Good morning! Bonjour! What a beautiful morning! I am very happy to welcome you all today. Welcome and thank you very much for joining us today to celebrate Canada Day here at the Canadian Embassy in Mexico.
And what better way to do so than by sharing an authentic Canadian breakfast, with Calgary Stampede-style pancakes and maple syrup, Montreal bagels and the famous Timbits and coffee from Tim Hortons. We are very honored to share a typical Canadian breakfast with you. My wife Deirdre and I have been in Mexico for about seven months now and have had the opportunity to travel quite a bit throughout this beautiful country. One thing we have learned is that there are many things that Canadians and Mexicans have in common.
But perhaps the most unique thing, here among us, is our shared love of Clamato juice! You enjoy it with beer in a michelada. In Canada, we add vodka, hot sauce, and spices to make a Bloody Caesar. I hope you enjoy this quintessentially Canadian drink this morning, with or without vodka! And, of course, all this accompanied by the best of popular Canadian music in English and French.
This year, we’ve decided to celebrate Canada Day here in Mexico just like we do in Canada: with good food, good music, good friends, no formalities, and, of course, no ties! This year, more than ever, Canada shines with a shared energy, with the diversity and spirit of unity that connects us from coast to coast to coast. Before firing up the griddle for pancakes, I would like to say a few words about what makes Canada strong and free, and why we consider Mexicans our partners, allies, and friends.
Today, 158 (one hundred and fifty-eight) years ago, more than 3,500 (three thousand five hundred) kilometers north of here, in Ottawa, the colonies that are now the provinces of Quebec, Ontario, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia formed a federation to promote their prosperity and collectively strengthen their security and sovereignty.
But, of course, our history goes back much further than 158 (one hundred and fifty-eight) years. From the arrival of Indigenous peoples in what is now Canada, perhaps 15,000 (fifteen thousand) years ago, to the French and English explorers who landed in Canada more than 500 (five hundred) years ago, to the founding of our first cities and universities more than 350 (three hundred and fifty) years ago. We are a vibrant mosaic that is strengthened by honoring the ties that bind us together. Together, we have withstood multiple threats to our sovereignty and built one of the strongest and freest nations in the world. And together, we have built and defended the country and unique society that Canadians are so deeply proud of.
Canada now has ten provinces and three territories, stretching from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific and the Arctic, making it the second largest country in the world. We are perhaps the most diverse country in the world. With a vast geography of forests and mountains, oceans and lakes, deserts and Arctic tundra. With cities that are now home to millions of citizens from every corner of the globe, speaking every language imaginable, practicing every major religion in the world, and enjoying an incredibly diverse and delicious cuisine drawn from every great civilization.
The fundamental objective of the Canadian Constitution — “Peace, Order, and Good Government” — has guided us for 158 (one hundred and fifty-eight) years and has served us well. That clear and simple objective has guided us in building a society that is one of the most peaceful and secure, prosperous and caring, inclusive and progressive in the world. And we have achieved all this without bloody revolutions or wars. We have achieved it through constitutional evolution, compromise, negotiation, pragmatism, and tolerance.
That is not to say that Canadians are soft.
Anyone who has seen Canadians play ice hockey knows that we can be particularly fierce and that we fight hard to win. And anyone who has spent a Canadian winter with us knows that we survive not only because we are strong, but because we look out for each other. In Canada, whether you are rich or poor, you have access to the same public health services. In Canada, whether you are rich or poor, you have access to the same public education and the best universities. What counts is not your last name or your family fortune, but your effort, your talent, and your commitment. From the first Indigenous peoples to the waves of immigrants who have come from all over the world, Canada has been, and continues to be, a land of opportunity.
Of course, Canada is far from perfect. Like every society, we have crime, poverty, inequality, intolerance, and corruption. We acknowledge our flaws and weaknesses, and we debate freely in a strong democracy about how to improve. And we work with our friends to make the world, and Canada, a stronger, freer, and better place.
Which brings me to some of our best friends and neighbors: Mexicans.
Mexicans, of course, are our partners. After 30 years of trilateral free trade and investment protection—and let me be very clear, Canada supports our trilateral trade agreement 110 percent—we now have a trade and investment relationship worth more than $100 billion and growing. We don’t just trade products, we manufacture things together, from cars to airplanes to safe and healthy food products for our families.
Beyond the world of business, Mexicans are also our allies. That is why Prime Minister Carney invited President Sheinbaum to Kananaskis, Alberta, two weeks ago to join leaders of the world’s most influential democracies to discuss how to address the most important challenges facing humanity. Our leaders have much in common—after all, they both have doctorates—and they had an excellent bilateral discussion about our shared values, interests, and challenges. The Prime Minister said it well when he quoted President Sheinbaum: “There is no progress without sharing.” That shared vision is the foundation of our democratic partnership. Equally important is the partnership between our security forces, which work closely together to combat international organized crime and preserve peace in our region.
But perhaps most importantly, Mexicans are our friends. Canadians love this country. Nearly three million Canadians will visit Mexico this year. That’s more than 7% of Canada’s population! And not just for the sun, sand, and beer. It’s also for the culture, the architecture, the history, the food and, above all, for the warmth and hospitality of its people. And I have the impression that Mexicans also love Canada. More than half a million Mexicans will visit Canada this year to travel, do business, work and study; more than 20,000 young Mexicans are in Canada today to continue their education and broaden their horizons.
And our friendship will be on full display next year, when we will co-host, with our friends in the United States, the biggest sporting event in soccer history: the 2026 FIFA World Cup! In Toronto and Vancouver, and here in Mexico City, Guadalajara, and Monterrey, we will welcome the world to the most beautiful and hospitable continent on Earth: North America! And the three of us will host this historic event as partners, allies, and friends.
Before concluding, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to our generous sponsors. You play a very important role in Canada and Mexico as creators of prosperity and hundreds of thousands of well-paying jobs. This magnificent event would not have been possible without your valuable support. Thank you to Air Canada, ATCO, CPKC, Destination Canada, Orla Mining, Scotiabank, TC Energy, Vizsla Silver, and Tim Hortons.
And thank you to you, our friends and guests today.
Enjoy the celebration, try your hand at making Calgary Stampede-style pancakes, and be proud to celebrate Canada with us.
The true north, strong and free!
Thank you very much. Merci beaucoup. Muchas gracias.