STATE VISIT TO THE UNITED MEXICAN STATES - Official Welcoming Ceremony

Their Excellencies the Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean, Governor General of Canada, and her husband Jean-Daniel Lafond met today with His Excellency Felipe Calderón Hinojosa, President of the United Mexican States as part of their State visit, from December 6 to 9, 2009.

Many Mexican children with flags from both countries attended the event.

The purpose of the State visit is to remind Mexicans how much Canada cherishes their friendship and wants to explore together new ways of making it even stronger and more productive.

During the ceremony, the Governor General delivered a speech: "We are both friends and continental partners who believe wholeheartedly in the democratic values of justice and fairness, in the rule of law and respect for personal freedoms, working together to preserve the security, prosperity and competitiveness of North America in the current global context."

"We believe it is important to continue an already vigorous dialogue with the women, youth and men working to improve the lives of those around them and their communities, and we will most certainly be inspired by their perspectives on issues that, rooted though they may be here, concern us all as citizens of this hemisphere and the world."

The Governor General conducted the inspection of the guard in the presence of the President of the United Mexican States.