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Trudeaumania charms Washington
by Eric Walberg / March 20th, 2016
Trudeau’s budding “bromance” with US President Barak Obama in March marks the first official visit by a Canadian leader since 1997, when Liberal Prime Minister Jean Chretien visited the last charismatic Democratic president, Bill Clinton. Both visits were friendly–Clinton gushed at the time: “We have the most comprehensive ties of any two nations on earth.” Chretien was not invited by Clinton’s successor, George Bush, who was furious when Chretien refused to join his “coalition of the willing” to invade Iraq. More like ‘bro-hate’.
Trudeau’s new-found mentor had some witty advice. Obama joked about Trudeau’s previous jobs: “If things get out of hand, remember the prime minister used to work as a bouncer,” referring to Trudeau’s reminiscences in his memoirs Common Ground. He also laid on a lavish state dinner for Trudeau and his wife Sophie Gregoire-Trudeau, featuring Canadian staples poutine, Nanaimo bars and white chocolate snowballs.
Both visits had their problems. Back in the 1990s, the top item was the enduring boycott by the US of Cuba, by then almost four decades old. Despite being a fellow liberal, US President Clinton was lamely defending the Cuban Liberty and Democratic Solidarity (Libertad) Act, passed by Congress the previous year, which allowed Americans to sue foreign companies doing business in Cuba. Governments around the world condemned the act, arguing that the law ran counter to the spirit of international law and sovereignty.
Trudeau’s new-found mentor had some witty advice. Obama joked about Trudeau’s previous jobs: “If things get out of hand, remember the prime minister used to work as a bouncer,” referring to Trudeau’s reminiscences in his memoirs Common Ground. He also laid on a lavish state dinner for Trudeau and his wife Sophie Gregoire-Trudeau, featuring Canadian staples poutine, Nanaimo bars and white chocolate snowballs.
Both visits had their problems. Back in the 1990s, the top item was the enduring boycott by the US of Cuba, by then almost four decades old. Despite being a fellow liberal, US President Clinton was lamely defending the Cuban Liberty and Democratic Solidarity (Libertad) Act, passed by Congress the previous year, which allowed Americans to sue foreign companies doing business in Cuba. Governments around the world condemned the act, arguing that the law ran counter to the spirit of international law and sovereignty.
Trudeau likes the family analogy, toasting the two nations as “siblings” at the White House dinner. “To be able to count on a friend who has lived through many of the things I am about to encounter on the political stage, on the international stage, is a great comfort to me. I’m always pleased to hear from President Obama about how he’s dealt with difficult issues of the past because he is a man of both tremendous heart and tremendous intellect.”
Trudeau’s honeymoon with the US could be coming to an end, but not with his political soul mate. In the few short months before Obama retires, there is still time to advance an agenda which the next US president will at least have to contend with. This will include an address to Canada’s parliament later this spring. That would make him the first US president to do so since Clinton was invited by Chretien in 1995. Trudeau is hopeful about this historic moment for both leaders–and both countries: “On our own, we make progress. But together, we make history.”
Trudeau’s honeymoon with the US could be coming to an end, but not with his political soul mate. In the few short months before Obama retires, there is still time to advance an agenda which the next US president will at least have to contend with. This will include an address to Canada’s parliament later this spring. That would make him the first US president to do so since Clinton was invited by Chretien in 1995. Trudeau is hopeful about this historic moment for both leaders–and both countries: “On our own, we make progress. But together, we make history.”
Full article: http://dissidentvoice.org/2016/03/trudeaumania-charms-washington/
I wish these two had had more time to work together.
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