President Obama met with Canadian PM Justin Trudeau and Mexican President, Enrique Peña Nieto, at the North American Summit in Ottawa, Canada. Perhaps the best part of the trip was when our President Obama entered the House of Commons.
President Obama was greeted with the respect and adulation he never received in the U.S. Congress. Canada is obviously much more appreciative of a competent leader. President Obama addressed the Canadian Parliament:
"Thank you for this extraordinary welcome, which tempts me to just shut up and leave because it can’t get any better than this,” Obama began.
But continue he did, for a full 50 minutes, touching on everything from equal pay for women and climate change to economic justice.
Click here for the full transcript of the speech.
A general election conducted in Canada would be over before it started: Just 20 per cent picked any Republican.
In what might be the last 'harmonious' meeting among the three nations, all of the heads of state were in perfect agreement that Donald Trump would be a disaster for trade among the partners.
The leaders of the United States, Canada and Mexico took turns rebutting the Republican presidential candidate's proposals on trade and immigration. As they met in Ottawa, Trump was 340 miles away in Bangor, Maine, promising to build a wall at the Mexican border and get the United States out of the North American Free Trade Agreement that forms the basis of economic cooperation among the three countries.
Apparently, enduring Conservative PM Stephen Harper from 2006-2015 had a fresher and more lasting impression on the members of the House of Commons, and they can spot a good leader when they see one.
It's unfortunate that our President has had to endure so much unprecedented disrespect, but we know why, and it has nothing to do with his performance as Commander in Chief.
