Justin Trudeau to attend UN General Assembly amid global turbulence

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is set to be in New York this week for the 78th meeting of the United Nations General Assembly and the Summit of the Future, amid increasing geopolitical instability around the world.

«Canada will have a leading role in making the world fairer and more prosperous,» Trudeau said in a news release last week. «I look forward to working with other leaders to accelerate progress on our shared priorities and build a better future for everyone.»

Trudeau is also scheduled to appear on with Stephen Colbert on Monday night. American drag queen and television host RuPaul is scheduled as the other guest on the CBS show that night.

While the prime minister is attending the assembly in New York until Wednesday, the Trudeau government is expected to face its first test in the House of Commons since the NDP ended its supply-and-confidence deal with the Liberals.

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre plans to table a motion stating the House has no confidence in the government or the prime minister.

The New Democrats and Bloc Québécois have said they intend to vote against the Conservatives. Their votes will give Trudeau space to focus on the international gathering instead of a possible snap election at home.

The Summit of the Future, announced by UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres in 2021, is happening on Sunday and Monday ahead of the start of the annual meetings at the General Assembly.

Its goal is to reform the UN, reinvigorate multilateralism, and agree on solutions to new challenges at a time when the global institution has faced criticism for its handling of 21st-century issues, including Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the war in Gaza.

Guterres urged member nations last week to compromise and approve