Remarks by President Biden and Prime Minister Trudeau of Canada Before Bilateral Meeting

Parliament Hill
Ottawa, Canada

11:56 A.M. EDT
 
PRIME MINISTER TRUDEAU:  What a real pleasure it is to welcome President Biden to Ottawa — back to Ottawa.  It’s so great to see you, Joe. 
 
Obviously, we’ve been working closely together over the past few years on how to build strong economies for everyone in our two countries and around the world, how to continue our fight against climate change and prepare a stronger economic future for everyone, but also how we deal with changing geopolitical security contexts and how we continue the important work of keeping our citizens safe and standing up for our values everywhere around the world.  We have no greater friend and ally than the United States.
 
And it’s always a — always a real pleasure to be able to welcome you and to sit down with you. 
 
(Speaks in French.)  (No translation provided.)
 
PRESIDENT BIDEN:  It’s been too long between meetings.  I think in 2016 I was here. 
 
And, you know, the one great thing — and I tell other world leaders that I meet with when they ask about the geopolitical circumstances of the world — I say, “We’re lucky.  We have Canada to our north.  We share these values — all the values are the same.”  We disagree in degree on things occasionally, but there’s no fundamental difference in the democratic values we share, and it really makes a big difference. 
 
And so, it’s an honor to be here.  We have a lot to talk about.  And I — I think we’re going to — I think we’re going to get a lot done today. 
 
PRIME MINISTER TRUDEAU:  Thank you very much. 
 
11:59 A.M. EDT