News from the North

On Wednesday, the President signed USMCA into force and Canada started its ratification process in Parliament. As the government has said, timely ratification of the agreement will be a top priority. Here in Washington, we thank the dedicated staff at Canada’s Consulates General across the United States, our partners in the business community, our Congressional champions, and countless others. This milestone caps a period of reflection about our past and our future. Read on to learn more.

Honouring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

In honour of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Nadia Theodore, Canada’s Consul General in Atlanta gave keynote remarks at the State of Georgia’s holiday tribute in the Capitol. She told those gathered, “As a child and teenager, I was in awe of Dr. King’s faith and resilience, especially around the strategy of nonviolent action. Today, as one of the few women of colour, and the only Black woman, to represent my country abroad as head of a diplomatic mission, I aspire to his example of leadership, integrity and fortitude. I embrace his commitment to the pursuit of equity and human rights, not for any one marginalized group but for all people.” Read her full remarks  on how Dr. King and his legacy influenced Canadians and our own march toward greater inclusivity and a just society.

Commemorating International Holocaust Remembrance Day

In recognition of International Holocaust Remembrance Day and the 75^th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, the Embassy partnered with the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum to screen the Canadian documentary Prosecuting Evil: the Extraordinary World of Ben Ferencz. Martin Loken, Minister of Political Affairs, told the audience, “We listen to survivors, the primary witnesses of the atrocities of the Nazi regime. We listen to remember this horrific chapter in human history … 75 years later, we remember. Because our world is still not immune to the scourge of hatred and indifference. As Jewish communities continue to face unacceptable acts of antisemitism, we stand with them. We stand with the victims and survivors of the Holocaust and vow ‘Never Again.’” We were humbled by the presence of so many survivors, including Louise Lawrence-Israëls who shared her story. She spoke of her life in hiding for two and a half years in the Netherlands during the Nazi occupation, and what it felt like when Canadian Armed Forces liberated her city in 1945. Watch both sets of remarks.   

Leading the Fight Against Climate Change

Through the Pan-Canadian Framework on Clean Growth and Climate Change, Canada is taking dramatic action to address climate change and transition to a clean-growth, net-zero economy by 2050. This means all energy resources from Canada – America’s largest and most secure source of energy imports – are produced and regulated under one of the world’s strongest environmental frameworks. Read our new fact sheet to learn more.

Stay Connected!

Learn more about events in Washington, DC and your community across the United States.