OTTAWA -- Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will be attending the June G7 Leaders’ Summit in the United Kingdom in-person, according to U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s office.
Following a bilateral phone call between the two prime ministers on Friday morning, a Downing Street spokesperson said in a readout that on the call the pair spoke about the agenda for the summit and that “the leaders looked forward to seeing each other in Cornwall in two weeks’ time.”
Trudeau has been asked repeatedly by reporters whether he planned to attend in-person, and as recently as Thursday said that a final decision had not been made. Speaking in French, Trudeau said that if he and a delegation do attend, all testing and self-isolation requirements will be followed.
CTVNews.ca has reached out to the Prime Minister’s Office to confirm whether he indeed plans to travel internationally next month, so he can attend the Summit alongside his colleagues.
In an emailed response, spokesperson Alex Wellstead said the PMO had “nothing new” to say Friday and would update on the prime minister’s plans “in due course.”
During a press conference on Friday, Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Theresa Tam said she hasn’t been involved in the planning of this international trip, nor has the agency received any travel precaution plans from Trudeau’s delegation. She offered to review a plan for the trip, if PMO was to submit one.
“Of course there's expectations through the Quarantine Act for individual Canadians coming into Canada that needs to be observed from a quarantine perspective. And we expect people to observe the requirements,” she said.
Trudeau has previously said that he was “hopeful” about being able to attend the event in person.
Trudeau participated in the 2020 G7 leaders’ meeting virtually, but with global vaccination rates growing, including in the U.K., the nation is looking to host other world leaders to discuss how to “help the world build back better from the COVID-19 pandemic and create a greener, more prosperous future,” between June 11 and 13.
Canada’s international travel restrictions have been extended until June 21 at least, including a mandatory 14-day quarantine upon entering Canada from abroad.
However, on Thursday the federal advisory panel that provides advice to the government on COVID-19 testing and screening issued a report recommending the Liberals end the mandatory hotel quarantine for international travellers entering Canada.
While initial indications from the federal border and health ministers responding to the panel’s recommendations was that the measures in place will remain for now, it’s possible the border controls could be loosened in the coming weeks. It remains to be seen whether the federal government will be rapidly moving on a policy update to allow people who are vaccinated to travel with more ease.
On the report, Health Minister Patty Hajdu offered little indication of whether, or when, the federal government will heed the expert panel’s advice.
Trudeau is among the Canadians waiting for a second shot of the AstraZeneca vaccine, so he is not yet fully vaccinated. Even if he is able to receive his second doses before he departs, the guidance is that people are not considered to be fully protected until 14 days after their second shot. The summit begins in 14 days.
Since the COVID-19 pandemic was declared, the federal government has advised against any non-essential travel and Trudeau has not left the country.
The prime minister said as recently as Thursday that now is not the time for non-essential travel. Foreign Affairs Minister Marc Garneau has been travelling abroad in recent weeks, which the government has considered essential.
