Canada must be progressive, and Canada must be a just society.

We're getting companies to invest in Canada, to expand their workforces, to do more R&D. I think people are looking at Canada and realizing we're a place that is building for the long term and where the world's going to be.

Indeed, often because of the size and weight in the world of our neighbor, we in Canada often define ourselves in contrast to American positions on things like Cuba, the Vietnam War and nuclear disarmament. Historically, Canada has not always been aligned with the United States. It doesn't necessarily serve anyone's interests - Canadian or American - to be seen as an extension of the United States.

Excluding citizens' voices from politics leads down a very bad path.

I look at what I have as a challenge and I could list a whole bunch of different challenges. And I choose not to be daunted by any of them.

So having a little more of an awareness of what's going on in the rest of the world I think is what many Canadians would hope for Americans.

I'm happy when people decide that they are more aligned with me and my party but they should also think about being active and aligned with the parties that disagree with me on certain issues.