Saturday, May 18, 2024
ADVT 
National

Blinken to virtually visit Canada, Mexico Friday

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 25 Feb, 2021 06:33 PM
  • Blinken to virtually visit Canada, Mexico Friday

Antony Blinken will meet virtually Friday with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in a day of online diplomacy for the U.S. secretary of state.

Blinken will meet with Trudeau, Foreign Affairs Minister Marc Garneau and other members of the federal cabinet, State Department spokesperson Ned Price said in a statement.

The visit will follow up on Trudeau's own summit this week with U.S. President Joe Biden, which produced a "road map" for plans to collaborate on issues like climate change, the economy and COVID-19.

"We are neighbours, friends and allies," Price said.

Agenda items also include "defending human rights in the Western Hemisphere and around the world, and bolstering our shared defence and security."

That means the conversations will likely include the plight of Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig, two Canadians who have spent the last two years in custody in China.

Spavor and Kovrig — the "two Michaels," as they are known in Canada — were swept up in the weeks that followed Canada's arrest in December 2018 of Meng Wanzhou, the chief financial officer of Chinese tech giant Huawei and daughter of the company's founder.

Meng is facing extradition to the U.S., where she has been charged with violating sanctions against Iran — a case some observers believe is sure to keep the two Michaels behind bars indefinitely.

On Tuesday, Biden vowed to work with Canada to secure their release, but offered no clues as to what specifically the U.S. is prepared to do.

Justice Department spokesman Marc Raimondi would only say the U.S. will "continue to seek extradition."

Earlier this month, Canada, the U.S. and a coalition of 56 other countries collectively denounced the state-sponsored arbitrary detention of foreign nationals for political purposes.

Blinken has endorsed the declaration and called on countries around the world "to put an end to this practice, to release those detained under such conditions and to respect the rule of law and human rights."

The followup work after Tuesday's bilateral meetings continued this week in other departments as well.

Climate Change Minister Jonathan Wilkinson spoke Wednesday with John Kerry, Biden's special envoy on climate, to shore up plans for more stringent emissions-reduction targets in advance of a climate summit in April.

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and Transport Minister Omar Alghabra committed to more stringent vehicle pollution standards to push both countries towards a zero-emissions future on roadways throughout the continent.

They are also collaborating on new standards for aviation and for seagoing vessels, as well as efforts to develop new clean-tech solutions with an eye toward the goal of net-zero emissions by 2050.

Blinken is also scheduled to meet with a group of Canadian students, as well as with Mexico's foreign secretary and secretary of the economy during a "visit" to a port of entry facility along the U.S.'s southern border.

MORE National ARTICLES

PM brushes off provincial defiance on handgun bans

PM brushes off provincial defiance on handgun bans
Trudeau says federal officials will have conversations with municipalities seeking handgun controls even if their provincial leaders oppose such bans.

PM brushes off provincial defiance on handgun bans

COVID variants may push cases to 20K/day by March

COVID variants may push cases to 20K/day by March
The Public Health Agency of Canada released modelling Friday suggesting that while infections continue to decline nationally, the spread of virus mutations threatens to reverse that progress.

COVID variants may push cases to 20K/day by March

Extra weeks to be added to COVID benefits, PM says

Extra weeks to be added to COVID benefits, PM says
Trudeau also says the federal sickness benefit will be expanded to four weeks from two so workers can stay home if they're feeling ill, or have to isolate because of COVID-19.

Extra weeks to be added to COVID benefits, PM says

First candidate enters B.C. Liberal leaders race

First candidate enters B.C. Liberal leaders race
The two-term Liberal member for the riding of Skeena, Ellis Ross, confirms he will seek the party's leadership.

First candidate enters B.C. Liberal leaders race

WATCH: Canada opens up immigration programs to meet targets like never before

WATCH: Canada opens up immigration programs to meet targets like never before
Canada Immigration pulls a SURPRISING MOVE to achieve its target plan of 401,000 immigrants in 2021, despite the COVID19 pandemic.

WATCH: Canada opens up immigration programs to meet targets like never before

427 COVID19 cases for Wednesday

427 COVID19 cases for Wednesday
There are 232 individuals currently hospitalized with COVID-19, 63 of whom are in intensive care.

427 COVID19 cases for Wednesday