global crises to build a better tomorrow for people around the world….reports Asian Lite News

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will visit India to attend the G20 Summit in New Delhi from September 9 to 10. Prior to his visit to New Delhi, Trudeau will travel to Indonesia to participate in the ASEAN Summit and thereafter head to Singapore for a bilateral visit.

“The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today announced that he will travel to Jakarta, Indonesia to participate in the ASEAN Summit from September 5 to 6, 2023. This will be followed by a bilateral visit to Singapore from September 7 to 8, 2023. He will then participate in the G20 Summit in New Delhi, India, from September 9 to 10, 2023,” Prime Minister’s Office said in a statement.

At the G20 Summit in New Delhi, Trudeau will work with international partners to tackle global crises to build a better tomorrow for people around the world. He will promote the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in his role as co-chair of the SDG Advocates group.

Canada Prime Minister’s Office in the statement said, “At the G20 Summit in New Delhi, India, under the theme “One Earth – One Family – One Future”, the Prime Minister will work with international partners to tackle today’s global crises to build a better tomorrow for people around the world.”

It further said, “He will promote the United Nations’ (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in his role as co-chair of the SDG Advocates group, and advocate for increased collaboration in the areas of climate change, international financial institution reform, food and energy security, gender equality, and improved global health.”

According to the statement, Trudeau will continue to advocate for collective action to hold Russian President Vladimir Putin accountable for the military offensive in Ukraine.

Canada Prime Minister’s Office in the statement said, “Canada is, and will always be, a champion of the rules-based international order, and the global trade and economic progress that depend on those rules. Russia’s brutal war of aggression in Ukraine is an attack on the rules that all countries rely on to do business, trade, grow, and improve life for their citizens.”

It further said, “That’s why, at the G20, Prime Minister Trudeau will continue to advocate for collective action to hold Putin accountable for his illegal war and to secure a just and durable peace that starts with Russia’s immediate withdrawal from Ukraine. Working collaboratively to tackle global crises while holding Russia accountable is essential to maintaining the integrity and effectiveness of the G20.”

The G20 is the premier forum for international economic cooperation. India has assumed the G20 Presidency from December 1. The G20 comprises 19 countries – Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, US, UK and the European Union. The G20 members represent around 85 per cent of the global GDP, over 75 per cent of the global trade, and about two-thirds of the world population.

In the Indo-Pacific region, Trudeau will reaffirm Canada’s commitment to strengthening economic cooperation and removing trade barriers to create good middle-class jobs and make life more affordable for people on both sides of the Pacific. According to the statement, he will work with his counterparts to strengthen ties between people and drive climate action.  ]

In the statement, Trudeau said, “We live in an increasingly interconnected world, and it is clear that the crises that exist today can only be addressed by pulling together. I look forward to meeting with global leaders to address the challenges and crises we are facing, seize opportunities for Canadians, and ensure a strong economy for now and for generations to come.”

During his visit to Indonesia, Trudeau will meet Indonesian President Joko Widodo to keep working together to tackle climate change, improve food security and advance economic ties by underscoring Canada’s commitment to conclude a comprehensive economic partnership agreement with Indonesia, Canada’s largest export market in Southeast Asia, according to the statement.

In Singapore, Trudeau will strengthen bilateral relations between the two nations, particularly by promoting Canadian exports and positioning Canada as a destination of choice for investment opportunities. During his visit, he will meet with his Singapore counterpart Lee Hsien Loong and a number of private sector leaders.

According to the statement, Justin Trudeau’s visit to the Indo-Pacific region will be an opportunity to make progress and deliver results on issues of importance to Canada and its international partners. (ANI)

ALSO READ: Over 15,000 Indian Tech Talents Flock to Canada, Fuel Tech Boom