In the past year, Canada has taken demonstrable steps to be more present on the world stage. This is what I plan to demonstrate today, at one of Canada's most prestigious foreign relations forums.
This year marks an important milestone in the relationship between our two countries. We celebrate 55 years of bilateral relations and, for Canada, 40 years of development cooperation in Guatemala.
It has been a pleasure to start, with my colleague [Mexico's Secretary of Foreign Affairs] Claudia Ruiz Massieu, the first high-level strategic dialogue between Canada and Mexico and fulfill one of the main commitments made between Prime Minister [Justin] Trudeau and President [Enrique] Peña Nieto during the President's state visit to Canada in June.
I would like to thank the NATO Association of Canada for asking me to speak at the opening of the proceedings of this 62nd General Assembly of the Atlantic Treaty Association. I would also like to commend all of the organizers, in particular my former colleague, Bill Graham, and Hugh Segal, the association's chair.
Thank you so much for inviting me today. I want to start by acknowledging that Queen's University is situated on traditional Anishinaabe and Haudenosaunee (Hoe-den-oh-'show-nee) territory.
Canada and Ukraine: Shoulder to shoulder
October 1, 2016 – Regina, Saskatchewan
Check against delivery. This speech has been translated in accordance with the Government of Canada's official languages policy and edited for posting and distribution in accordance with its communications policy.