ANALYSIS: Trudeau, in quick trip to Asia, to focus on trade, security – National
When Prime Minister Justin Trudeau lands in Laos on Wednesday, he will have spent almost a full day in the air and yet, despite spending 24 hours to get to the Laotian capital of Vientiane, he won’t even spend 48 hours there.
But senior government officials travelling with the PM this week say the time and treasure spent so that Trudeau can attend the annual summit of leaders from the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) is an important part of a “strategic long-term bet” his government made several years ago to raise Canada’s profile in the region.It’s part of the country’s Indo-Pacific strategy aimed at boosting rules-based trade and enhancing the kind of multilateral security relationships that a middle power like Canada must have to survive and thrive.“Canada has to be build...










