Obama Compares Israel-Palestine and Canada-U.S. Relations, Triggers Harsh Hashtag

The Toronto Sun reports on U.S. President Barack Obama comparing the Israeli-Palestinian relationship to the Canada-U.S. relationship.  As you can tell, some didn't appreciate the presidential Canadian name-drop:  

U.S. President Barack Obama is taking heat for comparing relations between Israel and Palestine with Canada and the U.S.

Because Canadians are known for hurling rockets into Buffalo, right?

Obama made the comparison in the West Bank Thursday, saying Canadians and Americans have disagreements, too, but resolve them diplomatically.

“We can’t afford to have our kids in bed sleeping and suddenly a rocket comes through the roof, but my argument is even though both sides may have areas of strong disagreement, may be engaging in activities the other side considers to be a breach of good faith, we have to push through those things to try to get to an agreement.”

For those wanting a hilarious distraction, check out #thecanucksarecoming.

Now, to be fair, Canadians (in a loose sense) burnt down the White House.

Obama Administration Won't Be Pushed on Keystone

Politico reports on the White House's refusal to "get ahead" on approving Keystone XL:

White House press secretary Jay Carney said the administration will not be pushed into making a hasty decision on whether to approve the Keystone XL pipeline.

More than half the Senate -- 53 senators -- signed a letter to President Obama on Wednesday urging quick approval.

"We appreciate input from lawmakers, but as you know, as is keeping with longstanding tradition, multi adminstrations, multi-administration tradition, these reviews are conducted by the State Department, and when the State Department concludes that process, we make, we’ll move forward," Carney said. "There will be a decision, but I'm not going to get ahead of that process.

The Globe and Mail probes today's confirmation hearing of Senator John Kerry, with Sen. Kerry likely to head the federal agency currently reviewing the Keystone XL project.  The article also focuses on environmentalists' hopes that the the inaugural address of President Obama--the ultimate decider on approving the project--signals aversion to the pipeline project:

Still, amidst the jibes and good wishes, Mr. Kerry’s views on climate change in general and Keystone XL in particular should provide a hint as to whether the President’s lofty rhetoric on cutting carbon will translate into political reality. Republican Senator John McCain, who, like Mr. Kerry, tried and failed in a bid for the presidency, joked that senators would use so-called enhanced interrogation techniques to make sure Mr. Kerry, was being forthcoming. “We will bring back, for the only time, water-boarding to get the truth out.”

Still, some expect Mr. Kerry to duck if and when he is quizzed about Keystone XL. In delaying a final decision until after the November election, the President sent the proposal back to the State Department for a revised assessment and Mr. Kerry may opt to await that outcome, expected in late March or April, rather than telegraph his views.
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But the final Keystone decision “will be made in the White House, not by the Secretary of State,” said Daniel Kessler of 350.org. Hence the delight among Keystone XL opponents after the President’s stirring vow to take action on climate change. “A failure to do so would betray our children and future generations,” said Mr. Obama of the need to stop global warming.

Mr. Kerry’s environmental advocacy stretches back decades and he was co-sponsor of the ill-fated Senate effort to introduce a cap-and-trade effort to curb carbon emissions. Along with his wife, Teresa Heinz, heiress to the food fortune, he wrote a book in 2007 called: This Moment on Earth: Today’s New Environmentalists and Their Vision for the Future.

While the approval this week by Nebraska Governor Dave Heineman of a new pipeline routing that avoids a sensitive underground aquifer, Keystone XL is now banking on the President and Mr. Kerry to block the project.

“You cannot say the words the President did in his inaugural address and then turn around and approve the pipeline,” said Jane Kleeb, who heads Bold Nebraska, a group opposed to Keystone. “The fight continues, even though Governor Heineman sided with a foreign corporation.”

President Obama’s Re-Election—for Obvious and Less Obvious Reasons—May Push the Canada-U.S. Relationship to Center-Stage

By Keith Edmund White 

Will Obama’s second term put the Canada-U.S. relationship on center-stage?  A quick round-up of Canadian headlines shows three major issues dominating the post-election Canada-U.S. relationship: (1) in the short-term, Canadian apprehension over America’s ability to reach a debt deal, (2) Keystone XL, and (3) moving forward on the Beyond the Border Initiative.  But let’s not forget two other wrinkles from America’s election night: Heidi Heitkamp’s Senate win and the failure of a state constitutional roadblock to the Detroit River Crossing Project.  And when you add to this Canada’s critical role in the Trans-Pacific Partnership talks, the Canada-U.S. relationship will be getting its fair due during Obama’s second term.

BC’s The Tyee offers a cautious Canadian reaction to President Obama’s re-election.  The article's two chief points: (1) If Obama does not reach a debt deal with Congressional Republicans, who still hold the U.S. House of Representatives, America could tumble into recession, and drag Canada along for the ride; and (2) hope that Obama will clear full construction of the Keystone XL pipeline.  But The Hill calls Keystone XL an energy election-night ‘loser,’ seeing a Romney White House fast-tracking the project.  My guess: with Keystone XL already under construction, I don’t expect the Obama administration to stall Keystone XL’s northern construction much longer.

But, in any case, Heidi Heitkamp’s Senate victory in North Dakota guarantees one strong, Democratic voice in favor of the pipe-line.

And then, of course, one major pit-fall in Canada-U.S. relations was avoided.  Yesterday Michigan voters shot down a state constitutional amendment that would have delayed—and perhaps killed—plans to build a second, bridge crossing connecting Detroit to Windsor over the Detroit River—a project with obvious economic impact in both Canada and the United States, and strongly supported by Canadian Prime Minster Harper.

But one less reported story bears mentioning.  December 2011’s Beyond the Border Initiative (BTB), a Canada-U.S. project to streamline border regulations and bolster border security, might get a jump start.   Birgit Matthiesen offers this BTB post-election update for the Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters:

Over the last four years, Canada has too often benignly neglected by our neighbour. But the next four years presents an opportunity to build a North American manufacturing base. The US business community has a partner in Canada. One-third of our cross border business is intra-company and another third is comprised of intra-industry shipments. Our best ideas are each other's next new product.

The ball is in our court, as it always is when dealing with an American administration. But we do not have to start at square one.

Two initiatives between President Obama and Prime Minister Harper have already been launched – the Beyond the Border Action Plan and the Regulatory Cooperation Council. The ambition is great, but the progress is slow. Now that the elections are behind us, Ottawa and Washington need to get back to the table on these two efforts.

We have a major opportunity right now. 2013 must be the year that celebrates our cross-border partnership and the strength that our industries bring to each other's communities. Obsolete border management policies and unnecessary regulations must be replaced by a modern framework that will protect us from the economic storms ahead.

But, the big story—and not once mentioned on cable news last night—is that an Obama victory will continue progress, without the interruption of a presidential transition, on the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP).  As earlier reported on CUSLI-Nexus, Canada may likely play a critical role in ensuring these talks succeed.  And if this massive trade deal succeeds, it will likely—over the medium and long-term—generate more economic growth--and, at times, painful economic shifting--than any stimulus or jobs bill.  Furthermore, how the TPP goes may well portend how the future effectiveness of the World Trade Organization. 

What’s the importance of listing these seemingly unattached policy items?  First, it seems that two big pressure points in the Canada-U.S. relationship—Keystone XL and the International Detroit River Crossing—have (or soon will be) taken care of.  Next, Canada represents low-hanging economic fruit for the United States.  And—after Obama does heavy lifting on a debt deal and a job bill—the name of the White House economic strategy will be (with one major exception) connecting small dots to generate growth.  One major and needless U.S. economic drain?  Canada-U.S. border regulatory burdens that could be eased through smart, cooperative policies.

Now, naysayers may argue the United States has had trouble keeping focus on Canada.   But, if the TPP talks keep moving ahead, the United States simply won’t have this luxury.  Hence, whether pushed by state-specific issues or international trade diplomacy, the Canada-U.S. relationship may just see its fair share of time on center-stage during Obama's second term.

Canadians Gaga for Obama on Energy; Americans Not So Much

On energy policy, it turns out Canadians and Americans have very different views of the U.S. presidential candidates.  Given the importance of the U.S.-Canada energy relationship, along with the recent candidate kerfuffle at the second presidential debate when it came to energy policy, this difference seems more than just an interesting polling side-note.

• A recent poll finds U.S. voters support President Obama on energy policy over Governor Romney by a 37% - 28% margin.  But that means 35% of U.S. voters are either unsure or undecided.  (Source:  University of Texas on-line poll of ~2,000 individuals)

• But when you look at Canadians, when asked specifically on which presidential candidate would do more to spur Canadian energy imports, 49% favor Obama, 26% favor Romney, and only 26% of Canadians either not knowing or finding no difference between the candidates.  (Source:  Sept. 29, 2012 Forum Research poll of 1,000 Canadian adults) 

Sure, this difference if just polling fluff, Canadians favoring consistency over change, or--perhaps--just the echo of Canada's more left-leaning political scene.  Or, most likely, the lack of coal being a big issue in the Canada-U.S. energy relationship.

Is Income-Based Repayment Obama's Stand-In for a Student Loan Bail Out? And Is it Smart Policy?

By Keith Edmund White

Editor-in Chief

Last week, CUSLI-Nexus Senior Editor Justin McNeil explored the provocative differences between the discharge of student loan debt in Canada and the United States. But is the White House using Income-Based Repayment as a stand in for bailing out those burdened with student loan debt?

Today the New America Foundation releases Safety Net or Windfall?, a report looking at soon-to-be finalized regulatory changes to 2010 legislation that reformed the Income-Based Repayment plan for federal student loans. 

The attention-getting talking point:

But contrary to benefitting [sic] low-income borrowers, the pending changes to IBR will actually provide generous benefits to borrowers with higher federal loan balances – those with graduate or professional degrees. A borrower with an MBA or a law degree can easily have a six-figure loan balance forgiven, even if his income exceeds $100,000 for much of his repayment term. 

And let’s not forget the U.S. fiscal backdrop all U.S. domestic spending (or in this case, forgiveness of federally issued debt) faces: With U.S. law-makers facing a fiscal crisis, any changes to student-loan repayment plans—especially those made in the executive branch via regulation—can’t be considered permanent.

So this brings us back to Justin’s piece:  Should U.S. law-makers, at the very least, revisit the legal rules for students looking to discharge their student debt?

Finally, here's a July 2011 article (updated in Sept. 2012) from The Globe and Mail about Canada's  growing difficulties with student debt.