President Obama made a joint address with Canadian Prime Minister Steven Harper addressing a new phase in US-Canadian relations as well as the situation in Egypt.
The two leaders spoke of the importance of their countries’ relations. Canada and the United States are the each other’s largest trading partners. Over $1 billion flow across the border every day. The two nations are now looking at new ways to increase job creation, make trade easier, increase border crossing efficiency while improving security, and increasing the Canadian armed forces’ role in training Afghani security forces.
In regards to Egypt, Obama acknowledged that it was a fluid situation. He opened by saying, “We oppose violence as a response to this crisis.” He condemned the events of the past few days saying that attacks on reporters, human rights activists, and peaceful protesters are unacceptable. He said that the Egyptian government must defend human rights and that the protestors must do so peacefully. He praised the restraint shown today.
He went on to say that “the future of Egypt is to be determined by her people” and that “transition must occur now.” The details of this transition must be worked out by the Egyptian people.
Thirdly, Obama said that he wanted to see this moment of turmoil turn into a moment of triumph and that all Egyptian people must seize this opportunity.
He said he was confident that the Egyptian people would choose a government that represented and addressed the will of the people and that they would always have a strong friend and partner in the US.
Prime Minister Harper reiterated Obama’s speech in French for his people in Québec and then went on in English to deliver a short speech with much the same message.
Responding to a question from a reporter, Obama and Harper reiterated that it was imperative that Mubarak and Egypt not go back to “the old way.” The time for change is now and must occur now and bring fair representation to the people of Egypt.
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