"The world is going to spend a lot of time looking to you Mr. Prime Minister. Viva la Canada because we need you very, very badly." — Vice President Joe Biden.
Biden praised Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau along with German Chancellor Angela Merkel as genuine leaders when they are otherwise in short supply. "We're going to get through this period because we are Americans and Canadians."
The vice president was in Ottawa Thursday and Friday for a state dinner in his honour as well as meeting the Canadian premiers on climate change.
The vice president also met with the Canadian premiers on climate change. Despite the ominous contrast between the Obama Administration and the president-elect, Biden tried to reassure Canadians and the world to keep up the fight on climate change.
"Regardless of whether the next administration is as aggressive as we have been, there's no way to turn back — I'm not suggesting they intend to — but there's no way to turn back this tide that has begun to roll," Biden said. "Whatever uncertainty exists around the near-term policy choices of the next president, I am absolutely confident the United States will continue making progress in its path to a low-carbon future."
Biden was intrigued about meeting with the provincial premiers, like state governments in the United States, are often at the forefront of innovation, including climate change.
The impression of the entire visit was to say to Canada and the world that eventually the relationship between the two countries will be okay. By being the sitting vice president, the message is stronger than if Biden comes in the summer of 2017 as a former vice president.
At the dinner, Biden recalled when Pierre Trudeau reached out to him after Biden lost his wife and daughter in a car accident. Trudeau reportedly got emotional when Biden said "You're a successful father when your children turn out better than you."
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The lame duck session of Congress passed a preclearance border-crossing bill that is anticipated to be signed by President Barack Obama.
If you've cleared customs in Canada before coming to the United States, you've already experienced preclearance. Having U.S. customs officers in Canada makes going to the United States much easier in terms of time and reducing logjams. This agreement expands the process to 2 more airports: Billy Bishop (Toronto) and Jean Lesage (Quebec City).
The idea is to expand preclearance to trains, buses, and hopefully cars between the countries. Pilot projects will be at Gare Central in Montréal and on the Rocky Mountaineer train line from Vancouver and points beyond in British Columbia and Alberta to Seattle.
"This agreement has long been a priority for Vermonters. It would make it possible to restore Amtrak service between Vermont and Quebec in the future. It's a win for Vermont's economy, and for Canadians who visit Vermont to sightsee, ski, shop and dine." — Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT)
The Montrealer train through Vermont stopped running in 1995. Amtrak doesn't run trains from Montréal to Vermont, but does through New York state. Port Kent, NY is a seasonal stop on that line. Travelers from Burlington, VT can pick up a ferry and go to Port Kent to catch the train. Preclearance will help increase Vermont-Quebec-New York traffic and tourism.
The legislation has stalled for some time in the U.S. Congress. The Harper Government had been negotiating this for some time and the Trudeau Government has taken up the cause.
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photo credits: Patrick Doyle/The Canadian Press via AP; Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press via AP; Patrick Doyle/The Canadian Press via AP
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