Trudeau's Singapore pitch: Canada 'just getting started' on trade

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau arrived in Singapore on Tuesday afternoon primed to make his pitch to a Singapore business audience: Amid new barriers to trading with the U.S., why not consider Canada?

Trudeau has a busy three days planned at the margins of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and East Asia summits. 

Canada isn't a member of either group, but is lobbying for a seat at the latter to try to be more of a regional player on security issues. And it's exploring a potential comprehensive trade agreement with the 10-country ASEAN bloc.

"We have an openness towards investment and to immigration that is extremely positive," Trudeau said before meeting with the Canada–​ASEAN Business Council. "One of the things that is a big differentiator between us and our neighbour to the south right now is the fact that top companies can get visas for their top talent in certain sectors in less than two weeks, to be able to come and set up shop in Canada, and start doing great things with us."...

This was excerpted from the 13 November 2018 edition of CBC News.