Legal Journals

Obama to Canada in First State Visit

By jreiss

President Obama traveled to Canada for his first international trip and met with Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper to discuss clean energy initiatives and the current economic crisis.

In Ottawa, Mr. Obama reaffirmed his administration’s concern for global climate change and voiced support for an international system of carbon emission caps and carbon credits trading. Canada is the United States’ largest energy supplier and the two nations have the largest bilateral trade relationship in the world. The U.S. president also provided assurances that the new stimulus package?s controversial “Buy American” provision would be implemented in a manner that does not violate WTO or NAFTA obligations.

Additionally, Obama praised Canadian assistance to the NATO-led force in Afghanistan, but did not request additional troops.

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Full post as published by Harvard International Law Journal Digest on February 26, 2009 (boomark / email).