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Summary

Joe Biden Said The US Is Canada's 'Pain In The Neck' Big Brother When He Visited In 2016

He said he meant it "sincerely."
Joe Biden Said The US Is Canada's 'Pain In The Neck' Big Brother When He Visited In 2016
U.S. Embassy & Consulates in Canada
Contributor

Family isn't always perfect, and that was a sentiment brought up in a speech during Joe Biden's Canada visit all the way back in 2016.

The Democratic candidate paid a visit to Ottawa in December of that year to attend a dinner held by the prime minister.

There, he gave a speech that touched on the relationship between both countries, noting that it isn't always perfect, but that Canada and the United States are like family.

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I know sometimes we’re like the big brother that’s a pain in the neck and overbearing — and I mean that sincerely. Joe Biden

Biden had to admit that his home country was sometimes a little bit "overbearing," and could be a "pain in the neck."

However, he also emphasized, "the friendship between us is absolutely critical to the United States, our well-being, our security, our sense of ourselves."

The former vice president then added that there is "no quit in Canada."

A line Biden included in his speech still rings true four years later. He said, "We’re going to get through this period because we’re Americans and we’re Canadians."

He closed his remarks with an enthusiastic toast of "Vive le Canada."

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    • Colin Leggett was a Contributing Editor with Narcity Canada. He wrote on the national news team for over a year and contributed to coverage of the 2019 Canadian Federal Election, as well as the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic. Colin has a Bachelor's Degree in Communications and Cultural Theory from McMaster University, as well as a graduate certificate in Television Writing and Producing from Humber College. He is an avid consumer of politics and pop culture, having written about everything from food to television to Canada-U.S. relations.

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