Ottawa, Ontario

Prime Minister Stephen Harper today issued the following statement on the occasion of Mother’s Day:

“Today on Mother’s Day, Laureen and I extend best wishes to all mothers across Canada.

“Mothers are the bedrock of our families, communities and society. They guide us, nurture us, and have a special place in our hearts. Today we celebrate the importance of motherhood and all that they do for us.

“Our Government recognizes the need to support mothers both at home and internationally, which is why Canada is a world leader on the issue of maternal, 

Prime Minister Stephen Harper today concluded a successful two-day bilateral visit to the Netherlands, where he met with Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte. The two leaders discussed how to strengthen the bilateral relationship and maximize the commercial benefits that will arise from the Canada-EU Trade Agreement. They also exchanged views on Ukraine, other key international security issues, as well as the Nuclear Security Summit, which Prime Minister Rutte is hosting from March 24 to 25, 2014.
The Prime Minister also had an audience with King Willem-Alexander at Noordeinde Palace. The meeting provided an opportunity to celebrate the special friendship between Canada and the Netherlands, which is underpinned by strong social, political and historical ties.  

Prime Minister Stephen Harper today offered his best wishes to Canada’s Paralympic Team on the opening of the 2014 Paralympic Winter Games:

“On behalf of the entire country, I wish our Canadian Paralympic Team every success at the Winter Games.

“These are difficult and trying times, but our Paralympians have trained countless hours ahead of these Games and we are confident that they are ready to deliver world-class performances, building on the incredible momentum of our Olympic Team. Their immense dedication and pursuit of excellence are truly inspirational and a source of pride for all Canadians.

“Canadians from coast to coast to coast are united in support of our Paralympic team.”

The Government of Canada is committed to recognizing the enormous contribution volunteers make to Canada. The Prime Minister's Volunteer Awards (PMVA) were created to celebrate the exceptional contributions that individual volunteers, not-for-profit organizations and local businesses make to improving the well-being of Canadian families and communities, and to highlight the best practices in community leadership that these outstanding volunteers have demonstrated.