Mr. Speaker, today we have the sincerest pleasure of welcoming His Excellency Sauli Niinistö, President of the Republic of Finland, and his spouse Mrs. Jenni Haukio.
Canada and Finland have much in common. It is a bilingual northern parliamentary democracy and has a similar geography.
On the world stage, Canada and Finland have shared values. Both our countries are committed to advancing democracy, freedom, human rights and the rule of law around the world.
On the Arctic, our two countries maintain strong co-operation of the Arctic Council, as we address the most pressing issues in the region.
Our government looks forward to deepening our ties with Finland, particularly in the field of science, technology and trade.