PM's visit to APEC aimed at showing Canada serious about ties with Southeast Asia
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's tour of Southeast Asia includes a brief stop in Bangkok, which is a visit aimed at showing Canada is serious about forming deeper ties with the region.
The two-day visit to Thailand is for Trudeau to take part in the leaders' meeting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum, a group of 21 economies on both sides of the Pacific that work together to break down barriers to trade.
"Showing up is critically important. In Asia in particular, face-to-face relationships are vitally important," said Timothy Dattels, one of Canada's three representatives to the APEC Business Advisory Council.
"Long-term relationship building is absolutely critical to business; it's not all just done over the phone, at all," said Dattels, an investor specializing in the region.
He noted that major players in the region have sent their heads of government and senior ministers to Bangkok.
Rather than listing countries as members, the APEC group consists of 21 economies that include the special administrative region of Hong Kong, which falls under Chinese control, and Taiwan, which some states, including China, do not recognize as a country.
The organization features a series of technical committees and working groups that advise policy leaders on how to make business flow more smoothly between different countries, such as standardizing how transactions are recorded or setting rules on data privacy and digital trade.
Instead of negotiating policy or signing agreements, the group aims to come up with suggestions on how to boost economic growth and make sure different sectors are in regular conversation.
Andrew Cooper, a professor with the Balsillie School of International Affairs at the University of Waterloo, said the forum looms large for think tanks and business chambers, but not the general public.
"There's a lot more technical kind of legalistic work. That's important, but that's not going to draw huge attention from the public," he said.
He said that while APEC has paved the way for globalization and helped countries sort out the minutiae of red tape, it's been less able to articulate broader priorities for the region.
Trudeau is attending the APEC leaders' meeting as the Liberals gradually roll out an Indo-Pacific strategy, to form closer ties with certain countries spanning India to South Korea.
On Tuesday, Trudeau met with Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha at the ornate Government House in Bangkok.
Trudeau also signed a declaration with Chile's President Gabriel Boric aimed at easing some concerns about investor disputes that have held back the South American country from ratifying a cross-continental trade deal.
The Liberals will likely make announcements as the meeting closes Friday, but International Trade Minister Mary Ng said the main purpose of the visit is to affirm Canada's commitment to the region.
"It is about how we work together as a trading system, to make sure that cross-border trade flows happens," she told reporters in Bangkok.
Trudeau's itinerary suggests a fair amount of shaking hands and pull-aside chats, with events such as the "leaders' informal dialogue with guests" and a "working luncheon" for leaders.
Dattels praised the Liberals for making the visit, especially after announcing the outlines of the Indo-Pacific strategy.
"We have this massive collection of APEC nations, and to have a demarcation about our commitment to the region, which is very unique at APEC, is well chosen," Dattels said.
"We just need to be at the table and an active participant in the market."
As part of the strategy, the Liberals have deemed China a threat to global stability, and said Ottawa will seek trade ties with booming, like-minded countries.
Ng said Beijing's unpredictability is a large part why she is trying to form closer relationships with other Asian economies.
"Our exporters and our businesses depend on the strength of a rules based trading system," she said.
"We've had some difficulties with China over the last number of years, particularly around trade, and our exporters and our businesses have experienced that. It is precisely why we are here in the region."
Ng did not reference any specific events, though China boycotted certain agricultural products after the arrest of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou.
The minister also would not say whether she expects Canadian businesses in China to suffer after Chinese President Xi Jinping accused Trudeau of harming diplomatic relations by sharing details with the media about a prior meeting.
Xi is attend the leader's meeting, which kicked off late Thursday local time, while Russia said it would send its Deputy Prime Minister Andrey Belousov.
While APEC focuses on sharing voluntary approaches to facilitating trade, the leaders' summit might be hindered by their diverging views on Russia's invasion of Ukraine and China's growing assertiveness.
"How much can be achieved at a meeting like this will inevitably be affected by geopolitical factors," Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada CEO Jeff Nankivell said in an interview before the meeting.
The question, he said, will be: "Is it possible to get consensus on outcomes documents in the current geopolitical context?"
Trudeau will leave late Friday for Tunisia, to attend the Francophonie summit.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 17, 2022.
IN DEPTH
Budget 2024 prioritizes housing while taxing highest earners, deficit projected at $39.8B
In an effort to level the playing field for young people, in the 2024 federal budget, the government is targeting Canada's highest earners with new taxes in order to help offset billions in new spending to enhance the country's housing supply and social supports.
'One of the greatest': Former prime minister Brian Mulroney commemorated at state funeral
Prominent Canadians, political leaders, and family members remembered former prime minister and Progressive Conservative titan Brian Mulroney as an ambitious and compassionate nation-builder at his state funeral on Saturday.
'Democracy requires constant vigilance' Trudeau testifies at inquiry into foreign election interference in Canada
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau testified Wednesday before the national public inquiry into foreign interference in Canada's electoral processes, following a day of testimony from top cabinet ministers about allegations of meddling in the 2019 and 2021 federal elections. Recap all the prime minister had to say.
As Poilievre sides with Smith on trans restrictions, former Conservative candidate says he's 'playing with fire'
Siding with Alberta Premier Danielle Smith on her proposed restrictions on transgender youth, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre confirmed Wednesday that he is against trans and non-binary minors using puberty blockers.
Supports for passengers, farmers, artists: 7 bills from MPs and Senators to watch in 2024
When parliamentarians return to Ottawa in a few weeks to kick off the 2024 sitting, there are a few bills from MPs and senators that will be worth keeping an eye on, from a 'gutted' proposal to offer a carbon tax break to farmers, to an initiative aimed at improving Canada's DNA data bank.
Opinion
opinion Don Martin: Gusher of Liberal spending won't put out the fire in this dumpster
A Hail Mary rehash of the greatest hits from the Trudeau government’s three-week travelling pony-show, the 2024 federal budget takes aim at reversing the party’s popularity plunge in the under-40 set, writes political columnist Don Martin. But will it work before the next election?
opinion Don Martin: The doctor Trudeau dumped has a prescription for better health care
Political columnist Don Martin sat down with former federal health minister Jane Philpott, who's on a crusade to help fix Canada's broken health care system, and who declined to take any shots at the prime minister who dumped her from caucus.
opinion Don Martin: Trudeau's seeking shelter from the housing storm he helped create
While Justin Trudeau's recent housing announcements are generally drawing praise from experts, political columnist Don Martin argues there shouldn’t be any standing ovations for a prime minister who helped caused the problem in the first place.
opinion Don Martin: Poilievre has the field to himself as he races across the country to big crowds
It came to pass on Thursday evening that the confidentially predictable failure of the Official Opposition non-confidence motion went down with 204 Liberal, BQ and NDP nays to 116 Conservative yeas. But forcing Canada into a federal election campaign was never the point.
opinion Don Martin: How a beer break may have doomed the carbon tax hike
When the Liberal government chopped a planned beer excise tax hike to two per cent from 4.5 per cent and froze future increases until after the next election, says political columnist Don Martin, it almost guaranteed a similar carbon tax move in the offing.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING House of Commons Speaker Greg Fergus survives vote calling for his ouster
Greg Fergus survived a vote to oust him as House of Commons Speaker on Tuesday, but with close to half of MPs expressing a loss of confidence in him, he faces a precarious path forward in maintaining order in Parliament.
'It was hell': Israeli mother held hostage with her children describes 51 days in captivity
Hagar Brodutch, her three children and four-year-old neighbour were kidnapped by Hamas-led militants from their home in Kfar Aza, Israel on Oct. 7 and held for 51 days. They were released in November, but Brodutch says her thoughts are never far from those still being held in Gaza.
'Unruly passenger' forces WestJet flight to make emergency landing in B.C.
A WestJet flight heading to Calgary had to make an emergency landing in northern B.C. Monday due to an incident involving an 'unruly passenger,' Mounties say.
BREAKING Teen dies after being hit by train in N.W. Calgary
A teenager has died after being hit by a train in northwest Calgary on Tuesday afternoon.
P.E.I. kiteboarder 'lucky to be alive' after shark attack in Turks and Caicos
A professional kiteboarder from P.E.I. says he has been seriously injured in a shark attack that occurred while he was snorkelling in the Turks and Caicos Islands last week.
'It's his vacation too': Jimmy the baby goat joins 2-week road trip across Canada
After Jimmy the baby goat was shunned by his mother, a New Brunswick man took the kid on a two-week road trip across Canada.
The double-level airplane seat is back. This time, there’s a first-class version
It’s the airplane seat design that launched a thousand memes and kickstarted a media storm. And now the double-level seat is back – only this time, with a twist.
New COVID-19 subvariants become the dominant strains in Canada
More than four years after COVID-19 effectively shut down the world, two new variants of COVID-19 have become the dominant strains of the novel coronavirus in Canada.
Black bear kebabs make family sick with parasitic worms
It was supposed to be a celebration, but one family’s unique meal of black bear meat sent several members to the hospital instead.
Local Spotlight
NEW Oilers superfan hopeful Edmonton wins so he can get his massive Stanley Cup tattoo retouched
It's been a long time coming, but one Oilers superfan is hoping this will be the year he gets to touch up his massive Stanley Cup back tattoo.
WATCH Alta. man rescues wild foal trapped on steep cliffside
A man's daring rescue of a newborn wild foal that was trapped after falling down a steep embankment was caught on video over the weekend.
'Forgot how fun this was': Winnipeg man competing in World Pinball Championship
A Winnipeg pinball wizard is heading to the granddaddy of them all – the IFPA World Pinball Championship.
Ottawa U20 ultimate Frisbee players to represent Canada at world championships this summer
It’s the chance of a lifetime for a group of Ottawa athletes who are getting ready to represent Team Canada at the World Junior Ultimate championships in the United Kingdom.
140-year-old downtown Winnipeg church on brink of collapse
Parishioners at Holy Trinity Anglican Church are praying for a monetary miracle, as their historic place of worship could collapse at any moment.
'Inspires a sense of adventure': Sask. man conquers Mount Everest
A Saskatchewan man made it to the summit of Mount Everest earlier this month.
New gold mine in northern Ontario could become biggest in Canada
IAMGOLD’s Cote Gold open pit mine, located off Highway 144 between Timmins and Sudbury, had its official ribbon-cutting ceremony this week as production ramps up.
Pomp, circumstance, and Crocs: Barrie, Ont. couple's unforgettable day at Buckingham Palace
When one is extended an invitation to the Royal Garden Party in London, England, there's undoubtedly no shortage of pomp and circumstance. Barrie, Ont. natives Megan Kirk Chang and her husband Brandon experienced just that as they entered the prestigious event hosted at Buckingham Palace on Tuesday.
Tim Meadows pledges not to shave until the Oilers win the cup, who are the team's other famous fans?
An unlikely celebrity emerged from social media to cheer on the Edmonton Oilers as they face the Dallas Stars tonight in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals.