The Canada-U.S. Bilateral Ledger

(Embassy – Leslie Campbell)

Where Canada is winning and losing in Obama’s America

The annual August Congressional break always seems to prompt pundits to tally the administration’s legislative successes and failures. President Obama’s recent record was judged a wash as the session drew to an end.

While the defeat of bills that would have authorized $1.75 billion for procuring seven F22 fighter jets and that would have extended concealed weapons rights to apply between states were considered Obama victories, the announcement that health reform would be delayed until fall, and possibly the end of the year, was judged one of the president’s few sour notes.

The looming summer break also occasioned some informal surveys of President Obama’s overall record thus far. Except for the pundits of the farthest reaches on the right, he’s been deemed successful by almost any measure put forward.

Unfortunately, a mid-year review of Canada-U.S. relations under Obama wouldn’t be quite as rosy, although the fundamental friendship, of course, remains fully intact. Read more here.