Global leaders are wishing the best for those celebrating the Chinese New Year and the beginning of the Year of the Snake.

Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper issued a statement Friday to extend his best wishes to those celebrating Chinese New Year in Canada and elsewhere in the world.

“The many fireworks and parades marking this special occasion always remind me of how alive and well the vibrant Chinese culture is in our country,” Harper said. “It also reminds us of the enormous contributions by Chinese Canadians to build the great nation we have today.”

Harper said that as Chinese Canadians usher in the New Year, “they can rest assured that our government is working to create the jobs and economic conditions that will help ensure that the Year of the Snake is one marked by good fortune and prosperity.”

Separately, Sir Arthur Alexander Foulkes, governor-general of the Bahamas, wished a happy Chinese New Year to the Chinese people at a reception in the Chinese Embassy to the Bahamas on Saturday.

“On behalf of the government and people of the Bahamas, I wish the Chinese people a very happy new year. We value very highly our friendship with China,” Foulkes said.