President Barack Obama on Thursday turned the page on years of shaky ties with Canada by staging a lavish White House welcome for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, making clear the new leader is a man after his own heart. President Obama would disagree. The La Jolla, California, billionaire also gave almost $23,000 to Obama’s campaign and to the Democratic Party.
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Obama spoke after welcoming Trudeau to the White House for Canada’s first state visit in 19 years in a formal arrival ceremony on the South Lawn complete with a red carpet, a military honour guard and a 21-gun salute.
Gregoire-Trudeau opted for a boldly hued choice wearing a cap-sleeved embroidered purple dress by Canadian designer Lucian Matis. Mrs Obama sat with Fox.
The dessert course is cake made with toasted Texas pecans and New England maple syrup, along with a separate hand-crafted sugar sculpture inspired by the Rocky Mountains and bearing an assortment of petite pastries with American and Canadian influences.
But the commander-in-chief got one in himself, mentioning that Trudeau “might well be the most popular Canadian named Justin”, referencing Canadian-born pop star Justin Bieber.
Trudeau did not wade into the US election on Thursday, but Obama pushed back on accusations from former Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal and others that he bears responsibility for the rancor of the Republican primary and the rise of presidential front-runner Donald Trump.
The prime minister’s office announced Monday morning that Trudeau would be in NY on March 16 and 17 to meet with United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.
“So, from my perspective, what’s not to like?” he added, also noting Trudeau’s commitment to the environment.
“Both of our nations are threatened by rising seas, melting permafrost, disappearing glaciers and sea ice”, Obama said at a joint press conference with Trudeau at the White House.
Last year, President Obama rejected a pipeline project aimed at bringing heavy Canadian oil to the U.S. – a project supported by Mr Harper.
“The American media noticed us!” a headline in Canada’s National Post newspaper noted in mock delight, as it devoted the entire front page to a photo of Obama and Trudeau hugging, eyes closed, and the next four pages to details of the visit, noting the “budding bromance” between Obama and Trudeau.
Trudeau took office in November and carries one of the most famous names in Canadian political history.
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Who knew the life of a politician could look this glamorous?
