Canadian newcomer Trudeau a fresh face among APEC leaders

Apparently Trudeau isn’t the only one who felt the attention lavished on the prime minister was a positive, as one senior official suggested it was a great benefit to branding and selling Canada overseas.

But Obama also said that the US and Canada will “both soon to be signatories” to the Trans-Pacific Partnership, even though Trudeau made it clear he wants to consult with Canadians and Parliament before moving forward on the deal.

The situation clearly had Mr. Trudeau’s security detail nervous as they rushed the Prime Minister through hundreds of people in order to exit the Asia Pacific Economic Co-operation summit media centre.

The tall, trim Trudeau, who beat incumbent conservative Stephen Harper last month, has inspired not just Twitter hashtags, but endless column inches (including here!) about his dashing good looks and windswept hair.

Hoping to ease the impact of Canada’s withdrawal, Trudeau said he would help the counter-IS mission in other ways.

Trudeau has also had no shortage of opportunities to meet with fellow world leaders during this trip, having sat down with the leaders of the US, China, Japan and South Korea, among others.

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. We’re running. And after, we just said to ourselves, ‘Oh my God.

“So young, and yet so cynical”, Trudeau interjected.

He has promised to withdraw Canada’s CF-18 fighter jets from the U.S.-led coalition bombing militants in Syria and Iraq but two days ago said he wants to increase the number of Canadian special forces on the ground to train local fighters.

“But what Barack pointed out to me about how fast his daughters grew in the seven years since that first night of his electoral victory really struck home to me”, Trudeau said.

“This is going to be a messy, bumpy process worldwide but I am confident that we can get it done”, Obama said.

“Canada is committed to continuing to engage as a strong member of the coalition against ISIL”, Trudeau said Thursday, adding the jet withdrawal was discussed but he declined to say if Obama asked him to reconsider. The Associate Press reported saying Trudeau has recently pledged sending more military trainers to Iraq.

Obama and Trudeau have both defended their plans to accept more refugees from Syria in the coming months, facing down critics who say terrorists could use the programs to slip into North America.