Premiership of Justin Trudeau that described Castro as a "remarkable leader" and a "larger than life leader who served his people." Trudeau was criticized by political observers in Canada and the United States for the statement. United States Senator Marco Rubio called the statement "shameful and embarrassing," while Canadian MP Maxime Bernier called his remarks "repugnant." "The Washington Post" questioned many of the claims made in Trudeau's statements, saying that Trudeau "appears to accept outdated Cuban government spin as current fact." In 2016, Trudeau visited China and attended the G-20 summit in Hangzhou where he was affectionately nicknamed “xiao tudou” (小土豆) meaning little potato
Justin Trudeau the following week. While Trudeau was seen as a frontrunner for the leadership of the Liberal Party, he was criticized for his perceived lack of substance. During his time as a member of parliament he spoke little on policy matters and it was not known where he stood on many issues such as the economy and foreign affairs. Some strategists and pundits believed the leadership would be the time for Trudeau to be tested on these issues; however, there was also fear within the party that his celebrity status and large lead might deter other strong candidates from entering the