Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated his<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/canada-election-pm-justin-trudeau-returns-to-power-says-voters-rejected-negativity-257453"> Canadian counterpart Justin Trudeau</a> on Tuesday over his victory in the federal parliamentary elections.

PM Modi took to Twitter to extend his wishes and also posted a picture of himself with Trudeau and&nbsp;his family.

"Congratulations @JustinTrudeau! India and Canada are connected by shared values and a strong commitment to democracy as well as plurality. Looking forward to working together to further strengthen bilateral relations, " the tweet read.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Congratulations <a href="https://twitter.com/JustinTrudeau?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JustinTrudeau</a>! 
 
India and Canada are connected by shared values and a strong commitment to democracy as well as plurality. 
 
Looking forward to working together to further strengthen bilateral relations. <a href="https://t.co/8zYvyuixCw">pic.twitter.com/8zYvyuixCw</a>
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi/status/1186633609748238336?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 22, 2019</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will remain in power but with a minority government that will require the support of a smaller left-leaning party after a hard-fought election in which he was dogged by scandals.

Trudeau's Liberal party were leading in 156 out of 338 seats in Monday's (October 21) vote, according to Elections Canada. The party still falls short of the required 170 seats needed for a second straight majority government.

Trudeau, who took power in 2015 as a charismatic figure promising "sunny ways," saw his popularity drop over old photos of him in blackface and his handling of a corporate corruption case.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated his Canadian counterpart Justin Trudeau on Tuesday over his victory in the federal parliamentary elections. PM Modi took to Twitter to extend his wishes and also posted a picture of himself with Trudeau and his family.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated his Canadian counterpart Justin Trudeau on Tuesday over his victory in the federal parliamentary elections. PM Modi took to Twitter to extend his wishes and also posted a picture of himself with Trudeau and his family. "Congratulations @JustinTrudeau! India and Canada are connected by shared values and a strong commitment to democracy as well as plurality. Looking forward to working together to further strengthen bilateral relations, " the tweet read. Congratulations @JustinTrudeau! India and Canada are connected by shared values and a strong commitment to democracy as well as plurality. Looking forward to working together to further strengthen bilateral relations. pic.twitter.com/8zYvyuixCw — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) October 22, 2019 × Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will remain in power but with a minority government that will require the support of a smaller left-leaning party after a hard-fought election in which he was dogged by scandals. Trudeau's Liberal party were leading in 156 out of 338 seats in Monday's (October 21) vote, according to Elections Canada. The party still falls short of the required 170 seats needed for a second straight majority government. Trudeau, who took power in 2015 as a charismatic figure promising "sunny ways," saw his popularity drop over old photos of him in blackface and his handling of a corporate corruption case.

PM Modi congratulates Justin Trudeau over election victory

By Jeremy Wildeman

Canada’s federal election campaign highlighted a struggle that caught the world by surprise. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was on the ropes throughout the campaign, just four years after his meteoric rise to power and global fandom, even though he ultimately managed to win a minority government.

His struggles did not come as much of a surprise for Canadian progressives, however, who first helped propel him to those heights four years ago.

Trudeau came to power with incredible fanfare after an election victory in October 2015 that saw Stephen Harper’s Conservatives voted out.

Trudeau returned his party to power with a majority government by appealing to an electorate that was more than weary of almost a decade of right-wing Conservative rule.

The world sat up and took notice, in part because Trudeau’s famous father, Pierre, had been swept to power in a similar fashion in 1968 amid a wave of what was known as Trudeaumania.

Pierre Elliott Trudeau also had a progressive platform and, for a time, enjoyed a rock star-like popularity among Canadians.

That victory more than 50 years ago laid the foundation for 16 years of nearly uninterrupted Liberal rule under Pierre Trudeau, who was the architect of multiculturalism in Canada and further committed the country to peace-building and a rules-based international system.

It’s a vision many Canadians came to embrace, but one that Harper’s Conservatives, in power from 2006 to 2015, seemed determined to systematically replace. In this way, the election of Justin Trudeau seemed for many to be a repudiation of the Harper agenda and a return to the normalcy of Canada’s past.

Canada is back

At first, Trudeau seemed unable to disappoint. He could not have appeared a starker contrast from Harper, regarded by many Canadians as cold and uncharismatic. Youthful, charming and handsome, Trudeau’s progressive messaging immediately stood apart from Harper’s. His policies appeared to do so, too.

This included immediately opening Canada up to tens of thousands of Syrian refugees, which Harper had initially appeared reluctant to do. Trudeau even went to Toronto’s airport to welcome some of the first refugees, saying: “You are home.”

Trudeau’s Liberals emphasised a multicultural Canada that would be open to refugees. This diversity would be represented in their government, too. In contrast to some Conservative leadership candidates’ embrace of Islamophobia and a “barbaric cultural practices tip line,” Trudeau’s government included a record number of Muslim MPs. Trudeau also became the first Canadian prime minister to march in a Pride parade.

Trudeau ran in 2015 on a message of environmental protection, support for Indigenous nations in Canada and global feminism. This included instituting a feminist foreign policy agenda and a reorientation of Canada’s development aid programming on a Feminist International Assistance Policy. When asked why he established gender parity for his first cabinet, he famously retorted: “Because it’s 2015.”

His government legalized cannabis sales and reversed Harper’s anti-science restrictions on research. It increased immigration quotas and reasserted Canadian support for multilateral institutions and international law. This seemed like a return to form for Canada on the international stage and Trudeau emphasized this by saying: “Canada is back.”

Canadians largely seemed happy with his leadership and his government rode high in the polls. His popularity only seemed to skyrocket at home and abroad with the election of Donald Trump as president of the United States in 2016.

For liberals around the world, Trudeau seemed to represent everything the new president was not. Before long, Trudeau became a global symbol in the worldwide struggle against the rise of authoritarianism, populism and white nationalism.

Foreign policy questions

So what happened? Why did Trudeau have to fight for his political life this election against the Conservatives, the New Democratic Party and a resurgent Bloc Québécois, a separatist party that only runs candidates in Québec?

As often happens in Canada, questions about Trudeau’s progressive credentials arose in the Middle East.

Being progressive in Canada often includes support for Palestinian rights. This was in part a result of Harper’s very partisan pro-Israel approach to governance, which included a crackdown on Canadian advocates for Palestinian rights.

Though Trudeau’s Liberals did reinvest funds that Harper’s Conservatives cut from Palestinian refugees, progressives quickly noticed how Trudeau and his government would go out of their way to attack Canadians who advocated for Palestinian rights. This was accompanied by robust diplomatic support for the policies of the right-wing Benjamin Netanyahu in Israel, who was the antithesis of everything Trudeau was supposed to represent.

In region after region, Liberal foreign policy appeared to come out of the Harper playbook. This included Canada’s participation in a campaign to force regime change in oil-rich Venezuela and approving record weapons sales to a notorious human rights violator, Saudi Arabia, as it wages a brutal war in Yemen.

Even Trudeau’s feminist foreign policy seemed hollow.

What good did it do for Yemeni women whose communities are being destroyed with Canadian weapons, Palestinian women shot for protesting the blockade on Gaza or Venezuelan women impoverished by a Canadian-backed economic blockade?

The death of a brand

From his rapid retreat from a campaign pledge for proportional electoral representation to his odd fascination with fancy dress and concerns about the sincerity of his progressive credentials, cumulative questions arose about Trudeau domestically.

Two particular events, though, were critical to undoing his progressive brand.

First was his government’s $4.5 billion purchase of the Trans Mountain pipeline from U.S.-based corporation Kinder Morgan. This was highly unpopular with environmentalists and the First Nations communities it would run through. This raised serious questions about Trudeau’s commitment to fighting climate change and helping Indigenous Peoples, too.

Second was his government’s attempt to halt criminal proceedings into Québec-based engineering firm SNC-Lavalin for overseas corruption. This led to the resignation from cabinet of Jody Wilson-Raybould, Canada’s first Indigenous minister of justice.

She complained she was pressured into considering a deferred prosecution agreement for SNC-Lavalin, and was joined in solidarity in her departure from cabinet by another of Trudeau’s most prominent female ministers, Jane Philpott.

Both were then pushed out of the Liberal caucus, topping off a scandal that raised questions about Trudeau’s commitment to corporate good governance, women’s empowerment and Indigenous leadership.

The campaign trail emergence of images of a younger Trudeau in blackface was also shocking to progressive voters. The photos decidedly tarnished his image, both at home and abroad.

Progressives looking elsewhere

Canada is a diverse country with a diverse electorate. Many Canadian voters, and the core Liberal constituency, still supported Trudeau. This kept him relevant in the 2019 election campaign. A late campaign endorsement by former US&nbsp;President Barack Obama also served as a reminder of what Trudeau still symbolizes to many liberals around the world.

Though Trudeau’s struggles may seem surprising, the inability of his government to truly address deep structural inequalities and income insecurity in Canada fits a pattern of the fracturing of the political landscape of nearly every other liberal democracy. This plagued Obama’s administration as well.

Having a family name and background that symbolizes privilege, in a world where wealth inequality and nepotism have become such divisive topics, hasn’t helped Trudeau.

Dissatisfied with Trudeau, some of Canada’s large progressive electorate, as well as Québec voters, began to look elsewhere —to the New Democrats and the Greens, and in Québec, to the resurgent Bloc Québécois, which took particular advantage of Trudeau’s missteps on the environment.

Trudeau had problems this election because he lost part of the progressive base that put him over the top in 2015, and because the Bloc turned out to be a bigger force in vote-rich Québec than expected.

 
(Jeremy Wildeman is Research Associate in International Development, University of Bath)

(This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/justin-trudeaus-political-setback-a-surprise-to-the-world-but-not-to-canada-125422">original article</a>)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL) &nbsp;

 
&nbsp;

By Jeremy Wildeman Canada’s federal election campaign highlighted a struggle that caught the world by surprise. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was on the ropes throughout the campaign, just four years after his meteoric rise to power and global fandom, even though he ultimately managed to win a minority government.

By Jeremy Wildeman Canada’s federal election campaign highlighted a struggle that caught the world by surprise. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was on the ropes throughout the campaign, just four years after his meteoric rise to power and global fandom, even though he ultimately managed to win a minority government. His struggles did not come as much of a surprise for Canadian progressives, however, who first helped propel him to those heights four years ago. Trudeau came to power with incredible fanfare after an election victory in October 2015 that saw Stephen Harper’s Conservatives voted out. Trudeau returned his party to power with a majority government by appealing to an electorate that was more than weary of almost a decade of right-wing Conservative rule. The world sat up and took notice, in part because Trudeau’s famous father, Pierre, had been swept to power in a similar fashion in 1968 amid a wave of what was known as Trudeaumania. Pierre Elliott Trudeau also had a progressive platform and, for a time, enjoyed a rock star-like popularity among Canadians. That victory more than 50 years ago laid the foundation for 16 years of nearly uninterrupted Liberal rule under Pierre Trudeau, who was the architect of multiculturalism in Canada and further committed the country to peace-building and a rules-based international system. It’s a vision many Canadians came to embrace, but one that Harper’s Conservatives, in power from 2006 to 2015, seemed determined to systematically replace. In this way, the election of Justin Trudeau seemed for many to be a repudiation of the Harper agenda and a return to the normalcy of Canada’s past. Canada is back At first, Trudeau seemed unable to disappoint. He could not have appeared a starker contrast from Harper, regarded by many Canadians as cold and uncharismatic. Youthful, charming and handsome, Trudeau’s progressive messaging immediately stood apart from Harper’s. His policies appeared to do so, too. This included immediately opening Canada up to tens of thousands of Syrian refugees, which Harper had initially appeared reluctant to do. Trudeau even went to Toronto’s airport to welcome some of the first refugees, saying: “You are home.” Trudeau’s Liberals emphasised a multicultural Canada that would be open to refugees. This diversity would be represented in their government, too. In contrast to some Conservative leadership candidates’ embrace of Islamophobia and a “barbaric cultural practices tip line,” Trudeau’s government included a record number of Muslim MPs. Trudeau also became the first Canadian prime minister to march in a Pride parade. Trudeau ran in 2015 on a message of environmental protection, support for Indigenous nations in Canada and global feminism. This included instituting a feminist foreign policy agenda and a reorientation of Canada’s development aid programming on a Feminist International Assistance Policy. When asked why he established gender parity for his first cabinet, he famously retorted: “Because it’s 2015.” His government legalized cannabis sales and reversed Harper’s anti-science restrictions on research. It increased immigration quotas and reasserted Canadian support for multilateral institutions and international law. This seemed like a return to form for Canada on the international stage and Trudeau emphasized this by saying: “Canada is back.” Canadians largely seemed happy with his leadership and his government rode high in the polls. His popularity only seemed to skyrocket at home and abroad with the election of Donald Trump as president of the United States in 2016. For liberals around the world, Trudeau seemed to represent everything the new president was not. Before long, Trudeau became a global symbol in the worldwide struggle against the rise of authoritarianism, populism and white nationalism. Foreign policy questions So what happened? Why did Trudeau have to fight for his political life this election against the Conservatives, the New Democratic Party and a resurgent Bloc Québécois, a separatist party that only runs candidates in Québec? As often happens in Canada, questions about Trudeau’s progressive credentials arose in the Middle East. Being progressive in Canada often includes support for Palestinian rights. This was in part a result of Harper’s very partisan pro-Israel approach to governance, which included a crackdown on Canadian advocates for Palestinian rights. Though Trudeau’s Liberals did reinvest funds that Harper’s Conservatives cut from Palestinian refugees, progressives quickly noticed how Trudeau and his government would go out of their way to attack Canadians who advocated for Palestinian rights. This was accompanied by robust diplomatic support for the policies of the right-wing Benjamin Netanyahu in Israel, who was the antithesis of everything Trudeau was supposed to represent. In region after region, Liberal foreign policy appeared to come out of the Harper playbook. This included Canada’s participation in a campaign to force regime change in oil-rich Venezuela and approving record weapons sales to a notorious human rights violator, Saudi Arabia, as it wages a brutal war in Yemen. Even Trudeau’s feminist foreign policy seemed hollow. What good did it do for Yemeni women whose communities are being destroyed with Canadian weapons, Palestinian women shot for protesting the blockade on Gaza or Venezuelan women impoverished by a Canadian-backed economic blockade? The death of a brand From his rapid retreat from a campaign pledge for proportional electoral representation to his odd fascination with fancy dress and concerns about the sincerity of his progressive credentials, cumulative questions arose about Trudeau domestically. Two particular events, though, were critical to undoing his progressive brand. First was his government’s $4.5 billion purchase of the Trans Mountain pipeline from U.S.-based corporation Kinder Morgan. This was highly unpopular with environmentalists and the First Nations communities it would run through. This raised serious questions about Trudeau’s commitment to fighting climate change and helping Indigenous Peoples, too. Second was his government’s attempt to halt criminal proceedings into Québec-based engineering firm SNC-Lavalin for overseas corruption. This led to the resignation from cabinet of Jody Wilson-Raybould, Canada’s first Indigenous minister of justice. She complained she was pressured into considering a deferred prosecution agreement for SNC-Lavalin, and was joined in solidarity in her departure from cabinet by another of Trudeau’s most prominent female ministers, Jane Philpott. Both were then pushed out of the Liberal caucus, topping off a scandal that raised questions about Trudeau’s commitment to corporate good governance, women’s empowerment and Indigenous leadership. The campaign trail emergence of images of a younger Trudeau in blackface was also shocking to progressive voters. The photos decidedly tarnished his image, both at home and abroad. Progressives looking elsewhere Canada is a diverse country with a diverse electorate. Many Canadian voters, and the core Liberal constituency, still supported Trudeau. This kept him relevant in the 2019 election campaign. A late campaign endorsement by former US President Barack Obama also served as a reminder of what Trudeau still symbolizes to many liberals around the world. Though Trudeau’s struggles may seem surprising, the inability of his government to truly address deep structural inequalities and income insecurity in Canada fits a pattern of the fracturing of the political landscape of nearly every other liberal democracy. This plagued Obama’s administration as well. Having a family name and background that symbolizes privilege, in a world where wealth inequality and nepotism have become such divisive topics, hasn’t helped Trudeau. Dissatisfied with Trudeau, some of Canada’s large progressive electorate, as well as Québec voters, began to look elsewhere —to the New Democrats and the Greens, and in Québec, to the resurgent Bloc Québécois, which took particular advantage of Trudeau’s missteps on the environment. Trudeau had problems this election because he lost part of the progressive base that put him over the top in 2015, and because the Bloc turned out to be a bigger force in vote-rich Québec than expected. (Jeremy Wildeman is Research Associate in International Development, University of Bath) (This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Justin Trudeau’s political setback: A surprise to the world, but not to Canada

Votes to be cast in Canada for 43rd General elections soon. Justin Trudeau calls Scheer campaign 'Nasty'. The PM platform is built around climate, gun control, jobs samewhere Andrew Scheer's platform is Jobs, Middle-class. Watch this video to know more in detail.

Votes to be cast in Canada for 43rd General elections soon

Canada Elections 2019: A Nail-Biter Of A Contest Battle for survival for Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Canada elections 2019 is tipped to be a cliffhanger with the blackface controversy threatening to derail Trudeau's hopes of returning to power.

Gravitas: Canada Elections 2019: Too Close To Call?

Canadians began voting on Monday to determine whether Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who swept into office four years ago as a charismatic figure promising "sunny ways," will remain in power after two major scandals.

Canadians began voting on Monday to determine whether Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who swept into office four years ago as a charismatic figure promising "sunny ways," will remain in power after two major scandals. Polls opened in the Atlantic province of Newfoundland, with voting set to end in the Pacific Coast province of British Columbia at 7pm (0200 GMT on Tuesday). Trudeau, 47, the Liberal Party leader, was endorsed by former Democratic US President Barack Obama in the final stretch of the campaign and is viewed as one of the last remaining progressive leaders among the world's major democracies. But he was shaken during the campaign by a blackface scandal and has been dogged by criticism of his handling of a corruption case involving a major Canadian construction company. Trudeau, the son of former Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, has also had to overcome a sense of fatigue with his government. Trudeau, accompanied by his wife and three children, voted in Montreal on Monday after a marathon sprint campaigning across the country in the past four days. His Liberals and the main opposition Conservatives led by Andrew Scheer are in a neck-and-neck race, according to opinion polls. "The truth is it's a coin toss right now," said Ipsos pollster Darrell Bricker. A year ago, no one would have predicted that Trudeau risked being the first prime minister since the 1930s to secure a parliamentary majority and then fail to win a second term. The latest opinion polls suggest he may narrowly avert that result and could return to office with a minority in the 338-seat House of Commons. That would still leave Trudeau in a weakened position and needing the support of left-leaning opposition parties to push through key pieces of legislation. The Canadian dollar was trading at a new three-month high on Monday, where "domestic attention is squarely on the 43rd federal election today," said Shaun Osborne, chief market strategist at Scotiabank in Toronto. "After some noise around the vote, we think FX players will refocus attention on the Bank of Canada policy outlook, the Fed and international backdrop pretty quickly," he said. Despite Scheer's dimpled smile, Trudeau's main rival has proven to be a determined opponent. "He can't even remember how many times he put blackface on, because the fact of the matter is he's always wearing a mask," Scheer said during a debate. "Mr. Trudeau, you are a phony and you are a fraud and you do not deserve to govern this country." In his bid to unseat Trudeau, Scheer is also promising to balance the federal budget and eliminate a "carbon tax" on fossil fuels. Scheer, 40, is running his first campaign as party leader after winning a bitter Conservative leadership fight in 2017. Bumpy campaign ride The six-week official campaign period has been a rough and meandering ride with dirty tactics on both sides. The liberal image of Trudeau, who has championed diversity as prime minister and whose father opened up the country to mass immigration, took a severe blow when pictures emerged early in the campaign of him wearing blackface in the early 1990s and in 2001. Trudeau had already been wrestling with the fallout from accusations he pressured his justice minister to help shield engineering firm SNC-Lavalin Group Inc <SNC.TO> from corruption charges. In August, a top watchdog said Trudeau breached ethics rules. Given the fact that neither of the front-runners could come away with a parliamentary majority, it is the smaller left-leaning New Democratic Party (NDP) or the separatist Bloc Quebecois that could end up holding the balance of power. "I am a lifelong Liberal voter and I am stumped on this one, mostly because I am really concerned about a Conservative win and just trying to figure out how to vote strategically," said Kristin Street, 33, a strategy manager at a computer games company, in Port Moody, British Columbia. EKOS Research pollster Frank Graves said Liberals needed turnout to be similar to four years ago or otherwise the Conservatives may have an edge. "We may well be waiting until the final vote tallies in British Columbia to see who will win on Monday," Graves said.

Canada votes as Trudeau, his 'sunny ways' dimmed by scandals, seeks to retain power

Long associated with gang violence, the Regent Park neighbourhood of Canada's largest city Toronto has changed. But firearms continue to claim lives, prompting calls ahead of national elections Monday for tougher gun controls.

But those working on the ground to make the community safer and steer youths away from a life of crime say tougher laws are not enough to stem the violence.

"I've seen things here that you only see in movies," said Christopher Rogers, a 35-year-old former gang member who grew up in the neighbourhood and now leads a youth awareness group.

"I have great memories here and I also have very sad memories here, stuff that changed my life and made me who I am today," he adds.

Regent Park was one of the largest social housing projects in Canada when it was erected in the late 1940s, but drug trafficking, shootings and gang activity have since then made it synonymous with crime.

Subject to an ambitious revitalization since 2005, it now looks very different, yet remains a hotbed of violence. Just last month, two young men were wounded in shootings.

Since the beginning of the year, Toronto has been the scene of 370 shootings -- more than twice as many as for the whole of 2014 -- which killed 30 people.

That prompted Mayor John Tory, along with other big-city Canadian mayors facing similar spikes in gun violence, to demand stricter gun controls from the federal government.

Liberal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau proposed a ban on assault rifles but stopped short of the handgun ban sought, saying only that he would help cities to restrict pistols and revolvers.

"You don't need military-grade assault weapons, ones designed to kill the largest amount of people in the shortest amount of time, to take down a deer," he said in Toronto at the start of his re-election campaign in September.

Gangs and smuggling

Conservative leader Andrew Scheer, who is neck-and-neck with Trudeau in the polls, said he supports tougher penalties for gun crimes rather than gun restrictions.

While regulation is essential and proven in Canada, researcher Adam Ellis says the political debate around guns is distracting from substantive issues.

"It's not necessarily the gun itself that's the problem," he told AFP, "The problem is the masculinities that are attached to the gun."

"Let's stop talking about the guns, let's have a bigger real conversation about toxic masculinity in society, how we socialize young boys to feel like they have to be violent... and the only way they can prove their manhood is through a loaded gun," he said.

Police attribute most of the violence to gangs and the many guns being smuggled into the country from a southern neighbour the United States.

In response to the recent spate of shootings, Toronto in August launched an 11-week action plan to boost outreach and policing in hotspots.

Within weeks, police say they made more than 200 arrests and seized a number of guns.

'Harsh reality'&nbsp;

But some experts have criticized the crackdown, saying it is an "emotional response" that will only lead to more violence.

After decreasing between 2009 and 2013, violent gun crimes rose by 42 per cent across Canada in subsequent years to 2017, according to Statistics Canada. The rise was due in large part to the situation in Toronto, the agency said.

Ellis, who left gangsterism to became a criminology researcher at the University of Toronto, said the violence is rooted in social inequities in the city of six million people, where the cost of living, especially housing, has skyrocketed in recent decades.

"We see a lot of young males, and now we find more and more females, drifting toward a gang life as a way to survive," he says.

Ron Chhinzer, a detective in the Toronto Police Gang Prevention Unit, is also concerned about the age of those involved in the violence.

"The harsh reality is that we're seeing kids younger and younger committing more and more violent acts. You're seeing potentially 12 to 13 year-olds with guns," he says. "You're seeing them associated with shootings."

Long associated with gang violence, the Regent Park neighbourhood of Canada's largest city Toronto has changed. But firearms continue to claim lives, prompting calls ahead of national elections Monday for tougher gun controls.

Long associated with gang violence, the Regent Park neighbourhood of Canada's largest city Toronto has changed. But firearms continue to claim lives, prompting calls ahead of national elections Monday for tougher gun controls. But those working on the ground to make the community safer and steer youths away from a life of crime say tougher laws are not enough to stem the violence. "I've seen things here that you only see in movies," said Christopher Rogers, a 35-year-old former gang member who grew up in the neighbourhood and now leads a youth awareness group. "I have great memories here and I also have very sad memories here, stuff that changed my life and made me who I am today," he adds. Regent Park was one of the largest social housing projects in Canada when it was erected in the late 1940s, but drug trafficking, shootings and gang activity have since then made it synonymous with crime. Subject to an ambitious revitalization since 2005, it now looks very different, yet remains a hotbed of violence. Just last month, two young men were wounded in shootings. Since the beginning of the year, Toronto has been the scene of 370 shootings -- more than twice as many as for the whole of 2014 -- which killed 30 people. That prompted Mayor John Tory, along with other big-city Canadian mayors facing similar spikes in gun violence, to demand stricter gun controls from the federal government. Liberal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau proposed a ban on assault rifles but stopped short of the handgun ban sought, saying only that he would help cities to restrict pistols and revolvers. "You don't need military-grade assault weapons, ones designed to kill the largest amount of people in the shortest amount of time, to take down a deer," he said in Toronto at the start of his re-election campaign in September. Gangs and smuggling Conservative leader Andrew Scheer, who is neck-and-neck with Trudeau in the polls, said he supports tougher penalties for gun crimes rather than gun restrictions. While regulation is essential and proven in Canada, researcher Adam Ellis says the political debate around guns is distracting from substantive issues. "It's not necessarily the gun itself that's the problem," he told AFP, "The problem is the masculinities that are attached to the gun." "Let's stop talking about the guns, let's have a bigger real conversation about toxic masculinity in society, how we socialize young boys to feel like they have to be violent... and the only way they can prove their manhood is through a loaded gun," he said. Police attribute most of the violence to gangs and the many guns being smuggled into the country from a southern neighbour the United States. In response to the recent spate of shootings, Toronto in August launched an 11-week action plan to boost outreach and policing in hotspots. Within weeks, police say they made more than 200 arrests and seized a number of guns. 'Harsh reality' But some experts have criticized the crackdown, saying it is an "emotional response" that will only lead to more violence. After decreasing between 2009 and 2013, violent gun crimes rose by 42 per cent across Canada in subsequent years to 2017, according to Statistics Canada. The rise was due in large part to the situation in Toronto, the agency said. Ellis, who left gangsterism to became a criminology researcher at the University of Toronto, said the violence is rooted in social inequities in the city of six million people, where the cost of living, especially housing, has skyrocketed in recent decades. "We see a lot of young males, and now we find more and more females, drifting toward a gang life as a way to survive," he says. Ron Chhinzer, a detective in the Toronto Police Gang Prevention Unit, is also concerned about the age of those involved in the violence. "The harsh reality is that we're seeing kids younger and younger committing more and more violent acts. You're seeing potentially 12 to 13 year-olds with guns," he says. "You're seeing them associated with shootings."

Canada election brings call to arms against gun violence

Canadian Liberal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, facing a tough election next week, accused his rivals on Wednesday of fighting a dirty campaign and picked up an endorsement from former U.S. President Barack Obama.

Opinion polls show that Trudeau's party, in power since 2015, is locked in a tie with the opposition Conservatives and will lose its majority in the House of Commons.

Obama called Trudeau a hard-working, effective leader who tackled big issues like climate change.

"The world needs his progressive leadership now, and I hope our neighbours to the north support him for another term," he said in a tweet.

The two men formed a close friendship when Obama, a Democrat, was still in office. Trudeau was the first Canadian prime minister the United States honoured with a state dinner in almost two decades when Obama invited him and his wife to Washington in March 2016 after Trudeau won power the previous October.

Obama's endorsement came just hours after Trudeau, speaking to reporters in Montreal, accused the Conservatives of running "one of the dirtiest, nastiest campaigns based on disinformation that we've ever seen in this country."

A Nanos Research overnight poll for CTV and the Globe and Mail newspaper put the Conservatives at 32.5%, the Liberals at 31.9% and the left-leaning New Democrats (NDP) at 18.8%. Canadians vote on Monday.

On Wednesday, Trudeau, Conservative leader Andrew Scheer and NDP chief Jagmeet Singh were all stumping for votes in Quebec, a predominantly French-speaking province that is a key political battleground, home to 78 of the 338 seats up for grabs.

Scheer said last week that Trudeau was "a phoney and a fraud" who did not deserve to govern. Scheer has repeatedly said Trudeau will raise taxes immediately after the election - which Trudeau has denied.

The Conservatives were the source of a video of Trudeau in blackface in the early 1990s. They gave it to Global News to authenticate and it emerged a day after the first blackface picture was published by Time magazine.

Trudeau targeted his Conservative counterpart near the end of the nearly six-week official campaign period, which has been characterized by mudslinging on both sides.

"We may wake up Tuesday morning and have a government led by Andrew Scheer. And the only way to avoid that is to vote for the Liberal Party," Trudeau said.

For his part, Scheer has had to deal with repeated references by Trudeau to his personal anti-abortion stance, even though the Conservative leader has said he will not limit a woman's right to choose.

"Justin Trudeau has been dividing Canadians - pitting regions of our great country against each other," Simon Jefferies, a spokesman for Scheer's campaign, said in a statement, adding Trudeau "should take a look in the mirror."

Canadian Liberal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, facing a tough election next week, accused his rivals on Wednesday of fighting a dirty campaign and picked up an endorsement from former U.

Canadian Liberal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, facing a tough election next week, accused his rivals on Wednesday of fighting a dirty campaign and picked up an endorsement from former U.S. President Barack Obama. Opinion polls show that Trudeau's party, in power since 2015, is locked in a tie with the opposition Conservatives and will lose its majority in the House of Commons. Obama called Trudeau a hard-working, effective leader who tackled big issues like climate change. "The world needs his progressive leadership now, and I hope our neighbours to the north support him for another term," he said in a tweet. The two men formed a close friendship when Obama, a Democrat, was still in office. Trudeau was the first Canadian prime minister the United States honoured with a state dinner in almost two decades when Obama invited him and his wife to Washington in March 2016 after Trudeau won power the previous October. Obama's endorsement came just hours after Trudeau, speaking to reporters in Montreal, accused the Conservatives of running "one of the dirtiest, nastiest campaigns based on disinformation that we've ever seen in this country." A Nanos Research overnight poll for CTV and the Globe and Mail newspaper put the Conservatives at 32.5%, the Liberals at 31.9% and the left-leaning New Democrats (NDP) at 18.8%. Canadians vote on Monday. On Wednesday, Trudeau, Conservative leader Andrew Scheer and NDP chief Jagmeet Singh were all stumping for votes in Quebec, a predominantly French-speaking province that is a key political battleground, home to 78 of the 338 seats up for grabs. Scheer said last week that Trudeau was "a phoney and a fraud" who did not deserve to govern. Scheer has repeatedly said Trudeau will raise taxes immediately after the election - which Trudeau has denied. The Conservatives were the source of a video of Trudeau in blackface in the early 1990s. They gave it to Global News to authenticate and it emerged a day after the first blackface picture was published by Time magazine. Trudeau targeted his Conservative counterpart near the end of the nearly six-week official campaign period, which has been characterized by mudslinging on both sides. "We may wake up Tuesday morning and have a government led by Andrew Scheer. And the only way to avoid that is to vote for the Liberal Party," Trudeau said. For his part, Scheer has had to deal with repeated references by Trudeau to his personal anti-abortion stance, even though the Conservative leader has said he will not limit a woman's right to choose. "Justin Trudeau has been dividing Canadians - pitting regions of our great country against each other," Simon Jefferies, a spokesman for Scheer's campaign, said in a statement, adding Trudeau "should take a look in the mirror."

Canada's Trudeau slams rivals for dirty campaign, gets Obama endorsement

Andrew Scheer, the head of Canada's opposition Conservatives, on Friday dropped one of his candidates for the Oct. 21 election and faced repeated questions about why he had not revealed that he has dual US citizenship.

Polls show the Conservatives have a chance to beat the ruling Liberals, but his campaign has been on the defensive since Thursday when a newspaper revealed that he is also a US citizen. After the Globe and Mail newspaper broke the news on Thursday, Scheer said he was giving up his American citizenship.

"It's not a big deal to have dual citizenship here in Canada," he told reporters, who asked him whether he had ever filed taxes in the United States or registered for the US military draft at 18.

Scheer instead took aim at Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who is trying to recover from images showing him dressed in blackface, and accused him of breaking promises to eliminate the budget deficit and make life more affordable.

"When Canadians are looking at what he is offering this election, they know they cannot trust him," Scheer said.

Trudeau told reporters in Quebec City that Scheer needed to be honest with Canadians about his dual citizenship and noted that he had apologised repeatedly for the blackface incidents.

"Mr. Scheer continues to not take responsibility for his choices of the past, his actions of the past, his mistakes of the past," Trudeau said.

In a further setback for Scheer, the Conservative Party announced it had dropped one of its candidates in British Columbia, Heather Leung, for making offensive comments about gays, including that they "recruit" children.

"Heather Leung is no longer representing the Conservative Party of Canada in the riding of Burnaby North-Seymour," the party said in a statement. "There is no tolerance in the Conservative Party for those types of offensive comments."

Her name will still be on the ballot because the deadline has passed to nominate or remove candidates, but she will not receive Conservative support, and should she win, she will not sit with the party caucus in parliament.

Separately on Friday, the federal government said it would appeal a human rights ruling last month that ordered Ottawa to compensate aboriginal children who had been removed from their homes and put into welfare.

Trudeau told reporters that while he agrees with the idea of compensation, the government needed time to consult with its partners. Such talks could not take place during an election campaign, he added.

Andrew Scheer, the head of Canada's opposition Conservatives, on Friday dropped one of his candidates for the Oct. 21 election and faced repeated questions about why he had not revealed that he has dual US citizenship.

Andrew Scheer, the head of Canada's opposition Conservatives, on Friday dropped one of his candidates for the Oct. 21 election and faced repeated questions about why he had not revealed that he has dual US citizenship. Polls show the Conservatives have a chance to beat the ruling Liberals, but his campaign has been on the defensive since Thursday when a newspaper revealed that he is also a US citizen. After the Globe and Mail newspaper broke the news on Thursday, Scheer said he was giving up his American citizenship. "It's not a big deal to have dual citizenship here in Canada," he told reporters, who asked him whether he had ever filed taxes in the United States or registered for the US military draft at 18. Scheer instead took aim at Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who is trying to recover from images showing him dressed in blackface, and accused him of breaking promises to eliminate the budget deficit and make life more affordable. "When Canadians are looking at what he is offering this election, they know they cannot trust him," Scheer said. Trudeau told reporters in Quebec City that Scheer needed to be honest with Canadians about his dual citizenship and noted that he had apologised repeatedly for the blackface incidents. "Mr. Scheer continues to not take responsibility for his choices of the past, his actions of the past, his mistakes of the past," Trudeau said. In a further setback for Scheer, the Conservative Party announced it had dropped one of its candidates in British Columbia, Heather Leung, for making offensive comments about gays, including that they "recruit" children. "Heather Leung is no longer representing the Conservative Party of Canada in the riding of Burnaby North-Seymour," the party said in a statement. "There is no tolerance in the Conservative Party for those types of offensive comments." Her name will still be on the ballot because the deadline has passed to nominate or remove candidates, but she will not receive Conservative support, and should she win, she will not sit with the party caucus in parliament. Separately on Friday, the federal government said it would appeal a human rights ruling last month that ordered Ottawa to compensate aboriginal children who had been removed from their homes and put into welfare. Trudeau told reporters that while he agrees with the idea of compensation, the government needed time to consult with its partners. Such talks could not take place during an election campaign, he added.

Canada opposition chief pressed on US citizenship, drops candidate for anti-gay comments

Canadian Prime Minister <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/canadian-pm-trudeau-dissolves-parliament-launches-campaign-for-october-21-election-249077">Justin Trudeau</a>, trying to revive his electoral fortunes after the emergence of embarrassing&nbsp;photographs, used the first televised campaign debate on Wednesday to launch repeated attacks on his main rival.

Polls suggest Trudeau's left-leaning Liberals could lose power to the opposition Conservatives of Andrew Scheer on October&nbsp;21 amid voter unhappiness with images of Trudeau in blackface, as well as other scandals.

Trudeau, variously interrupting and talking over Scheer, took the offensive from the start during the French-language debate in the politically important province of Quebec.

He first suggested Scheer would be open to reviving the debate on abortion.

"Do you - as a party leader, as a father and a husband - believe women should have a choice?" Trudeau asked Scheer.

There are few restrictions on abortion in Canada and the Conservatives have traditionally steered clear of the topic, fearing they could alienate progressive voters.

"Quebecers can be confident that a Conservative government led by me will not reopen this debate," Scheer responded.

Jagmeet Singh of the left-leaning New Democrats and Yves-Francois Blanchet of the separatist Bloc Quebecois - the other two leaders in the debate hosted by private channel TVA - also criticized Scheer on the issue.

"We are seeing that three of us are aligned on values, the values of Quebecers, and we have a fourth, a Conservative party that is not aligned ... on the rights of women," said Trudeau.

French is the predominant language in Quebec, Canada's second-most populous province that accounts for 78 of the 338 seats in the federal House of Commons.

The Liberals had been confident of adding to the 40 Quebec seats they won in 2015 but now face a challenge from the Conservatives as well as the Bloc, which wants independence for the province of 8.4 million people.

Scheer, whose French is the least fluent of the four leaders, sometimes stumbled over his words and on occasion looked flustered. The Conservative chief, who says Canadians are most interested in tackling the high cost of living, later accused Trudeau of planning to raise taxes.

After Scheer accused Trudeau of harbouring a secret agenda to decriminalize all drugs, the Liberal leader replied: "Again, we see the politics of fear that you are promoting."

The exchanges were the first between the leaders of the major parties since the blackface photos emerged last month, temporarily derailing Trudeau's campaign.

None of the leaders mentioned the<a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions/justin-trudeaus-blackface-apology-rings-hollow-and-highlights-anti-arab-stereotypes-251432"> blackface incident.</a>

TVA has the biggest audience of any news channel in Quebec. The Canadian Broadcasting Corp will host an English-language debate on October&nbsp;7 and another French-language session on October&nbsp;10.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, trying to revive his electoral fortunes after the emergence of embarrassing photographs, used the first televised campaign debate on Wednesday to launch repeated attacks on his main rival.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, trying to revive his electoral fortunes after the emergence of embarrassing photographs, used the first televised campaign debate on Wednesday to launch repeated attacks on his main rival. Polls suggest Trudeau's left-leaning Liberals could lose power to the opposition Conservatives of Andrew Scheer on October 21 amid voter unhappiness with images of Trudeau in blackface, as well as other scandals. Trudeau, variously interrupting and talking over Scheer, took the offensive from the start during the French-language debate in the politically important province of Quebec. He first suggested Scheer would be open to reviving the debate on abortion. "Do you - as a party leader, as a father and a husband - believe women should have a choice?" Trudeau asked Scheer. There are few restrictions on abortion in Canada and the Conservatives have traditionally steered clear of the topic, fearing they could alienate progressive voters. "Quebecers can be confident that a Conservative government led by me will not reopen this debate," Scheer responded. Jagmeet Singh of the left-leaning New Democrats and Yves-Francois Blanchet of the separatist Bloc Quebecois - the other two leaders in the debate hosted by private channel TVA - also criticized Scheer on the issue. "We are seeing that three of us are aligned on values, the values of Quebecers, and we have a fourth, a Conservative party that is not aligned ... on the rights of women," said Trudeau. French is the predominant language in Quebec, Canada's second-most populous province that accounts for 78 of the 338 seats in the federal House of Commons. The Liberals had been confident of adding to the 40 Quebec seats they won in 2015 but now face a challenge from the Conservatives as well as the Bloc, which wants independence for the province of 8.4 million people. Scheer, whose French is the least fluent of the four leaders, sometimes stumbled over his words and on occasion looked flustered. The Conservative chief, who says Canadians are most interested in tackling the high cost of living, later accused Trudeau of planning to raise taxes. After Scheer accused Trudeau of harbouring a secret agenda to decriminalize all drugs, the Liberal leader replied: "Again, we see the politics of fear that you are promoting." The exchanges were the first between the leaders of the major parties since the blackface photos emerged last month, temporarily derailing Trudeau's campaign. None of the leaders mentioned the blackface incident. TVA has the biggest audience of any news channel in Quebec. The Canadian Broadcasting Corp will host an English-language debate on October 7 and another French-language session on October 10.

Canada's Trudeau goes on attack in debate as he seeks to revive campaign

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/canadian-pm-trudeau-dissolves-parliament-launches-campaign-for-october-21-election-249077">election campaign</a> team were on the way to the airport in Nova Scotia on Sept. 18 when Time magazine journalists called with alarming news.

Within hours, the magazine would publish a picture that could doom his bid to win another four years in power. The 2001 image showed a 29-year-old Trudeau at an Arabian Nights party, his face covered in dark makeup, evoking racial stereotypes that seemed contrary to everything he stood for.

Parked on the Halifax airport tarmac that Wednesday, as campaign planners pushed for a timely departure to Winnipeg, Trudeau’s closest aides nixed the idea of spending the next four hours in the air. Then and there, they would scramble to get ahead of the explosive story.

The election was a month away.

While some aides prepared a contrite message for Trudeau to deliver to the media, the 47-year-old prime minister began calling&nbsp;as many Liberal legislators and cabinet ministers from ethnic minorities as he could, hoping to beat the news on Twitter. One was Omar Alghabra, a Liberal parliamentarian of Syrian descent, who said that Trudeau's heads-up came with profuse apologies.

Still, in the plane, Trudeau&nbsp;called a nationally televised media conference at which he not only <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions/justin-trudeaus-blackface-apology-rings-hollow-and-highlights-anti-arab-stereotypes-251432">apologized repeatedly</a> but also admitted to another incident of donning dark make-up.

Interviews with that confidant and five other aides and strategists&nbsp;show how a hastily but carefully choreographed strategy over the ensuing week aimed to quickly rehabilitate the prime minister’s image before the damage gelled. None of the six who spoke to Reuters agreed to be named, citing the sensitivity of the situation. No one connected to the campaign would speak on the record.

"You can't dodge, you can't spin. You just have to put him out there and let people shout at him if they want to," said one Liberal aide who helped craft the strategy.

Whether the strategy to quickly apologize was the right one remains to be seen: Polls showed Trudeau’s popularity dipping in the immediate aftermath of the revelations before recovering. Since then, however, surveys of public opinion show the Liberals will be lucky to eke out even a weak minority government and could lose to the official opposition Conservatives led by Andrew Scheer.&nbsp;

"We won't know the effect of the pictures until election day," said a senior Trudeau adviser. "People might decide that however much they support us, they can't vote Liberal because of this."

Liberal officials say lower voter turnout among Trudeau's supporters is a major risk.

In response to questions for this article, Conservative campaign spokesman Daniel Schow said the Liberal’s campaign strategy hasn’t worked.

“Justin Trudeau has spent the last four years lecturing Canadians about social and diversity issues with a holier-than-thou attitude. There’s no way to spin hypocrisy. Canadians now realize that Justin Trudeau is not as advertised."

Scheer, the Conservative leader, said at a news conference on Sept 19 that Trudeau had not been sincere in his apology or fully truthful about his past. He cited a video in which Trudeau was captured dancing in blackface. Trudeau told reporters he had not remembered the 1990s incident.

“I think Canadians might have accepted Justin Trudeau’s apology if he hadn’t lied about it," Sheer said at the news conference. “I think he has lost the moral authority to govern.”

Inside the Trudeau camp, three people took charge of damage control: Former journalist Ben Chin, who had been chief of staff to the finance minister and was now in charge of messaging; Cyrus Reporter,&nbsp;a long-time Trudeau ally and former chief of staff when Trudeau was in opposition; and current chief of staff Katie Telford, one of his closest confidants.

Working with Ottawa-based officials, the trio were crucial in devising the response in the hours and days to come,&nbsp;the sources told Reuters. Chin and Reporter, brought on a few months earlier, both were experienced in crisis management.

The&nbsp;approach: Be open, remorseful and solicitous of questions from the public and the media. Take a break from campaigning-as-usual. And draw the air out of the issue as early as possible ahead of the Oct 21 election.

Scott Reid, chief spokesman for former Liberal prime minister Paul Martin, said the quick apology was the right track: “Waiting to compose your thoughts and seeing how the dust settles is evidence of people who are perhaps not thoroughly motivated by the right instincts.”

Cabinet ministers – including those from ethnic minorities – expressed disappointment with the revelations but pledged loyalty to Trudeau. Aides dismissed the idea that he was racist, noting he had been the driving force behind a decision to welcome around 40,000 Syrian refugees since taking power in November 2015.

But the crisis meant the Liberals had to temporarily toss their general-election playbook to the side. It had called for an aggressive campaign that painted the Conservative Party of Canada as a haven for racist, anti-gay and anti-abortion candidates while stressing measures to make life more affordable for Canadians.

That approach, the aides who spoke to Reuters said, had been intended to help the Liberals get around another obstacle: voter distrust after Canada's ethics watchdog formally reprimanded Trudeau and his top officials in August for inappropriately interfering in a corporate corruption case.

Trudeau’s plane took off for Winnipeg later that Wednesday, and according to one observer,&nbsp;he remained locked in conversation with Cyrus Reporter for much of the flight. Upon arrival, the prime minister and his team decamped to a different hotel than the traveling press corps and, unusually, had no communication with accompanying media for 12 hours.

For much of that time, Trudeau was in a room calling more Liberal parliamentarians and community leaders, said a Liberal aide familiar with the matter.

The aides decided to cancel a planned announcement on education that had been scheduled for the next day. Trudeau told aides he did not want to immediately pivot to a campaign announcement.&nbsp;“I don't want (speech) lines that say, 'I am very sorry for what happened, but here's something even more important,'" one person who helped draw up Trudeau's strategy recalled the prime minister saying.

His campaign news conferences usually run for 15 to 20 minutes, but that first day in Winnipeg, Trudeau overruled advisers, opting to speak at length in the middle of a public square "where we had no way of controlling who was present," according to one aide.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

For nearly an hour, reporters aggressively quizzed Trudeau on his thinking when he wore blackface, on whether there were other similar incidents and if he planned to resign.

Standing in front of hundreds of spectators, Trudeau again apologized for his "massive blind spot" and appealed for forgiveness.

Back on the campaign plane, he headed&nbsp;to the western city of Saskatoon, a planned nighttime rally of Liberal supporters was canceled and replaced by a town hall where anyone could ask whatever they wanted.

"We couldn't do a triumphant rally that night. We didn't know how people felt," said one campaign team member.

"A rally would have been highly inappropriate – he was in the penalty box,' said another Liberal directly involved with the campaign, referring to the temporary punishment meted out to ice hockey players.

After two days of apologies, however, Trudeau was ready to go&nbsp;back on the offensive. He rattled off four major policies in just three days, including an announcement Sept. 20 on gun control in Toronto.

The next day, the front page of the Globe and Mail national newspaper led on the guns measure rather than the black-face images.&nbsp;

Nanos Research pollster Nik Nanos, who describes himself as unaffiliated with any political party, said the Liberals were lucky that there was still time for their poll numbers to rise.

"If this had happened in the last week of the campaign, we'd be saying Prime Minister Andrew Scheer,” Nanos said.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his election campaign team were on the way to the airport in Nova Scotia on Sept. 18 when Time magazine journalists called with alarming news.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his election campaign team were on the way to the airport in Nova Scotia on Sept. 18 when Time magazine journalists called with alarming news. Within hours, the magazine would publish a picture that could doom his bid to win another four years in power. The 2001 image showed a 29-year-old Trudeau at an Arabian Nights party, his face covered in dark makeup, evoking racial stereotypes that seemed contrary to everything he stood for. Parked on the Halifax airport tarmac that Wednesday, as campaign planners pushed for a timely departure to Winnipeg, Trudeau’s closest aides nixed the idea of spending the next four hours in the air. Then and there, they would scramble to get ahead of the explosive story. The election was a month away. While some aides prepared a contrite message for Trudeau to deliver to the media, the 47-year-old prime minister began calling as many Liberal legislators and cabinet ministers from ethnic minorities as he could, hoping to beat the news on Twitter. One was Omar Alghabra, a Liberal parliamentarian of Syrian descent, who said that Trudeau's heads-up came with profuse apologies. Still, in the plane, Trudeau called a nationally televised media conference at which he not only apologized repeatedly but also admitted to another incident of donning dark make-up. Interviews with that confidant and five other aides and strategists show how a hastily but carefully choreographed strategy over the ensuing week aimed to quickly rehabilitate the prime minister’s image before the damage gelled. None of the six who spoke to Reuters agreed to be named, citing the sensitivity of the situation. No one connected to the campaign would speak on the record. "You can't dodge, you can't spin. You just have to put him out there and let people shout at him if they want to," said one Liberal aide who helped craft the strategy. Whether the strategy to quickly apologize was the right one remains to be seen: Polls showed Trudeau’s popularity dipping in the immediate aftermath of the revelations before recovering. Since then, however, surveys of public opinion show the Liberals will be lucky to eke out even a weak minority government and could lose to the official opposition Conservatives led by Andrew Scheer. "We won't know the effect of the pictures until election day," said a senior Trudeau adviser. "People might decide that however much they support us, they can't vote Liberal because of this." Liberal officials say lower voter turnout among Trudeau's supporters is a major risk. In response to questions for this article, Conservative campaign spokesman Daniel Schow said the Liberal’s campaign strategy hasn’t worked. “Justin Trudeau has spent the last four years lecturing Canadians about social and diversity issues with a holier-than-thou attitude. There’s no way to spin hypocrisy. Canadians now realize that Justin Trudeau is not as advertised." Scheer, the Conservative leader, said at a news conference on Sept 19 that Trudeau had not been sincere in his apology or fully truthful about his past. He cited a video in which Trudeau was captured dancing in blackface. Trudeau told reporters he had not remembered the 1990s incident. “I think Canadians might have accepted Justin Trudeau’s apology if he hadn’t lied about it," Sheer said at the news conference. “I think he has lost the moral authority to govern.” Inside the Trudeau camp, three people took charge of damage control: Former journalist Ben Chin, who had been chief of staff to the finance minister and was now in charge of messaging; Cyrus Reporter, a long-time Trudeau ally and former chief of staff when Trudeau was in opposition; and current chief of staff Katie Telford, one of his closest confidants. Working with Ottawa-based officials, the trio were crucial in devising the response in the hours and days to come, the sources told Reuters. Chin and Reporter, brought on a few months earlier, both were experienced in crisis management. The approach: Be open, remorseful and solicitous of questions from the public and the media. Take a break from campaigning-as-usual. And draw the air out of the issue as early as possible ahead of the Oct 21 election. Scott Reid, chief spokesman for former Liberal prime minister Paul Martin, said the quick apology was the right track: “Waiting to compose your thoughts and seeing how the dust settles is evidence of people who are perhaps not thoroughly motivated by the right instincts.” Cabinet ministers – including those from ethnic minorities – expressed disappointment with the revelations but pledged loyalty to Trudeau. Aides dismissed the idea that he was racist, noting he had been the driving force behind a decision to welcome around 40,000 Syrian refugees since taking power in November 2015. But the crisis meant the Liberals had to temporarily toss their general-election playbook to the side. It had called for an aggressive campaign that painted the Conservative Party of Canada as a haven for racist, anti-gay and anti-abortion candidates while stressing measures to make life more affordable for Canadians. That approach, the aides who spoke to Reuters said, had been intended to help the Liberals get around another obstacle: voter distrust after Canada's ethics watchdog formally reprimanded Trudeau and his top officials in August for inappropriately interfering in a corporate corruption case. Trudeau’s plane took off for Winnipeg later that Wednesday, and according to one observer, he remained locked in conversation with Cyrus Reporter for much of the flight. Upon arrival, the prime minister and his team decamped to a different hotel than the traveling press corps and, unusually, had no communication with accompanying media for 12 hours. For much of that time, Trudeau was in a room calling more Liberal parliamentarians and community leaders, said a Liberal aide familiar with the matter. The aides decided to cancel a planned announcement on education that had been scheduled for the next day. Trudeau told aides he did not want to immediately pivot to a campaign announcement. “I don't want (speech) lines that say, 'I am very sorry for what happened, but here's something even more important,'" one person who helped draw up Trudeau's strategy recalled the prime minister saying. His campaign news conferences usually run for 15 to 20 minutes, but that first day in Winnipeg, Trudeau overruled advisers, opting to speak at length in the middle of a public square "where we had no way of controlling who was present," according to one aide. For nearly an hour, reporters aggressively quizzed Trudeau on his thinking when he wore blackface, on whether there were other similar incidents and if he planned to resign. Standing in front of hundreds of spectators, Trudeau again apologized for his "massive blind spot" and appealed for forgiveness. Back on the campaign plane, he headed to the western city of Saskatoon, a planned nighttime rally of Liberal supporters was canceled and replaced by a town hall where anyone could ask whatever they wanted. "We couldn't do a triumphant rally that night. We didn't know how people felt," said one campaign team member. "A rally would have been highly inappropriate – he was in the penalty box,' said another Liberal directly involved with the campaign, referring to the temporary punishment meted out to ice hockey players. After two days of apologies, however, Trudeau was ready to go back on the offensive. He rattled off four major policies in just three days, including an announcement Sept. 20 on gun control in Toronto. The next day, the front page of the Globe and Mail national newspaper led on the guns measure rather than the black-face images. Nanos Research pollster Nik Nanos, who describes himself as unaffiliated with any political party, said the Liberals were lucky that there was still time for their poll numbers to rise. "If this had happened in the last week of the campaign, we'd be saying Prime Minister Andrew Scheer,” Nanos said.

How the Trudeau campaign scrambled to sidestep political disaster

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced he will take part in a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/thank-you-greta-for-much-needed-punch-in-the-face-priyanka-chopra-252052">climate action march led by Swedish teen activist Greta Thunberg</a> -- as the environment emerges as a key election issue.

His main rival Conservative leader Andrew Scheer will be campaigning in Vancouver, but Friday's rally in Montreal is expected to draw local Tory candidates as well as Trudeau.

Trudeau, who faces elections October 21, paddled up in a canoe Thursday in Sudbury, Ontario to make announce he would be marching in Montreal with thousands of other Canadians to "fight for the environment."

"There has been an extraordinary amount of mobilisation by young people and by Canadians across this country and indeed around the world calling for real action on climate change," he said.

Watch: Greta Thunberg steals the show at UN climate summit

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-us-edition-greta-thunberg-steals-the-show-at-un-climate-summit-251825/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

The Montreal event coincides with similar so-called "climate strikes" around the globe.

Schools, colleges and universities have suspended classes for the day, and the city government has encouraged staff to take the day off.

Thunberg, 16, on Monday accused world leaders in a rousing "How Dare You?" speech at the UN climate summit of betraying her generation.

"You have stolen my dreams and my childhood with your empty words," she thundered, visibly angry and close to tears.

The teen has spurred millions of youths to protest, drawn by her steely determination despite her years.

Organisers said Thunberg also will take aim at airlines' skyrocketing CO2 emissions in a speech outside the UN aviation agency in Montreal, which is holding its annual conference.

The International Civil Aviation Organisation's 193 member states this week are taking stock of the implementation of a climate plan unveiled at its last general assembly in 2016.

Aviation accounts for about two per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions, according to the ICAO.

Under its so-called Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA), participating airlines are expected to stabilise their CO2 emissions by 2020, and buy offsetting credits thereafter if they exceed set limits.

Thunberg sailed across the Atlantic for the UN climate summit in New York specifically to avoid flying.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced he will take part in a climate action march led by Swedish teen activist Greta Thunberg -- as the environment emerges as a key election issue.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced he will take part in a climate action march led by Swedish teen activist Greta Thunberg -- as the environment emerges as a key election issue. His main rival Conservative leader Andrew Scheer will be campaigning in Vancouver, but Friday's rally in Montreal is expected to draw local Tory candidates as well as Trudeau. Trudeau, who faces elections October 21, paddled up in a canoe Thursday in Sudbury, Ontario to make announce he would be marching in Montreal with thousands of other Canadians to "fight for the environment." "There has been an extraordinary amount of mobilisation by young people and by Canadians across this country and indeed around the world calling for real action on climate change," he said. Watch: Greta Thunberg steals the show at UN climate summit × The Montreal event coincides with similar so-called "climate strikes" around the globe. Schools, colleges and universities have suspended classes for the day, and the city government has encouraged staff to take the day off. Thunberg, 16, on Monday accused world leaders in a rousing "How Dare You?" speech at the UN climate summit of betraying her generation. "You have stolen my dreams and my childhood with your empty words," she thundered, visibly angry and close to tears. The teen has spurred millions of youths to protest, drawn by her steely determination despite her years. Organisers said Thunberg also will take aim at airlines' skyrocketing CO2 emissions in a speech outside the UN aviation agency in Montreal, which is holding its annual conference. The International Civil Aviation Organisation's 193 member states this week are taking stock of the implementation of a climate plan unveiled at its last general assembly in 2016. Aviation accounts for about two per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions, according to the ICAO. Under its so-called Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA), participating airlines are expected to stabilise their CO2 emissions by 2020, and buy offsetting credits thereafter if they exceed set limits. Thunberg sailed across the Atlantic for the UN climate summit in New York specifically to avoid flying.

Canada's Trudeau to march with climate activist Greta Thunberg

By Reem Bahdi

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has offended, humiliated and hurt several communities in Canada. The images of Trudeau in blackface invoke vile, racist and offensive stereotypes that have been used to deny the common humanity of Black communities across time.

Trudeau wore blackface on several occasions, including at an “Arabian Nights”-themed party where he also wore a stereotypical outfit. He has apologised for the blackface.

Canadians are now reflecting on the impact and significance of the prime minister’s apologies.

Leadership Matters

In her recent book, Leading With Dignity author Donna Hicks, based at Harvard’s Weatherhead Center, says leaders play a significant role in creating institutional cultures, including governments. She argues that leaders must genuinely accept other identities if they want to promote the equal dignity and worth of all people.

Trudeau’s conduct ridicules racialised communities. It signals to them that they are second-class citizens. His behaviour must be understood in political and social context.

Trudeau uses anti-Arab Clichés in Politics 
 
The prime minister invokes anti-Arab tropes when he criticizes Palestinian advocates and their allies who support Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) against Israeli occupation. For example, at a town hall in St. Catharines, Ont., in January 2019, Trudeau asserted that those who support BDS violate “Canadian values.”

People can disagree on the purpose or effectiveness of BDS.

But Trudeau’s decision to declare his opponents as un-Canadian is troubling. It invokes anti-Arab stereotypes and can be linked to a larger pattern of discrimination faced by Arabs and Muslims in Canada, groups that are often improperly conflated.

In a recent paper from the Journal of Law and Social Policy, “All Arabs Are Liars,” I examined a sample of human rights cases for common anti-Arab and anti-Muslim stereotypes. My analysis confirmed that Arabs and Muslim are stereotyped as un-Canadian or disloyal to Canada.

Stereotypes Impact People’s Lives

Stereotypes or negative tropes are not simply insulting. They help maintain a racialised status quo. They cause us to misjudge other people’s motives, abilities and actions.

For example, after the September&nbsp;11 terrorist attacks, stereotypes influenced the decisions of Canadian officials who falsely concluded that Maher Arar, a Canadian citizen, engineer and father of two, belonged to a foreign terrorist group. The officials’ decisions reflected the belief that Arabs and Muslims are not true Canadians. Such thinking contributed to Arar’s overseas torture. It is also evident in the torture of other Canadian Arab, Muslim men in several overseas instances as determined by a federal commission’s inquiry.

Various studies have confirmed that Arabs and Muslims increasingly face discrimination and stereotyping in policing and national security surveillance. Arabs and Muslims also face discrimination at border sites, public spaces, workplaces, service counters and airports

Arab Canadians Face Racism 
 
In a recent survey of Arab communities in Ontario undertaken on behalf of the Arab Canadian Lawyers Association with the support of the Law Foundation of Ontario, sociologist Suzanne McMurphy and I found that 27 per cent of people surveyed tried to hide their Arab identities.

When asked why one person explained it was because of the “prejudice and stigma associated with being Arab.” Another said: “Because it is clear to me that racism exists against Arabs and open membership can negatively affect me in the hunt for jobs.”

Unlike U.S. President Donald Trump, the Liberal government has not targeted Arab and Muslim communities. But, it has allowed anti-Arab and anti-Muslim practices to continue. It has failed to explicitly examine how its own policies diminish groups and perpetuate racial inequalities.

A Show of Diversity is Not Equity

Some point to the diversity of Trudeau’s team as a sign of his commitment to equality. But diversity and equality are not the same.

Feminists use the phrase “add women and stir” to describe the practice of including women without changing subordinating structures. The same tokenism can be taken towards racial equality.

Trudeau’s team is diverse. But the question is not simply “who does he include?” The problem is also: “On what terms does he include them?” A former Liberal adviser suggests the Trudeau team does not actually value diversity. It simply wants votes from diverse groups without fully including them in its power structures.

Meanwhile, the prime minister acknowledges that racialized people in Canada face discrimination. His apology used terms like “micro-aggressions,” “unconscious bias” and “systemic discrimination”.“

But it’s not clear that he’s internalized those concepts.

Until the prime minister demonstrates a real grasp of the dynamics of discrimination, his apologies will ring hollow.

 
(Reem Bahdi is Associate Professor, Faculy of Law, University of Windsor) 
 
(This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/trudeaus-blackface-apology-rings-hollow-and-highlights-anti-arab-stereotypes-123891">original article</a>)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)&nbsp;

By Reem Bahdi Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has offended, humiliated and hurt several communities in Canada. The images of Trudeau in blackface invoke vile, racist and offensive stereotypes that have been used to deny the common humanity of Black communities across time.

By Reem Bahdi Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has offended, humiliated and hurt several communities in Canada. The images of Trudeau in blackface invoke vile, racist and offensive stereotypes that have been used to deny the common humanity of Black communities across time. Trudeau wore blackface on several occasions, including at an “Arabian Nights”-themed party where he also wore a stereotypical outfit. He has apologised for the blackface. Canadians are now reflecting on the impact and significance of the prime minister’s apologies. Leadership Matters In her recent book, Leading With Dignity author Donna Hicks, based at Harvard’s Weatherhead Center, says leaders play a significant role in creating institutional cultures, including governments. She argues that leaders must genuinely accept other identities if they want to promote the equal dignity and worth of all people. Trudeau’s conduct ridicules racialised communities. It signals to them that they are second-class citizens. His behaviour must be understood in political and social context. Trudeau uses anti-Arab Clichés in Politics The prime minister invokes anti-Arab tropes when he criticizes Palestinian advocates and their allies who support Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) against Israeli occupation. For example, at a town hall in St. Catharines, Ont., in January 2019, Trudeau asserted that those who support BDS violate “Canadian values.” People can disagree on the purpose or effectiveness of BDS. But Trudeau’s decision to declare his opponents as un-Canadian is troubling. It invokes anti-Arab stereotypes and can be linked to a larger pattern of discrimination faced by Arabs and Muslims in Canada, groups that are often improperly conflated. In a recent paper from the Journal of Law and Social Policy, “All Arabs Are Liars,” I examined a sample of human rights cases for common anti-Arab and anti-Muslim stereotypes. My analysis confirmed that Arabs and Muslim are stereotyped as un-Canadian or disloyal to Canada. Stereotypes Impact People’s Lives Stereotypes or negative tropes are not simply insulting. They help maintain a racialised status quo. They cause us to misjudge other people’s motives, abilities and actions. For example, after the September 11 terrorist attacks, stereotypes influenced the decisions of Canadian officials who falsely concluded that Maher Arar, a Canadian citizen, engineer and father of two, belonged to a foreign terrorist group. The officials’ decisions reflected the belief that Arabs and Muslims are not true Canadians. Such thinking contributed to Arar’s overseas torture. It is also evident in the torture of other Canadian Arab, Muslim men in several overseas instances as determined by a federal commission’s inquiry. Various studies have confirmed that Arabs and Muslims increasingly face discrimination and stereotyping in policing and national security surveillance. Arabs and Muslims also face discrimination at border sites, public spaces, workplaces, service counters and airports Arab Canadians Face Racism In a recent survey of Arab communities in Ontario undertaken on behalf of the Arab Canadian Lawyers Association with the support of the Law Foundation of Ontario, sociologist Suzanne McMurphy and I found that 27 per cent of people surveyed tried to hide their Arab identities. When asked why one person explained it was because of the “prejudice and stigma associated with being Arab.” Another said: “Because it is clear to me that racism exists against Arabs and open membership can negatively affect me in the hunt for jobs.” Unlike U.S. President Donald Trump, the Liberal government has not targeted Arab and Muslim communities. But, it has allowed anti-Arab and anti-Muslim practices to continue. It has failed to explicitly examine how its own policies diminish groups and perpetuate racial inequalities. A Show of Diversity is Not Equity Some point to the diversity of Trudeau’s team as a sign of his commitment to equality. But diversity and equality are not the same. Feminists use the phrase “add women and stir” to describe the practice of including women without changing subordinating structures. The same tokenism can be taken towards racial equality. Trudeau’s team is diverse. But the question is not simply “who does he include?” The problem is also: “On what terms does he include them?” A former Liberal adviser suggests the Trudeau team does not actually value diversity. It simply wants votes from diverse groups without fully including them in its power structures. Meanwhile, the prime minister acknowledges that racialized people in Canada face discrimination. His apology used terms like “micro-aggressions,” “unconscious bias” and “systemic discrimination”.“ But it’s not clear that he’s internalized those concepts. Until the prime minister demonstrates a real grasp of the dynamics of discrimination, his apologies will ring hollow. (Reem Bahdi is Associate Professor, Faculy of Law, University of Windsor) (This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Justin Trudeau’s blackface apology rings hollow and highlights anti-Arab stereotypes

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, embroiled in a blackface picture scandal, on Friday pledged to ban military-style assault rifles in the country's most ethnically diverse city in a bid to get his campaign back on issue.

Trudeau is campaigning in Toronto with less than five weeks to go before the October&nbsp;21 national election and two days after bombshell images of him in blackface emerged.

"Thoughts and prayers aren't going to cut it," Trudeau said in Toronto. "We know you do not need a military-grade assault weapon, one designed to kill the largest number of people in the shortest amount of time, to take down a deer."

This month, a 17-year-old was killed by gunfire and five other people were wounded in a community just outside of Toronto, and two days later another person was killed in a shooting on a major highway.

The Liberal Party leader vowed on Thursday to continue his push for re-lection and asked for forgiveness. Several ministers turned up at the announcement to show their support, including Finance Minister Bill Morneau and Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland.

Trudeau said the new gun rules would include a buyback program for all legally purchased assault rifles, and a Liberal government would also work with other levels of government to give municipalities the ability to further restrict or ban handguns.

In August, Toronto Mayor John Tory said a city-wide handgun ban would be enough to reduce gun violence in Canada's biggest city. All federal parties are hoping to make political gains in and around Toronto this election.

Before the blackface images emerged two days ago, polls showed Trudeau running head-to-head with his main rival, Conservative Party leader Andrew Scheer.

Trudeau's campaign was upended when Time magazine on Wednesday published an image of the prime minister, who is known to be a strong advocate for multiculturalism, with his face blackened at a 2001 "Arabian Nights" party when he was a 29-year-old teacher at a Vancouver private school.

Other images have since emerged, and Trudeau said on Thursday he was "wary" of ruling out the existence of even more because he could not remember those that had already come to light.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, embroiled in a blackface picture scandal, on Friday pledged to ban military-style assault rifles in the country's most ethnically diverse city in a bid to get his campaign back on issue.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, embroiled in a blackface picture scandal, on Friday pledged to ban military-style assault rifles in the country's most ethnically diverse city in a bid to get his campaign back on issue. Trudeau is campaigning in Toronto with less than five weeks to go before the October 21 national election and two days after bombshell images of him in blackface emerged. "Thoughts and prayers aren't going to cut it," Trudeau said in Toronto. "We know you do not need a military-grade assault weapon, one designed to kill the largest number of people in the shortest amount of time, to take down a deer." This month, a 17-year-old was killed by gunfire and five other people were wounded in a community just outside of Toronto, and two days later another person was killed in a shooting on a major highway. The Liberal Party leader vowed on Thursday to continue his push for re-lection and asked for forgiveness. Several ministers turned up at the announcement to show their support, including Finance Minister Bill Morneau and Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland. Trudeau said the new gun rules would include a buyback program for all legally purchased assault rifles, and a Liberal government would also work with other levels of government to give municipalities the ability to further restrict or ban handguns. In August, Toronto Mayor John Tory said a city-wide handgun ban would be enough to reduce gun violence in Canada's biggest city. All federal parties are hoping to make political gains in and around Toronto this election. Before the blackface images emerged two days ago, polls showed Trudeau running head-to-head with his main rival, Conservative Party leader Andrew Scheer. Trudeau's campaign was upended when Time magazine on Wednesday published an image of the prime minister, who is known to be a strong advocate for multiculturalism, with his face blackened at a 2001 "Arabian Nights" party when he was a 29-year-old teacher at a Vancouver private school. Other images have since emerged, and Trudeau said on Thursday he was "wary" of ruling out the existence of even more because he could not remember those that had already come to light.

Canada's Trudeau pledges assault rifle ban, pivots campaign amid blackface scandal

Canadian PM seen wearing Turban and 'Brownface Makeup'

Trudeau's 3rd racist picture leaked

Trudeau apologizes for 'racist' brownface yearbook photo. Watch video to know more.

Canadian PM Justin Trudeau apologizes for 'racist' brownface yearbook photo

All The Major Parties In Canada Favour Immigration, But They Differ On Immigration Levels.

Gravitas: Impact of Immigration on Canada's Politics in 2019

Canada is in election mode and Indians are in the focus. Earlier this week, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau kicked off his re-election bid.&nbsp;

A long and intense period of campaigning lies ahead of him. The election is on October 21 and the world is watching the political rise of Indian-Canadians.&nbsp;

Indian-Canadians are one of the fastest-growing ethnic groups in the country with the trend to remain strong for the foreseeable future. &nbsp;

In 2018, almost 40, 000 Indian citizens took permanent residency of Canada - 43 per cent of the total residencies granted. This reflects that 43 per cent of legal migrants to Canada last year were Indians.

Canada - immigration friendly

Canada has an ageing population. Senior citizens outnumbered children in 2017. The Canadian government, therefore, looked outside for younger and educated people to make up a new workforce. &nbsp;

It opened its doors for the immigrants. This election is set to be a test for that 'open-door' policy.&nbsp;

Trudeau's liberal values, personal charm and large supporter base ensured that he was elected with an outright majority in 2015. But in the last couple of years, blunders within his administration have punctured Trudeau's popularity.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-impact-of-immigration-on-canadas-politics-in-2019-249527/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

Jagmeet Singh

This year's Canadian election will be closely watched for another reason. A record number of candidates of Indian origin will feature in these polls.&nbsp;

An official confirmation is still awaited but the final number could be as high as 50 candidates of Indian origin.&nbsp;

Last time around, 19 Indian Canadians from Trudeau's liberal party had won the election. 18 of them were of Punjabi origin with five women candidates.&nbsp;

Kicking off a six-week-long campaign recently, Justin Trudeau said, "Beyond the liberals, people will have their eyes on one candidate in particular. Jagmeet Singh - the leader of Canada's New Democratic Party. He could very well emerge as the kingmaker in this two-sided contest".

Singh is the first non-white contender to lead a major political party in Canada and he has made some ambitious promises. But, India should be worried about Canada's rising political star as Jagmeet Singh is seen as a Khalistan sympathiser.&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-canada-is-in-election-mode-249525/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

Growing number of Indians in Canada

According to the 2015 census, one in five Canadians today was born outside the country as a citizen of another country. As of 2017, the maximum number of immigrants in Canada were Indians.

India tops the list when it comes to the immigrant population in Canada by the country of birth, China comes second.&nbsp;

These numbers are significant. People of Indian origin can make or break elections in Canada. This explains why a person of Indian origin, Jagmeet Singh, is one of the candidates in the fray for the post of the Canadian prime minister.

This also explains why Trudeau always flaunts his fondness for Indians.

While Singh's presence could derail Trudeau this time, he is not likely to win. Singh will be the kingmaker, cutting into Trudeau's votes.

If that happens, it would mean that immigration - Trudeau's go-to political ploy, has failed. 
&nbsp;

Canada is in election mode and Indians are in the focus. Earlier this week, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau kicked off his re-election bid. A long and intense period of campaigning lies ahead of him.

Canada is in election mode and Indians are in the focus. Earlier this week, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau kicked off his re-election bid. A long and intense period of campaigning lies ahead of him. The election is on October 21 and the world is watching the political rise of Indian-Canadians. Indian-Canadians are one of the fastest-growing ethnic groups in the country with the trend to remain strong for the foreseeable future. In 2018, almost 40, 000 Indian citizens took permanent residency of Canada - 43 per cent of the total residencies granted. This reflects that 43 per cent of legal migrants to Canada last year were Indians. Canada - immigration friendly Canada has an ageing population. Senior citizens outnumbered children in 2017. The Canadian government, therefore, looked outside for younger and educated people to make up a new workforce. It opened its doors for the immigrants. This election is set to be a test for that 'open-door' policy. Trudeau's liberal values, personal charm and large supporter base ensured that he was elected with an outright majority in 2015. But in the last couple of years, blunders within his administration have punctured Trudeau's popularity. × Jagmeet Singh This year's Canadian election will be closely watched for another reason. A record number of candidates of Indian origin will feature in these polls. An official confirmation is still awaited but the final number could be as high as 50 candidates of Indian origin. Last time around, 19 Indian Canadians from Trudeau's liberal party had won the election. 18 of them were of Punjabi origin with five women candidates. Kicking off a six-week-long campaign recently, Justin Trudeau said, "Beyond the liberals, people will have their eyes on one candidate in particular. Jagmeet Singh - the leader of Canada's New Democratic Party. He could very well emerge as the kingmaker in this two-sided contest". Singh is the first non-white contender to lead a major political party in Canada and he has made some ambitious promises. But, India should be worried about Canada's rising political star as Jagmeet Singh is seen as a Khalistan sympathiser. × Growing number of Indians in Canada According to the 2015 census, one in five Canadians today was born outside the country as a citizen of another country. As of 2017, the maximum number of immigrants in Canada were Indians. India tops the list when it comes to the immigrant population in Canada by the country of birth, China comes second. These numbers are significant. People of Indian origin can make or break elections in Canada. This explains why a person of Indian origin, Jagmeet Singh, is one of the candidates in the fray for the post of the Canadian prime minister. This also explains why Trudeau always flaunts his fondness for Indians. While Singh's presence could derail Trudeau this time, he is not likely to win. Singh will be the kingmaker, cutting into Trudeau's votes. If that happens, it would mean that immigration - Trudeau's go-to political ploy, has failed.

As Canada gears for elections, here's why Indian-Canadians are set to play crucial role 

State Of India-Canada Bilateral Ties Under Justin Trudeau

WION Edit: Trudeau's sympathy for Khalistan Separatists threatens to hurt Indo-Canda ties

Justin Trudeau has clearly succumbed to vote bank politics. Last year, his government removed all the references to Khalistani extremism from Canada's report on terrorists.

Does this mean that it's perfectly alright to fuel anti-India Khalistani separatism in Canada long after such a thought has ceased to exist in India?

Trudeau's time at the helm has hurt India-Canada ties. In fact, his own colleagues of Indian origin say that Trudeau and his Liberal Party are too close to Khalistani separatists.

Before his disastrous trip to India last year, Trudeau participated in an event in Toronto that pushed for a separate Khalistan. India would not sit and watch external attempts, by heads of government to hurt its sovereignty.

In fact, if you associate yourself with criminals convicted of attempted murder like Jaspal Atwal, you are not going to get brownie points in India. Trudeau's rating points started falling gradually after his India visit.

Trudeau's sympathy for Khalistani separatism has almost threatened Canada's ties with India and that means bad news for Canada's economy.&nbsp; 
 
Since Trudeau's disastrous trip to India, Opposition leaders in Canada have attempted to repair the damage.

Trudeau's main rival Scheer even visited India last September. So will sympathy for separatism swing votes? This time, it's hard to predict.

There is a person of Indian origin in the fray and he is expected to nullify Trudeau's Indian vote bank. This could be a shot in the arm for the Conservative Party.

In fact, this year's elections in Canada is all about foreign policy blunders of Trudeau. The arrest of Huawei's CFO Meng Wanzhou has derailed China-Canada ties.

Trudeau's positioning as a human rights activist has hurt Saudi Arabia-Canada ties. He is not getting much traction with Trump either.

It's all good showcasing the liberal bias. But supporting separatism in another country is not an expression of liberalism.

(Disclaimer: WION Edit is the channel's take on the big events of the world) 
&nbsp;

Justin Trudeau has clearly succumbed to vote bank politics. Last year, his government removed all the references to Khalistani extremism from Canada's report on terrorists.

Justin Trudeau has clearly succumbed to vote bank politics. Last year, his government removed all the references to Khalistani extremism from Canada's report on terrorists. Does this mean that it's perfectly alright to fuel anti-India Khalistani separatism in Canada long after such a thought has ceased to exist in India? Trudeau's time at the helm has hurt India-Canada ties. In fact, his own colleagues of Indian origin say that Trudeau and his Liberal Party are too close to Khalistani separatists. Before his disastrous trip to India last year, Trudeau participated in an event in Toronto that pushed for a separate Khalistan. India would not sit and watch external attempts, by heads of government to hurt its sovereignty. In fact, if you associate yourself with criminals convicted of attempted murder like Jaspal Atwal, you are not going to get brownie points in India. Trudeau's rating points started falling gradually after his India visit. Trudeau's sympathy for Khalistani separatism has almost threatened Canada's ties with India and that means bad news for Canada's economy. Since Trudeau's disastrous trip to India, Opposition leaders in Canada have attempted to repair the damage. Trudeau's main rival Scheer even visited India last September. So will sympathy for separatism swing votes? This time, it's hard to predict. There is a person of Indian origin in the fray and he is expected to nullify Trudeau's Indian vote bank. This could be a shot in the arm for the Conservative Party. In fact, this year's elections in Canada is all about foreign policy blunders of Trudeau. The arrest of Huawei's CFO Meng Wanzhou has derailed China-Canada ties. Trudeau's positioning as a human rights activist has hurt Saudi Arabia-Canada ties. He is not getting much traction with Trump either. It's all good showcasing the liberal bias. But supporting separatism in another country is not an expression of liberalism. (Disclaimer: WION Edit is the channel's take on the big events of the world)

WION Edit: Justin Trudeau's sympathy for Khalistani separatists would hurt him in elections

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, admired abroad for his progressive policies but damaged by scandals at home, kicked off a six-week re-election campaign on Wednesday (September 11) with opinion polls suggesting his hold on power will be weakened. Watch this video to know more.

Justin Trudeau begins his six week re-election bid

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau admired abroad for his progressive policies but damaged by scandals at home, kicks off a six-week re-election campaign on Wednesday with opinion polls suggesting his hold on power will be weakened.

Trudeau, who swept to office in November 2015 promising "sunny ways" and stressing the importance of gender equality, gay rights and the environment, faces an electorate more focused on the economy and affordability when it votes on October 21.

Trudeau will visit the Ottawa residence of Governor General Julie Payette, the acting head of state, to formally launch the race at 10 am.&nbsp;(1400 GMT).

The 47-year-old married father of three, whose colourful socks and classic good looks are often splashed across the international media, may have history on his side.

Not since 1935 has a Canadian prime minister who won a parliamentary majority in his first term been booted from office in the next election.

But Trudeau may not win enough seats to govern by himself after a series of missteps that called into question his leadership while cutting into his once sky-high popularity. That would leave him and his Liberal Party weakened, relying on opposition members of parliament to push through legislation.

A Nanos Research poll released on Tuesday showed the Liberals at 34.6 per cent&nbsp;and the main opposition Conservatives, led by Andrew Scheer, at 30.7 per cent.&nbsp;That margin would not be enough to guarantee a majority of seats in the House of Commons.

 
'Punish the bums'

Senior Liberals say they are quietly confident of victory and predict Trudeau will campaign much more effectively than Scheer, 40, who is fighting his first election as Conservative leader.

But Canadian campaigns can produce major surprises. The Liberals trailed in the third place when the 2015 election was called but steadily improved to pull off an outright victory.

"This is not a 'Throw the bums out' election. This is a 'Punish the bums' election," said Nik Nanos, head of Nanos Research.

Trudeau's challenge is that he is running on his record rather than the uplifting message of hope and change that helped the Liberals attract record numbers of green, youth and aboriginal voters in 2015.

Since then, Trudeau, the son of former Liberal Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, has broken major campaign promises by scrapping plans to introduce voter reform and allowing budget deficits to mushroom. He also angered environmentalists by buying an oil pipeline to ensure crude exports could increase.

"For average Canadians, the key takeaway is that Justin Trudeau is not an exception, he's like other politicians," said Nanos.

Liberals, however, cite near-record low jobless numbers, booming growth and lower levels of poverty as grounds for re-election.

"(We) have delivered for Canadians for four years in a way that is concrete and measurable," said a senior party official.

World is watching

Although rivals may dismiss Trudeau's achievements, diplomats in allied countries say his focus on feminism, the environment and the need for multilateral organizations is important at a time when populism is on the rise and the United States seems intent on shrinking its global ambitions.

"We are paying very close attention. What will it mean if one of the few remaining progressive leaders is defeated?" said an official at one major Western embassy in Ottawa.

The worst moment of Trudeau's tenure came in February when former Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould accused the prime minister and top officials of inappropriately pressuring her to ensure that construction firm SNC-Lavalin Group Inc avoid a trial on corruption charges.

Last month, a top watchdog ruled the prime minister and his team had indeed breached ethics rules.

Trudeau also raised eyebrows when he admitted he had had no idea Wilson-Raybould was unhappy, prompting questions about how involved he was in the day-to-day running of the country.

Scheer had surged after the SNC-Lavalin affair, but he appears to be struggling in Ontario, the most populous of Canada's 10 provinces, where a conservative premier is pushing through unpopular spending cuts.

Major planks of the Liberal platform will include measures to address cellphone and internet bills and a limited expansion to the universal healthcare system to cover part of the cost of prescription drugs, say, party insiders.

Scheer promises to halt what he calls unsustainable government spending, saying in a video last week: "We have a plan for a government that lives within its means so we can put more money in your pocket."

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau admired abroad for his progressive policies but damaged by scandals at home, kicks off a six-week re-election campaign on Wednesday with opinion polls suggesting his hold on power will be weakened.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau admired abroad for his progressive policies but damaged by scandals at home, kicks off a six-week re-election campaign on Wednesday with opinion polls suggesting his hold on power will be weakened. Trudeau, who swept to office in November 2015 promising "sunny ways" and stressing the importance of gender equality, gay rights and the environment, faces an electorate more focused on the economy and affordability when it votes on October 21. Trudeau will visit the Ottawa residence of Governor General Julie Payette, the acting head of state, to formally launch the race at 10 am. (1400 GMT). The 47-year-old married father of three, whose colourful socks and classic good looks are often splashed across the international media, may have history on his side. Not since 1935 has a Canadian prime minister who won a parliamentary majority in his first term been booted from office in the next election. But Trudeau may not win enough seats to govern by himself after a series of missteps that called into question his leadership while cutting into his once sky-high popularity. That would leave him and his Liberal Party weakened, relying on opposition members of parliament to push through legislation. A Nanos Research poll released on Tuesday showed the Liberals at 34.6 per cent and the main opposition Conservatives, led by Andrew Scheer, at 30.7 per cent. That margin would not be enough to guarantee a majority of seats in the House of Commons. 'Punish the bums' Senior Liberals say they are quietly confident of victory and predict Trudeau will campaign much more effectively than Scheer, 40, who is fighting his first election as Conservative leader. But Canadian campaigns can produce major surprises. The Liberals trailed in the third place when the 2015 election was called but steadily improved to pull off an outright victory. "This is not a 'Throw the bums out' election. This is a 'Punish the bums' election," said Nik Nanos, head of Nanos Research. Trudeau's challenge is that he is running on his record rather than the uplifting message of hope and change that helped the Liberals attract record numbers of green, youth and aboriginal voters in 2015. Since then, Trudeau, the son of former Liberal Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, has broken major campaign promises by scrapping plans to introduce voter reform and allowing budget deficits to mushroom. He also angered environmentalists by buying an oil pipeline to ensure crude exports could increase. "For average Canadians, the key takeaway is that Justin Trudeau is not an exception, he's like other politicians," said Nanos. Liberals, however, cite near-record low jobless numbers, booming growth and lower levels of poverty as grounds for re-election. "(We) have delivered for Canadians for four years in a way that is concrete and measurable," said a senior party official. World is watching Although rivals may dismiss Trudeau's achievements, diplomats in allied countries say his focus on feminism, the environment and the need for multilateral organizations is important at a time when populism is on the rise and the United States seems intent on shrinking its global ambitions. "We are paying very close attention. What will it mean if one of the few remaining progressive leaders is defeated?" said an official at one major Western embassy in Ottawa. The worst moment of Trudeau's tenure came in February when former Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould accused the prime minister and top officials of inappropriately pressuring her to ensure that construction firm SNC-Lavalin Group Inc avoid a trial on corruption charges. Last month, a top watchdog ruled the prime minister and his team had indeed breached ethics rules. Trudeau also raised eyebrows when he admitted he had had no idea Wilson-Raybould was unhappy, prompting questions about how involved he was in the day-to-day running of the country. Scheer had surged after the SNC-Lavalin affair, but he appears to be struggling in Ontario, the most populous of Canada's 10 provinces, where a conservative premier is pushing through unpopular spending cuts. Major planks of the Liberal platform will include measures to address cellphone and internet bills and a limited expansion to the universal healthcare system to cover part of the cost of prescription drugs, say, party insiders. Scheer promises to halt what he calls unsustainable government spending, saying in a video last week: "We have a plan for a government that lives within its means so we can put more money in your pocket."

Canada's Trudeau, star dimmed by scandals, kicks off tough re-election campaign

As legendary singer Asha Bhosle turned 86 on Sunday, wishes poured in from the called quarters for the veteran singer. Bollywood celebrities wished her on social media and even Candian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.&nbsp; 
 
The singer took to Twitter to share the warm birthday note that Trudeau sent her. "The Indian singer captioned: "On my 86th birthday, I feel happy that my achievements have put India on the world music map where world leaders acknowledge my presence. Thank you to PM Trudeau of Canada," Bhosle tweeted as she shared the Trudeau's message.&nbsp; 
 
Trudeau wrote, "It is a great pleasure to send you best wishes and warmest congratulations on the occasion of your eighty-sixth birthday."

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
On my 86th birthday, I feel happy that my achievents have put India on the world music map where world leaders acknowledge my presence. Thank you to PM Trudeau of Canada <a href="https://twitter.com/JustinTrudeau?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JustinTrudeau</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/CanadianPM?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CanadianPM</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@narendramodi</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/smritiirani?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@smritiirani</a> <a href="https://t.co/ax4F59MI1e">pic.twitter.com/ax4F59MI1e</a>
— ashabhosle (@ashabhosle) <a href="https://twitter.com/ashabhosle/status/1170614355836252160?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 8, 2019</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

With a career spanning over six decades, the 86-year-old singer has given her fans several hit songs like 'Raat akeli hai', 'Kajra mohabbat wala', 'Dum maro dum' and 'Zara sa jhoom loon main' among several others. 
 
She has been honoured with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award and the Padma Vibhushan.

As legendary singer Asha Bhosle turned 86 on Sunday, wishes poured in from the called quarters for the veteran singer. Bollywood celebrities wished her on social media and even Candian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

As legendary singer Asha Bhosle turned 86 on Sunday, wishes poured in from the called quarters for the veteran singer. Bollywood celebrities wished her on social media and even Candian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. The singer took to Twitter to share the warm birthday note that Trudeau sent her. "The Indian singer captioned: "On my 86th birthday, I feel happy that my achievements have put India on the world music map where world leaders acknowledge my presence. Thank you to PM Trudeau of Canada," Bhosle tweeted as she shared the Trudeau's message. Trudeau wrote, "It is a great pleasure to send you best wishes and warmest congratulations on the occasion of your eighty-sixth birthday." On my 86th birthday, I feel happy that my achievents have put India on the world music map where world leaders acknowledge my presence. Thank you to PM Trudeau of Canada @JustinTrudeau @CanadianPM @narendramodi @smritiirani pic.twitter.com/ax4F59MI1e — ashabhosle (@ashabhosle) September 8, 2019 × With a career spanning over six decades, the 86-year-old singer has given her fans several hit songs like 'Raat akeli hai', 'Kajra mohabbat wala', 'Dum maro dum' and 'Zara sa jhoom loon main' among several others. She has been honoured with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award and the Padma Vibhushan.

Justin Trudeau wishes legendary singer Asha Bhosle on her 86th birthday

Canada nominated a key economic advisor on Wednesday as its new ambassador to China, hoping to kickstart dialogue and ease a diplomatic standoff with the world's second-largest economy.

Ugandan-born, Oxford-educated Dominic Barton, 56, helped shape the economic policies of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government and is said to be well-known in Beijing, which must still formally accept his appointment.

China is also expected to soon nominate its own ambassador to Canada, Cong Peiwu, who served until recently as head of its Department of North American and Oceanian Affairs.

Both nations have been without representation for months after Ottawa sacked its envoy for contradicting its official position on a Chinese tech executive's arrest, and China's ambassador moved on to a new post in Paris.&nbsp;

Relations nosedived after Canada detained Huawei chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou during a stopover in Vancouver last December. The United States wants to put her on trial for allegedly violating Iran sanctions and lying about it to US banks.

Nine days after her arrest, Beijing detained two Canadians&nbsp;former diplomat Michael Kovrig and businessman Michael Spavor and accused them of espionage, in a move widely viewed as retaliation.

Barton was based in Shanghai from 2004 to 2009 as the Asia chairman for consulting firm McKinsey. He then served nine years as a global managing partner for the company.

"An expert in the region, he is exceptionally well-suited to represent Canada and advance Canadian interests at this critical time," Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland said in a statement.

At a news conference, she added that Barton would have a direct line to Trudeau's office, saying he "has that level of trust with the prime minister, and also with me."

"I think this is also an important message to China of the importance that Canada places, that the prime minister places, on this difficult and critical relationship."

Canada nominated a key economic advisor on Wednesday as its new ambassador to China, hoping to kickstart dialogue and ease a diplomatic standoff with the world's second-largest economy.

Canada nominated a key economic advisor on Wednesday as its new ambassador to China, hoping to kickstart dialogue and ease a diplomatic standoff with the world's second-largest economy. Ugandan-born, Oxford-educated Dominic Barton, 56, helped shape the economic policies of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government and is said to be well-known in Beijing, which must still formally accept his appointment. China is also expected to soon nominate its own ambassador to Canada, Cong Peiwu, who served until recently as head of its Department of North American and Oceanian Affairs. Both nations have been without representation for months after Ottawa sacked its envoy for contradicting its official position on a Chinese tech executive's arrest, and China's ambassador moved on to a new post in Paris. Relations nosedived after Canada detained Huawei chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou during a stopover in Vancouver last December. The United States wants to put her on trial for allegedly violating Iran sanctions and lying about it to US banks. Nine days after her arrest, Beijing detained two Canadians former diplomat Michael Kovrig and businessman Michael Spavor and accused them of espionage, in a move widely viewed as retaliation. Barton was based in Shanghai from 2004 to 2009 as the Asia chairman for consulting firm McKinsey. He then served nine years as a global managing partner for the company. "An expert in the region, he is exceptionally well-suited to represent Canada and advance Canadian interests at this critical time," Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland said in a statement. At a news conference, she added that Barton would have a direct line to Trudeau's office, saying he "has that level of trust with the prime minister, and also with me." "I think this is also an important message to China of the importance that Canada places, that the prime minister places, on this difficult and critical relationship."

Canada taps ambassador, looking to restart China talks

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Wednesday he would not escalate a deepening trade and diplomatic dispute with China but added that his government had no intention of backing down as it defended its interests.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Wednesday he would not escalate a deepening trade and diplomatic dispute with China but added that his government had no intention of backing down as it defended its interests. Speaking to an audience in Montreal just days after Beijing warned Ottawa not to meddle in Hong Kong's affairs, Trudeau also repeated his call for restraint and respect for human rights as protests sweep the former British colony. China has detained two Canadian citizens and halted imports of canola seed and meat products from Canada since Vancouver police detained a senior Huawei Technologies Co Ltd executive on a U.S. arrest warrant in December. "We must recognize that China is a growing power and increasingly assertive towards its place in the international order. But make no mistake - we will always defend Canadians and Canadian interests," Trudeau said. "We have a long history of dealing directly and successfully with larger partners. We do not escalate, but we also don't back down," he said. Speaking in Beijing on Thursday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said the problems in the bilateral relationship were totally Canada's responsibility. "We urge the Canadian side to reflect upon their mistakes, conscientiously treat China's solemn position and concerns, and release Meng Wanzhou," Geng added, referring to the detained Huawei executive. Trudeau, whose Liberal Party faces a federal election in October, is under pressure from the official opposition Conservative Party to take a tougher line on China. The Conservatives, tied in the polls with the Liberals, want Trudeau to withdraw from the China-led Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, increase inspections on all Chinese imports and examine the possibility of retaliatory tariffs. However, government officials say they do not want to do anything that could harm the two detainees. Trudeau said Canada was also paying close attention to events in Hong Kong, which is home to 300,000 Canadian citizens and has been hit by weeks of sometimes violent pro-democracy protests that have drawn hundreds of thousands of people onto the streets. "We have emphasized the need to exercise restraint and reject violence. Now is the time to engage in dialogue and respect fundamental freedoms, including the right to peaceful assembly," he said. The Chinese Foreign Ministry's Hong Kong office said on Thursday Canada should immediately stop interfering in Hong Kong matters. "The Canadian side's erroneous remarks confuse violent violations with peaceful assembly, ignoring the fact that the Hong Kong police force punishes violence according to law," it said. "These kinds of wrong remarks are unable to distinguish right from wrong, invert black and white, and run counter to the current general appeal of Hong Kong society and all citizens to stop the violence and restore order," the ministry said. China also warned Ottawa on Sunday to stop meddling in Hong Kong affairs a day after Canada issued a joint statement with the European Union in defense of the "fundamental right of assembly" for Hong Kong citizens.

Canada's Trudeau says won't back down in dispute with China, urges restraint in Hong Kong

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will seek to further mend fences when he meets Donald Trump in Washington this week, a year after the US&nbsp;president stormed out of a G7 meeting calling Trudeau "very dishonest and weak."

Trudeau had angered Trump at the time with his response to a question about the tariffs Washington slapped on Canadian steel and aluminium. "Canadians are polite and reasonable, but we will also not be pushed around," he said.

For Trudeau, Thursday's meeting with Trump still has risks about four months before a Canadian national election. Trump is deeply unpopular in Canada, especially among supporters of Trudeau's Liberal Party, and notoriously unpredictable.

But maintaining a good rapport with the United States, and keeping one of the world's largest trade partnerships on an even keel, is considered the top job for any Canadian prime minister. Trudeau may find he needs all the diplomatic tact he can muster.

"For Canadians, there is no bigger issue than the United States-Canada relationship," said Frank Graves, a pollster at Ekos Research. "People are relieved and kind of happy that the problems with Trump were an abnormality and not a shift in the relationship."

Since last year's G7 meeting hosted by Canada, it has reached a deal with the United States and Mexico on trade, Trump has lifted the tariffs on imports of Canadian aluminium and steel, and US&nbsp;Vice President Mike Pence touted Trudeau's tough negotiating skills during a visit to Ottawa last month.

"It's important to show Canadians we can have a good relationship with an administration that has very little in common with us ideologically or politically," a Canadian government source said.

Trudeau, 47, has been trailing in the polls, largely because of the fallout from a scandal within the Liberal Party, and he risks becoming the first prime minister to lose power after a single majority mandate since the 1930s in the election set for October.

He has clawed back some support recently, but any big setback in US-Canada relations at the meeting with Trump, 73, could undermine his fight for re-election.

"The risk for Trudeau is that you never know what Trump will do," said Darrell Bricker at Ipsos polling.

"Or Trudeau could be seen as not being hard enough on Trump. The hardest thing for Trudeau will be to walk between the raindrops and find the right balance," Bricker said.

After his recent threat to impose tariffs on Mexico, Trump's focus has shifted from North American trade to restarting trade talks with China, a burgeoning crisis with Iran, and gearing up for his own re-election campaign.

Canada has been caught in the middle of the US-China trade dispute, and Trudeau will be seeking Trump's support to press for the release of two Canadian citizens arrested by China and charged with espionage, officials in Ottawa said.

The two were first detained after Canada arrested Meng Wanzhou, the chief financial officer of Huawei Technologies Co Ltd, the world's largest telecoms network gear maker, on a U.S. warrant in December.

After a hard-fought negotiation, Canada, Mexico and the United States signed a replacement of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) in November 2018. Forcing Mexico and Canada to scrap NAFTA was one of Trump's signature pledges during his 2016 election campaign, but he could now use a hand getting the new trade deal ratified.

The Democratic leader of the U.S. House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, is pressing for improved enforcement mechanisms for labour and environmental standards before she signs on to the U.S.-Mexico-Canada (USMCA) agreement.

Trudeau is going to meet with Pelosi and Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell after he sees Trump to lobby for a rapid USMCA ratification, two congressional aides and sources in Ottawa said.

"We will never be totally safe on trade while Trump is in power, so we need to build up momentum given the recent improvements in bilateral ties," a second Canadian government source said of the Washington visit.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will seek to further mend fences when he meets Donald Trump in Washington this week, a year after the US president stormed out of a G7 meeting calling Trudeau "very dishonest and weak.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will seek to further mend fences when he meets Donald Trump in Washington this week, a year after the US president stormed out of a G7 meeting calling Trudeau "very dishonest and weak." Trudeau had angered Trump at the time with his response to a question about the tariffs Washington slapped on Canadian steel and aluminium. "Canadians are polite and reasonable, but we will also not be pushed around," he said. For Trudeau, Thursday's meeting with Trump still has risks about four months before a Canadian national election. Trump is deeply unpopular in Canada, especially among supporters of Trudeau's Liberal Party, and notoriously unpredictable. But maintaining a good rapport with the United States, and keeping one of the world's largest trade partnerships on an even keel, is considered the top job for any Canadian prime minister. Trudeau may find he needs all the diplomatic tact he can muster. "For Canadians, there is no bigger issue than the United States-Canada relationship," said Frank Graves, a pollster at Ekos Research. "People are relieved and kind of happy that the problems with Trump were an abnormality and not a shift in the relationship." Since last year's G7 meeting hosted by Canada, it has reached a deal with the United States and Mexico on trade, Trump has lifted the tariffs on imports of Canadian aluminium and steel, and US Vice President Mike Pence touted Trudeau's tough negotiating skills during a visit to Ottawa last month. "It's important to show Canadians we can have a good relationship with an administration that has very little in common with us ideologically or politically," a Canadian government source said. Trudeau, 47, has been trailing in the polls, largely because of the fallout from a scandal within the Liberal Party, and he risks becoming the first prime minister to lose power after a single majority mandate since the 1930s in the election set for October. He has clawed back some support recently, but any big setback in US-Canada relations at the meeting with Trump, 73, could undermine his fight for re-election. "The risk for Trudeau is that you never know what Trump will do," said Darrell Bricker at Ipsos polling. "Or Trudeau could be seen as not being hard enough on Trump. The hardest thing for Trudeau will be to walk between the raindrops and find the right balance," Bricker said. After his recent threat to impose tariffs on Mexico, Trump's focus has shifted from North American trade to restarting trade talks with China, a burgeoning crisis with Iran, and gearing up for his own re-election campaign. Canada has been caught in the middle of the US-China trade dispute, and Trudeau will be seeking Trump's support to press for the release of two Canadian citizens arrested by China and charged with espionage, officials in Ottawa said. The two were first detained after Canada arrested Meng Wanzhou, the chief financial officer of Huawei Technologies Co Ltd, the world's largest telecoms network gear maker, on a U.S. warrant in December. After a hard-fought negotiation, Canada, Mexico and the United States signed a replacement of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) in November 2018. Forcing Mexico and Canada to scrap NAFTA was one of Trump's signature pledges during his 2016 election campaign, but he could now use a hand getting the new trade deal ratified. The Democratic leader of the U.S. House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, is pressing for improved enforcement mechanisms for labour and environmental standards before she signs on to the U.S.-Mexico-Canada (USMCA) agreement. Trudeau is going to meet with Pelosi and Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell after he sees Trump to lobby for a rapid USMCA ratification, two congressional aides and sources in Ottawa said. "We will never be totally safe on trade while Trump is in power, so we need to build up momentum given the recent improvements in bilateral ties," a second Canadian government source said of the Washington visit.

Canada's Trudeau mending fences with Trump as election fight looms

Canada on Tuesday (June 18) approved as expected a hotly contested proposal to expand the western Canadian crude oil pipeline it bought last year, providing hope for a depressed energy industry but angering environmental groups.

Canada approves oil pipeline expansion, says construction should start soon

People in Toronto react to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s announcement that his government will seek to ban single-use plastics by 2021. Many say they support the move, believing the use of plastic “is not necessary”.

Canada to ban single-use plastics in 2021: Trudeau

Canada plans to ban some single-use plastics like straws, bags and cutlery by early 2021 to reduce waste and litter and protect the world's oceans, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Monday (June 10).

Canada moves to ban single-use plastics like straws, bags and cutlery by 2021

French President Emmanuel Macron said on Friday (June 7), that he hoped a final ratification of the Canada-European Union Free Trade Agreement (CETA) can be adopted by French lawmakers in the coming weeks.

Macron wants to ratify EU-Canada trade agreement in coming weeks

World leaders, royalty and hundreds of veterans have gathered in Portsmouth to mark the 75th anniversary of the D-Day landings. Some 60,000 members of the public are expected to attend the Portsmouth Naval Memorial on Southsea Common for the event which marks the 75th anniversary of the biggest amphibious invasion in military history.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau joins world leaders to pay tribute on 75th anniversary of D-Day

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/no-country-to-achieve-gender-equality-by-2030-global-report-2019-223874">Gender equality</a> is "under attack" amid hatred, misogyny and politicians campaigning to undo women's rights, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/canada-pm-justin-trudeau-warns-of-russian-interference-in-parliamentary-polls-208261">Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau </a>said on Monday at the launch of a global conference on women's issues.

Progress in women's rights is backsliding in the face of taunts and hostility that travel on social media and seep into public discourse, said Trudeau, a self-avowed feminist who appointed the first gender-balanced cabinet.

Some 8,000 delegates from more than 165 countries are attending Women Deliver in Vancouver, the world's largest gender equality conference, which will address topics from women's political empowerment to education and employment.

The conference was opened by a procession of indigenous men and women, clad in traditional clothing, some wearing red in memory of murdered and missing girls and women.

Trudeau hailed as a "significant step toward justice" a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/canadian-government-banning-huawei-5g-network-will-have-repercussions-china-191217">Canadian government</a> finding on Monday that the deaths of more than 1,000 aboriginal girls and women in recent decades were a national genocide.

The report, from an inquiry launched by Trudeau's government in 2016, blamed the violence on long-standing discrimination against indigenous people and Canada's failure to protect them.

"For too long, indigenous women and girls have experienced violence at a rate that is staggering when compared to non-indigenous women," Trudeau said.

The report made scores of recommendations, and Trudeau vowed to develop and implement a national action plan to prevent future violence.

He told delegates that women around the world were battling misogyny, racism and hatred.

"Gender equality is under attack," he said. "Individuals and interest groups are trying to roll back women's rights.

"Politicians are giving into the pressure, shamefully campaigning to undo women's hard-won victories. That's a daunting reality."

The inquiry into the missing and murdered women was a painful process that heard testimony from thousands of witnesses, including hundreds of family members of victims.

Citing colonial violence, racism, sexism and more, the report said many indigenous people have grown up normalized to violence, while Canadian society showed "an appalling apathy" to addressing the issue.

"The National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls finds that this amounts to genocide," it said.

Gender equality is "under attack" amid hatred, misogyny and politicians campaigning to undo women's rights, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Monday at the launch of a global conference on women's issues.

Gender equality is "under attack" amid hatred, misogyny and politicians campaigning to undo women's rights, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Monday at the launch of a global conference on women's issues. Progress in women's rights is backsliding in the face of taunts and hostility that travel on social media and seep into public discourse, said Trudeau, a self-avowed feminist who appointed the first gender-balanced cabinet. Some 8,000 delegates from more than 165 countries are attending Women Deliver in Vancouver, the world's largest gender equality conference, which will address topics from women's political empowerment to education and employment. The conference was opened by a procession of indigenous men and women, clad in traditional clothing, some wearing red in memory of murdered and missing girls and women. Trudeau hailed as a "significant step toward justice" a Canadian government finding on Monday that the deaths of more than 1,000 aboriginal girls and women in recent decades were a national genocide. The report, from an inquiry launched by Trudeau's government in 2016, blamed the violence on long-standing discrimination against indigenous people and Canada's failure to protect them. "For too long, indigenous women and girls have experienced violence at a rate that is staggering when compared to non-indigenous women," Trudeau said. The report made scores of recommendations, and Trudeau vowed to develop and implement a national action plan to prevent future violence. He told delegates that women around the world were battling misogyny, racism and hatred. "Gender equality is under attack," he said. "Individuals and interest groups are trying to roll back women's rights. "Politicians are giving into the pressure, shamefully campaigning to undo women's hard-won victories. That's a daunting reality." The inquiry into the missing and murdered women was a painful process that heard testimony from thousands of witnesses, including hundreds of family members of victims. Citing colonial violence, racism, sexism and more, the report said many indigenous people have grown up normalized to violence, while Canadian society showed "an appalling apathy" to addressing the issue. "The National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls finds that this amounts to genocide," it said.

Women's rights slipping, equality 'under attack': Canada PM Justin Trudeau

justin-trudeau

Justin Trudeau, News on Justin Trudeau, stories on Justin Trudeau, articles on Justin Trudeau, Justin Trudeau stories at Wion, Justin Trudeau news, Justin Trudeau latest news

justin trudeau