NYT : No Breakthroughs at Canada Talks

No Breakthroughs at Canada Talks

By THE NEW YORK TIMES | August 22, 2007

MONTEBELLO, Quebec, Aug. 21 — President Bush met with Prime Minster Stephen Harper of Canada and President Felipe Calderón of Mexico here on Tuesday at a gathering that focused primarily on strengthening ties and some thorny trade and border issues, but which produced no breakthroughs.

The three laughed off what they called conspiracy theories in the United States and Canada that they were planning to build an American Union with a common currency.

“A couple of my opposition leaders have speculated on massive water diversions and superhighways to the continent — maybe interplanetary, I’m not sure, as well,” Mr. Harper deadpanned.

Mr. Bush said he disagreed with Canada’s claim that the Northwest Passage was its sovereign territory, though he recognized its claims on the Arctic islands it says are its own.