Heads in the tar sands

[CHIMO]

There was much to discuss in the lead-up to Barack Obama's Canadian visit: the "Buy American" legislation in the US economic stimulus package that was softened due to Nafta; environmental questions over the feasibility of continued oil sands exploration; whether Canada's 2011 benchmark for withdrawal from Afghanistan would stand; how many Obamaniacs would line the streets of Ottawa, in contrast to the number who showed up to give George Bush the finger in 2004.

The trip registered as a small blip on the US media scene, overshadowed by the Dow Jones's worst day in six years and Hillary Clinton's visit to South Korea. Obama's pop-in on Stephen Harper was seen as a cordial house call. In Canada, the visit was a hoopla of devotion. As it turned out, thousands of people lined the streets and waited on Parliament Hill to catch a fleeting glimpse of the US president. The media fawned, too. As Obama's motorcade screamed along Bronson Avenue toward the Parliament buildings, a Canadian Broadcasting Corporation reporter shrieked: "I saw him!"

With only a few hours available, it became clear early on that the question of energy was to be the most important of the day. Only minutes into the official visit, the White House released a statement that the two leaders would agree upon a 'clean energy dialogue', a cross-border commitment to shared research on cleaner energy solutions.

Obama came to Canada and, politically, he delivered. For many Canadians, his open energy dialogue with Harper furthers the reputation of both leaders. The quick visit was designed as a friendly extended hand to a close neighbour, and that was achieved, with a little celebrity spotting mixed in. But despite opening an official dialogue on North American energy initiatives, Canadians and Americans have been left without much to go on. The oil sands remain a necessary evil, and it does not appear that either leader will change that any time soon.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/cifamerica/2009/feb/20/obama-harper-canada-oil-environment

Almost seems like things are getting cozy. No matter which politician is involved.