President Biden underscored the partnership between the United States and Canada in an address to the Canadian Parliament, saying the two nations are bound by shared prosperity and values.
The address, which at times sounded like a campaign speech as Mr. Biden touted his environmental and economic initiatives, came on Friday during his first trip to Canada as president. But the majority of his remarks focused on the close relationship between the United States and Canada.
“Americans and Canadians are two people, two countries, in my opinion, sharing one heart,” Biden said. “No nation on Earth is bound by such close ties, of friendship, family, trade and culture.”
Biden’s remarks were part of a whirlwind day in Ottawa, which included a private meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
The two leaders were also due to participate in a joint press conference later, and Mr. Trudeau and his wife will host a gala dinner for Mr. Biden and first lady Jill Biden before they return to the United States.
Although Mr. Trudeau and Mr. Biden have sometimes been at odds in the past, the two have largely worked closely together on issues such as the climate, the economy and the war in Ukraine.
In his lengthy remarks to Parliament, Mr. Biden repeatedly asserted that the ties between the United States and Canada go beyond a common border.
“The United States chooses to tie our future to Canada because we know we will find no better partner, no more reliable ally, no more stable friend,” Biden said. “And today I say to all Canadians that you can always count on the United States.
Mr. Biden doubled down on his promise to work with Canada on issues ranging from combating fentanyl trafficking, improving the supply chain, promoting electric vehicles and advancing the economy. He said the United States and Canada would partner later this year to send astronauts to the moon.
The remarks were peppered with a series of jokes as Mr Biden poked fun at his difficulties learning French in high school and joked that he was responsible for Americans’ favorable opinion of Canada. He joked about Canada’s favorite sport, hockey.
“I like your teams except the Leafs,” Biden said of the Toronto Maple Leafs. “I’ll tell you why – they beat the (Philadelphia) Flyers in January!”
Mr. Biden frequently jokes that his wife is a fan of sports teams in Philadelphia and that he has to cheer for the same teams.
Bilateral talks earlier on Friday were more serious as Mr. Biden and Mr. Trudeau reached an agreement to stem the flow of asylum seekers at the countries’ borders. They also discussed concerns over China’s aggressiveness in the Indo-Pacific region and the war in Ukraine.
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