Prime Minister Justin Trudeau downplayed that he was planning to have a brief meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Wednesday at the World Economic Forum, leaving several Canadian journalists travelling with him in Davos questioning why.
According to a statement the prime minister’s office released late Wednesday morning, Trudeau and Netanyahu met “on the margins” of the meeting in Davos, Switzerland to discuss the Mideast security situation, their countries’ economic ties, and the Canada-Israel Free Trade Agreement.
But the announcement about the meeting was released hours after the meeting had occurred.
That meant Canadian journalists were unable to attend, even though Israeli media attended.
“Multiple sources are telling me the Trudeau meeting with Netanyahu was planned ‘days’ in advance. Lots of surprise the Canadian media was not informed because the Israelis told their reporters,” she tweeted.
Stephenson added that the “blackout” on informing the press about the meeting comes less than a day after the PMO shut reporters out of the North American roundtable Wednesday morning, after previously stating that reporters could attend.
About that little "last minute pull aside" with Bibi that PMO didn't tell the press about... the Israelis have released a read out, video and photos showing flags in the background and a meeting that was clearly planned. PMO still has not sent us a Cdn read out #cdnpoli pic.twitter.com/RPr7aLjwif
— Mercedes Stephenson (@CTVMercedes) January 24, 2018
Netanyahu's office released a brief video of the meeting on the PM's YouTube channel.
