OTTAWA — President Barack Obama stepped cautiously in his first foreign trip Thursday, refraining from asking Canada to rethink its plans to withdraw troops from Afghanistan and saying changes to the North American Free Trade Agreement can wait.
The new U.S. president was cheered by crowds in the snowy Canadian capital and responded by declaring “I love this country” at a news conference. Later, he stopped at a downtown market, where he delighted onlookers by shopping for gifts for his family.
In the news conference with Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, Obama acknowledged that he has said NAFTA does too little to protect U.S. workers and the environment. Canada, the United States’ largest trading partner, is leery of changes to the deal, and Obama said robust trade helps both nations.
Both leaders said that as economies around the world face crises, it’s important for the U.S. and others to resist calls for protectionism.
As for Afghanistan, Canada plans to pull its 2,500 combat troops from the volatile south in 2011, following the deaths of more than 100 soldiers in the country since 2001. Obama is dispatching 17,000 more U.S. service members to the war zone.
Obama said Thursday that he did not press Harper to reconsider. Instead, he said he praised Canada for its sacrifices and for making Afghanistan its largest recipient of foreign aid.
Harper and Obama also announced an agreement to begin a clean-energy dialogue. Obama said it will “advance carbon-reduction technologies,” which could slow global warming.
He said the dialogue also will “support the development of an electric grid that can help deliver the clean and renewable energy of the future to homes and businesses” in both countries.
Harper said he was pleased that Canada now has a North American partner to help provide leadership on climate change.
Turning to border security and fighting terrorism, Harper said any threat to the United States is a threat to his country, too.
Harper, alternating between English and French, said Obama’s election “launches a new chapter in the rich history of Canada-U.S. relations.”
Obama returned the warm words. “I love this country and think that we could not have a better friend and ally,” he said.
