Welcoming committee ready? Juno host Pamela Anderson was escorted by Royal Canadian Mounted Police officers at a news conference in Halifax, Nova Scotia, on April 1, 2006. (AP Photo / by Andrew Vaughan)
by Mark Silva
President Barack Obama may have found a way to celebrate the signing of the $825-billion economic stimulus that he is demanding by President's Day, Feb. 16:
Go to Canada.
The president's first international trip - it was previously announced that Obama will be Canada-bound, like many new presidents before him - will come Feb. 19.
The White House, which announced the date today, released no other details. While the capital, Ottawa, is a natural stop, others are being considered, according to an administration official who spoke with the A.P. under the cloak of anonymity.
"This is a testament, not just to the size of our trading relationship and the closeness of our alliance, but also the strength of our friendship," Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper told the House of Commons today.
Parliament will not be in session the week of Obama's visit, making an address to Parliament unlikely.
Congress will be in session in Washington, however, if it has not yet acted on Obama's economic stimulus - House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has threatened that Congress will not recess for President's Day if the president's package isn't finished.
The struggling economy will likely top the agenda of Obama's visit, Canadian officials say. But the Harper government also wants to discuss a North American climate-change policy with the new American president, who is a lot more amenable to talk about action on global warming than the last one who went to Canada.
Wire services contributed.
Comments
This seems a very good idea...he can keep an eye on Russia from there.
Posted by: bill r. | January 28, 2009 5:54 PM
Speaking as a Canadian, could you guys do us a huge favour and PLEASE leave Obama here and take Harper back as your president? Thanks!
Posted by: John Stoch | January 28, 2009 6:25 PM
Is Pamela Anderson going to be there?
bill r--very funny.
Posted by: Has anyone told Michelle? | January 28, 2009 7:17 PM
Plastics, my boy, plastics.
Posted by: Mr. Robinson | January 28, 2009 7:56 PM
This is not the stimulus he was talking about.
Posted by: bill r. | January 28, 2009 10:32 PM
Which of the Mounties has had her, and which one wishes he could???
Posted by: ornery | January 28, 2009 11:30 PM
Sorry Canada...Obama's a keeper. You need to find your own.
Posted by: lochnessmonster | January 29, 2009 6:55 AM
Is that Alex Trebek?
Posted by: Bubba ✔ | January 30, 2009 1:00 AM