Amid 'deep concern' for Rohingya refugees, Trudeau meets with Myanmar leader Suu Kyi

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his special envoy to Myanmar, Bob Rae, met with Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyion Friday, before the start of APECtrade talks in Da Nang, Vietnam.

During the 45-minute meeting, they talked about SuuKyi's perceived inactionon the Rohingyarefugee crisis, which has seen hundreds of thousands ofRohingyaflee from Myanmar's Rakhinestateinto neighbouring Bangladesh in the face of violence at home.

Rae told reporters after that Trudeau was forthright about the level of violence and the extent of the problems causing people to flee.

"From my point of view that was extremely important for her to hear, directly from Canada's prime minister.I think it was also important for us to hear her out," Rae told reporters.

The meeting comes as Myanmar faces allegations of large-scale human rights abuses against theRohingyaMuslimminority population in the predominately Buddhist nation.

• Special envoy Bob Rae urged to enlist Myanmar's neighbours to help stop crackdown on RohingyaMuslims

Suu Kyi,a Nobel Laureate and an honorary Canadiancitizen,has been criticized for not speaking out against the violence aimed at Rohingya Muslims in her country, which the UN calls ethnic cleansing.

Trudeau spoke to SuuKyiin September amid questions about her leadership at a time when many were accusing the country's military of carrying out ethnic cleansingagainst this long-persecuted group.

During that call, Trudeau "stressed the particular importance of the state counsellor as a moral and political leader," according to a readout.

Last month, Trudeau announced Rae would visit Myanmar on a fact-finding mission and report back on what role Canadacan play inending the humanitarian crises in the Southeast Asiancountry.