Justin Trudeau, the Canadian prime minister, has praised Scotland’s role in global affairs after receiving an honorary degree for his campaigning on equality and diversity.
Trudeau was given the honour by the University of Edinburgh on Wednesday morning before he met the Queen for a private audience at the Palace of Holyroodhouse en route to a G20 leaders summit in Hamburg later this week.
But questions have emerged about why Trudeau chose not to meet Nicola Sturgeon, the Scottish first minister, despite their closely aligned positions on tackling climate change, championing refugee rights, diversity and social equality.
Trudeau put great stress on Canada’s historic ties with Scotland, whose migrants played a key role in its colonisation, during his address to graduates. His maternal grandfather, James Sinclair, emigrated from Aberdeenshire and became a Canadian MP in 1940.
Trudeau said he was among the 15% of Canadians who had Scottish roots and “a strong link and affinity with Scots”. That included Canada’s first prime minister, John Macdonald, a Glaswegian.
Source: Canadian PM meets the Queen in Edinburgh – but not Nicola Sturgeon | World news | The Guardian
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