MrBishop
Well-Known Member
So...we Canuckistanis have been bless'd with the first official visit with a foreign leader. Joy!
Feb. 19 (Bloomberg) -- President Barack Obama, traveling to Canada today on his first foreign trip since taking office, will focus on many of the same economic issues that are dominating domestic debate in Washington.
Obama’s meeting in Ottawa with Prime Minister Stephen Harper will likely include talks about trade, energy, finance and the environment as both countries battle the global economic crisis.
“Jobs, jobs, jobs will be very much the mantra,” said Paul Frazer, a former Canadian diplomat in Washington. “Their focus is on truly getting down to business because both leaders face some pretty harrowing challenges right now.”
Lawrence Summers, the top White House economic adviser, is to accompany Obama, along with energy and climate coordinator Carol Browner. Their presence signals that “the global economic issue is going to probably be the No. 1 topic of discussion, and energy and environment will be a second,” said Jodi White, who was former Canadian Prime Minister Kim Campbell’s chief of staff.
U.S. National Security Adviser Jim Jones and Deputy Secretary of State James Steinberg are also slated to travel with Obama. Canada has sent more than 25,000 soldiers to Afghanistan since 2001. The government has said it intends to withdraw all troops by mid-2011.
Canada, which is the biggest market for U.S. exports and trails only China as a source of U.S. imports, was among countries voicing concerns about “Buy American” requirements in the $787 billion economic stimulus package Congress passed last week. The provision was modified in the final legislation to bar requirements if they violate trade agreements.