President Obama Visits Great White North
EmailUpon arriving at Ottawa International Airport this morning, President Obama — on his first international excursion as president — will be greeted by His Excellency Jean-Daniel Lafond and Governor General Michaelle Jean, the Queen’s representative in Canada. (Yes, they still have kings and queens in some countries. It’s cute, I know.)
Then it’s off to Parliament Hill for a chat with Prime Minister Stephen Harper, followed by a working lunch with the Prime Minister and several of his ministers, a joint press availability with the Prime Minister, a meeting with Opposition Party Leader Michael Ignatieff, and a brief meeting with U.S. Embassy personnel.
The President "obviously recognizes that there is no larger trading partner or important economic partner for the United States than Canada," said Denis McDonough, deputy National Security Adviser for strategic communication. "And that will be one of the principle issues or the primary issue that they’ll discuss on Thursday, namely the economy."
That includes the labor and environmental standards that are side agreements in the NAFTA. President Obama "would like to work with our Canadian and Mexican friends to help them understand why his position makes good sense," McDonough said, while underscoring that it "is no time for anybody to give the impression that somehow we are interested in less rather than more trade."
McDonough said that Messrs. Harper and Obama will also discuss "given the fact that Canada is the largest energy provider to the United States, our shared interest in energy and the environment" with "significant discussion of cooperation on clean energy technology," including a hope for a partnership among the U.S., Mexico and Canada for carbon abatement and clean energy technology."
Another topic, of course: global security, especially the war in Afghanistan.
President Obama will be accompanied on this trip by National Security Adviser Gen. Jim Jones (Ret.); Chairman of the National Economic Council Larry Summers; White House Climate Change Czar Carole Browner; Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism John Brennan; Deputy Secretary of State Jim Steinberg; and White House press secretary Robert Gibbs.
- jpt
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Posted by: mad | February 19, 2009, 9:14 am 9:14 am
“His Excellency Jean-Daniel Lafond and Governor General Michaelle Jean”
This is like saying he is being greted by Prince Phillip and Queen Elizabeth. The GG is the one who matters.
Regardless, it is like Obama just bought a fixer-upper from George W. The last prez neglected his yard, parked his HumVee on the lawn and didn’t mix well with the neighbours. The new guy is pulling weeds and slapping on a new coat of paint. He can’t help but succeed because expectations are so low after the previous guy.
Posted by: A Currie | February 19, 2009, 10:10 am 10:10 am
I hope they have more sense than the majority of Americans.
That means don’t fall for the rediculous Obama savior BS.
Have some pride in yourselves Canada don’t act like the fawning crowds in Berlin or America.
Posted by: sammy | February 19, 2009, 10:17 am 10:17 am
There is no way Obama can repeat any of the heated rhetoric he used against NAFTA and free trade in general in his visit to Canada today.
The question then becomes how much heat the POTUS takes for completing such a blatant flip-flop.
Posted by: matt | February 19, 2009, 10:35 am 10:35 am
There is no way Obama can repeat any of the heated rhetoric he used against NAFTA and free trade in general in his visit to Canada today.
The question then becomes how much heat the POTUS takes for completing such a blatant flip-flop.
http://www.political-buzz.com/
Posted by: matt | February 19, 2009, 10:42 am 10:42 am
“will be greeted by His Excellency Jean-Daniel Lafond and Governor General Michaelle Jean, the Queen’s representative in Canada. (Yes, they still have kings and queens in some countries. It’s cute, I know.”
Oy Vay.
Shame shame ABC, nice sarcastic and inaccurate reporting.
The governor general is the Head of State in Canada when the Queen is not present. One of her formal responsabilities is to welcome a foreign head of state to Canada (ie POTUS).
It is not some cute habit, it is parliamentary democracy and it is 800 years old.
Lafond is her husband. The way you have phrased it is like saying Mrs. Obama welcomes Queen Elizabeth to Washington.
Thank you
Posted by: SF | February 19, 2009, 10:45 am 10:45 am
What is really cute is how Americans go ga-ga over anything royal. If Liz is in Canada for a visit it is often treated like, “Look dear, it is the Queen again.” but when she goes to the US she is treated lke royalty (hehe). And since the US system is based on what the British had 2.5 centuries ago, the US pres is both head of state and head of government. Quite unique these days.
Posted by: A Currie | February 19, 2009, 11:08 am 11:08 am
o-dumb-ah will be run out of this GREAT WHITE COUNTRY, if he brings his crap about nafta to them.. they had already sent him a letter saying ” boy back up or we will be selling oil to others and you will pay a higher price..Obama backed down of course adn started making up stories he was not talking about nafta lmao
Posted by: DOH-bama Cabinet of Corruption | February 19, 2009, 11:19 am 11:19 am
Does he have a 3 x 5 card that reminds him that Canada doesn’t have a PRESIDENT? If HRC or JSM had said something obviously oblivious to facts, that would have played on an endless loop here at ABC ….. but Obomba gets a total pass. Until there are no more media jobs left for the likes of Jake’s buddies and they are out of work.
Posted by: beebop | February 19, 2009, 11:23 am 11:23 am
Yes blame Canada just like Robin Williams sings. Before you know it we’ll have their crappy socialized medicine where you have to wait at least 3 hours to see a doc in a clinic. Forget about those 2 hour waits we’re all used to. And when you take free enterprise out of medicine so much gets lost, like Botox and Lipodissolve. Before you know everyone will be speaking Spanish in certain parts of the country like they speak French in Quebec. Liberalism is catching and it’ll be rolling down from Canada like a Blue Northern if we’re not careful!!
Posted by: amber | February 19, 2009, 11:46 am 11:46 am
Amber, I am hardly a fan of nationalizing the health care system, but I don’t think you are doing your argument much good using liposuction and botox as examples of innovations that would be lost in such a system. I think we could muddle on without them pretty well, myself.
And you have got to love Canada. They gave us Le Cellier, the best restaurant in EPCOT. *G*
Posted by: moderate | February 19, 2009, 12:04 pm 12:04 pm
We are not exporting medicare. Why share something that works for us if you don’t want it? We may have to wait 3 hrs (on a rare occasion) to see a MD but we don’t lose our homes if we get cancer. If you like your system then keep it. We are keeping ours ‘cus we prefer it. Go figure. (Oh wait, you all lost your homes already thanks to that weird couple Freddie and Fannie.)
And we speak French (and not just in Quebec) because that is the language some people have spoken in those parts of the country for over 400 years.
We do things differently here. When the British defeated the French and got New France they did not force the population to change religions, civil law, language, etc. (not counting the Acadians).
But I do not see why you are worried that language policies that do not restrict a choice of language are somehow going to morph into Spanish being forced on people in your country.
Maybe the logic that sees that connection is the same logic that told your government to spend like a drunken sailor for the past 20 years.
Canada is not your problem; your problem is that have literally mortgaged your country’s future and now you risk being foreclosed on by the Chinese (in the ultimate Communist subversion).
Don’t blame Canada–blame capitalism. (Well, your version at least. Ours seems to be working thank you very much Liberalism.)
PS: Do you know the difference between Liberalism and liberalism? Look it up.
Posted by: A Currie | February 19, 2009, 12:07 pm 12:07 pm
I’m surprised they let him in. Wonder what he will screwup while there. Maybe we should close the border so he and the rest of the dem royalty, who are all on “business trips” all over the world as payoff for stealing our country and way of life.
Posted by: pesiri | February 19, 2009, 12:09 pm 12:09 pm
Canada barred Bill Ayers from entering a few weeks ago.
Posted by: mad | February 19, 2009, 12:12 pm 12:12 pm
One other thing of potential interest to our American neighbours, despite assumptions you may make soley based on her name, the G-G, Michaelle Jean is a Canadian who immigrated from Haiti. She is a black woman. So let history note that the first head of state that Obama met on an international trip was also of African decent. (And Canada had a black head of state before the US. And she was preceeded several years back by a Chinese-Canadian who came from Hong Kong. Heck, we even gave the Ukrainians a kick at the can.)
Posted by: A Currie | February 19, 2009, 1:37 pm 1:37 pm