January 22, 2025
Ottawa, Ontario
The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today issued the following statement on the Day of Unity of Ukraine.
“Today, on the Day of Unity of Ukraine, we celebrate the strength and resilience of the Ukrainian people. We also renew our commitment to a Ukraine that charts its own future with freedom and sovereignty.
“On this day in 1919, the Unification Act was proclaimed in Kyiv, uniting the Ukrainian People’s Republic and the Western Ukrainian People’s Republic. This landmark event symbolized Ukraine’s determination to achieve independence. This strength of will and character is as alive today as it was over a century ago.
“Next month will mark three years since Vladimir Putin launched his full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Winter after winter, Ukrainians have endured. They’ve fought. Thousands of brave men and women have given their lives for their homeland – but they’ve never surrendered. The Ukrainian flag still flies high over Kyiv, and the Ukrainian people have a resolve to win that Putin can never even aspire to achieve. Ukraine will remain free; Ukraine will remain independent; and Canada will always be there for our Ukrainian friends
.“On this Day of Unity of Ukraine, we reaffirm our support to the people of Ukraine as well as the 1.3 million Ukrainian-Canadians who call Canada home. May Ukraine’s sovereignty be as unwavering and ironclad as the spirit of its people.
“Slava Ukraini!”
January 22, 2025
Ottawa, Ontario
Canada and the United States are friends, partners, and allies. Together, we have built the world’s closest and most integrated economies and supply chains, created millions of good jobs for people in both countries, and operated the longest and most secure border on Earth. Canadians and Americans understand the profound importance of the ties that unite our two countries when it comes to our shared economic prosperity and continental security.
The Government of Canada is implementing its $1.3 billion border plan, which includes new investments in expanded personnel, cutting-edge technology, and increased law enforcement co-ordination. The Canada-U.S. border accounts for a fraction of illegal crossings into the U.S. and less than 0.2 per cent of fentanyl seized by the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol. In addition to the federal government’s plan, provinces and territories have also announced significant border security initiatives. Together, we are committed to working closely with the new U.S. administration on border security issues. The prospect of unjustified 25 per cent tariffs, imposed unilaterally by the U.S. against its closest ally, is a matter of grave concern. Tariffs on Canadian goods would increase the cost of living for consumers on both sides of the border, put thousands of jobs at risk, and weaken North America’s competitiveness in the global economy.
At last week’s First Ministers’ Meeting in Ottawa, Prime Minister Trudeau and Canada’s premiers committed to meeting weekly following the inauguration of U.S. President Donald J. Trump. Today, the Prime Minister, alongside the Minister of Finance and Intergovernmental Affairs, Dominic LeBlanc, the Minister of Transport and Internal Trade, Anita Anand, and Canada’s Ambassador to the United States of America, Kirsten Hillman, convened a virtual meeting with Canada’s premiers to discuss the Canada-U.S. relationship.
The Prime Minister and the premiers shared insights from recent conversations with their U.S. counterparts and agreed to continue advocating for Canadian workers and businesses. The Prime Minister stressed that a strong, united Team Canada approach is the best way to promote Canadian interests and forge a productive relationship with the incoming administration. First Ministers discussed a wide range of measures that federal, provincial, and territorial governments are prepared to take to respond to the proposed U.S. tariffs and support Canadians, while recognizing that preventing the imposition of tariffs remains Canada’s top priority.
First Ministers discussed the importance of reducing barriers to trade within Canada and agreed that there is more work to be done to facilitate internal trade. The Prime Minister and premiers also agreed that the Committee on Internal Trade should meet as soon as possible to make recommendations to First Ministers on concrete measures to liberalize trade and strengthen Canada’s economy.
The Prime Minister underscored the importance of the ongoing partnership between federal, provincial, and territorial governments in the weeks and months ahead, and he thanked his counterparts for their contributions. The Prime Minister and the premiers agreed to meet again next week to provide updates on their efforts to strengthen Canada-U.S. relations.
Associated Links
- Canada-United States relations
- First Ministers’ statement on the Canada-United States relationship
- Statement by the Prime Minister on the inauguration of Donald J. Trump as President of the United States of America
- Government of Canada announces its plan to strengthen border security and our immigration system
- Committee on Internal Trade
- Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks with premiers on the Canada-U.S. relationship
January 22, 2025
Ottawa, Ontario
On January 27, 1945, Allied forces liberated the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration and extermination camp. As the largest camp under Hitler’s regime, it became one of the most important symbols of the Holocaust – the genocide that killed six million Jews, with one million murdered in Auschwitz-Birkenau alone. The Nazis also killed 500,000 Roma and Sinti, and millions of others, including ethnic Poles. The persecution, murder, and unimaginable inhumanity of the Holocaust marked one of the darkest chapters in our history. Eighty years later, let us renew the vow: ‘Never again’.
The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today announced that he will travel to Poland, from January 26 to 28, 2025, to mark 80 years since the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration and extermination camp. He will be accompanied by Canadian Holocaust survivors as well as Canada’s Special Envoy on Preserving Holocaust Remembrance and Combatting Antisemitism, Deborah Lyons.
In Poland, the Prime Minister will attend a commemorative event and meet with Holocaust survivors to hear their stories, remember those whose lives were senselessly taken, and pledge to never waver in standing up to antisemitism, hatred, and bigotry. The Prime Minister will also hold bilateral meetings with the President and the Prime Minister of Poland, where he will emphasize Canada’s commitment to transatlantic security in the face of global instability and uncertainty. He will underscore the continued importance of support for peace and freedom in Ukraine, including in the context of Canada’s 2025 G7 Presidency. Prime Minister Trudeau will also discuss Canada’s potential contributions to Poland’s energy security through deepened co-operation and trade in clean energy, including nuclear.
Throughout his visit, the Prime Minister will meet with international partners to discuss ways to address key geopolitical challenges, including Russia’s ongoing war of aggression against Ukraine and the evolving situation in the Middle East. He will emphasize the importance of maintaining global unity in the defence of peace, democracy, and human rights.
Quote
“What happened at the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration and extermination camp is a stark reminder of what happens when we give way to hate. Eighty years later, we remember the unimaginable horrors that the Holocaust inflicted on millions of Jewish people, we fight against hate and antisemitism, and we reaffirm our unequivocal pledge of ‘Never again’.”
— The Rt. Hon. Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada
Quick Facts
- Last year, in Budget 2024, the Prime Minister announced a $90.5 million package of measures to combat antisemitism, preserve Holocaust remembrance, educate against Holocaust denial and distortion, and protect gathering spaces for Jewish communities in Canada.
- The position of Special Envoy on Preserving Holocaust Remembrance and Combatting Antisemitism was created in 2020 as part of the federal government’s commitment to strengthening national and international efforts to preserve the memory of the Holocaust and honour the stories of survivors. Irwin Cotler was appointed Canada’s first Special Envoy in November 2020 and was succeeded by Deborah Lyons in October 2023. The Special Envoy works to combat antisemitism, hatred, and racism, while promoting and defending democracy, pluralism, inclusion, and human rights.
- Canada’s commitment to protecting human rights and combatting antisemitism at home and abroad is anchored in our membership in and work with the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA). As the only international institution mandated to focus on issues related to the Holocaust, the IHRA works to raise awareness of the global impact of antisemitism and seeks ways to end it. In 2022, Canada announced it would double its annual contribution to the IHRA.
- In October 2024, the Government of Canada released the Canadian Handbook on the IHRA Working Definition of Antisemitism. Using Canadian examples, the Handbook serves as a tool to identify and address antisemitism across various sectors. Notably, it is the first such handbook produced by a national government.
- In 2022, the federal government amended Canada’s Criminal Code to make it a crime to willfully promote antisemitism by condoning, denying, or downplaying the Holocaust.
Associated Links
- Canada-Poland relations
- Preserving Holocaust remembrance and creating safer communities
- International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance
- Canadian Handbook on the IHRA Working Definition of Antisemitism
January 22, 2025
Ottawa, Ontario
Note: All times local
National Capital Region, Canada
1:00 p.m. The Prime Minister will attend the National Caucus retreat.
