Canada Prepares For Future Obama State Visit

January 12, 2009 2:14 p.m. EST

Ottawa, Ontario (AHN) - While outgoing U.S. President George W. Bush was making his last press conference on Monday, Canadian officials were focusing on the agenda of the future state visit of incoming President Barack Obama to Ottawa.

Former American Ambassador to Canada Gordon Giffin said on Sunday the new White House occupant will return to the mode of listening and coordinating with friends instead of just staying in Washington and giving instructions to neighboring nations.

But Obama is following his predecessor by meeting Monday in Washington with Mexican President Felipe Calderon. Bush broke tradition 8 years ago by making Mexico instead of Canada as his first foreign visit.

Kory Teneycke, director of communications of Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper said that while it is too early to set very specific agenda on a bilateral meeting between Obama and Harper, he hinted economic cooperation will be a top priority.

Tenecyke explained, quoted by Globe and Mail, "All governments are focused on the global economic recession far beyond anything else, so the economy will be an obvious focal point, and that includes the environment... They go hand-in-hand."

Days after Obama won in November, the Canadian government immediately proposed a Canada-U.S. climate change initiative to include emission caps, trading system and protection for Canada's oil sands.