Amid state dinner glamour, a serious agenda for Obama-Trudeau talks

Canada’s charismatic Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will be travelling to Washington this week for talks with US President Barack Obama, hoping to revitalise a frayed relationship and draw rare attention to Canadian issues.

Trudeau’s Liberals came to power in November by ousting the right-wing Conservative leader Stephen Harper, whose ties with Washington deteriorated as he hectored Obama in a failed bid to gain approval for a major Canada-US oil pipeline.

Trudeau has basked in international media attention since coming to power.

Accompanied by his wife, Sophie Gregoire, Trudeau will be feted Thursday at a sparkly state dinner, the first of Obama’s final year in office and the first for Canada since April 1997.

“Obama was delighted that Trudeau got elected,” said Nelson Wiseman, a University of Toronto political science professor, offering perspective on Trudeau’s speedy invitation. “They’re both liberals. They both like to talk the same kind of language.”

Trudeau’s election has ushered in a new era in Canada’s politics that he and others hope will help strengthen relations with the US.

“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.”