Canadian PM to visit US in March

Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks during Question Period in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Canada, Dec 10, 2015.[Photo/Agencies]

OTTAWA - Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is to pay an official visit to the United States on March 10, US Ambassador to Canada Bruce A. Heyman said here Monday.

"I am pleased to announce that President (Barack) Obama and the First Lady will welcome Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his wife, Sophie Gregoire-Trudeau, to the White House for an Official Visit with a State Dinner on Thursday, March 10, 2016," Heyman said in a press release.

The White House announced the visit earlier Monday, saying that it "will be an opportunity for the United States and Canada to deepen their bilateral relationship, which is one of the closest and most extensive in the world and is based on a shared history, common values, and a vast and intricate network of cultural, familial, and commercial ties."

"The visit also is intended to advance cooperation on important bilateral and multilateral issues, such as energy and climate change, security, and the economy," the White House said in a statement.

Trudeau was sworn in as Canada's new prime minister on Nov. 4 after his Liberal Party won the election in October.