world

Obama welcomes ‘quite good-looking’ Trudeau to White House

March 11, 2016

President Barack Obama and US First Lady Michelle Obama welcome the Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau and his wife Sophie Gregoire Trudeau before a State Dinner at the White House in Washington DC yesterday. – Reuters pic, March 11, 2016. Barack Obama welcomed Canada's youthful Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's "quite good looking Canadian delegation" to the White House, for a pomp-filled visit designed to rejuvenate US-Canada ties.

Obama laid out a full military band and ceremonial guard on the South Lawn of the White House, making the recently elected prime minister the first Canadian leader in 20 years to receive an official-level visit.

The pair also held talks in the Oval Office and held a Rose Garden press conference, to be followed by a coveted state dinner.

The 54-year-old Obama has saluted Trudeau, 44, as political and generational kin, an ideological bedfellow who shares a belief in the importance of issues like healthcare, gay rights and tackling climate change.

"He campaigned on a message of hope and of change," said Obama, echoing his own 2008 campaign message. "From my perspective, what's not to like."

"Justin's talent and concern for the Canadian people, and his appreciation of the vital role that Canada can play in the larger world is self-apparent."

Obama's effusive praise was met with an invitation to visit Ottawa later this summer and address the Canadian parliament.

"That's a great honour," said Obama. "I look forward to the opportunity to speak directly to the Canadian people about the extraordinary future that we can build together."

In comments that were perhaps directed at Canadians who feel slightly ignored by their larger neighbour, Obama said the visit reflected "something we Americans don't always say enough, and that is how much we value our great alliance and partnership with our friends up north."

Trudeau also reciprocated Obama's compliments, describing him as a

"man of both tremendous heart and tremendous intellect."

There was also some jovial ribbing, with  Obama joking about national rivalries over whose beer is best and Canada's national obsession, ice hockey.

"Where's the Stanley Cup right now?" Obama teased. "I'm sorry, is it in my hometown with the Chicago Blackhawks?"

Trudeau hit back that the team's trio of superstars – Patrick Sharp, Jonathan Toews and Duncan Keith – were among Canada's greatest exports.

"There is no relationship in the entire world like the Canada-US relationship," he said.

Early on Thursday, the White House announced that Canada had agreed to match an existing US target of reducing "methane emissions by 40-45% below 2012 levels by 2025 from the oil and gas sector."

The two countries also agreed on measures to better manage the Arctic wilderness, creating low-impact shipping corridors and managing fish stocks.

During former prime minister Stephen Harper's long tenure, the environment had been a serious point of contention with Washington.

Harper had argued forcefully for building a new trans-border pipeline to carry Canadian crude through the United States, a plan that Obama ultimately vetoed.

Obama and Trudeau met as their country's leaders for the first time at an Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Manila in November, a month after the Canadian won a general election.

Then, the two men put aside differences over Syria and the fight against Isis to joke about greying hair and trade compliments about their spouses and kids.

Trudeau has refused to reconsider a campaign promise to pull Canadian jets out of Iraq and Syria. – AFP, March 11, 2016.