Obama to visit Canada, Tories to propose ‘integrated carbon market’
Sunday, January 11th, 2009
Mitch Potter, Bruce Campion-Smith, Toronto Star
January 11, 2009
Canada is to get the world’s most sought-after political prize – the first state visit from Barack Obama after his inauguration – in a move experts are calling a resounding vote of confidence in the North American partnership.
With international delegations swarming Washington to win the attention of the incoming president, it emerged yesterday that Obama has chosen Canada as his first foreign destination.
No details were revealed for the visit, the result of days of behind-the-scenes contact between Ottawa and the president-elect’s transition team.
The announcement came a day after news that Obama would meet tomorrow in Washington with Mexican President Felipe Calderon. Canadian critics saw that meeting as a slight to Ottawa and payback for the Tory government leak on Obama’s NAFTA views that embarrassed the candidate during his run for the presidency.