Honoured guests, parliamentarians, friends and colleagues, good morning and thank you for being here as we host in our House an exceptional leader and a most distinguished guest and friend, the Prime Minister of the Netherlands, Mark Rutte.
Welcome, Prime Minister.
My friends, today is a historic day. Today, Prime Minister Rutte becomes the first Dutch prime minister to address the Canadian Parliament. Before he speaks, I would like to say a few words about the incredible, long-standing friendship between Canada and the Netherlands.
Next year, we will mark 80 years of diplomatic ties between our two countries. Over the past two decades, our story has been tested and solidified on the battlefield. It has brought us together in defence of shared goals and ambitions, and it will propel us to a new prosperity in the decades ahead. I would like to think that at the heart of that bond lies a commitment to two essential common values: a strong sense of duty and a commitment to fairness.
During the Second World War, we felt a duty to our allies during the liberation, knowing that our Dutch friends were worth every effort. In the fight against fascism, we stood together as champions of freedom, human rights and democracy. That fight remains and is ongoing.
Today, time and time again, our countries have stood shoulder to shoulder in service of our fellow human beings. As active members within NATO and the United Nations, Canada and the Netherlands have been partners and allies in the ongoing push for global peace and security. We are currently working together in Mali, in Iraq and in the Baltics. We have chosen to lead in delivering a better future for women and girls, making major commitments to girls' education. Finally, at the WTO, together we advocate for our citizens, pursuing on their behalf a trading system that is rule-based and fair.
This brings me to our second shared value, fairness. It is no secret that globalization has produced winners and losers over the past few decades. People around the world are worried about getting left behind. They doubt that their nations and our institutions can help them, but we can.
Prime Minister Rutte understands that the growth of the future must be rooted in fairness. Here in Canada, we share that belief.
That is why we signed the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement. CETA is a progressive, modern trade agreement well suited to 21st-century realities. It puts people first and creates opportunities for small businesses, entrepreneurs and the middle class in Canada and the European Union. Since CETA's entry into force, Canadian exports to the Netherlands have grown by 33%, while imports have grown by nearly 24%. That is what free, fair trade means: opening up new markets for our countries' people and producers.
The Netherlands is among Canada's closest friends and allies. We are aligned on the things that matter, and so long as we continue to share a strong sense of duty and a commitment to fairness, we will remain partners and friends for generations to come.
On that note, ladies and gentlemen, it is my great honour and privilege to introduce you to the 50th Prime Minister of the Netherlands, Mark Rutte.