President Barack Obama and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will be meeting at the White House on Thursday to discuss a number of issues, including climate change.
Trudeau and his wife, Sophie Gregoire, will attend the first state dinner of Obama’s final year. It’s also the first for Canada since April 1997, reports PBS. Prior to Trudeau’s election, U.S. relations with Canada were strained due to the former conservative Prime Minister Stephan Harper.
Stephen Harper, Trudeau’s predecessor, is a conservative who held office for nearly a decade. His relations with Obama were strained over various issues, most notably the proposed Keystone XL oil pipeline that would have run from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico. After years of U.S. government reviews, Obama killed the project last year.
Obama and Trudeau seem to have a mutual respect for each other. This may lend itself to progress for both countries as well as have a positive global effect.
“I think we’ve seen the incredible excitement that Justin generated during his campaign in Canada,” Obama said after their first meeting at a summit in the Philippines last fall. “We’re confident that he’s going to be able to provide a great boost of energy and reform to the Canadian political landscape. And we’re looking forward very much to working with him.”
Added Trudeau: “It’s going to be a wonderful time of strengthening ties between our two countries both on the economic, on the security, on the engagement with the world and on the personal level.”
Since Trudeau’s election, more Americans have shown interest in Canada and its politics, especially in contrast to U.S. Republican presidential candidates like Donald Trump and Ted Cruz who run on division, hateful rhetoric, and fear.
“If we allow politicians to succeed by scaring people, we don’t actually end up safer. Fear doesn’t make us stronger. It makes us weaker.”
The Canadian prime ministers is winning over his country with his post-election feats. Rob Gillies with the AP writes Trudeau has managed to “cut taxes for the middle class and increase taxes for the wealthy.” Not an easy thing to do. Trudeau also delivered his campaign promise of “taking in 25,000 Syrian refugees amid terrorism Paris attacks.”
Trudeau seems to be a leader of action and also appeal. In addition to his aforementioned actions, the pro-feminist and pro-LGBT rights advocate assigned half of his cabinet to women and will be marching in Toronto’s LGBT “Pride Parade” this summer.
Although actual details have not yet been released, Trudeau and Obama are expected to discuss climate change — a concern to many around the world.