Trudeau attends General Assembly where Biden makes final UN speech
U.S. President Joe Biden reflected on the motivation behind his decision to step away from politics and sent a message of unity to global leaders gathered at a time of increasing division and geopolitical instability.
"My fellow leaders, let's never forget, some things are more important than staying in power," Biden said at the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Tuesday.
"It's your people that matter the most," he said in his final address to the General Assembly.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau looked on as Biden stressed the importance of multilateralism, a theme that has been common in Trudeau's speeches in recent years as well.
When Biden came to office nearly four years ago, he pledged to restore American leadership on the world stage. He spoke about his vision for how the world comes together to solve problems.
But, near the end of his speech, Biden urged leaders to remember who they serve.
"Never forget we are here to serve the people, not the other way around," he said.
Biden removed himself from the U.S. presidential race in July amid growing concern over his mental acuity and ability to win re-election following a disastrous debate with former Republican president Donald Trump.
Vice-President Kamala Harris has since ascended to the top of the Democratic ticket ahead of the razor-thin race to the White House in November.
Trump has often campaigned on America taking a step back from its role on the global stage, but Biden's speech to the yearly gathering of world leaders at the UN said that's the wrong approach.
On his final day at the UN on Tuesday, Trudeau attended high-level meetings about innovating for a sustainable future. He is also scheduled to meet privately with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Trudeau took part in an armchair discussion hosted by Lilly Singh, who joked the prime minister brought her Tim Horton's coffee, and met with president of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen to discuss shared priorities on the environment and putting a price on carbon.
He will return to Canadian soil Wednesday as his government faces its first test in the House of Commons since the NDP ended its supply-and-confidence deal with the Liberals. Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre introduced a motion of non-confidence in the government in the House of Commons Tuesday morning.
MPs can vote remotely but they must be in Canada to do so, requiring Trudeau to be back in Canada in time for the vote.
The New Democrats and Bloc Quebecois have both indicated plans to vote against the Conservative motion, which would prevent Trudeau's government from falling.
Trudeau addressed the confidence vote during an interview on "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" on Monday night. He admitted there's frustration and people are having trouble paying for groceries, rent or gas but Trudeau said he was going to keep fighting.
The prime minister stood by his vision for leadership Tuesday.
"Every politician has a choice about why they serve, of what they are trying to do, how they are trying to help," Trudeau said during a news conference.
"My focus is very much, and always has been, on how to serve Canadians and build a better future. That's not what we are seeing from the Conservative party."
The prime minister arrived in New York on Sunday and delivered remarks to the Summit of the Future, telling leaders they can choose to stick their heads in the sand or come together to confront global challenges.
Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly will deliver Canada's national statement later during the UN General Assembly. The speech will emphasize "Canada's commitment to promoting multilateral co-operation, human rights, democracy and the rule of law," a news release from her office said.
During Biden's wide-ranging address, the president urged countries to continue their support for Ukraine to defend against Russian aggression.
"We cannot grow weary. We cannot look away," Biden said.
Zelenskyy is set to address a special meeting of the UN Security Council on Tuesday about Russia's ongoing invasion of his country. Zelenskyy is scheduled to speak again to the General Assembly the next morning.
Russia has a permanent seat on the Security Council and has been resoundingly criticized over its aggression in Ukraine being a violation of the UN Charter.
Last year Zelenskyy took centre stage at the UN, but this year the conflict in the Middle East also weighs heavy at the annual gathering.
"Full-scale war is not in anyone's interest," Biden said.
Iran's new president, Masoud Pezeshkian, is scheduled to address world leaders on Tuesday afternoon. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are expected to speak Thursday.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 24, 2024.
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