 Megwitch Claudette for that beautiful prayer, Mr. President, Joe, thanks for coming to visit, neighbor. Dr. Biden, Jill, thank you for being here as well. I know Sophie had a great time showing you around today. Over the years, at various summits and meetings, we've had a lot of meals and a lot of working conversations, but it's truly special to host you here at home in Canada. Joe, one thing that everybody has learned about you is that you're a proud Irish American. You celebrate your roots, and that's so important to do. Whether one's a Bangladeshi American or Bolivian Canadian or any heritage, this diversity makes our countries and our communities stronger, better, and more resilient. And it's good to be loud about it too, because the diversity of our origins may not always be obvious on first glance. For instance, the Canadian Americans or American Canadians in our midst tonight, you don't always know how someone will spell the word color. Now, Joe and Jill, you may not know this, but there is a proud tradition amongst Canadians where we watch movies and television and nod knowingly to each other, saying Americans don't know this, but we know they're Canadian. Take legendary comedy duo Eugene Levy and Catherine Ahara here tonight. They've been in dozens of American movies playing American folk singers, American parents, American dog breeders. Catherine, you've created absolutely iconic characters like Kevin's mom and Moira Rose. And Eugene, at this point, people just think of you as Canadian as American pie. I'm so glad my kids aren't here tonight, so I don't have to explain that joke to them. But Catherine and Eugene, like so many of the people here tonight, wave the Canadian flag at home in the US and some from even further away. I'm particularly pleased to be here at the Canadian Canada Aviation and Space Museum to be able to honor the accomplishments of Canadians in space. As Joe pointed out this afternoon, the coming years will certainly be marking the fact that a Canadian will be heading towards the moon as part of the Artemis II mission, and I look forward to that display that I took a look around on the way in, and I hadn't yet seen any displays for one of Canada's most famous inhabitants of galaxies far, far away. Anakin Skywalker, also known as Hayden Christensen, who's with us here tonight. And I could go on, but I think the habit of ours that we have as Canadians is really about pointing out how seamless the closeness between our two countries really is. Beaucoup de gens sont réunis ici ce soir, que ce soit du milieu des arts, de la politique, des affaires, des médias ou de la fonction publique. Vous contribuez tous à l'économie dynamique et à la riche culture qu'on a en commun. Aucun pays dans le monde entretienne des liens aussi forts et aussi nombreux que nos deux pays. Both of our countries are built on a strong foundation of democracy, of opportunity, of a belief that hope and hard work will build a better future. Our two countries share the longest peaceful border on earth, as long as you don't talk about hockey, although as a Habs fan I really appreciated your Toronto comments this afternoon. Our border is almost 9,000 kilometres in length. Okay, a little less than 6,000 miles. Because right we don't share the metric system, but we do share so much else. From the northern reaches of Alaska and Yukon which share beautiful landscapes and rich indigenous cultures, to the Atlantic shores where hard working fishers in Atlantic provinces and states source the kind of high quality fish and seafood we're enjoying for our appetizer tonight. Joe, the last time you visited it was a snowy night in December 2016. You saw that changes were coming. You warned us of countries turning increasingly inward. You warned that progress was at stake. You saw how crucial strong leadership among liberal democracies was to be. And as your term as vice president was coming to a close, you talked about how the world would start looking to Canada and to Canadians to stand strong in the face of disruption. Well, I want you to know that Canadians have been working really hard. Let me tell you about the progress we've been making. We forged ahead in the fight against climate change here at home and on the international stage. We've safeguarded reproductive rights in our country providing funding for women's health around the world and we just recently launched a $10 a day early learning and child care plan that has already seen women's participation in the Canadian workforce rise. We have walked the path of reconciliation. In July, the Pope came to Canada to apologize. Chief Wilton Littlechild, glad to see you here tonight, Willie, placed a feathered headdress on the pontiff in a profound gesture of forgiveness and reconciliation. We've provided a safe haven for refugees from Ukraine, Afghanistan and Syria and welcomed people from around the world. We've tackled inequality. We've cut the poverty rate in Canada by more than half and we've advocated internationally for the 2030 sustainable development goals that will help build a global future that is fair, equal and peaceful. Yes, Mr. President, Canada has made a lot of progress since your last visit. We continue our efforts to build a better future, to fight against climate change, to include everyone in our economy, in our success. But of course, there is a lot of work to be done. We have a lot of challenges ahead of us and we will remain partners in the security of the economy, always staying friends and allies. Today, new threats to liberal democracy loom on the horizon and we are united in our efforts to protect our countries and what we stand for. Canada and the U.S. are bolstering Ukraine's defense against Putin's illegal and unjustifiable invasion. We are steadfast security partners through NORAD and NATO and the Five Eyes alliances. We're standing shoulder to shoulder in defense of our values and against authoritarianism. We are working to fight climate change and create new opportunities for people in both of our countries. We are facing the future head on, eyes open and with an unwavering belief that justice will always rise up and make as one of your favorite poets, Seamus Heaney, said, hope and history rhyme. Through our work together, let us secure peace, secure opportunity, and secure a healthy future for generations to come. With that, I ask you all to raise your glasses as I offer a toast. To shared history and shared hope, to shared prosperity, and to the shared peace and security that binds Canada and the United States together as allies, as neighbors, and most importantly, as true friends.