The Three Amigos Summit — The North American Summit 29/06/2016

On 29 June 2016 the Three Amigos, Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Mexico's President Enrique Pena Nieto, and US President Barak Obama, met in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada's capital city, to discuss a whole laundry list of items.  Pena Nieto and Trudeau met earlier and agreed on at least two matters important to the two nations: 1) the lifting of visa requirements for Mexicans travelling to Canada which the Harper government instiituted out of fear of a flood of refugees; and 2) the reintroduction of Canadian beef to Mexico after Mexico banned Canadian beef because of the occurrence of Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), commonly known as mad cow disease.  After the Summit, Obama spoke before a joint meeting of the House of Commons and the Canadian Senate.

The arrival at Parliament Hill.  You can see in the background one of the towers encased in scaffolding.  As in the US, Conservatives have let some infrastructure deteriorate, even the Prime Minister's residence.

CBC — What did the Three Amigos discuss?

The talks hadn't even started between Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, U.S. President Barack Obama and Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto when statements began circulating about what they'd agree on.

Climate change

Obama was barely off the plane when the White House announced a joint environmental action plan. (Canada's release soon followed.)

As CBC News reported earlier this week, the three countries want 50 per cent of their electricity to come from clean power generation by 2025. The plan includes support for cross-border transmission lines, including infrastructure for renewable energy.

There's also a plan to tackle short-lived pollutants, including cutting methane emissions from the oil and gas sector between 40 and 45 per cent by 2025, reducing black carbon (soot) emissions and finding alternatives to hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs). 

There were a number of things up for discussiion including climate change, trilateral trade, border issues, economic competitiveness, human rights, and security.  Click through for a report on the other five.  Now, if the three countries could only produce an equitable plan that benefits each.  The protectionism is getting a little much, and with the possibility of a Drumpf White House, things will get even worse.  At the end of a Q&A, Obama went on a "rant" about populism and Drumpf.

CBC — "If you'll allow me, I want to say one last thing because it has been a running thread in a bunch questions … this whole issue of populism," Obama said. 

The president then suggested someone take a minute to look up the meaning of the term populism — to represent the interests of the common people — that is often used to describe Trump's campaign style.

Obama said he got into politics to help people, to make sure the poor had the same chances to succeed as the wealthy, that working moms had trustworthy child care, that the tax system was fair and that children were getting a "decent education." 

"Now, I suppose that makes me a populist," Obama said.

"Somebody else who has never shown any regard for workers, has never fought on behalf of social justice issues or making sure that poor kids are getting a decent shot in life, or have health care — in fact, have worked against economic opportunity for workers and ordinary people — they don't suddenly become a populist because they say something controversial in order to win votes. That's not the measure of populism, that's nativism, or xenophobia, or worse. Or, it's just cynicism."

Drumpf's style?  I'll take substance over style any day!  Drumpf is only out for himself first, then other wealthy 1%ers.  It was good to hear Obama comment on Drumpf.

After The Three Amigos Summit, Pena Nieto left and Obama stayed in Ottawa to address a joint session of Parliament.  I think the last American president to address Parliament was Bill Clinton.  What follows is Obama's address in its entirety.

From the CBC — U.S. President Barack Obama handed the torch of progressive politics to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau Wednesday in a warm, rousing speech to Parliament, in which he also bluntly urged Canada to spend more on defence to meet its international obligations.

He praised the extraordinary alliance and deep friendship between Canada and the United States.

"We see ourselves in each other and our lives are richer for it," Obama said.

"The enduring partnership between Canada and the United States is as strong as it has ever been and we are more closely aligned than ever before."

I was particularly amused by Obama's comment about why Ottawa was chosen as the capital — its distance from the American border.  During the War of 1812, the Americans sacked York (now Toronto).  The British returned the favour by crossing the border and burning down the White House.

CBC — The American president's speech to the House of Commons will inevitably be described as historic, because Canadians still really love Barack Obama. We think he might secretly be Canadian. …

… Obama managed to pack in tolerance, diversity, multi-culti, climate change, the duty of hard power to keep peace while punishing evil, the imperative of fighting inequality and discrimination and bigotry and nativism, our collective moral obligation to fight the outrage of poverty abroad, the need to make decisions based on fact and evidence, a rousing call to eliminate diseases and produce the first AIDS-free generation and a plea to recognize that some values are universal, and that we should set aside timidity and unabashedly fight for pluralism, equality and tolerance. …

It's hard to imagine any other world leader singling out the Trudeau government's effort at reconciliation with indigenous people, even using the uniquely Canadian term "First Nations."

And it was good to hear an American president effectively concede Canada was right all those years ago to engage Cuba, rather than try to isolate and destroy it, and even understand the Canadian fear of American tourists, with all their money and, well, Americanism, flooding back onto Varadero's beaches.

Let's face it, speeches are just words.  To have meaning, there must be truth and sincerity behind them.  For the most part I agree with Obama.  Nobody, no country is perfect.  But if we strive to move forward with justice for each other and for the planet, we will accomplish much.