Good morning and bonjour. I want to welcome you to the council on Foreign Relations and todays on the record meeting with Justin Trudeau of canada, also known as 23. , canadians would get it. Prime minister trudell is closing in on 18 years as Prime Minister. He started as one of his countrys youngest ever Prime Ministers. At the rate he is going he will not end up that way. [laughter] let me say one or two things about u. S. And canadian ties, our two countries are truly integrated. Whether one is talking about Homeland Security across the worlds longest border. Or are economies, we have the largest trade relationship in the world and we are two thirds of the the membership of the usmca. There are obvious differences on the policy side between the two governments, but i am proud to report that the relations between our two countries have been steadily improving since 1812. [laughter] good, you got that. Prime minister and i are joined today by four members in new york city, and several hundred thanks to the technology of zoom. I want to welcome participating participants in our workshop, part of our large and growing commitment to be the leading educator in the world about the world. This morning, the Prime Minister will make opening remarks and then he and i will chat or a bit and then we will take questions from those in the room and with those virtually. Prime minister, the podium is yours. [applause] Prime Minister trudell one juror. Thank you richard for having me here on the council of Foreign Relations. It is great to be back in new york at this is the place where the world comes together and connect, and the council is a Great Institution for that very reason. Last month, canada welcomed President Biden to our parliament. The president is a great guy, he is not only a Strong Partner of canada he is an enduring friend. Before he started his address i remembered how president reagan called the u. S. Canada border a Meeting Place rather than a dividing line. I pointed out that today our border is no longer just the place where we meet each other. It is a place where we will meet the moment. This is a moment of uncertainty that we have not seen in our lifetimes. We are three years into a global pandemic. The rising cost of living is putting real stress on families, despite job growth and wage growth, there is a lot of economic anxiety. Climate change is having a real and terrifying impact on peoples lives. War has returned to europe and authoritarianism is on the rise. Antagonistic states around the world are using economic interdependence of for their own geopolitical advantage. And all around us, we see more and more polarization. Every day seems like threats arise that threaten to weaken democracy. So lets talk about meeting in this moment. What canada can be for the u. S. And what we can be together for the world. But before i do that, let me talk about where we have been and how we got to this particular moment. Lets think back to the time of reagan, and the optimism we had about the inevitable triumph of our way of life. With the fall of the berlin wall, we were assured that marketbased democracy was triumphant. And it was going to take hold around the world. Political elites devoted themselves to trade regulation and deregulation, the economy would grow faster and everyone would get richer. But the former, certainly happened. The latter, not so much. Jobs that went offshore were being replaced. And that the wages that that supported entire communities stagnated. In when 2008 happened, banks got bailouts and families got foreclosures. People at home were being left behind. The middle class was getting hollowed out. And at the same time, we had the promise the promise of globalization which would in time circle the globe and in time lets be honest with ourselves we were not being straight with ourselves about that either. We talked of the superiority of our system but turned a blind ida turned a blind eye to the environmental degradation on the other side of the break and that our prosperity relied on. That prosperity, those in charge were not making sure it was shared across the board as well. We were not living up to the promise of progress. [speaking foreign language] if we do not step up, other forces will step in. As a likeminded democracies and major economies, we need to Work Together to meet this moment. We need to stand up for what we believe in. And be honest with ourselves about where we are not doing enough. We need to engage with the world and put in place policies that reinforce our values. Everywhere. If we believe in freedom, equality, a healthy environment and rule of law, then we have to believe it for everyone. In the aftermath of 2008, there was a lot of distrust and anger, understandable anger from citizens. Gdp grew, but wages stalled and the promise of progress, that promise that each generation would do better in hard work them the one before. No longer seemed to hold true. In the mid teens, people were faced with the Political Choice. One, to burn it all down to attack our institutions, become isolationist, protectionist and nativist. The other, was to roll up our sleeves and get to work fixing it. And canada, that is the path we chose. In 2015. When other places were tearing up trade deals we signed more. Canada is the only g7 country with the freetrade deal with every other g7 country. Canada has Privileged Access to two thirds of the global economy. And the reason we were able to do it to even at a time when people were anxious and turning inward, was because we were making sure that the deals were fair. Trade creates growth. We know that. But you need deliberate and specific policies to ensure that that growth is fair. And the benefits are shared by everyone. When we renegotiated nafta, we improved it by including stronger standards for workers and more protections for our environment. In so doing, we secured one of the biggest freetrade zones in the world, and with it, millions of jobs across north america. In order to get our trade deal done with europe, we included gender and labor provisions and environmental protections. Going forward, we need to do even more of that strategic thinking. [speaking french] so how do we do that . We cant just push back or punish or single out bad actors. We cant just say for example that we want our companies to restrict the amount of Critical Minerals they buy from china specifically. Instead, we should simply commit to sourcing our Critical Minerals from places that ban forced labor, that have safety standards, that pay workers a living wage, that have high environmental protections that work in partnership with Indigenous Peoples. That creates incentives that makes the right thing to do also the smart thing to do for economies around the world. [speaks french] this is where the market is going. Countries in europe that relied on russian fossil fuels have accelerated their investments in clean energy. Here in the u. S. , the Inflation Reduction Act is mobilizing capital toward a clean economy on a historic scale. Canada is making our own investments to meet this demand and be the reliable supplier of clean energy the net zero world will require. We already have one of the cleanest electricity grids in the world with around 83 of our electricity generated from nonemitting sources. Our plan is to reach 100 by 2035 even as we massively increase generating capacity. This is a huge competitive advantage for canada. We see these choices in play in other ways too. On the industrial scale, look at what is happening with steel, for example. Global demand is fairly flat but the demand for green steel is going through the roof. You know who makes some of the cleanest steel in the world . Workers in canada. That didnt happen by accident. To use a canadian expression, our government saw where the puck was going and started making investments in our workerss future. We saw it was coming with Climate Change and the trillion of dollars of Global Investment lining up to build the clean economy. So we invested in a decarbonization project in ontario that will see canada make some of the cleanest steel in the world. Its good for the company, good for the brand, and good for the environment, but mostly it means thirdgeneration steelworkers can know that good middleclass jobs that were there for them and their parents and grandparents will also be there for their kids, grandkids and greatgrandkids. We have secured seventh, eighth, ninth generation steelworkers for that mill. And opportunities for all the new canadians coming to our country every year too. That is opportunity. That is possibility, that is growth. That is reassuring for citizens, when everyone can see the possibilities for themselves. Everyone has a stake in the success, which is so important. Because democracies like ours, for them to work, everyone has to feel like they have a stake in it like they will benefit from it, and i mean everyone. From the newly arrived, racialized immigrant, to the fifth generation blue color working dad who doesnt see where he fits in anymore. As leaders, we have to create the conditions that create opportunity for everyone. In canada, we have invested in strengthening the middleclass. We have invested in education, in skills, in health care, in dental care and childcare. And we are already seeing the results on a macroeconomic scale by rolling out 10 per day childcare. Weve seen womens participation in the workforce already reach alltime highs. Global investors are looking around the world, they are looking for stability, they are looking for growth in the workforce. They are looking for workers that are well supported, they are looking for constructive political environments. Thats why they are coming to canada. I sketched out a few ideas here this morning, but let me connect the dots. The world is a tough place. Democracy is under threat. The old way of doing things is not going to work anymore. Things are changing fast. People are polarized. We are at an inflection point. People are anxious about the changes that lie ahead. Weve got authoritarian states claiming the reason democracy isnt winning is because there is a flaw in the theory of democracy. But we know that is not true. But of all of the things that erode democracy, the feelings of the promise of progress has got to be the most pernicious. That people no longer believe that the next generation will do even better than this one. Here at home or anywhere around the world. Canada and the u. S. As robust democracies, as trading partners, as g7 partners, nato allies, have a role to play in making sure that we are living up to that progress. To that promise. To that promise of progress we make to people all around the world when we talk about how our system works. [speaking french] canada has worked to demonstrate that we strengthen the middle class, we strengthen social cohesion, we reinforce faith and our Democratic Institutions at home, and engage with the world in consequential and positively impactful ways. Enable major Global Investors and major Global Investors are looking around the world to where they can be part of that. Canada will always be a reliable partner. The key is simple make sure you are putting people first. As your president says, girly economy from the bottom up and middle out. Put peoples dignity, their rights, environment and future at the center of what we do as policymakers, as business people, as commentators, as champions of democracy and rulesbased trade. Thats how we deliver on the promise of progress for everyone. [speaking french] [applause] mr. Haas merci beaucoup. [laughter] i know, you are working on your High School French and i am speaking to canadians at home. The idea that democracies need to deliver in order for people to maintain their faith in democracy is a powerful message. Thank you for making it. I want to start with a different part of your speech if i may. It will probably drive yourself crazy, i apologize. You said the world is a tough place, and it is a tough place. You mentioned a lot of things at the beginning of your speech. In many ways, you have a deteriorating security environment, 30 years ago europe was proclaimed to be whole and free, and this was not something we were expecting. We see the growth of chinese power, much greater assertiveness abroad. We see the challenges in the middle east. You mentioned global challenges. Lets talk about canadas response to this. There has been some speculation or controversy. What you think canadas response to a deteriorating security environment is adequate, and to the extent you dont, what is your thinking that canada needs to do to meet the moment . Pm trudeau we need to continue to invest more in defense among many other things. I think thats probably part of what you are getting at. The previous conservative government for all of its saber rattling managed to drop defense spending to below 1 of gdp and we have invested elions, including buying new fighter jets invested billions, including new fighter jets, modernizing norad, and we will continue to do that. We are the sixth the largest Defense Budget in nato. Ukrainian defense forces. We are present in lot for come around the world and canam and canada continues to step up. We will continue doing it in a responsible way. Mr. Haass most talk about the biggest immediate security challenge, which is ukraine and what russia is doing there. Many countries including the United States have essentially said their position is to support ukraine for as long as it takes. Pm trudeau as long as it takes with as much as it takes, thats what we say. Mr. Haass so what is your view about the potential negotiations and diplomacy . To say as long as it takes, ukraines aims are essentially to liberate all of the territory, going back to 1991. Is there a role as you see it for negotiations or is this simply a military policy essentially to liberate a territory . Pm trudeau there are two parts to that question. First of all, it is not for us to decide what should be acceptable to ukrainians. Its up for them to decide. They need to decide when is enough or when the conditions are to negotiate, what theyre willing to concede and what they are willing to fight and die to make sure they hold. Our job is to be there so they can be confident so they can choose the moment. This doesnt end militarily. It only ends with a political resolution of some sort. Ukraine needs to be able to decide that, when that is, what it is they are willing to accept and what it is they are willing to continue to fight over. And we need to be there for them. Its not just about ukraine. This is the second part of it, this is what people are its great to see my conversations not just with thoughtful council on Foreign Relations people but ordinary people across our country and around the world to get that this is not just about standing up for our ukrainian friends. This is about standing up for the u. N. Charter, for the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity that have led close to 80 years of peace and stability not just in europe but everywhere around the world. The values and principles that underpin all of our freedoms and systems of democracy and the right of people to choose what their future is is what is being contested right now by russia. The idea that might could somehow make right again. And its not just about russia and ukraine, obviously. Everywhere around the world, authoritarian states that have a slightly bigger army are looking at that little patch of terrain across the river where they speak your language or a few hundred years ago the british drew a line on the map they felt was in the wrong place and say what if we were to decide to redraw that map . Everywhere around the world people are looking at russias decision to invade ukraine and saying if that works out, maybe he can work out for me. Maybe it can work out for me. Thats why the west in general, but countries around the world, 142 or so at the vote of the u. N. A number of months ago, stood up and said no. What russia is trying to do cannot succeed. It is the wrong direction for our world and they cannot redraw the lines on a map or resettle what the international rulesbased order is. That is why ukraine matters, thats why it matters in africa, asia, south america and everywhere around the world. Not just all wars come back to europe and we have to be worried about that. It is the underpinning of our system that is being directly challenged by an authoritarian state that must not succeed. That is why, as much as it takes, as long as it takes, until the folly and mistake of putins decision is clear for everyone. Mr. Haass one of the 142 countries that did not stand up and say no is looking across the body of water and that is china looking at taiwan. What is canadas position in terms of your willingness to signal china you ought not to act coercively. We acknowledge your claims but we do not, are not prepared to tolerate aggression against taiwan. What are you prepared to do to deter or if need be defend against chinese action there . Pm trudeau weve continued to do like the u. S. And many allies, continued to engage with a military presence in the pacific. Demonstrating that we are there to uphold the status quo. We recognize the one china policy but we also recognize there are no changes to the status quo. We are going to continue to engage with china in a way that is aligned with our values and the principles that underpin our democracies. That means obviously recognizing that china has chosen to be an increasingly Disruptive Global power. That there are things we will need to work with china on a great example was cop15, which we cohosted with china in december and we managed to put forward ambitious commitments to protect 30 of our land and 30 of our water around the world to protect biodiversity. There are ways we can work and will need to work with china, particularly on the environment. But we need to continue to challenge and compete with china on an economic level and we will be contesting china on the issues of human rights. Abuses and challenges around the world, we will continue to step up. Ignoring china is not an option for anyone, being strategic into thoughtful and firm and clear on how we engage with it is the path forward for all of us. Mr. Haass that extends to make china understand that canada would be prepared to oppose any aggression against taiwan . Pm trudeau we will continue to stand for the principles of rulesbased order and international law. Mr. Haass let me talk about trade. You mentioned the trade agreement. If this is nafta 2. 0, in the back or front of your mind, do you have a sense of 3. 0, where we need to take it Going Forward . Pm trudeau i think the natural extension of trade is understanding trade is. Trade is a mechanism. Trade is a way to create growth. For a long time, we all fussed around sign the trade deals, open the market access, and we didnt think about what we would do with the benefits of that trade or how we would ensure it works. I think the usmca, is one of those deals that will demonstrate the benefits for citizens as we see job growth as we see opportunities accrue. We should be competing with the world as a continent, incredibly effectively. We should be demonstrating that we can bring into this continent investments in technology for the future. Canada, like other countries a little further from the United States, a level of integration into the american economy, the supply chains, the intra operability. What is good for the United States, and it will have positive spinoffs for canada. I dont want to think about a 3. 0 because i think what we have right now will last a very long time. Mr. Haass is there any tension between a canada you described that is assigning more trade agreements than anyone, and the United States, that is essentially out of the business of signing trade agreements . Weve become more protectionist, industrial planners, whatever. You have clearly embraced a version of free trade with fairness. You worry these two integrated economies are now on slightly different trajectories . Pm trudeau not particularly. The United States has always been a big enough market unto itself to be able to not have to worry too much about trade. Trade is good, a bonus, it should happen. Canada has always had far too many resources for the number of people we have. Weve always needed to look to trade. That has been part of our makeup and part of our respective identities for a very long time. We ended up working it out in very complementary ways where canada can be more open to the world and the u. S. Is perfectly happy doing its own thing for the most part. [laughter] you cant be canadian without aware of the u. S. [laughter] thats just if you are aware of one other country, it is easy to be aware of all of our countries. Americans do just fine being very aware of america. [laughter] there will always be that slight misalignment, but we make it work for us. Mr. Haass you should go into politics. [laughter] thats good. Coming back, circling back to where you began, talking about democracy is under pressure. Two questions, one about canada. He emphasized the importance, essentially the canadian economy delivering. Some people saw their lives or their childrens lives would improve. What if anything needs to be done politically in canada . Does that ensure canadian democracy endures in a lasting way or are there structural problems in canada we were talking about education and what is or is not being taught in schools. Will Economic Performance alone get the canadian democracy where it needs to be later this century or does canada also in some ways have to tend to its democracy in a more narrow political education since . Pm trudeau like all democracies, canada did not happen by accident. It wont continue without effort. You have to tend to your democracies. People have to understand the responsibilities of a citizen to be part of it. Yes, education, Civic Education is really important. But fundamentally, its about confidence in community, confidence in institutions. We went through that with the pandemic. In canada, we were able to deliver income support streamlet quickly so people who lost their jobs at the beginning of the pandemic, because of the pandemic, had to stay home, did not even miss a paycheck. And we did really big supports to Small Businesses as well. And that was important because our bounce back was six months faster than the United States in terms of return to full employment. What was also really important, when people have confidence there institutions are working, we are able to say stay home and we will cover your paycheck so you can stay home and be safe, that level of confidence spreads to other areas as well. People were confident in our Public Health authority saying wear masks, stay home, be careful. When it came time to get vaccinated, we got double vaccinated to close to 90 . Which is why we had proportionately far fewer deaths than most other comparable countries. Its because the confidence in our institutions help. Outside pandemic times, thats what has to happen as well. People have to know that the social contract is there. That if they continue to pay their taxes and support and vote and behave in the ways that contribute to their community, their community will in turn ensure a Better Future for themselves, a path to retirement, opportunities for their kids, clean air my fresh air, protect their environment. Opportunities to work hard and contribute. All of these things are the deal that go with democracies. With strong, stable societies. Its not just about education, its about a sense of community. A sense of being there for each other and part of something larger. The polarization that is popping up in popular is him popularism everywhere around the world including canada, saying we need to take down institutions and start again, nobody is going to want to tear some thing down unless they feel it really isnt working. And demonstrating the promise of progress. Demonstrating that despite the uncertainty, war, pandemics, Climate Change, there is a good path forward. There is opportunity for everyone, good, middleclass jobs, even in ai or offshore. These are things we need to build democracy on. This is why it is under threat. I there is a town in southern ontario, part of st. Thomas who lost the ford plant in 2010. That was on a string of rust belt losses that you know well in the United States. Manufacturers left, and jobs that contributed to a strong middleclass lifestyle, the companies that sponsored the local games and hockey tournament, jobs that were the backbone of restaurants, and suppliers that that created Strong Communities parted disappearing. And there is a real understanding by people who use to be able to take pride in working hard, long hours in bluecollar jobs that could feed their family and build a community. Suddenly, that doesnt happen, anymore. Well, in st. Thomas ontario, volkswagen has just decided that they are building this the very first of their battery manufacturing plants right there. I had a conversation with the folks of swag and the folks of swag and. When they were making that decision. I will be honest, there are places in the United States that were putting up a way, way more money then we put on the table to try to get that factory. Millions of dollars to come to their communities ultimately, they said ok, were showing up with a plan and its not going to be there for five years, or 10 years, it will be there for 50 years, maybe even more we need to invest in a community that is going to invest in itself and in its future thats why with all of the money that we were able to are others were able to put on the table, this is a place where the electricity grid is already clean, which is what the customers want, where workers, childcare, health care and dental care, we have strong growing communities that keep growing because we welcome immigrants from around the world at times of labor shortage. We are optimistic, forwardlooking we are the best educated country in the oecd. Best education levels. Worldclass institutions turning out stem grads by the tens of thousands. We have all of the resources above ground, and we have lithium and Critical Minerals with partnerships with Indigenous People and we will be able to deliver into the supply chains in a resilient way. Volkswagen made the decision to come to canada because, over the last eight years we have been working on environmental and birds with Environmental Standards and pollution, we have been working to get those projects built for the benefit of everyone. We have been investing in a middleclass, not saying everything is broken and you need to burn it down, we have been delivering childcare and a family benefit that gives hundreds of dollars a month taxfree to low income and middle income families. Support for our seniors, this kinds of things that ensure that people are confident and optimistic about the future. Yes, now the pandemic is tough and people are ground down by high Interest Rate and the economy. But people are seeing that canada is one of those places, whether its steelmaking or lithium lines or ai, or quantum, there is room for people to see their success in an uncertain world. And people can be optimistic that there is room for them in the future and its what you need to underpin democracy, at home and around the world. That is what we are working on. [applause] the last question for me, i would like to get your views on another democracy. [laughter] given how important the United States is to canada, and given what youve just said, are you worried in any way about the future of this country, or what it might mean for yours . Obviously, there is a level of interconnected nest and interdependent as. But we are worried for you guys. You are the greatest democracy in the world. And right now, its not just that it is being taken for granted by so many of your citizens, it is actually being devalued to a certain extent. Its not peoples fault, the same forces are happening in canada and elsewhere. Too many people feel that the system is rigged against them. And politics and the Political Choice that is running rampant around all of our democracies and it canada we have the same thing. Political parties who know people are anxious, and angry and say, i can just reflect that back at them and they will feel heard and they will support. It is amplifying anger is a. M. Effective shortterm policy. The tougher challenge, is to figure out how to roll up your sleeves and solve it. How do we address that. And that is the choice that your current president , President Biden, is focusing on. And it is a tough thing to propose earnest hard work of fixing something in incremental complicated steps, as opposed to , hey, let us snap her fingers and light a fire. Burn things down. But the level of confidence that i have in peoples ability to do it, it is not high eyed optimism. It is an understanding what americans have accomplished over the past decades and centuries for incredibly difficult circumstances. Our citizens have always been able to roll up their sleeves, work hard and build a Better Future. They just need governments and Business Leaders and Community Leaders that are giving them the opportunity to do that. The problem is that our countries and democracies right now it isnt that people are being worked too hard. It is that they are not being asked to work enough, smart enough and well enough to actually contribute. When people are having to take big jobs. People are having to work three and four jobs to make ends meet and underpaid at each of them. When they do not feel that their contributions are valued or even valuable, that is where the system breaks down. We need to be drawing on everyones capacity to roll up their sleeves and solve this problem, head on and be part of the solution. That is how we fix it. That is what we are trying to do in terms of including everyone. Lets get a question from here in new york, let us know who you are, members on the record. Yes, maam. Hello, kate kruger from urgent action fund. You have spoken about canadas leadership role in taking on consequential policies, one thing that canada has done which is excellent is commit to a feminist Foreign Policy. If you could talk more about that and when you might release policy guidance within the government of canada so that they can go forward and what could be a very constructive leadership role. A few years ago we moved forward with the foreign assistance policy and humanitarian policy. It was grounded in the recognition that a lot of the recognition around building democracy, was being done around women. And the way to change the world was to support women directly. And there were Many Organizations that did a great job. We decided to specifically target grassroots Womens Organization around the world. We were expanding womens voice and leadership. The money is ongoing. It gives to womens rights organizations around the world. Which they have been asking for, which is core funding and projects based lending. It is multiyear so that they do not need to worry about hiring people every year. And we let them and allow them with that money to do the things that they need to do. We do not say that this is a project that we approve of. What do you need to do . The impact of those projects around the world has been exceptional. When we change the paradigm and actually empower women to shape their communities, to defend their democracies, everything starts to change. I go into examples of sudan and where that breakdown of peace and insecurity and talking about that. Those are the things we need to focus on doing. There is obviously more to do we will keep doing it but getting more countries around the world to do that as well is one of the strongest levers of her making a difference in the trajectory of our communities around the world. Lets get a quick question. We will take our next question from adam silver shot. Thank you, Prime Minister. You spoke about the volkswagen plant. Could you expand more broadly on your strategy and Critical Minerals strategy at home and beyond. Canada has shuttered operations because of lack of viability. I would like to understand your policy perspective there, and the Foreign Policy related to this area, africa is clearly an area of a lot of proxy involvement from china and the west. A lot of bear were of critical mineral capacity there. I would like to know canadas role on engaging in that front as well. Excellent. A few years ago canada was ranked sixth in the world and the last year we were second in the world only to china in terms of supply chains. We made a deliberate choice to invest in canada as a. We also canadas mining wealth. We also do a lot of things well. We have significant sources of lithium in canada and right now, through very strategic choices made by china over the past decade all of the lithium and the world used in all of our cell phones goes through china. And if the pandemic taught us anything, resilience, redundancy and reliability and are supply chains particularly and something that is core to our future is important. If we are being honest, and we try to be honest. The lithium produced in canada, will be more expensive. Because we do not use slave labor. We put forward environmental responsibility as something we expect to abide by. We count on working with and in partnership with Indigenous People. Paying fair living wages, ensuring security and safety standards. The world needs to decide and is is and is still in the process of deciding whether or not we are actually going to value the things we value throughout our supply chain. We wouldnt expect someone to be able to open a company upstream from our towns and dump something into the river here. Why do we accept that we pay for goods that come from companies that do the exact same thing on the others of the world. If we want democracies to win, our values to win, we have to understand that the problem of following the fall of the berlin wall wasnt our democracies, we were holding true to our values the whole way through the supply chain. We were counting on cheap oil and goods from parts of the world that do not abide by the goals we have for ourselves and our communities. That is the process turning around. Thats where volkswagen decided to turn around. That is wire rio tinto is making huge bets on hydrogen protesting and our iron ore facilities. Thats why ford and gm are coming back to canada in a big way because they see that that reliability and the key to the supply chains is where we are going moving forward. You pointed out the metals, but this is the track the world is increasingly demanding. I think we had a bit of a head start in canada. It is 9 15 i know you have a hard stop. I apologize we couldnt get to more questions. The Prime Minister made clear that canada was the second in the world now in battery really and Battery Supply chain and it is second in the world on in sox on the platform today. [laughter] [applause] its not the first time that the Prime Minister has been at the council, it is always a treat, and we look forward to