Canadian PM Trudeau to skip funeral of Fidel Castro after firestorm over his remarks praising Cuban leader

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Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau during a joint press conference with Argentine President Mauricio Macri in Buenos Aires. Trudeau will not attend Fidel Castro's funeral, the Canadian prime minister's office said. Photo: AFP

Published: 5:45am, 29 Nov 2016Updated: 7:56am, 29 Nov 2016

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will not attend the funeral of Fidel Castro, his office said on Monday, days after Trudeau’s warm comments about the late Cuban leader sparked a backlash.

Trudeau referred on Saturday to Castro as a “remarkable leader” and expressed his sorrow at the death of “Cuba’s longest serving president.”

Trudeau acknowledged on Sunday that Castro had been a dictator as political opponents called on him to boycott the funeral.

Outrage and mockery about Trudeau’s fond words for Castro, who had been an honorary pallbearer at the funeral in 2000 of Trudeau’s father, former Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, has threatened to end the Liberal leader’s long honeymoon.

Noting the “many questions” about whether Trudeau would attend the funeral, spokeswoman Andree-Lyne Halle said in an email the prime minister would skip the event.

“His schedule doesn’t permit it,” she said.

A woman signs a book of condolences for Cuba's late leader Fidel Castro at the President Salvador Allende School, in Havana, Cuba. Photo: AP

Governor General David Johnston, Queen Elizabeth’s representative in Canada, will attend a commemoration in honour of Castro in Havana on Tuesday, at the request of Trudeau, Johnson’s office said in a statement.