愛污传媒

Politics

    • At ASEAN Summit, Trudeau focused on economic growth as geopolitical tensions divide

    Share
    Vientiane, Laos -

    In Laos, as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau pursues closer economic ties with the 10 nations of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the widening global conflict will linger on the margin of the summit like a spectre that can鈥檛 be ignored.

    The biannual summit is being held in the capital city of Vientiane, and marks Trudeau鈥檚 first official visit to Laos. The theme of this year鈥檚 summit is to build a 鈥淐onnected and Resilient Community.鈥

    As the chair country, Laos is focused on narrowing the development gap by strengthening ASEAN鈥檚 relations with its external partners.

    According to data from the Prime Minister鈥檚 Office, ASEAN is Canada鈥檚 fourth largest trading partner. In 2023, more than $38.8 billion flowed in bilateral trade between Canada and the economic block which includes fast growing economies such as Vietnam, Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines. Trade has doubled between Canada and ASEAN since 2015.

    Canada began free trade talks with ASEAN in 2021 and has set a goal of negotiating a deal by the end of 2025. Ottawa is also negotiating a separate free trade deal with Indonesia, the largest country in the region. Those negotiations will conclude at the end of this year.

    In a news release the Prime Minister said he will use the summit to 鈥渦nderscore the importance of sustainable long-term growth, that 鈥渆mpowers women and girls and is anchored in the clean energy transition.鈥

    Trudeau and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, are the only two G7 leaders who are attending ASEAN.

    Shifting attitudes toward China

    Last year, Canada and ASEAN entered into a strategic partnership to collaborate in areas of mutual interest including peace and security along with economic and social-cultural co-operation.

    Senior government sources said that they鈥檙e working to 鈥渂uild Canada into the architecture of the region.鈥  One example cited by officials is the opening of an agriculture office in Manila, Philippines.

    Expanded trade with southeast Asia is key to the Trudeau government鈥檚 Indo-Pacific strategy to counterbalance China鈥檚 influence. But as Ottawa puts guardrails around its relationship, a 2024 state of Southeast Asia report shows that ASEAN has become more open to .

    The survey of nearly 2,000 government officials, private sector stakeholders and academics conducted by Singapore鈥檚 Yusof Ishak Institute found that 59.5 per cent of respondents saw China as the most influential economic force in the region.

    When asked to choose between the United States and China, 50.5 per cent of respondents said they preferred alignment with the Communist State. Just a year earlier, 61 per cent preferred the U.S. over China.

    Economic synergy and diplomatic divide

    While economic growth will be the focus of the summit, it鈥檚 possible tensions could arise during bilateral talks surrounding Canada鈥檚 position on two ongoing wars.

    The same survey conducted by Singapore鈥檚 Yusof Ishok Institutefound that 46.5 per cent of respondents said their was the Israel-Hamas war.

    The Muslim-majority countries of Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei and Singapore ranked the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israeli civilians and the ensuing humanitarian crisis as the top global security issue. 

    Another area of friction that could arise involves Canada鈥檚 support of Kyiv and disdain for Moscow.

    In particular, Malaysia鈥檚 President Anwar bin Ibrahim has invited Vladimir Putin to meet with ASEAN members when he becomes the chair of the association next year.

    When asked how Trudeau will respond if the wars in the Middle East and Ukraine are brought up in discussions, the senior PMO source said ASEAN rarely acts as a block on geopolitical issues, but that it鈥檚 important to 鈥渆ngage in frank discussions鈥 with individual partners to discuss a 鈥渂road path forward.鈥

    IN DEPTH

    Opinion

    opinion

    opinion Don Martin: How a beer break may have doomed the carbon tax hike

    When the Liberal government chopped a planned beer excise tax hike to two per cent from 4.5 per cent and froze future increases until after the next election, says political columnist Don Martin, it almost guaranteed a similar carbon tax move in the offing.

    CTVNews.ca Top Stories

    A father and his two children who suffered severe burns in a Springfield, Ont. house fire have undergone surgery.

    Police have confirmed the body of an employee who died at a Walmart in Halifax over the weekend was found in a walk-in oven.

    With the B.C. election too close to call, Dr. Bonnie Henry was asked Tuesday how she feels about the possibility of a party that has repeatedly called for her firing forming government.

    Canada

    • British Columbia's highest court has weighed in on a dispute over an inflatable hot tub a couple set up on their condo's patio 鈥 potentially bringing a close to the years-long conflict.

    • A father and his two children who suffered severe burns in a Springfield, Ont. house fire have undergone surgery.

    • Mounties in British Columbia say a second person has been found dead after two vehicles ended up in a river on Vancouver Island when a road washed out amid torrential rains over the weekend.

    • Quebec Premier Francois Legault promised on Tuesday to toughen secularism measures in schools, saying he was 'shocked' by revelations about a Montreal public school where a group of teachers had tried to introduce what the premier described as 'Islamist' beliefs.

    World

    Politics

    Health

    • With the B.C. election too close to call, Dr. Bonnie Henry was asked Tuesday how she feels about the possibility of a party that has repeatedly called for her firing forming government.

    Sci-Tech

    Entertainment

    Business

    Lifestyle

    Sports

    Autos

    Local Spotlight

    Residents of Ottawa's Rideauview neighbourhood say an aggressive wild turkey has become a problem.

    A man who lost his life while trying to rescue people from floodwaters, and a 13-year-old boy who saved his family from a dog attack, are among the Nova Scotians who received a medal for bravery Tuesday.

    A newly minted Winnipegger is hoping a world record attempt will help bring awareness for the need for more pump track facilities in the city.

    A Springfield, Ont. man is being hailed a 'hero' after running into his burning home to save his two infant children.

    Hortense Anglin was the oldest graduate to make her way across the platform at York University's Fall Convocation ceremony this week. At the age of 87, she graduated with an Honours degree in Religious Studies.

    Looking for a scare with good intentions this Halloween season? The ghosts and ghouls of Eganville, Ont. invite families to tour the Haunted Walk at Lekbor Manor.

    The image of a sleepy Saskatchewan small town with 'not a lot going on' is a well-known anecdote. However, one Saskatchewan company is hoping to change that 鈥 and allow communities both on and off the beaten path to share their stories and advertise what they have to offer.

    A Moncton, N.B., home has been donated to the Friends of The Moncton Hospital Foundation and will be transformed into a resource hub for people living with cancer.

    A Nova Scotia man crossing Canada on foot is passing through southwestern Ontario. Trevor Redmond is perhaps better known as the 鈥楩ellow in Yellow.鈥

    • Two Vancouver city councillors are questioning why they鈥檝e been ousted from city appointed roles.

    • The rain has only just stopped pummelling parts of Metro Vancouver, but for the hundreds of residents left with flood-damaged homes, the nightmare is far from over.

    • Cole Mcleod was home with his roommate in their 21st floor apartment on Monday afternoon when the fire alarm went off in the downtown Vancouver building. Then, he smelled smoke.

    • A motorcyclist has been critically injured in a collision on the Queen Elizabeth Way in Oakville, police say.

    • Police have released video footage of a recent home invasion in Richmond Hill as they search for three outstanding suspects who they say may have returned to the residence the following day to take another vehicle.

    • TTC staff are recommending that the transit service ban lithium-ion-powered mobility devices like e-scooters and e-bikes through the winter months due to the risk of fire in adverse conditions such as salty roads.

    • Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says she's waiting for NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi to declare where he intends to run for office before she calls a byelection in Lethbridge.

    • Bricks along the pathway at Calgary鈥檚 Olympic Plaza have been removed and it wasn鈥檛 by the city. It appears people are coming to grab bricks with their names, family members鈥 name or a saying ahead of the plaza closing.

    • More than a decade after Colton Crowshoe's death, the case against his killer continues.

    • Residents of Ottawa's Rideauview neighbourhood say an aggressive wild turkey has become a problem.

    • Passengers on a Via Rail train from Toronto found themselves stuck south of Ottawa for several hours Tuesday because of mechanical issues on the train.

    • Former volunteers with Eastern Ontario Cats (EOC) are working to track cats they say are either dead or missing after allegations of abuse, neglect and falsified medical records surfaced in recent months.

    • Quebec Premier Francois Legault promised on Tuesday to toughen secularism measures in schools, saying he was 'shocked' by revelations about a Montreal public school where a group of teachers had tried to introduce what the premier described as 'Islamist' beliefs.

    • The Quebec government wants to hear Quebecers' thoughts about scrapping the twice-yearly time change, but it isn't promising to act on them.

    • A Montreal borough and Muslim leader are pushing back against the head of the Parti Qu茅b茅cois after he accused a local library of promoting a "religious invasion" by posting a photo of a young girl wearing a hijab for a storytime event.

    • Police are looking for a man and a woman who robbed an Edmonton jewelry store earlier this month.

    • Edmonton Public Schools (EPS) custodians have voted 97 per cent in favour of going on strike.

    • A new commentary suggests the Government of Alberta purposely pushed false narratives around public safety to scale down safe supply in the province.

    • Police have confirmed the body of an employee who died at a Walmart in Halifax over the weekend was found in a walk-in oven.

    • A member of the Nova Scotia Liberal Party is crossing the floor and joining the Progressive Conservatives.

    • Crews responded to a propane leak in Upper Tantallon, N.S., on Tuesday night.

    • Folks making the trek to and from Thompson along Highway 6 are once again without a bathroom break鈥 at least for now.

    • The Manitoba government is restoring the 1:1 apprentice-to-journeyperson ratio.

    • A number of Manitoba communities kicked off the week by breaking decades-old heat records.

    • Saskatchewan's Conflict of Interest Commissioner (COIC) has found that former Saskatchewan Party MLA Gary Grewal violated legislative rules by profiting from hotels while they were party to government contracts.

    • A determined group within Moose Jaw has stepped up to provide assistance to those in need 鈥 following the closure of one of the city's shelters.

    • Saturday's matchup between the Saskatchewan Roughriders and Calgary Stampeders could determine if they clinch the West Division title, however the results from Winnipeg's game earlier in the day could make their matchup meaningless.

    • No one was hurt after playground equipment went up in flames at a Kitchener, Ont. park.

    • A bloodstain pattern analyst expert testified Tuesday at Erick Buhr鈥檚 second-degree murder trial.

    • At least seven large-scale butter thefts have been reported in Guelph, Ont. over a 10-month period, including two hauls in just the last month.

    • A Saskatoon family is voicing concerns after paying twice as much PST as expected on a recently purchased truck.

    • Hundreds of voter information cards have landed in the wrong hands.

    • A city planning document for the Bus Rapid Transit system (BRT) sparked controversy over the weekend, with three civic election candidates alleging Confederation Mall was at risk of being demolished and replaced with dense housing.

    • Now that the jury has begun deliberating in the Sudbury murder trial of Felicity Altiman, here are some of the interesting courtroom moments they didn't get to hear.

    • Greater Sudbury has ended the employment of CAO Ed Archer, Mayor Paul Lefebvre announced suddenly Tuesday evening

    • After operating for 51 years, General Motors has announced it is closing the Kapuskasing Proving Ground, a facility the automaker used to test the durability of its vehicles in cold weather.

    • A father and his two children who suffered severe burns in a Springfield, Ont. house fire have undergone surgery.

    • A collision between a pickup truck and SUV shuttered the intersection of Base Line and New Road for several hours.

    • A meteor lit up our region's sky last night 鈥 with a large fireball shooting across the horizon over Lake Erie at around 7:00 p.m.

    • Emergency crews rushed to the scene of a serious collision in Barrie鈥檚 south end involving a passenger vehicle and a motorcycle.

    • A 35-year-old man from Etobicoke is facing impaired driving charges after a crash involving a Ministry of Transportation vehicle parked along Highway 11 south.

    • A fire that caused $2.5 million damage at a newly constructed house in Adjala-Tosorontio early Tuesday morning is being investigated as suspicious.

    • If you live in Windsor, Ont. and get a knock at the door from a political canvasser, it might be surprising since there鈥檚 no election on the horizon at the municipal, provincial or federal level. But across the border, that's not the case.

    • 鈥榁ampire Zombies鈥rom Space!鈥 and 鈥楾hundersnake鈥, two films that are showing at the Windsor International Film Festival (WIFF), were both shot across the city and in the County of Essex.

    • Before the Town of Essex adopts it's new Master Plan for Land Use, staff will work to identify best proper use for future developments across the municipality.

    • Mounties in British Columbia say a second person has been found dead after two vehicles ended up in a river on Vancouver Island when a road washed out amid torrential rains over the weekend.

    • With the B.C. election too close to call, Dr. Bonnie Henry was asked Tuesday how she feels about the possibility of a party that has repeatedly called for her firing forming government.

    • Premier and NDP Leader David Eby says he's been told by the B.C. Green Party that it's too early to begin talks about a minority government agreement after the weekend's still-undecided provincial election.

    • Dave Lindsey began growing giant pumpkins to bring a bit of magic to his grandkids' Halloween.

    • A U.S. District Court judge in Montana has sentenced a 27-year-old man from Kelowna, B.C., to 18 months in prison for using fake names to buy guns with the aim of selling them in Canada.

    • Nearly two years after a man was stabbed to death in downtown Kelowna, RCMP have made an arrest in the case.

    • Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says she's waiting for NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi to declare where he intends to run for office before she calls a byelection in Lethbridge.

    • The health of honeybees will be the focus of a presentation at the University of Lethbridge on Wednesday evening.

    • Alberta is offering infrastructure funding to help municipalities accommodate recent population growth. The province has added a little over 500,000 people over five years, putting pressure on public services.

    • The union representing the fire rangers with the Ministry of Natural Resources says money won鈥檛 fix the systemic problems in the workplace.

    • Rallies by a group called Voices Against Violence took place across the country on Monday, including Sault Ste. Marie.

    • An Indigenous group in northwestern Ontario shut down the highway for a couple of hours Monday morning in protest after ancestral remains were found at a construction site.

    N.L.

    Stay Connected
    Follow 愛污传媒