Obama congratulates the new Canadian PM

Washington: US President Barack Obama has congratulated new Canadian Prime Minister Justine Trudeau and hopes to speak to him soon, the White House said today.

“Obama congratulates Prime Minister Designate Justin Trudeau on the Liberal Party’s victory in yesterday’s elections,” the White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest told reporters at his daily news conference.

“I would expect the President will have the opportunity today to call Mr. Trudeau to congratulate him on that election victory,” he said.

Both the President and the country is deeply appreciative of the outgoing Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s acts to build a strong US-Canada relationship.

“President Obama had a number of occasions to meet personally with Prime Minister Harper over the course of his tenure. I am confident that President Obama will speak to Harper at some point in the not too distant future as well,” Earnest said in response to a question.

Trudeau, the son of late Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, became Canada’s new prime minister today after his Liberal Party won a majority of Parliament’s 338 seats.