Bush Boosts Battered NAFTA at Summit

Canada, Mexico both angry about Obama protectionism

(NEWSER) - President Obama is headed to Guadalajara today for his first "Three Amigos" summit with the leaders of Canada and Mexico, but the meeting may be less than completely friendly. Trade and drug trafficking will dominate the agenda, and the leaders have some grievances they plan to press, reports Reuters. Felipe Calderón wants Obama to resolve a simmering dispute involving Mexican trucks driving into the States, while Stephen Harper will voice Canadian anger over the stimulus package's "Buy American" rule. More»

Bush meets neighbors, Calderon leaves early, protests turn violent

(NEWSER) - President Bush met with his counterparts from north and south yesterday at a Canadian summit overshadowed by Hurricane Dean and greeted with violent protests. The so-called "Three Amigos" met in a Quebec château ringed by a huge security wall, outside which police used tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse protesters. The summit continues today, but Mexican President Felipe Calderon is leaving early to oversee the hurricane response. More»

American protectionism worries our northern neighbor

(NEWSER) - Canada’s biggest problem now also happens to be its best friend: America. PM Stephen Harper once worried that Canada’s “special relationship” with the US had been lost under George W. Bush—and it hasn’t improved a bit under Obama, writes Luiza Ch. Savage in Macleans. Not only has Obama kept Bush’s tighter border-security measures, he’s sent spy drones to watch the border, giving it “something in common with the tribal lands between Afghanistan and Pakistan.” More»

Mexico contracts 21.5% as American demand dries up

(NEWSER) - Yesterday Mexico became the latest country to disclose a sharp economic contraction as a result of the slowdown in US consumption of imported goods. Mexican GDP fell at an annualized rate of 21.5% in the first quarter, following Germany, down 14.4%, and Japan, 15.2%—its worst performance since 1955. As the Wall Street Journal reports, declining US demand is taking severe effects on exporting nations. More»

(NEWSER) - President Obama and PM Stephen Harper today announced an environmental partnership between the US and Canada, the Globe and Mail reports. Harper spoke of a “clean energy dialogue” between top officials to “collaborate on the development of clean energy science and technology.” Said Obama, who was making his first trip out of the country since taking office: “We are so closely linked that we have a tendency to take our relationship for granted.” More»