Feb 19, 2009 6:49pm
Obama Pledges Cooperation With Canada on Energy, Economy and War in Afghanistan
EmailThe president was greeted by cheering crowds as he arrived in Canada on his first international trip since entering the White House.
Read more HERE.
- jpt
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Pres Obama today in Canada”It’s great to be here in Iowa”.This guy is embarrasing.People around the world must think we’re idiots for electing this guy.Clearly above his pay grade.
Posted by: ronaldus | February 19, 2009, 6:55 pm 6:55 pm
Jake, now that’s the kind of journalism I’m talking about.
You have it in you to be one of the best, when you put aside your ideological bent to try and “stick it” to the President.
Show FoxNews how to be “fair and balanced”… that’s all we ask of the press.
Posted by: Tom | February 19, 2009, 7:01 pm 7:01 pm
Those Canadians are just purring away, aren’t they?
Posted by: kit Kat | February 19, 2009, 7:04 pm 7:04 pm
Hey, I thought Obama said he was going to cancel the NAFTA agreement with Canada.
Or was it renegotiate or….
under the bus?
Posted by: Will Stanton | February 19, 2009, 7:05 pm 7:05 pm
“”Pres Obama today in Canada”It’s great to be here in Iowa”.This guy is embarrasing.”
Seemed like a joke referencing the crowd.
“People around the world must think we’re idiots for electing this guy.”
Actually the world is quite pleased with our election of Obama.
It was the election of Bush that caused the world to question the collective intelligence of our country.
Posted by: Ryan C | February 19, 2009, 7:35 pm 7:35 pm
Jake,
Don’t get involved in all the adulation of Obama which now is becoming rather ridiculous, but, report the news as it is and ask him the questions that most of those adoring guys and women will not. Please, oh, please, don’t get caught up in the nonsense.
Posted by: jeremey LeBlanc | February 19, 2009, 7:36 pm 7:36 pm
“Hey, I thought Obama said he was going to cancel the NAFTA agreement with Canada.”
The only candidates I heard espousing anything close to that were Dennis Kucinich and Mike Gravel.
Perhaps Ron Paul as well but I am not positive.
Posted by: Ryan C | February 19, 2009, 7:37 pm 7:37 pm
“Don’t get involved in all the adulation of Obama which now is becoming rather ridiculous, but, report the news as it is”
He did.
Obama had his first int’l trip to a Canada today and was greeted by cheering crowds.
I know that must seem impossible after years of Bush being scorned and hated wherever he went but the President of the United States used to have some prestige around the world.
Thankfully Obama will restore that prestige.
Posted by: Ryan C | February 19, 2009, 7:40 pm 7:40 pm
There could be no better investment in America than to invest in America becoming energy independent! We need to utilize everything in out power to reduce our dependence on foreign oil including using our own natural resources. Create cheap clean energy, new badly needed green jobs, and reduce our dependence on foreign oil. The high cost of fuel this past year seriously damaged our economy and society. The cost of fuel effects every facet of consumer goods from production to shipping costs. After a brief reprieve gas is inching back up. OPEC will continue to cut production until they achieve their desired 80-100. per barrel. If all gasoline cars, trucks, and SUV’s instead had plug-in electric drive trains, the amount of electricity needed to replace gasoline is about equal to the estimated wind energy potential of the state of North Dakota. There is a really good new book out by Jeff Wilson called The Manhattan Project of 2009 Energy Independence Now
Posted by: Sherry | February 19, 2009, 8:22 pm 8:22 pm
Hmmmm. It seems Canada wants to renogiate NAFTA too ….
A coalition of major Canadian organizations yesterday urged Prime Minister Stephen Harper to signal Canada’s willingness to renegotiate NAFTA in talks next week with President Barack Obama.
In a letter sent in the run-up to next Thursday’s first visit to Ottawa by the new president, the coalition stresses revisiting NAFTA doesn’t mean scrapping it, but rather committing to a “transparent and comprehensive renegotiation.”
Signatories to yesterday’s letter to Harper include unions and religious, environmental, student and social justice organizations.
The letter also calls for an end to the ultrasecret Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America, known privately among trade activists as “NAFTA on steroids.”
Posted by: Willem van Oranje | February 19, 2009, 8:41 pm 8:41 pm
a Toronto Star poll that found roughly half of all Canadians believe NAFTA should be outright renegotiated, and about 80 percent saying the treaty had done little or nothing for workers.
Posted by: Willem van Oranje | February 19, 2009, 8:42 pm 8:42 pm
Harper seemed generally unenthusiastic about the visit, Obama himself and everything else about their joint appearance. Is this NAFTA? Conservative gloom? Did Obama tick him off? What?
Posted by: matt | February 19, 2009, 8:43 pm 8:43 pm
“Harper seemed generally unenthusiastic about the visit, Obama himself and everything else about their joint appearance. Is this NAFTA? Conservative gloom? Did Obama tick him off? What?”
He seemed pleasant enough to me during their joint remarks.
I don’t expect him to be as close to Obama as Bush at least right away given the ideological differences but I did not see what you saw.
Posted by: Ryan C | February 19, 2009, 9:08 pm 9:08 pm
Well done Willem!
Posted by: Ryan C | February 19, 2009, 9:11 pm 9:11 pm
I can see the NAFTA negotiations now:
US: Lets talk about labor rights.
CANADA: Yeah, we need more protections for workers, so we’re not caught in a race to the bottom.
US: Glad you agree.
CANADA: So when are you going to step up and give your workers health care?
Posted by: Flash Override | February 19, 2009, 9:36 pm 9:36 pm
It is embarrasing.
Posted by: anonymous | February 20, 2009, 4:34 am 4:34 am
Ryan, I’ve decided to forward all my bills to you. You believe this man you cast your vote on can do no wrong? You believe the war will end tomorrow (oh, wait, 15 months to go now?) You believe never again will you see a wrong done? You believe we should all help our neighbors? I know BHO won’t personally pay for my bills but he’s got such a great supporter in you. Thanks for making everything right with the world again.
Posted by: caligirl | February 20, 2009, 8:38 am 8:38 am
Unfortunately, trade agreements are rarely equally beneficial. Unequal labor costs, productivity and education of workers, cause imbalances that negate any equally beneficial outcomes.
In every trade situation there are pains and gains. Labor costs in Mexico are well below the US and Canada, so naturally low paying manufacturing jobs will migrate there. However, US and Canada get cheaper products from that labor.
If you want to support American (or Canadian) jobs, then buy products manufactured there. How many on this post drive American cars (and I mean Big 3, not foreign cars assembled here). I drive American cars because I want to support my fellow Americans and the quality is on par, if not better. Plus I’m supporting US Steal workers and American corporations.
If your one of those people who look at government to help American jobs while you put around in a foreign car, shame on you. You should put your money where your mouth is.
Posted by: KR | February 20, 2009, 9:14 am 9:14 am
willem….Obama is the President of the United States; therefore he represents the United States…WE..DON’T..LIVE..IN..CANADA..
Canadians opinions on NAFTA do not concern most here in this country when our own economy is tanking..
ryanc…Realistically speaking..Obama has only been President for 2 months. And of those 2 months, it took him one day to sign and commit 1.6 Trillion in NEW deficit spending and commit 17,000 more troops to the Middle-East..ONE DAY…Check the poll numbers and “cheering crowds” in 6 months…It took Bush 8 Years to get to his low point..So far, Obama is Bush on steroids…In other words “you ain’t seen nothin yet.”
Posted by: Parallax View | February 20, 2009, 10:51 am 10:51 am
Thnx Parallel—u tell them. It’s like the blind leading the blind! I’m not saying Bush was great or even good…this new one, I AM saying has already shown his low side . How can people COMPLETELY disregard the inconsistent statements that keep coming out of his mouth? He would sell out his own HALF WHITE self! Oh WAIT, he has!
Posted by: caligirl | February 20, 2009, 12:06 pm 12:06 pm
” How can people COMPLETELY disregard the inconsistent statements that keep coming out of his mouth?”
Same way they did during the campaign season. Close your eyes and hum. Open them back up, if it still isn’t what you want to see and hear, rinse and repeat.
Posted by: KR | February 20, 2009, 1:11 pm 1:11 pm
I’m glad Canadians like Obama at about the same rate, 80% that we Americans do.
As for NAFTA, I know a recession isn’t a good time to re-do trade agreements but this one has been really bad for manufacturing jobs here and in Canada as well as being brutal to non-corporatate Mexican farmers. The only ones benefitting from it appear to be corporations, which haven’t been sharing the largesse with their workers. All that free market b.s. means workers get ripped off while corporate profits and ceo’s salaries grow.
Posted by: Lydia | February 20, 2009, 3:27 pm 3:27 pm