Rideau Hall, Wednesday, April 9, 2014

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It is a pleasure for my wife, Sharon, and me to welcome you, Excellency, as well as your wife and the entire Peruvian delegation, to Canada.

It was in December 2012 that our roles were reversed and you were welcoming us to your beautiful country. It is a visit that we will remember forever, as we were able to meet with so many wonderful people and to establish a very special friendship with the two of you and your then two-year-old son. Your hospitality was very much appreciated and we hope to reciprocate during your visit to Canada.

I hope that you will find Canadians to be as friendly and our country as vibrant as we found yours to be.

You are here today because both our countries recognize the value of working together. As partners in the Americas, and as Pacific nations, we have a strong and, most importantly, growing relationship, which is anchored in shared values. We also have a common vision of a more prosperous, secure and democratic hemisphere.

With such lofty goals, we can do no less than ensure that the avenues of discussion, of visits like this, are both open and beneficial to our people.

I am confident that we can further our partnerships in many different spheres, such as trade and investment, research and innovation, and education. Particularly, I see this evolution of our friendship happening through our people-to-people ties.

I wish you and the entire delegation a productive and wonderful stay in Canada, and I look forward to continuing our discussion, which started in Peru.

Once again, welcome, all of you, to Canada.