CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau remembers asking why the stereo and other gadgets he had as a boy were made in Japan — not in Canada.
Trudeau's father, prime minister at the time, told him that Japan, a country with few natural resources — unlike Canada — had to invest in its people and technological innovation.
Trudeau tells a gathering of U.S. tech entrepreneurs today the answer made him angry — why couldn't Canada do the same?
The prime minister is visiting the Massachusetts Institute of Technology campus to headline the annual meeting of the school's Solve initiative.
Unbelievable work being done at the @MIT @medialab and Innovation Exhibition – thanks for having me today. pic.twitter.com/aW1QRRIF89
— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) May 18, 2018
"When people are active, engaged citizens thinking about the impact of their choices, challenges, solutions on their neighborhood, community, city, state, country, world, we start to see a different kind of world." —@JustinTrudeau on Global Challenges and the #SolveAtMIT model: pic.twitter.com/MfbG1Dg86t
— Solve (@SolveMIT) May 18, 2018
I had a great meeting in Boston with @Wayfair CEO Niraj Shah, who said: "200 jobs are just the beginning of what we can do." Very true, Niraj! Looking forward to working together to create even more jobs & opportunity in the future. pic.twitter.com/wM3VAi8I8m
— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) May 18, 2018
The project links technology entrepreneurs with leaders in government, business and the academic world to address global problems.
Trudeau's three-day trip to the United States comes at a tense stage of talks between Canada, the U.S. and Mexico over whether to renew the North American Free Trade Agreement.
