Prime Minister Justin Trudeau kicks off a cross-country tour this week, but it won’t include stops in Canada’s North.
The tour, which is set to begin towards the end of the week, will see him travel along Highway 401 from Ottawa to London, followed by stops in British Columbia, Quebec, the Prairies and Atlantic Canada.
Trudeau is expected to use the tour as an opportunity to hear from Canadians about what they would like to see in the federal budget, which could come by the end of next month.
For that reason, the prime minister is expected to miss the swearing-in ceremony for US President-elect Donald Trump. He’ll also miss the World Economic Forum in Switzerland, an invitation-only event for world leaders.
The Prime Minister’s Office says Trudeau will host town halls and meet with Canadians in coffee shops and shopping malls as part of the tour.
Trudeau last visited the Northwest Territories ahead of the 2015 federal election.
