Voices "Canada is a vitally important ally. The president looks forward to the opportunity to speak with Prime Minister Harper and visit our neighbor to the north."
-Robert Gibbs, White House spokesman, on U.S. President Barack Obama's visit Canada on Feb. 19, his first official trip abroad. Read more from CBC News. |
Perspectives: President Obama to Visit Canada
Visit to Canada by President Obama offers unique opportunity
Canadian Council of Chief Executives
January 14, 2009
Prime Minister Stephen Harper and other Canadian leaders should seize the opportunity to re-shape the Canada-United States relationship when President Obama visits Canada following the inauguration, says Thomas d'Aquino, Chief Executive and President of the Canadian Council of Chief Executives.
Obama and Canada: how long will the love affair last?
The Conference Board of Canada
January 7, 2009
Glen Hodgson of the Conference Board of Canada predicts that three issues will prove crucial in determining the nature of Canada-United States relations once president-elect Obama takes office.
Can Barack Obama save Canada?
The Toronto Star
January 16, 2009
While the new Canadian budget is intended to spur economic growth, the revival of Canada's struggling economy will in the end hinge less on what the Conservatives do here than on the new U. S. president's recovery plan.
Obama manager delivers reassuring message to Canadians
Toronto Star
January 13, 2009
Speaking to the Economic Club of Canada, who represent the crème de la crème of the country's business community, David Plouffe, the mastermind behind the new President’s campaign, took a soft line on fears that Obama would shred the North American Free Trade Agreement with Canada, or boycott Alberta's massive oil sands project.
In The News
New Canadian budget announced
Reuters
January 29, 2009
The government of Canada predicted budget deficits totaling C$85 billion (US$69 billion) over five years - the result of a recession and a C$40 billion two-year stimulus package packed with infrastructure spending, tax cuts and targeted loans. Ottawa says the spending plan will boost gross domestic product by 1.4% this year and create 190,000 jobs by 2011.
Canada's 2009 Economic Action Plan can be viewed here
Canadian budget measures may spark bank lending
Bloomberg
January 28, 2009
Canadian banks may boost lending after the federal government agreed to increase its mortgage purchases by C$50 billion ($40.8 billion) and pledged to buy securities backed by car leases, analysts say.
Forest industry happy with aid package that supports new products
Vancouver Sun
January 28, 2009
$170 million in aid to Canada's faltering forest industry was welcomed by the sector, which has been plagued by low prices and continuing rounds of layoffs since the collapse of the U.S. housing market in 2006. Analysts say the support delicately avoids any moves that might have sparked retaliation from the U.S. on softwood agreement.
Riding the oil market, Calgary builds up
The New York Times
January 20, 2009
When the Bow, an office tower under construction in downtown Calgary, is completed in 2011, the 58-story building will be the tallest structure in Canada west of Toronto. Prompted by a rise in oil prices in recent years as well as expanded production from Alberta's enormous oil sands reserves, the office boom in Calgary reflects this city's growing attention to bold architecture and environmentally friendly construction.
Innovation
Sibling success
The notion that time is of the essence is particularly meaningful to Ameer and Ahmed Taha. The Toronto-based brothers have come up with a device that could revolutionize the time and money spent by the pharmaceutical, environmental and food industries on extracting samples from drugs, foods and contaminated soils.
Publications
Getting Canada on President Obama's agenda
The Fraser Institute
“Canadians have expressed their support for President-elect Obama based on ideological and other factors. However, they need to realize that Obama’s policies conflict with Canada’s immediate interests on many key bilateral issues.”
Canada's Macrofinancial Environment
The Bank of Canada's Financial System Review
The Bank of Canada's Financial System Review assesses how macroeconomic developments over the past six months have affected financial stability. It provides an analysis of trends and issues in financial markets before focusing on the balance sheets of Canadian businesses and households, then concluding with a discussion of the implications for Canadian financial institutions.
Blog
Discovery.org
“Overall, U.S.-Canadian relations are good on most topics and it would be wise for a new president to show that he wants to keep them that way. But there also are worrisome issues we share--and some differences between the two countries--that pose further reasons for close consultations now.”
-Bruce Chapman, Founder and Director, Discovery Institute
