Biden and Trudeau Meeting: U.S. and Canada Unite in Opposition to Authoritarian Regimes

In a meeting Friday in Ottawa, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and U.S. President Joe Biden presented a united front against authoritarian regimes. Biden visited the Canadian capital a few days after the leaders of China and Russia held a summit in Moscow.

At a joint press conference, Biden questioned the level of cooperation between China and Russia, noting that China had not yet supplied Russia with weapons to use against Ukraine. The White House chief noted that the U.S. has strengthened its alliances, including through NATO and the G7, with South Korea and the Quadrilateral Dialogue, which, in addition to the U.S., includes Australia, India and Japan.

“We have greatly expanded our alliances,” the American leader said. – Tell me, how do you look at a situation where China is making significant commitments to Russia. What kind of commitments can they make?”

Earlier, during Joe Biden’s speech to the Canadian Parliament, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau noted that Canada, which is already helping Kiev with supplies of artillery, ammunition and tanks, will remain committed.

“As you well know, Mr. President, Canada will continue to firmly support Ukraine, whatever the cost,” Trudeau promised.

“Today our destinies are intertwined and inseparable, not because of forced geography, but because it is a choice we make time and time again. Two peoples, two countries with, as I see it, one heart,” the American president said in response.

At the press conference, Joe Biden also responded to a question about the state of the U.S. banking system, expressing confidence that problems in the industry are not expanding after the recent bank failures of some banks, including Silicon Valley Bank.

“First of all, you know Wall Street is not in paralysis,” Biden said, commenting on the uncertainty in the markets. – “I think we’ve done a very good job. People’s savings are safe.”

The U.S. president said the federal government could take additional steps to protect citizens’ deposits “if we see that the volatility is more significant than it appears.”

“I think it will take some time for things to calm down, but I don’t see anything explosive on the horizon,” he said. – But I do understand that the situation is troubling. These medium-sized banks should be able to survive, and I think they can do that.”

For his part, Prime Minister Trudeau announced that he and Biden had signed an agreement with IBM to develop semiconductor manufacturing capacity and loosen dependence on foreign manufacturers.

The U.S. “Defense Production Act” will provide $250 million for this purpose, Joe Biden said.

“In the face of increasing competition, including from an increasingly assertive China, it is clearly important that we turn to each other to create a North American market for the full range of products, from semiconductors to solar panels,” Prime Minister Trudeau said.

President Biden also announced $50 million, which should provide an incentive for U.S. and Canadian companies to invest in manufacturing chips needed by the industry.

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