'We're back': New Canadian PM Justin Trudeau promises to restore his country's reputation as compassionate and constructive
Trudeau promises to reverse his predecessor's stance of climate change, which disappointed many allies.
Liberal leader Justin Trudeau has reached out to Canada's traditional allies after winning a powerful mandate to change tack on global warming and return to the multilateralism sometimes shunned by his predecessor.
Monday's decisive win ended nearly a decade of Stephen Harper's Tory rule, prompting the 43-year-old Trudeau to rebuild ties that soured over the issue of climate change with a "constructive" new style of government.
"I want to say to this country's friends all around the world: Many of you have worried that Canada has lost its compassionate and constructive voice in the world over the past 10 years," the prime minister-elect told cheering supporters in Ottawa.
"On behalf of 35 million Canadians, we're back," said Trudeau, the telegenic son of the beloved late premier Pierre Trudeau.
The White House said President Barack Obama, whose administration had clashed with Harper on climate policy, looked forward to partnering with Trudeau on the combatting climate change, as all eyes turned towards the Paris climate conference in December.
But Trudeau diverged from the path forged by his US ally on security, informing Obama by telephone that he will withdraw fighter jets from a US-led coalition against the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria.