Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is the butt of a lot of American jokes, from his youth to his perfectly coiffed hair to his puzzling adoration of Fidel Castro. However, he is also the leader of our closest neighbor and ally which is another fair beacon of freedom in the world. The fates of our countries will always be tied.

Today, Prime Minister Trudeau issued a statement on the Canadian embassy website congratulating the new President on the day of his inauguration.

The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today issued the following statement on the inauguration of Donald J. Trump as President of the United States of America:

“On behalf of the Government of Canada, I would like to extend my congratulations to Donald J. Trump on his inauguration as 45^th President of the United States of America.

“Canada and the United States have built one of the closest relationships between any two countries in the world. This enduring partnership is essential to our shared prosperity and security.

“Together, we benefit from robust trade and investment ties, and integrated economies, that support millions of Canadian and American jobs. We both want to build economies where the middle class, and those working hard to join it, have a fair shot at success.

“Canada and the United States have unparalleled cooperation on matters of national security, and have always worked side by side to protect our citizens and ensure our shared border is secure.

“We look forward to working with President Trump, the U.S. Administration, the 115^th Congress, and officials at the state and local levels to restore prosperity to the middle class on both sides of the border, and to create a safer and more peaceful world.”

It should be an interesting few years for relations between our two nations. The celebrity wonder boy and the celebrity business man. As we face such complicated issues of terrorism and trade that deeply affect both Canada and the United States it bodes well for these men to continue a cordial and even warm relationship.

Thank you, Mr. Trudeau. And yes, congratulations to President Trump.