In the last hours of his first visit to Laos, the prime minister watched two fishermen cast bamboo nets into the muddy waters of the Mekong River. They were trying to catch tiny fish, each the length of a man’s index finger, to later use as bait for something much more substantial.
The image of Justin Trudeau in rolled sleeves, lifting up a net with his youngest son Hadrien at his side, makes for suitable a metaphor for Canada’s trade strategy in the region: Many small investments designed to reel in bigger opportunities for future generations.
After his 27-hour journey to Vientiane, Laos, Trudeau spent just 36 hours in the capital city. He was there to attend the summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN); his third year in a row.
”It’s …