Â鶹´«Ã½

Skip to main content

Trudeau meets U.K. Prime Minister Liz Truss, other world leaders in London

Share
LONDON -

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau met his British counterpart and other world leaders in London on Sunday, as talk of the economy and the war in Ukraine took their place alongside the sombre preparations for Queen Elizabeth's funeral.

Trudeau spent about 40 minutes at 10 Downing Street early in the afternoon for a meeting with Liz Truss.

Leaders from across the world have made the trip to London to mourn Britain's longest-serving monarch. While the focus of the trip is Monday's funeral, Trudeau also took the time to meet with fellow leaders including Truss and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.

At an afternoon news conference, he said the ongoing war in Ukraine was top of the agenda for his meeting with Truss after he first offered condolences over the loss of the queen.

"Obviously the UK and Canada have been two of the strongest countries in standing up in support of Ukraine and pushing back against Russia's illegal actions, which increasingly clearly include war crimes," he said.

Trudeau referred to a mass burial site that has been reported near a recaptured northeastern city previously occupied by Russian forces, as well as earlier reports of killings and torture in Bucha outside the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv. He called for Russia and its president to be held accountable.

"Vladimir Putin, his supporters and the Russian military need to be held to account for the atrocities they have and are continuing to commit in Ukraine," Trudeau said.

The prime minister said he and his British counterpart also discussed inflation and the negotiations for a Canada-UK trade deal, which he said were "advancing well."

Trudeau's meeting with Albanese took place at a London hotel.

He said the two leaders were meeting at a time of "reflection and condolences," but also had important matters to discuss.

He suggested the meeting would include discussions on climate change, geopolitical issues and economic growth.

Trudeau was also set to meet Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal and participate in an evening reception at Buckingham Palace later on Sunday before attending the queen's state funeral Monday morning.

Trudeau praised the late monarch for her "70 years of extraordinary service to Canada" and her ability to connect with the public.

"Every time I got to meet with Her Majesty, her generosity and her gracefulness made that moment the most important ever," he said. "She had a way of reaching out and connecting with whoever she met with, and connecting with crowds and people who only saw her on television."

Trudeau brushed off a question about whether the death of the well-loved sovereign was the right time to reconsider Canada's ties to the monarchy -- a proposition echoed by former environment minister Catherine McKenna in a tweet.

He said that while "there are always moments for reflection," Canadians expected him to focus on other issues such as the economy, the cost of living, housing and climate change.

Jean Chretien, one of the four former prime ministers travelling with Trudeau as part of the Canadian delegation to London, described the queen as someone with "star power" who commanded respect.

He drew laughs when he told a story about singing the national anthem for the queen in the Northwest Territories on one of her visits, only to realize he didn't know the words in English.

"I was sweating," he said. "My wife had never been so shy in her lifetime."

He said he met then-Prince Charles the next summer, and was told his singing of 'O Canada' had become "part of the royal folklore." The queen visited the Northwest Territories in 1970 and 1994; but Chretien did not say when the incident occurred.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 19, 2022.

IN DEPTH

Opinion

opinion

opinion Don Martin: Gusher of Liberal spending won't put out the fire in this dumpster

A Hail Mary rehash of the greatest hits from the Trudeau government’s three-week travelling pony-show, the 2024 federal budget takes aim at reversing the party’s popularity plunge in the under-40 set, writes political columnist Don Martin. But will it work before the next election?

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 team of tornado experts is heading to Fergus, Ont. after a storm ripped through the area Sunday night.

Why brain aging can vary dramatically between people

Researchers are uncovering deeper insights into how the human brain ages and what factors may be tied to healthier cognitive aging, including exercising, avoiding tobacco, speaking a second language or even playing a musical instrument.

Local Spotlight

For the second year in a row, the ‘Gift-a-Family’ campaign is hoping to make the holidays happier for children and families in need throughout Barrie.

Some of the most prolific photographers behind CTV Skywatch Pics of the Day use the medium for fun, therapy, and connection.

A young family from Codroy Valley, N.L., is happy to be on land and resting with their newborn daughter, Miley, after an overwhelming, yet exciting experience at sea.

As Connor Nijsse prepared to remove some old drywall during his garage renovation, he feared the worst.

A group of women in Chester, N.S., has been busy on the weekends making quilts – not for themselves, but for those in need.

A Vancouver artist whose streetside singing led to a chance encounter with one of the world's biggest musicians is encouraging aspiring performers to try their hand at busking.

Ten-thousand hand-knit poppies were taken from the Sanctuary Arts Centre and displayed on the fence surrounding the Dartmouth Cenotaph on Monday.

A Vancouver man is saying goodbye to his nine-to-five and embarking on a road trip from the Canadian Arctic to Antarctica.

Stay Connected