Trudeau says Americans should pay more attention to the world

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks to media about his first 100 days in office and announces the expansion of the Canada Summer Jobs Program at the Dovercourt Boys and Girls Club in Toronto on Friday, Feb. 12, 2016. AP

TORONTO — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says Canadians would appreciate it if Americans paid more attention to what’s going on around the globe.

Trudeau said in a 60 Minutes interview to be aired Sunday that “it might be nice if they paid a little more attention to the world.”

Trudeau, elected in October, made the remarks after being asked what Canadians don’t like about the U.S.

“Having a little more of an awareness of what’s going on in the rest of the world, I think is, is what many Canadians would hope for Americans,” he said in a transcript released to The Associated Press on Thursday.

The 60 Minutes profile of Trudeau will air just days before he travels to the White House for a state visit.

Trudeau said Canadians must be aware of at least one other country, the United States, because of its importance.

“I think we sometimes like to think that, you know, Americans will pay attention to us from time to time, too,” he said.

He also seemed to take a jab at an unnamed U.S. presidential candidate whose rise he attributed to Americans’ lack of knowledge of foreign affairs.

A spokeswoman for Trudeau said she didn’t immediately know what candidate Trudeau was referring to.

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