OTTAWA, ON, July 5, 2024 /CNW/ - The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today issued the following statement to congratulate Sir Keir Starmer on his election as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom:

"On behalf of the Government of Canada, I congratulate Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer on his election.

"Canada and the United Kingdom have one of the strongest bilateral relationships in the world, built on generations of shared history and values. From the North Atlantic Treaty Organization to the G7 to the Commonwealth, we are longstanding partners and friends on the international stage. Together, we remain steadfast in our shared efforts to uphold democracy, strengthen collective security and defence, defend the rules-based international order, take transformative climate action, and build a better, fairer future for generations to come.

"Our countries enjoy robust economic ties, and I look forward to further strengthening them with Prime Minister Starmer. We will advance our relationship through progressive action on shared priorities such as clean technology, human rights, gender equality, and building economies that are fairer for every generation. As we work to conclude the Canada-United Kingdom Free Trade Agreement and deepen our relationship with the Indo-Pacific region through the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, we reaffirm our mutual commitment to driving fair, dynamic economic growth and creating good middle-class jobs on both sides of the Atlantic.

"I thank former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak for his strong partnership over the last two years. Together, we took action on climate change, strengthened our defence and security relationship, and defended democracy around the world, including by supporting the training of Ukrainian troops in the face of Russia's unjustifiable war of aggression. I wish him all the best in his future endeavours."

This document is also available at https://pm.gc.ca

SOURCE Prime Minister's Office