the most highly anticipated visit since Tiesto...

quote:

Obama visits Canada Feb. 19 January 28, 2009 Bruce Campion-Smith Ottawa bureau chief OTTAWA– U.S. President Barack Obama will visit Canada on Feb. 19. Prime Minister Stephen Harper's office confirmed the date of the highly anticipated visit this afternoon. Obama's visit to Canada will mark his first foreign visit since taking office on Jan. 20. The prime minister's office did not immediately release other details of the visit or even confirm where in Canada his visit with Harper would take place. "Canada is a vitally important ally," White House spokesman Robert Gibbs told reporters. "The president looks forward to the opportunity to speak with Prime Minister Harper and visit our neighbour to the north." The timing rules out an address to Parliament as the House of Commons is not sitting the week of Obama's visit, Harper aide Dimitri Soudas told reporters today. He said the PMO will announce further details later. He refused to comment on suggestions Obama would tour Alberta's tar sands, the source of oil that Obama's campaign once pegged as "dirty." Soudas said "we're just pleased President Obama is coming. We look forward to his visit." Confirmation of the visit comes after Obama and Harper spoke by telephone on Friday to discuss dates and the early outline of an agenda for the meeting. Harper said that the economy would likely top the agenda although he expected that the environment, climate change and energy security would also be discussed during the visit. In an interview with the Star last week, Harper predicted that Obama's administration would mark a "fresh start" for relations between the two countries. "I think that we now have a new administration that Canadians are clearly very comfortable with, at least out of the gate," Harper told the Star. Harper said Obama's presidency is a "real opportunity" to move forward. "I think everybody acknowledges that Canada-U.S. relations improved after our government came to office. But I actually think they probably could have improved more," he said. He said the chance of even better relations was hindered by the focus of the administration of former president George W. Bush on domestic U.S. problems. Obama's predecessor, George W. Bush, made his first foreign visit to Mexico. With files from Reuters and The Canadian Press

source:
http://www.thestar.com/news/world/article/578644

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Date Confirmed: Obama Coming To Canada Feb. 19th Wednesday January 28, 2009 CityNews.ca Staff Mark February 19th on your calendar. That's the day Obama-mania officially comes to Canada. It's been known for some time that new U.S. president, now in office just a week, was going to make the Great White North his first official foreign trip. The choice is considered something of an honour because much of the free world would like to get a chance to have him come for consultations. But Barack Obama chose Canada, although we didn't know when. That changed Wednesday, when White House officials confirmed his trip and the date during a press briefing in Washington. He'll be in Ottawa on February 19th - a Thursday - to meet with Prime Minister Stephen Harper - who thanks to Liberal boss Michael Ignatieff will still be in that position when his American counterpart arrives. It's not clear exactly what his itinerary will be when he gets here, but Canada is often chosen by incoming presidents because of the two nations' close relations and the assurance he'll get a positive reception. Photo credit: Getty Images

source:
http://www.citynews.ca/news/news_31454.aspx

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Last edited by dEsidEL on Jan-29-2009 at 13:31