Justin Trudeau talked up trade and warned of creeping protectionism [on May 26] as he met powerful world leaders in a G7 setting for the first time.

On the opening day of the Group of Seven summit in Japan, Trudeau also used his audience with the heads of some of the planet’s biggest economies to promote Canada’s free-trade deal with Europe.

He focused on the Canada-European Union treaty, known as CETA, in a bilateral chat with German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Trudeau discussed the pact again in a one-onone meeting with French President François Hollande.

And, in a working session with all the leaders, Trudeau once more touted the merits of international trade...

The G7 leaders largely focused their discussions on the global economy as the summit got underway.

The host, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, called upon his counterparts to act to steer the world away from another global economic crisis. U.S. President Barack Obama supported Abe’s call...

Trudeau took a harder line and promoted his government’s plan to run deficits in order to invest in the economy as a way to boost growth...

Trudeau’s personal G7 representative, who negotiates the wording of the leaders’ joint statement, said this year’s meeting is the prime minister’s first chance to tell his peers directly about Canada’s deficit-fuelled approach to lifting its economy. But Peter Boehm said each G7 country has its own system and its own unique set of circumstances to navigate...

G7 meetings, Boehm added, differ from other forums in the sense that leaders can have frank discussions with each another...

The Trudeau government is also highlighting trade on the world stage as Britons prepare to vote in a June 23 referendum to decide whether they should leave the EU. A vote in favour of the so-called Brexit would have an impact on CETA.

Trudeau, Merkel and Obama have spoken out against Britain leaving the EU...

On Friday, G7 leaders are scheduled to discuss issues such as climate, energy, prosperity in Asia, the empowerment of women, health and Africa.

This has been excerpted from the 27 May 2016 edition of The Star.