After stumble, Canada's Trudeau glides through first world trip

By David Ljunggren
MANILA, Nov 20 (Reuters) - New Canadian Prime Minister
Justin Trudeau started his first international trip with a
stumble before recovering to impress world leaders keen to bask
in the success of his big election win last month.
The 43-year-old with film star looks was the center of
attention at a Group of 20 summit in Turkey and a meeting of
Asia-Pacific leaders in Manila, where he survived a mobbing by
enthusiastic onlookers.
But Trudeau cannot survive on smiles and pleasant words
alone, warns Fen Hampson of the Centre for International
Governance Innovation in Waterloo, Ontario.
"His likeability ratings are off the charts and he is
getting good reviews from foreign leaders, but it will only take
him so far unless Canada is also seen to be willing to do some
of the heavy lifting," he said.
For example, U.S. President Barack Obama wants Trudeau to
commit long-term to the U.S.-led military mission against
Islamic State in Syria and Iraq, while NATO members are unhappy
Ottawa is not spending enough money on defense.
Trudeau's center-left Liberals won power last month
promising Canada would play a bigger global role than it had
done under the inward-looking Conservatives of Stephen Harper.
Obama had little in common with the right-leaning Harper and
was clearly delighted to talk to Trudeau on Thursday in Manila.
"We've seen the incredible excitement that Justin generated
during his campaign in Canada. We're confident that he's going
to be able to provide a great boost of energy and reform to the
Canadian political landscape," Obama said.
Obama invited Trudeau down to the White House and the two
men talked about their respective wives' vegetable gardens - a
warm touch Harper could never have managed.
"There doesn't have to be a lot of substance at this stage.
He just has to get through it and create good impressions along
the way," said Toronto-based Ipsos pollster John Wright.
Fellow leaders at both summits were clearly intrigued by how
Trudeau had won power by talking of "sunny ways" and respect
rather than bashing his opponents.
"I believe your success in the incredible electoral campaign
is a great model for a lot of people around the world," Italian
Prime Minister Matteo Renzi told Trudeau in Turkey.
"When you won a lot of people thought it was a moment of
change, not only for Canada," he said.
Trudeau is also helped that so many leaders still remember
how active his father, former Liberal Prime Minister Pierre
Trudeau, was on the world stage.
This is particularly true in Asia, home to the
fast-developing markets Trudeau wants Canadian firms to exploit
and thereby help revive a slumbering domestic economy.
South Korean President Park Geun-hye said Pierre Trudeau had
been "integral to raising Canada's international stature", while
Chinese leader Xi Jinping praised the former prime minister for
establishing diplomatic ties with Beijing.
The warm words contrasted with the start of the trip when
Trudeau left for Turkey on the same night as 129 people died in
the Paris attacks.
The next day, as Obama and other G20 leaders discussed the
crisis, Trudeau was posing for selfies with business executives
and then stuck to his talking points about climate change and
had to be prompted by reporters to talk about Paris.
The Ottawa Sun dubbed him "PM Selfie". The Ottawa Citizen
said his response to the Paris attacks had been tone-deaf.
"The style is working. On substance he's navigating - one
has the sense his footing is perhaps less sure," said University
of Ottawa professor David Dyment.