The ever-sunny Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau made a quick stop at the Global Citizen Festival on the eve of the G20 summit in Hamburg, to chill with none other than British rockers Coldplay and pop star Shakira. Trudeau and his wife Sophie Gregoire made a powerful statement on gender equality and the importance of empowering women and girls in the fight for justice at the Global Citizen Festival – an event that raises awareness for issues related to global poverty.

The first time could have been chalked up to charming idiosyncrasy. [...] But the third and fourth times that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada wore themed socks on a public occasion, it seemed clear that something more calculated was going on. You’ve heard of fashion diplomacy, or frock diplomacy? The practice whereby a female politician, or the wife of a world leader, uses clothing to convey unspoken messages about a platform or position, or as a form of outreach? Well, this is clearly sock diplomacy.

As President Trump disrupts alliances across the map, nearly every level of government in Canada has taken on new duties in a quietly audacious campaign to cajole, contain and if necessary coerce the Americans. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s strategy for managing Mr. Trump is unlike anything tried by another ally. And he has largely succeeded where even experienced leaders like Angela Merkel of Germany have fallen short.

The fifth Women Deliver Conference — the world’s biggest gathering on women's health and rights — will be held in Canada in 2019, it has been announced. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said today that the conference — which brings together more than 6,000 political leaders, health experts, advocates and other stakeholders every three years — will be held in Vancouver from June 3-6, 2019. It will be seen by many as confirming Canada’s position as a global leader on women’s issues.

Women-focused aid groups welcomed Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s unapologetically feminist foreign aid policy. [...] In five years, 95 per cent of Canada’s overseas development assistance will be devoted to programs that target gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls. Fifty per cent of the development budget will go to sub-Saharan Africa and the amount of funding going to health and reproductive rights will double. [...] “The research shows beyond a doubt that investment in a girl’s education is the most effective investment we can make in international assistance.”

Canada will set up a new financing institute in Montreal to help co-ordinate private sector investments in developing countries.Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and International Development Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau made the announcement during a press conference in Montreal on Friday. The Development Finance Institute (DFI) will facilitate partnerships between small and medium companies in the private sector in order to leverage investment in developing countries, particularly in sustainable development and poverty reduction.