Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is wishing Canada’s Hindu, Sikh and Jain communities a happy Diwali.
The PM sat down for a video chat with ET Canada‘s Sangita Patel to talk about the Indian Festival of Lights, as part of the National Virtual Diwali Celebration event hosted by members of the Government of Canada.
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But first, Trudeau was asked about making the call to U.S. President-elect Joe Biden to congratulate him on being elected the next president of the United States.
“I think it’s always important that we make sure we have a good relationship with the United States,” he said. “That’s certainly something that I’ve worked on very hard over the past few years, in sometimes challenging situations. Joe will be my third American president. They’re never easy, because the issues are so important.”
He continued, “But obviously on a lot of issues we connect, whether it’s on climate change, whether it’s on working together on the world stage. And I think there’s gonna be a lot of good things we’re going to be able to do in the coming years.”
Moving to the topic of Diwali, Trudeau expressed, “It’s so exciting to be able to celebrate with the South Asian community. Diwali is so important, the victory of light over dark, of good over evil, certainly as we’re all struggling with COVID right now and having to celebrate and come together virtually to keep our loved ones safe.”
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Asked how he and his family are coping with the COVID-19 pandemic at home, Trudeau said, “I think we’re all learning an awful lot about the things we used to take for granted and the things the we’ve missed out on.”
“I will admit over the past number of years as I was always off at work, travelling, doing all sorts of things, COVID has forced us to connect a lot more with family and the attention I’ve been able to give to the kids as we’ve been locked in together as we’ve been home a lot more as I’m never traveling now except by Zoom, that has brought something that I think we are all going to hang on to,” he continued. “Even as this time is difficult for all of us and so many families have faced real tragedies and are powering through some dark days there are some things where we remember the ability to lean on each other and be there for the people who are most important to us.”
“Diwali is about joy, what brings you joy?” asked Patel.
Trudeau’s answer? “That’s the kids!”
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Watch a snippet of the interview in the video, top.