PM Trudeau brings youthful vitality to APEC forum

PM Trudeau brings youthful vitality to APEC forum

Newly elected Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau brought a dash of youthful vitality to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum, which is meeting in the Philippine capital this week.

Sworn in just two weeks ago, Trudeau, is still enjoying a reprise of popularity that swept his father former Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, into office in 1968. At 43, the Canadian Prime Minister has been likened to Obama, who at 54 is more than a decade older. The average age of Pacific Rim leaders is 60-years old. Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto is 49. The leaders of Russia, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and Peru are all in their early to mid-50s, while Pacific Rim leaders are in their early 60s or older. The Sultan of Brunei, at 69 is the eldest of the 21 leaders of the APEC forum. In Manila, Trudeau is also popular with local reporters and media coverage of his appearance at a business forum was hotly contested.

Trudeau has declared his intention to reclaim Canada’s compassionate and constructive voice. He favors Canada’s ratification of the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a 12-nation trade agreement championed by U.S. President Barack Obama that is meant to become the core of a region-wide free trade bloc.