Justin Trudeau will visit Cuba next week and meet with its president, Raul Castro, along with a possible meeting with retired leader Fidel Castro.
The Canadian Press news agency said the Canadian prime minister will follow in the footsteps of his father Pierre Trudeau, who as prime minister became the first NATO leader to visit Castro-led Cuba during a three-day visit that started on Jan. 26, 1976. The Canadian Press said the visit "rankled" some Canadian allies then.
Trudeau will first travel to Cuba and then Argentina from Nov. 15-18, then Peru Nov. 19-20 to participate in the 2016 Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Leaders' meeting, according to his website. He is scheduled to visit Argentinian President Mauricio Macri while in that country.
"Canada enjoys strong, long-standing relations with Cuba and Argentina," said the statement from the prime minister's office. "… The trip will provide Canada with an opportunity to renew and strengthen its relationships with Cuba and Argentina, and collaborate more closely on sustainable economic growth, inclusive governance, security, climate change, and gender equality."
Reuters said Canada and Mexico were the only two countries in the Americas to keep ties with Cuba after the 1959 revolution. Trade, tourism and investment from the two countries has filled in some gaps from the U.S. embargo.
Cuba and Canada trade more than $1 billion worth of goods per year and Canadian companies have investments in mining, power, oil, and gas, agribusiness, and tourism there.
Trudeau said he wanted to focus on issues that would strengthen the middle class, creating economic growth, and facilitating freer trade and investment in the region while at the Asian Pacific meeting.
"The Asia Pacific region is critical to our country's economic future and to growing our middle class," Trudeau said in the statement. "I look forward to promoting Canada as a partner of choice for trade and investment in the region while embracing the theme of quality and inclusive economic growth that Peru has put forward this year."
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