Biden and Trudeau meet after Putin-Xi assembly

U.S. President Joe Biden interacts with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at the House of Commons of Canada in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada March 24, 2023.

Blair Gable | Reuters

President Joe Biden and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau looked to demonstrate the strength of their democratic alliance at a meeting in Canada days after Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin underscored the growing ties between their countries in Moscow.

Both Biden and Trudeau stressed their unwavering commitment to Ukraine and the NATO alliance as Kyiv tries to stave off Russia’s invasion.

Addressing Canada’s Parliament individually on Friday afternoon, the two leaders underscored the strong ties between the two countries amid multiple international threats.

“Americans and Canadians, in my view, are two people, two countries, sharing one heart,” Biden said. “It’s a personal bond: no two nations on earth are bound by such close ties – friendship, family, commerce and cultures.”

Trudeau quoted former President Ronald Reagan as saying in a 1987 speech to the Canadian Parliament that the US-Canada border is “more of a meeting point than a dividing line.”

“More than 30 years later, our border is no longer just where we meet,” Trudeau said. “This is where we meet the moment; it is where we will meet the future.”

Concerns about China and Russia are the top priorities for both heads of state during Biden’s visit. Days earlier, Putin and Xi had announced that their partnership would help bring about a new world order led by China and Russia.

The White House wants Canada to invest more money in the NORAD early warning system, which the government says is essential after the Chinese spy balloon incident earlier this year.

The Biden administration is also looking for its Canadian allies to take on a larger role in stabilizing Haiti as gang violence rises. Conversely, Trudeau is looking for more help to halt the flow of migrants from the United States

In his speech, Biden announced the formation of a new global coalition led by the United States and Canada to address the opioid epidemic, particularly the increase in fentanyl-related deaths.