On Friday, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau received US President Joe Biden on his first official visit, describing him as a "great friend" to Canada, and discussed with him several issues, including the economy and the situation in Haiti, and the two leaders reached an agreement related to the sensitive immigration file.

And Biden confirmed Friday in Ottawa that the United States and Canada will work together to combat illegal immigrants who cross from his country to its northern neighbor.

In a speech to the Canadian Parliament, Biden said, "The United States and Canada will work together to prevent illegal border crossings."

The agreement stipulates that the United States will return unregistered asylum seekers who cross from its territory to Canada, while Canada undertakes to accept larger numbers of immigration applications.

On the other hand, Biden sought to reassure investors after the recent turmoil in the financial sector caused sharp declines in global stock exchanges, stressing that "the banks are fine."

During a joint press conference with Trudeau, Biden said, "The banks are fine. I think it will take some time for things to calm down, but I don't see anything on the horizon about to explode."

Earlier, Trudeau said at the start of a bilateral meeting with Biden at Parliament House in Ottawa, "It gives me great pleasure to have a great friend," stressing the common "values" between the two countries.

For his part, the US President said, "We sometimes have differences, but there is no fundamental difference in the democratic values that we share."
Upon his arrival, Biden received a plate of chocolates made by a Syrian refugee family in Canada.

The 80-year-old Democratic leader was unable to visit the neighboring country and ally immediately after his inauguration, as is customary for US presidents, due to the Covid pandemic.

The relationship between Washington and Ottawa is more cordial than it was during the presidency of Donald Trump, who did not pay an official visit. However, this does not preclude the emergence of some differences.

Radio Canada and the New York Times reported that the visit could lead to a breakthrough in the issue of irregular migration, one of the sensitive issues between the two allies.

The two media outlets suggested that the Americans and Canadians would reach an agreement on closing the "Roxham Road", a route through which about 20,000 immigrants arrived in Canada last year, bypassing the official entry points from the United States.

The prospect is worrying organizations helping migrants. "The impact will be devastating for refugees who are at extreme risk. The result will be people either trying to cross more remote, more dangerous areas, or pushing them toward smugglers," Amnesty International's Julia Sande told AFP.

The influx of these immigrants sparked a fierce political debate in Canada.
In the White House, officials say they understand Canada's concern, but the issue is also a file before the United States from other aspects.

In January, the US authorities arrested more than 128,000 people for attempting to enter US territory illegally from Mexico, and the American right does not miss an opportunity to accuse Biden of complacency in the face of this phenomenon.

Another topic on the agenda is Haiti, mired in gang violence and exhausted on the humanitarian front.

A Canadian government source told AFP he expected to announce "significant funding" on Friday in terms of humanitarian aid and training of law enforcement personnel in Haiti.

The United States hopes that Canada will play a driving role in sending an international force to this Caribbean country.

Biden and Trudeau also discussed military expenditures at a time when Washington is urging NATO members to do more in light of the war in Ukraine and the growing tension with China.

But Ottawa is far from devoting 2% of its GDP to military spending, which is the minimum set for NATO member states.

The issue of modernizing the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) may also be raised in Ottawa on Friday.
Finally, Trudeau, whose country is the largest partner of the United States in the field of foreign trade, will try to improve Canada's position in the economic field.

The Canadian government source said he expected the joint press conference to see announcements on semiconductors and strengthening supply chains in North America.

And the visit of Biden, who promised to fight a fierce competition with China, comes shortly after the opening of an investigation in Canada into allegations of Chinese interference in the recent federal elections.