Trudeau wants to spread G7 benefits across Canada through minister meetings

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau waves after speaking at the National Liberal Caucus Holiday Party in Ottawa on Wednesday, Dec. 13, 2017. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang)

OTTAWA -- Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says Canada will host ministerial level meetings with its G7 counterparts across the country before leaders convene in Charlevoix, Que., next June.

Trudeau tells a Facebook Live event that he wants to spread the economic benefits across Canada as it hosts the G7 leaders' summit.

The prime minister says he can't yet say where those meetings will take place, but officials say they will likely be in, or close, to major cities.

They will involve gatherings of foreign, finance and environment ministers, among others.

Improving gender equality will be a major priority at all those ministerial meetings, he says.

The Canadian-led agenda will be rounded out by discussions of investing in economic growth, preparing for jobs of the future, climate change, clean energy and protecting oceans, as well as peace and security issues.