I noticed it was Barack who asked to go out to greet the crowd in Ottawa

[DeepBlueC]

Ha ha ha ha. There has been a lot of talk up here about how low key this visit was going to be (no address to Parliament, no address to the crowd, no pomp) and that the reason for it might be that the distrusted and disliked Prime Minister Harper did not want to be compared unfavorably with the charismatic and personable Obama. When Barack entered the Parliament building he was greeted inside the door (get that: inside) by Harper who was presumably ready to usher him on further inside to a private meeting, but after they shook hands Barack immediately said "Do you mind if he go outside for a minute ...?" to greet the crowd. Not what this control freak Prime Minister had in mind I'm sure but indicative of Barack's open nature, so unlike Harper's. :D

[Spazito]

1. Yep, and take a gander at this pic....

Stevie's grimace at having to wave at the 'great unwashed' is in total contrast to the wonderful grin on President Obama's face.

[Darth_Kitten]

28. Oh come on.

I didn't vote for Harper but let's relax a bit on the hero worship.

[SunsetDreams]

29. oh come on

let's relax a bit on the accusation, I see nothing but a comment on an observation here.
I see no "hero worship". I really wish people would stop accusing others of hero worship.
That statement above isn't even close.

[Darth_Kitten]

39. Chill.

Relax.

[havocmom]

2. a gentle nudge to Harper that Obama has power among the people

and the people seem to be voicing preferences? ;)

[DeepBlueC]

10. that is much discussed by the news media up here

The Leader of the Opposition actually has ties high up in the administration, personal friends with Larry Summers and others, and extended comparisons with Barack only make Harper look less desirable. He is thought to be competent enough, but mean-spirited and partisan and dedicated to cutting the Liberal Party off at the knees from behind the scenes. He is also a control freak and micro-manager who has centralized all power at the top (familiar?). Not even his ministers are permitted to speak without clearing statements with him first. This led to a near defeat of the government, the replacement of the Liberal leader Dion with the much more respected Ignatieff, and the first signs of nervousness and conciliation from Harper. Ignatieff will eventually topple him.

[EraOfResponsibility]

3. so did he, did he go out to greet the crowd?

I missed that part.

[elleng]

5. Yes he did,

spent a nice minute or so waiving. Crowd was QUITE vociferous!

And once inside, after signing guest book, waived to and acknowledged some ?government types? who were in the hall.

I noticed no negative anything from Harper, by the way.

[DeepBlueC]

8. of course not...BUT

But the planning reflected the PM's concern about unfavorable comparisons. That much was said by mainstream columnists up here in the newspaper of record. Another reason to keep him out of the spotlight is that the Opposition leader Michael Ignatieff is a Harvard man, as is Barack, the author of several well respected books which Barack has read, and he is also friends with people at the highest levels in Barack's administration, so it might be said that Ignatieff has a direct line to the White House. The CBC journalists are right now talking about Barack's popularity and the longing of the Canadian people for a leader like him. Larry Summers is very close with Ignatieff.

[DeepBlueC]

6. yes he did, at his own request

He got out of the car on the building side and was whisked inside so all of the people who had come just to get a glimpse of him were disappointed because the car blocked their view of him. Obama got inside the door where Harper was waiting, and after shaking his hand Obama asked "Do you mind if we go outside for a minute...?" Harper had to agree though it was NOT part of his plan and there was some scrambling of security people who hate surprises. But the two of them went out, Barack with a big big smile and Harper grimacing as though he thought the big cheer that went up was at least partly for him (I doubt it). But it was a big spontaneous cheer from a crowd who thought that they had missed their chance to get even a glimpse of him, and a glimpse was all they had been led to believe might be possible. Typical of this churlish grinch of a PM.

[EraOfResponsibility]

14. thanks DeepBlueC, I'm watching on CBC they've replayed it several times

it's awesome to see.

[DeepBlueC]

15. isn't it?

I also learned something about how to get the face time you want from the receiving line in Parliament. The first guy in line was I think the Speaker of the Senate or whatever the #1 is called and when he shook hands with the President he just held on until he had finished having his say. I'm going to remember that one. I'm not being critical at all; I think it is quite clever and also manages to look very respectful and deferential at the same time. I can think of occasions where that will be very useful. :D

[Cha]

4. Thanks for info, DeepBlue,

I missed the whole thing.

[DeepBlueC]

7. It was an exciting moment

and yet another demonstration of this man's graciousness and humanity.

[AtomicKitten]

9. Obama will be spread goodwill wherever he goes. n/t

[DeepBlueC]

11. In a way, he has the healing touch

He is not a miracle worker but he simply makes people feel better and more hopeful about the future. I tell you step #1 in the recovery plan was electing him.

[AtomicKitten]

12. exactly right

I tell you step #1 in the recovery plan was electing him.

:thumbsup:

[renate]

26. boy howdy, are you right

Can you imagine the fix we'd be in if McCain were trying to fix the economy with tax cuts? Can you imagine a pep talk from him? :scared:

As screwed up as the economy is and as full of doom and gloom that all the headlines are, I thank all that is good in the universe that Barack Obama is our president.

[DeepBlueC]

13. I hope they appear together at the end of the day.

They are supposed to sign some kind of environmental agreement, not a deal but an agreement to pursue one regarding carbon dioxide sequestration from coal and oil processing. I do not know if they plan to speak publicly though.

[Spazito]

17. They are supposed to have a joint press conference after their...

meeting concludes from what the media said. It seems, there will also be a press opportunity with President Obama and Leader of the Opposition Ignatieff. Good stuff all around!

[elleng]

16. Deep, would you mind writing something

about the current political, economic and social situation in Canada, and posting it 'up front,' so we may become educated about our close neighbor?

[DeepBlueC]

18. I am very conscious of the fact that I am an American in Canada

I have been here a long time so I do see things very much from the inside, but I am wary of speaking for Canadians. I am an American after all and Canadians I think would want to preserve the prerogative of speaking for their own country. There is some sensitivity here to being deluged by American culture, American attitudes and I think the last thing needed here is an American spokesperson for Canada. I'm just kind of nervous about making myself a target. :shrug:

[elleng]

19. Gotcha!

I had NO idea!!!

[DeepBlueC]

21. check PM

[elleng]

25. Got it. Thanks. You have mail.

Obama has stopped for a 'delicacy,' a 'beavertail,' flat friend donut?

Since my President is doing it, I think I'll go out and do the same!!!

Later!

[DeepBlueC]

24. come to think of it there is room for my p.o.v.

I don't want to give a whole essay as it seems likely to expose my own ignorance but when I do comment I will try to remember to put it in context, which I am qualified to do. For example in my OP I should have reported what the media were saying about this visit (that Harper had it scripted so as not to be overshadowed) before he got here so that when I reported on the day people could follow how it fell out( which I know will be noted gleefully by some columnist or other). If it isn't (and I would be surprised) I will send some letters to the editor. It is just too funny if you know this tight-assed bully Harper. He looks like a regular guy but he is not a people person which is how he pretty much missed the implosion of the world's economies and had to be pushed into a homegrown stimulus package by the G-#? and, more pointedly, by the threat of his government being toppled. He realized then he had to express some human concern, which does not come easily to him. There's a classic picture of him shaking hands with his quite young son outside his school on the first day it opened. Canadians howled.

[elleng]

27. Thats very funny, sad, and interesting!

He did look rather human this afternoon, in some of his exchanges with Obama. Why/how did he go into this profession/business?

I suppose Canadians might think he was overshadowed (Obama will probably do that to EVERYONE) but I was impressed by his apparent responsiveness, or I should say THEIR responsiveness to eachother. I was quite pleased, so now you (and others) may disabuse me of that sentiment! Please do! (if you must!) As Rachel says, 'Talk me down!'

[DeepBlueC]

36. Canadians do love Obama

He has an 80% approval rating here. The morning headline was "A new era of co-operation". Inside stories: "Where Obama goes, Harper seems happy to follow"; "Compliments, common friends and some politics too" (the 10 minute scheduled private conversation stretched to 33 and included personal getting-to-know-you exchanges);"Ottawa crowds swoon over a smile, a wave and a little French"

From the front page story:

He had us at merci.
Barack Obama's visit to Ottawa yesterday was a six-hour romance with a country eager to return his affections.
Indeed the whole nation seemed weak in the knees.

Canadians like Obama a great deal better than they like Harper. Bush and Harper had an alliance of right-wingers although when it came to trade issues Bush didn't give an inch even when the U.S. tariffs on Canadian wood seemed to violate NAFTA (disputed by U.S.) and were rejected by the World Trade Association. Whenever Bush lost a trade battle he either started a new case somewhere else or he just rejected the verdict. And the whole time tariffs on Canadian wood remained in place and the lumber industry, particularly in B.C. closed a lot of mills and left many lumber workers unemployed in an area where alternative employment is near impossible to find. I don't know that Harper got much for his partnership. Perhaps I'm not seeing everything but Bush generally didn't give much back even when nations did support him so it is not surprising that he got so very little.

He said yesterday that Obama is very easy to like and very essy to talk with and I think they they will be able to work together. Even though they are politically on opposite sides I don't think the American right wing did much good for the Canadian right wing, or so it seemed to me. Interestingly they did get together on rejecting strategies to deal with global warming...both have oil interests close to them. But Obama's pragmatism will make it easier for Harper to move in the direction Canadians want to go. And he is in sympathy with the difficulties with the difficulties Homeland Security has inflicted on cross-border trade. Harper stands to gain a lot in Canada from a good relationship with Obama. And now Harper is eager to get a deal on environmental issues with the U.S. because he is finally seeing things going green around him.

Stephen Harper is very intelligent and very much an ideologue although he has been constrained because Canadians will not trust him with a majority. I'd compare him to Newt Gingrich.

Still you ARE right to be optimistic. I may finally start finding it easier to be an American in Canada. :D

[elleng]

40. Thanks for this. I'm rather distressed

by the following:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/20/world/americas/20prexy.html?scp=1&sq=harper&st=cse

Which Canadian papers should I read?

[akbacchus_BC]

20. Thanks for this, I missed it as I was already late for work watching

President Obama's arrival, the crowd being interviewed at Parliament Hill and the photo op with the GG. I was hoping the crowd would get a glimpse of President Obama, they were so excited.

[DeepBlueC]

22. It was thrilling

They interviewed people in the crowd who had come from some distance to be a teeny weeny bit of history, knowing that it would not be a major personal appearance. It could have been. I was so happy that Barack displayed graciousness to the crowd and it was a thrilling moment when the cheer went up. After you saw all the T shirts, signs. I didn't see any protests. Probably must have been some, but I think most presidential visits are distinguished by the protests. Rarely the excited welcome I saw today. Pictures Jackeens put up brought tears to my eyes. I'm going to turn to mush!!! :hi:

[akbacchus_BC]

23. Yes, it was thrilling, I wished I could have seen more. I saw the

many interviews and the Inuit girls were awesome. Someone in the crowd, after being interviewed said something like 'yes we can eh', not sure though. People were there for many hours and lots did not come from Quebec because of the weather. It was simply beautiful and the newscasters were so gracious.

I am so proud that President Obama choose to visit Canada first. He sure is a healing presence.

Will have to go look for Jackeens pics, thanks for telling me, her pics are a delight.
~hugs~

[lunatica]

30. The comparison with dimshit is so inevitable

George's visits forced governments to shut down the parts of the cities he would travel in. The people in some were told not to open their windows and the ever present demonstrators where never allowed to actually be seen by the boy emperor dude. Where George needed complete 360 degree protection from both people and the truth, President Obama obviously seems to seek both out.

The contrast is perfect.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

31. I'm trying to figure out how Canadians could bring themselves to vote for someone like Harper

after they saw what we've been through with Dumbya and Darth Cheney.

Can you explain this? I thought Canadians were much more progressive than Americans. I know there's a contingent of ultra-conservatives in Canada; I just didn't think they had too much influence.

Thanks. :yourock:

[LynnTheDem]

32. A majority of Canadians did NOT vote for Harper.

He has a minority govt'; 2/3rds of canadians voted for someone else.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

33. I know it's a parliamentary system that is based on proportional representation, but

how is the PM from the conservative party if the other party got 2/3rds of the vote? Just curious and don't mean to be slow on the uptake.

[LynnTheDem]

34. There's more than one other major party.

If you have 3 or 4 or 5 major parties, and 2/3rds split their votes between 2 or 3 other parties, the party that the majority of Canadians did NOT vote for can end up winning a minority govt.

But harper's on a short leash and soon to be gone. :)

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

35. Got it! That makes sense. And thanks for the explanation.

[DeepBlueC]

37. it's not proportional representation

It is still winner take all, just more parties to divvy up the electorate.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

38. Thanks.