United States President Joe Biden (C) walks with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau (R) and Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador (L) as they arrive for the North American Leaders' Summit on Thursday. Photo by Chris Kleponis/UPI | License Photo
Nov. 18 (UPI) -- President Joe Biden on Thursday hosted Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador at the White House for the first North American summit in five years.
The leaders were all physically present at the White House as they individually met with Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris to discuss a range of issues, such as trade and COVID-19.
"As leaders, we share an innate understanding that our diversity is an enormous strength, that we are best able to reach our potential when we unleash the full range of our people's talents," said Biden.
Speaking alongside Trudeau, Biden described the partnership between the United States and Canada as "one of the easiest relationships you can have as an American president and one of the best."
United States Vice President Kamala Harris meets with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on a balcony of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building next to the White House on ThursdayKleponis/UPI | License Photo
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Biden hailed the work the two nations have done together on climate change, COVID-19, infrastructure and economic recovery.
"We see an opportunity not only to enhance the prospects of a better life for people around the world, but we can do it by the Build Back Better world, Build Back Better effort -- that we can provide for the health needs as well," he said.
Trudeau said early this week that the administration's "buy American" strategy stifles economic cooperation with Canada.
"It's an issue that I've already underlined very often with President Biden and it will certainly be part of important conversations that we'll have later this week," Trudeau said, according to The New York Times.
Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau (L) and President Joe Biden meet in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C., on Thursday. Pool Photo by Doug Mills/UPI | License Photo
Asked about similar concerns expressed by the prime minister over a tax credit for electric vehicles included in his Build Back Better Act, Biden said the two leaders would discuss the issue, noting the plan has not yet been approved by Congress.
"I don't know what we're going to be dealing with, quite frankly, when it comes out of legislation. So, we'll talk about it then," he said.
"I don't know what we're going to be dealing with, quite frankly, when it comes out of legislation. So, we'll talk about it then," he said.
Biden was expected to raise border issues with Mexico after thousands of Haitian refugees traveled through Mexico to cross the border in Texas in September.
United States Vice President Kamala Harris (L) meets with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in the Vice President's Ceremonial Office of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building. Photo by Ken Cedeno/UPI | License Photo
Speaking with Obrador, Biden said he viewed the United States and Mexico as equals, while Obrador praised Biden's plan to provide citizenship for more than 11 million undocumented migrants living in the United States.
"President Biden, no President in the history of the United States has expressed, as you have, such a clear and certain commitment to improve the situation of the migrants. And thus, I wish to express my acknowledgment," he said.
Obrador also called on the two nations to accept immigrants in order to ease their labor issues.
"We should no longer reject immigrants because, in order to grow, you need workforce -- the workforce that you do not necessarily have -- nor in the U.S., nor in Canada," he said. "Why not study the workforce demand, the labor demand and open the migrant flow?"
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Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau meets Wednesday with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. Photo by Tasos Katopodis/UPI
Biden on Thursday also said the United States was "considering" a boycott of the 2020 Winter Olympics in Beijing.
The three were also expected to affirm the Trump-era trade agreement that supports labor rights and pledge to share COVID-19 vaccines with poorer Latin America and Caribbean countries.
Thursday's meeting was the first "three amigos" summit since former President Barack Obama held one in 2016. Former President Donald Trump never staged the summit during his time in office.
"North America is a platform that is critical to both our domestic economic success and -- as well as a partnership that can play a really critical role in resolving regional and global challenges," a senior administration official told reporters.
"What you can expect ... is that as we seek to deepen and expand our economic cooperation and security partnership with both countries, the president will also have separate bilateral meetings with each leader."
Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau (L) and President Joe Biden meet in the Oval Office of the White House on Thursday, ahead of the two meeting with Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador. Pool Photo by Doug Mills/UPI | License Photo
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