Foreign Affairs Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne and International Development Minister Karina Gould confirmed the continuing campaigning in separate interviews with The Canadian Press this past week.

Trudeau spoke at a pre-reception address on Tuesday night to an audience of about 200 people, most of them diplomats from African countries. He previously visited two African countries, Ethiopia and Senegal, as part of his government's campaign for the council seat.

The Prime Minister's Office announced the cancellation Sunday evening, less than 24 hours before Trudeau was scheduled to fly to Barbados where he was expected to pitch Caribbean leaders on why Canada should get a seat on the United Nations Security Council.

Matthew Fisher has penned the draft of a letter Justin Trudeau could send to African leaders following his recent visit.

Canada last sat on the Security Council in 2000.

Even if Canada doesn't win a Security Council seat, diplomats say its campaign in Africa for the spot has already yielded benefits for the country.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says he raised the cases of Canadian citizens detained in Egypt with that country's president at a summit of African leaders.

Canada faces stiff competition from Norway and Ireland for the two temporary seats on the most powerful UN body, which will be the subject of a June vote for a two-year term starting next year.

The Trudeau government is seeking to award a $120,000 sole-sourced contract for "security council training" to a company chaired by former Liberal MP Allan Rock.

Canada is by no means perfect when it comes to issues around racism, Rob Breakenridge says, but Canadians might rightly object to the UN lecturing them on the matter.