Trudeau gifts U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi with Peace by Chocolate treats

WASHINGTON -- Justin Trudeau took time during his visit to the U.S. capital this week to praise a family of Syrian refugees who established a thriving chocolate-making business in Nova Scotia.

The prime minister made the comments when he presented some Peace by Chocolate treats to U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi Thursday.

Based in Antigonish, N.S., Peace by Chocolate was founded by the Hadhad family, who fled their home in war-torn Damascus in 2012.

They arrived in Nova Scotia with next to nothing in 2016.

Earlier this year, company CEO Tareq Hadhad announced the company had plans to hire 50 refugees by 2022.

In September 2016, Trudeau mentioned the family's successful business in a speech to the United Nations.

On Twitter Thursday night he called their products "some of Canada's best chocolate, and a heartwarming Syrian refugee success story."

Thanks for the basket of California's finest, @SpeakerPelosi. No matter who won our #NBAfinals bet, Canadians don’t show up empty-handed. @Peacebychoco is some of Canada’s best chocolate, and a heartwarming Syrian refugee success story. Hope you enjoy! pic.twitter.com/HElaNaHNTL

— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) June 20, 2019

• 

  Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau exchange gifts as they settle a wager over the recent NBA basketball championship game between her Golden State Warriors and his victorious Toronto Raptors, at the Capitol in Washington, Thursday, June 20, 2019. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)