Statement by the Prime Minister on Canadian Armed Forces Day
June 2, 2019
Ottawa, Ontario
The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today issued the following statement on Canadian Armed Forces Day:
“Today, we honour the brave members of the Canadian Armed Forces, past and present, who put their lives on the line to advance stability and peace around the world, and to protect the fundamental values and interests that define this country.
“I am humbled by the immense dedication, selflessness, and compassion demonstrated by those who answer the call to serve. Whether deployed in combat or peace operations, or during disaster relief efforts, they represent the very best of what it means to be Canadian.
“The weight of military service can take a toll on people who wear the uniform. It can also be challenging for families and loved ones. Their enduring support and sacrifice are a tremendous source of strength to our armed forces, and we all owe an immeasurable debt of gratitude to these exceptional Canadians.
“On behalf of the Government of Canada, I thank past and present members of the Canadian Armed Forces and their families for their invaluable service and sacrifice, so that we can enjoy peace, freedom, and democracy.”
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks with the President of the United States of America, Donald Trump
May 31, 2019
Quebec City, Quebec
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau spoke today with United States President Donald Trump. The Prime Minister conveyed his thanks for the productive visit to Ottawa by Vice President Mike Pence, which reinforced the strong ties between Canada and the United States.
The two leaders also discussed relations with China, including the strong support of the United States for the release of the two Canadians arbitrarily detained in China.
The two leaders reiterated their commitment to the new North American Free Trade Agreement and welcomed progress towards its ratification.
The Prime Minister and the President welcomed the agreement reached between the two countries to lift the Section 232 tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum, as well as Canada’s countermeasures.
They also discussed the Toronto Raptors victory over the Golden State Warriors in Game One of the NBA Finals.
The Prime Minister and President agreed to keep in close touch, and look forward to seeing each other at the upcoming G20 Summit in Osaka, Japan.
Statement by the Prime Minister to celebrate the birth of Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor
May 31, 2019
Ottawa, Ontario
The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today issued the following statement to celebrate the birth of Their Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s first child:
“Canadians were overjoyed that Their Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Sussex welcomed into their family a new baby, Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor. We look forward to hosting them all on a future visit to Canada.
“To celebrate the birth, Canada will donate $100,000 to the Breakfast Club of Canada, an organization that works to nurture children’s potential by providing healthy breakfasts before school. Every day, the Club helps feed more than 220,000 students in over 1,600 schools across the country, to make sure young Canadians get the healthy start they need to thrive. The donation announced today will help bring the Breakfast Club to five new schools, reaching over 500 more children daily. This represents more than 100,000 breakfasts over a school year.
“On behalf of the Government of Canada, Sophie and I extend our warmest congratulations to Their Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Sussex and the Royal Family.”
Prime Minister welcomes final report from the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls
June 3, 2019
Ottawa, Ontario
The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today issued the following statement to welcome the final report from the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls:
“Today, I received the final report at the closing ceremony of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, which was launched in 2016 to recommend concrete actions to address the systemic causes of violence against Indigenous women, girls, LGBTQ and two-spirit people and end this national tragedy.
“I thank the Chief Commissioner, the Commissioners, Grandmothers, the National Family Advisory Circle, and the Commission’s staff for their work and dedication. I especially wish to acknowledge and thank First Nations, Inuit, and Métis families and survivors, as well as knowledge keepers and experts, who participated in the Inquiry hearings and courageously told their stories. The Inquiry is a result of the work of many individuals and organizations who advocated tirelessly for Indigenous women and girls, and Indigenous LGBTQ and two-spirit people – and continue to do so today. Facing the hardest of truths is a necessary step to addressing them – and moving forward together.
“We will conduct a thorough review of this report, and we will develop and implement a National Action Plan to address violence against Indigenous women, girls, and LGBTQ and two-spirit people. We will work with Indigenous partners to determine next steps, and we will include the perspectives and full participation of Indigenous women and girls. We will also include the voices of LGBTQ and two-spirit people with lived experience, as well as the family members of victims, and survivors of violence. We will also continue to work with provinces, territories, and municipalities to encourage cooperation across all orders of government in responding to the report. Reducing the rates of violence against Indigenous women and girls, and Indigenous LGBTQ and two-spirit people, is a priority for the Government of Canada. Our government will turn the Inquiry’s Calls for Justice into real, meaningful, Indigenous-led action.
“Since the Inquiry’s launch, we have taken steps to address early recommendations, honour missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls, their families, and survivors, and take action on issues reflected in the Calls to Justice. We are working with Indigenous communities to improve health and wellness by investing in essential infrastructure, including housing, and eliminating boil water advisories. We are also working together to better support inherent jurisdiction of Indigenous peoples in areas like education, governance, and child and family services.
“We also recently introduced legislation to protect, promote, and revitalize Indigenous languages, and we are working to reform the criminal justice system to make sure Indigenous women, girls and LGBTQ and two-spirit people receive the full benefit and protection of the law. Measures like these help tackle the systemic causes of violence that put Indigenous women and girls at risk, close the unacceptable gaps that exist between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples, and move us closer toward a Canada that is safer and more just for all.
Governor General of Canada to travel to France for 75th anniversary of D-Day and the Battle of Normandy
May 31, 2019
Ottawa, Ontario
The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today announced that Her Excellency the Right Honourable Julie Payette, Governor General and Commander-in-Chief of Canada, will travel to Normandy, France, from June 3 to 6, 2019.
During the visit, the Governor General will attend commemorative events to mark the 75th anniversary of D-Day and the Battle of Normandy, including the unveiling of a Canadian monument in Chambois and a ceremony at Bény-sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery. The Governor General will also attend a ceremony in Bernières-sur-Mer to honour the Queen’s Own Rifles of Canada.
Quote
“The sacrifices made by Canadians, on D-Day and throughout the war, paved the way for us to live in free and democratic societies. In Normandy, the Governor General will pay her respects to the thousands of Canadians who fought and died in one of the most important battles in human history.”
—The Rt. Hon. Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada
Quick Facts
- June 6, 2019, marks the 75th anniversary of the D-Day landings and the start of the Battle of Normandy.
- On June 6, 1944, Allied troops stormed the beaches of Normandy to open the way to Germany from the west coast of Europe.
- On August 25, 1944, the Allies liberated Paris, officially ending the Battle of Normandy.
- Canadians suffered the highest casualties of any divisions in the British Army Group during the Battle of Normandy. On D-Day, 359 Canadian soldiers were killed and over 5,000 Canadians lost their lives during the two-and-a-half-months of fighting that followed.
- The Bény-sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery holds the graves of more than 2,000 Canadians who gave their lives during the landings in Normandy and during the early stages of the Battle of Normandy.
- Founded on April 26, 1860, the Queen's Own Rifles of Canada is the oldest continuously serving infantry regiment in Canada.
Associated Link
- 75th Anniversary of D-Day and the Battle of Normandy
- Prime Minister welcomes increased collaboration with the United States
May 30, 2019
Ottawa, Ontario
The Prime Minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau, today met with Vice President of the United States, Mike Pence.
During the visit, Prime Minister Trudeau and Vice President Pence reaffirmed the strength of the Canada-United States relationship, highlighting how the partnership between our two countries has created millions of good, middle class jobs on both sides of the border.
The Prime Minister and Vice President discussed the ratification of the new North American Free Trade Agreement, which will create good, well-paying jobs and new opportunities for people in both countries. They then met with Canada’s council on the agreement, the Canadian Council for the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement. The Prime Minister and Vice President also welcomed the recent lifting of U.S. tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum, and Canada’s retaliatory tariffs, and exchanged views on efforts to resolve other trade issues, including softwood lumber and uranium.
The Prime Minister and Vice President discussed the strong security and defence partnership between our two countries, and ways we can deepen cooperation on the management of our shared border, address irregular migration, and strengthen continental defence. The leaders also highlighted our countries’ close collaboration in space, and on energy innovation and development in North America.
Together, Prime Minister Trudeau and Vice President Pence issued a joint statement on China’s wrongful detention of two Canadian citizens, Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor.
The Prime Minister and Vice President also discussed efforts to address key regional and global challenges, including ongoing reform efforts in Ukraine and the crisis in Venezuela. They reiterated their support for Interim President of Venezuela, Juan Guaidó, and expressed their shared desire for a peaceful Venezuelan-led transition through free and fair elections as soon as possible.
The Prime Minister restated Canada’s disappointment with the U.S.’s decision not to suspend Title III of the Cuban Liberty and Democratic Solidarity (Libertad) Act of 1996, commonly known as the Helms-Burton Act.
The Prime Minister also underscored that Canada remains committed to exercising the full extent of its rights and sovereignty over its Arctic waters, including the Northwest Passage.
The Prime Minister also raised women’s rights and LGBTQ2 rights with the Vice President.
Quote
“There is no relationship in the world quite like the Canada-U.S. relationship. We know we are better off when we work together to grow the middle class, and create more opportunities for people on both sides of the border. Vice President Pence’s visit was a chance to deepen the partnership between our two countries—a partnership that is essential to our shared security, prosperity, and to millions of middle class jobs.”
—The Rt. Hon. Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of CanadaQuick Facts
- Canada and the United States share one of the largest trading relationships in the world. The two countries also share the longest, secure border in the world, over which some 384,000 people and $2.6 billion worth of goods and services cross daily.
- Bilateral merchandise trade between the two countries increased 5.7 percent to $742.9 billion in 2018.
- Canada buys more goods from the United States than China, Japan, and the United Kingdom combined.
- The U.S. is the single greatest investor in Canada. In 2018, U.S. stock investment in Canada was $406 billion, representing nearly half of all investment in Canada.
- Nearly 9 million American jobs and more than 2 million Canadian jobs are supported by the bilateral economic relationship.
- Trade between NAFTA members—Canada, the United States, and Mexico—was valued at nearly $1.5 trillion in 2018.
Related product
Associated Link
- Canada-United States relations
- Prime Minister to travel to United Kingdom and France for the 75th anniversary of D-Day and the Battle of Normandy
May 29, 2019
Ottawa, Ontario
The 1944 Battle of Normandy—from the D-Day landings on June 6 to the liberation of Paris on August 25—was a pivotal event in the Second World War and one of Canada's greatest military accomplishments.
The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today announced that he will travel to Portsmouth, Juno Beach, and Paris from June 4 to 7, 2019.
Prime Minister Trudeau will attend commemorative events to mark the 75th anniversary of D-Day and the Battle of Normandy. The Canadian delegation will include the Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence Lawrence MacAulay, Veterans, representatives from Indigenous and Veterans organizations, parliamentarians, and young Canadians.
Quote
“We owe an immeasurable debt to the veterans, the fallen, and all their loved ones who served and sacrificed during the Second World War. As we mark the 75th anniversary of D-Day, we come together to honour the Allied troops who came ashore that day and changed the course of history.”
— The Rt. Hon. Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of CanadaQuick Facts
- Portsmouth, England, an important British industrial city and port during the Second World War, was a major point of departure for the Allied fleet that sailed to the beaches of Normandy in June 1944.
- The Allied high command made the decision to attack on June 6, 1944—a date that has become known to history as “D-Day.” A massive Allied force would cross the English Channel, heading for an 80-kilometre stretch of the Normandy coast. There were five landing zones assigned to the forces of Allied nations: Juno Beach (Canada); Gold Beach (United Kingdom); Sword Beach (United Kingdom and France); and Utah Beach and Omaha Beach (United States).
- On August 25, 1944, the Allies liberated Paris, officially ending the Battle of Normandy.
- More than 45,000 Canadians lost their lives during the Second World War, of whom over 5,000 were killed during the Battle of Normandy and 359 on D-Day.
Associated Links
- Statement by the Prime Minister on the International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers
May 29, 2019
Ottawa, Ontario
The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today issued the following statement on the International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers:
“Today, we recognize UN peacekeepers, past and present, who have served at great personal risk to promote peace, restore stability, and protect those most in need. We also pay tribute to the 115 peacekeepers and UN staff from around the world who, between January 2018 and March 2019, gave their lives in the service of peace.
“The work of a UN peacekeeper has never been more demanding. They uphold human rights, advance democracy and the rule of law, protect the most vulnerable from the ravages of war, and help people rebuild their lives when conflict ends. Every day, they put their lives on the line to pave the way forward for peace.
“The dedication, professionalism, and perseverance of UN peacekeepers are a testament to how the international community can work together to resolve conflicts. Canada is proud to have contributed, together with our global partners, to over seven decades of UN peacekeeping efforts. Today, we are continuing this tradition, serving with UN missions in Cyprus, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Haiti, South Sudan, the Middle East, and Mali, where Canadians in uniform are deployed to provide medical evacuation, transportation, and logistical support to UN forces.
“Canada has taken a leadership role to meet the changing nature of conflict and prepare for the future of peacekeeping. Our contributions will help make peace operations more efficient and effective, including by developing new training for civilians, police, and military. We are also working to involve more women, youth, Indigenous peoples, and under-represented groups in political processes, conflict prevention, and mediation efforts.
“Canada recognizes the strong link between women’s involvement in peace operations and the achievement of long-term, sustainable peace. Women bring different perspectives and priorities into conflict prevention and peacebuilding, making it more inclusive and effective. Earlier this year, we participated in the launch of the UN’s Elsie Initiative Fund for Uniformed Women in Peace Operations to increase the deployment of trained and qualified women to UN peacekeeping, and empower more women to help prevent, manage, and end conflict.
“On behalf of all Canadians, I thank UN peacekeepers and their families for their courageous service and immense sacrifice, as they work around the world to help make the difficult transition from conflict to peace.”
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks with Prime Minister Theresa May of the United Kingdom
May 27, 2019
Ottawa, Ontario
Today Prime Minister Justin Trudeau spoke with Theresa May, Prime Minster of the United Kingdom.
The two Prime Ministers commended the profound ties between Canada and the United Kingdom and how bilateral and multilateral collaboration has been enhanced in many areas, particularly since Prime Minister May visited Canada on September 18, 2017 and attended the G7 Summit in Charlevoix on June 8-9, 2018.
Prime Minister Trudeau and Prime Minister May shared their perspectives on the results of the recent European Parliament elections and the implications for the European Union and its Member States.
The Prime Ministers discussed the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the European Union and the implications for bilateral relations between Canada and the United Kingdom.
Prime Minister Trudeau and Prime Minister May also discussed relations with China, peace and security cooperation, and priorities for the upcoming G20 Summit in Osaka, Japan.
