OTTAWA - Prime Minister Mark Carney takes off Wednesday for summits in Asia and Ireland where he’ll look to advance trade and security ties.
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he → take → ties
His travels will take him to four countries and put him on the ground as high-stakes diplomacy takes place between the United States, China and Russia.
Vina Nadjibulla, co-founder of the Centre for Strategic Statecraft, said the trip is Canada’s chance to build on new agreements and partnerships it has signed with countries around the world.
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it → take → world
“We’re now entering a much more consequential phase of actually implementing and delivering on all of these agreements, and sustaining the momentum,” she said.
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she → enter → momentum
“When Prime Minister Carney speaks about diversifying our relationships, it’s not just about Europe.”
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it → speak → Europe
The prime minister is set to depart for Dublin shortly after the Remembrance Day ceremony in Ottawa.
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minister → set → Ottawa
Ireland
Carney will attend the European Political Community summit in Dublin, set for Nov. 12.
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Carney → attend → Nov.
For the second time, Canada will be the only non-European country represented at the table.
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Canada → represent → table
Carney joined the group’s last meeting in Armenia in May.
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Carney → join → May
The EPC summits have taken place roughly every six months since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
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summits → take → 2022
The informal meetings are aimed at discussing strategic co-operation in politics, security and infrastructure.
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meetings → aim → politics
Carney and European Union leaders have floated Canada becoming an “associate member” of the EU since the last summit — a title they have yet to define.
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they → float → summit
After Dublin, Carney will cross both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans to visit Manila, where the Philippines is hosting Canada as a guest at the Nov. 15–18 summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.
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Philippines → cross → Nations
ASEAN is a bloc of 11 countries that focuses on trade, regional peace and international norms.
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that → focus → trade
Canada is set to finalize negotiations on two trade deals while Carney is in Manila, one with the ASEAN bloc and another bilateral deal with the Philippines.
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Carney → set → Philippines
He could even sign one of them while he’s there.
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he → sign → them
The prime minister has a meeting scheduled for Saturday with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and will address ASEAN leaders on Sunday.
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minister → have → Sunday
Queen’s University professor Stéphanie Martel, who studies Southeast Asia and the Asia-Pacific, said the visit will help shape the Indo-Pacific strategy the Trudeau government released four years ago.
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government → study → strategy
That strategy focused on making Ottawa a relevant partner in the region after years of sporadic engagement.
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Ottawa → focus → engagement
“It’s becoming kind of a cliché to refer to Canada as this fairweather friend,” she said.
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she → become → friend
Martel said Carney has focused on trade and maritime defence but less on local concerns about climate change resilience and gender-inclusive militaries.
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Carney → say → resilience
But the overall engagement and the ability of Canada to be seen as this serious, comprehensive contributor to the region is still up for debate,” she said.
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she → see → debate
In the Philippines, Carney will be joined by Trade Minister Maninder Sidhu and Gender Minister Rechie Valdez, who is of Filipino origin.
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who → join → origin
Cambodia
Carney will then visit the Francophonie summit in Cambodia set for Nov. 14 to 16.
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Carney → visit → 16
He’s expected to meet with leaders from Africa and other continents while in the capital Phnom Penh.
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He → expect → capital
Canada is hosting the next Francophonie summit in 2028 in the Ottawa area.
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Canada → host → area
Carney is expected to use the gathering to advance Canada’s strategic autonomy and protect the role of French in the growing digital economy.
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Carney → expect → economy
Francophonie members will elect their next leader in Cambodia and Ottawa says it is staying neutral to avoid affecting the next summit.
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it → elect → summit
On Sunday, the prime minister is set to address CEOs at the FrancoTech innovation event at the summit.
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minister → set → summit
On Monday, he is set to give plenary remarks.
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he → set → remarks
Dominique Caouette, Indo-Pacific studies chair at the University of Montreal’s political science department, said the Francophonie summit is an opportunity for Canada and Quebec to advance economic interests.
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Canada → say → interests
“The Francophonie could also serve as a platform for Mr. Carney toward the middle powers.
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Francophonie → serve → powers
There are several that are part of the Francophonie.
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that → be → Francophonie
It’s another space where Canada could play an influential role,” Caouette said in a French-language interview.
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Caouette → ’ → interview
The summit will feature both Carney and Quebec Premier Paul St-Pierre Plamondon, who was elected on a sovereigntist mandate aimed at pushing back on Ottawa.
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who → feature → Ottawa
Caouette said he doesn’t expect the two to clash.
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two → say → ?
“It’s not in the Canadian or Quebec tradition to air one’s dirty laundry in public,” he said.
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he → ’ → public
Carney will be joined in Cambodia by Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand and her parliamentary secretary Mona Fortier.
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Carney → join → Anand
Before his arrival, Gov. Gen. Louise Arbour will lead Canada’s delegation at the summit.
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Arbour → lead → summit
China
Carney’s last stop will be China’s tech hub of Shenzhen for the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation summit, set for Nov. 18 to 19.
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stop → set → 19
Leaders from across the Pacific Rim will gather in the city bordering Hong Kong to take stock of an increasingly disordered trading system.
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Leaders → gather → system
…and 13 more, not listed.
The Aporia
