Trudeau hosts UN chief for talks in Ottawa

Secretary General Ban Ki-moon arrives in Ottawa on Thursday for meetings with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon praised Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for last year’s climate-change charm offensive in Paris, but urged him to spend more of Canada’s wealth on the world’s poorest people.

Trudeau says seeking a council seat meshes with his government’s plan to renew Canada’s relationship with the world body, which cooled under the previous government.

The Harper government was criticized at the time for failing to make a strong bid for the seat.

Ban joked that the P-M may already be more popular than his father, former prime minister Pierre Trudeau.

Following up on campaign promises he made past year to withdraw Canada’s jets, Trudeau said on Monday that his country’s contribution to the fight against ISIL would be extended until the end of March 2017 – but would be “a non-combat mission”.

In 2010, Canada lost its bid for a two-year council term to Portugal.

“I’d like to see many countries emulate such kind of compassion and leadership shown by the prime minister”, Ban told public broadcaster CBC.

Whereas his Conservative predecessor, Stephen Harper, sought distance from the United Nations in order to carve out an independent and assertive foreign policy, Trudeau has signaled that he intends for Canada to play an important and increased role beyond its borders through the New York-based global organization. However, the Prime Minister did not indicate when Canada would launch its bid.

“We need states that are party to the Arms Trade Treaty to set an example in fulfilling one of the treaty’s main purposes: controlling arms flows to actors that may use them in ways that breach worldwide humanitarian law”, Ban said in a speech in London. A return to the council would mark a major comeback for Canada. “Mr. Trudeau has declared Canada’s recommitment to the United Nations”.