U.S. President Barack Obama phoned prime minister-designate Justin Trudeau Tuesday afternoon, congratulated him on leading his party to an election victory and teased him about his hair — or its colour, to be exact, predicting he could soon expect it to turn grey. 
 
 According to a readout of the call from the White House, the two leaders agreed on the importance of deepening the "already strong" bilateral relationship between Canada and the U.S. and committed to strengthen joint efforts to promote trade and to combat terrorism and climate change. 
 
 They talked about the recently concluded Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal and committed to working together to "achieve an ambitious and durable" global climate change agreement at the upcoming United Nations conference in Paris in December. 
 
 At a news conference in Ottawa, Trudeau described the phone conversation as "warm" in tone and said that Obama advised him to cherish the time with his young children, because they grow up fast. Obama's two daughters are in high school and have grown up at the White House. Trudeau said the U.S. president also teased him about not having any grey hair. 
 
 "He said that I will probably get some quite soon, just like him," Trudeau said. The Liberal leader's hair was a theme before and during the campaign because of a Conservative attack ad that suggested Trudeau had a thin resumé and wasn't ready to lead Canada. "Nice hair, though," the ad said. 
 
 Relationship about more than Keystone 
 
 The Canadian election results were the first topic of conversation at the daily White House briefing earlier in the day. Press Secretary Josh Earnest was asked whether he expects the Canada-U.S. relationship to get easier under Trudeau because outgoing prime minister Stephen Harper seemed "annoyed" over the long delay on a Keystone XL pipeline decision. 
 
 "Well, I think it would be short-sighted to reduce the relationship between our two countries to just one issue," Earnest responded. The proposed cross-border pipeline recommendation is still pending at the State Department and has yet to get a final decision from Obama. 
 
 Earnest said there are a number of issues that Canada and the U.S. work effectively on, including Canada's participation in the international coalition to fight ISIS in Iraq and Syria and the TPP trade deal. 
 
 Trudeau, who favours the construction of the Keystone XL pipeline, also said at the news conference that the Canada-U.S. relationship is about much more than a proposed pipeline and that he made that point when he spoke to Obama. In terms of the timing of a decision, Trudeau said he respects the president's role and responsibility in making it. 
 
 When pressed at the White House briefing about a decision, Earnest said Secretary of State John Kerry spoke about it earlier Tuesday and indicated the Canadian election result would have no bearing on the timing of a decision or on whether the answer will be yes or no. 
 
 Earnest said the White House does not have an expectation on when the State Department will complete its review and send its recommendation to Obama. The president does expect to make a decision, however, before he leaves office after the 2016 election, he said. 
 
 Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau visited Washington, D.C., in the fall of 2013. He's pledged to make the U.S.-Canada relationship a more constructive one and blames outgoing Prime Minister Stephen Harper for weakened ties between the two countries. (Susan Walsh/Associated Press) 
 
 "Hopefully we'll get it done well before then, if for no other reason than we can stop talking about it," Earnest said. 
 
 Obama is under pressure from environmentalists to reject the TransCanada Corp.'s pipeline project that would connect Alberta's oil patch with refineries in the Gulf Coast. 
 
 Harper's government has lobbied for years in Washington for approval of Keystone. The outgoing prime minister has called the approval a "no-brainer," and Harper once said he wouldn't take no for an answer. 
 
 Obama understands ISIS position 
 
 Earnest noted on Tuesday that Canada has made some "important commitments" in advance of the Paris climate change conference but added: "We believe it's possible that there's more that Canada could do in this regard." 
 
 It's too early to judge whether Trudeau will follow through on environment policy promises made during the campaign, said Earnest, while also admitting he did not follow the campaign closely. 
 
 Obama has been pressing world leaders to make serious commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in Paris, and that will be no different with Trudeau, he said. 
 
 Trudeau said he told the president during their call that it's important to him that Canada engages in a positive way on the environment file on an international stage. He also told Obama that he looks forward to demonstrating that "we have a Canadian government now that understands that the way to build a strong economy is to protect and defend our environment at the same time." 
 
 Trudeau has pledged to repair what he described as a frayed Canada-U.S. relationship under Harper but that could get off to a rocky start if he follows through on a promise to withdraw Canada's fighter jets from the U.S.-led fight against ISIS. The Liberals want to provide more humanitarian aid in Iraq and Syria and have Canada's military involved in training missions, not bombing missions. 
 
 The White House said it appreciates Canada lending its skill and expertise to the mission so far and hopes it can continue to count on its northern neighbour to participate in the coalition. 
 
 Trudeau said he and Obama spoke about Canada's role in the mission and that the president "understands the commitments I have made around ending the combat mission." 
 
 Harper can also expect a phone call from Obama in the near future, according to the White House spokesman. 
 
 "Our bilateral relationship has enhanced the security and prosperity of the American people and we certainly are appreciative of Prime Minister Harper's efforts to strengthen that relationship, and we look forward to building on that kind of progress when Mr. Trudeau takes over the Prime Minister's Office." ||||| Washington (AFP) - Barack Obama welcomed youthful Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's "quite good looking Canadian delegation" to the White House Thursday, for a pomp-filled visit designed to rejuvenate US-Canada ties. 
 
 Obama laid out a full military band and ceremonial guard on the South Lawn, making the recently elected prime minister the first Canadian leader in 20 years to receive an official-level visit. 
 
 After talks in the Oval Office and a Rose Garden press conference, Obama will host a state dinner, with guests that including Mike Myers, Ryan Reynolds, Michael J. Fox and Blake Lively. 
 
 The 54-year-old Obama has saluted Trudeau, 44, as political and generational kin, an ideological colleague who shares a belief in the importance of issues like healthcare, gay rights and tackling climate change. 
 
 "He campaigned on a message of hope and of change," said Obama, echoing his own 2008 campaign message. "From my perspective, what's not to like." 
 
 "Justin's talent and concern for the Canadian people, and his appreciation of the vital role that Canada can play in the larger world is self-apparent." 
 
 View gallery US President Barack Obama and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau leave following a joint press c … 
 
 Obama's effusive praise was met with an invitation to visit Ottawa later this summer and address the Canadian parliament. 
 
 "That's a great honor," said Obama. "I look forward to the opportunity to speak directly to the Canadian people about the extraordinary future that we can build together." 
 
 In comments that were perhaps directed at Canadians who feel slightly ignored by their larger neighbor, Obama said the visit reflected "something we Americans don't always say enough, and that is how much we value our great alliance and partnership with our friends up north." 
 
 Trudeau also reciprocated Obama's compliments, describing him as a "man of both tremendous heart and tremendous intellect." 
 
 - Slap shot - 
 
 View gallery A place setting for US President Barack Obama is seen during a preview before the State Dinner for C … 
 
 There was also some jovial ribbing, with Obama joking about national rivalries over whose beer is best and Canada's national obsession, ice hockey. 
 
 "Where's the Stanley Cup right now?" Obama teased. "I'm sorry, is it in my hometown with the Chicago Blackhawks?" 
 
 Trudeau hit back that the team's trio of superstars -- Patrick Sharp, Jonathan Toews and Duncan Keith -- were among Canada's greatest exports. 
 
 "There is no relationship in the entire world like the Canada-US relationship," he said. 
 
 Early on Thursday, the White House announced that Canada had agreed to match an existing US target of reducing methane emissions by 40-45 percent below 2012 levels by 2025 from the oil and gas sector. 
 
 View gallery US President Barack Obama (R) and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau meet in the Oval Office at … 
 
 The two countries also agreed on measures to better manage the Arctic wilderness, creating low-impact shipping corridors and managing fish stocks. 
 
 During former prime minister Stephen Harper's long tenure, the environment had been a serious point of contention with Washington. 
 
 Harper had argued forcefully for building a new trans-border pipeline to carry Canadian crude through the United States, a plan that Obama ultimately vetoed. 
 
 Obama and Trudeau met as their country's leaders for the first time at an Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Manila in November, a month after the Canadian won a general election. 
 
 Trudeau has refused to reconsider a campaign promise to pull Canadian jets out of Iraq and Syria. 
 
 But the two men put aside differences over Syria and the fight against the Islamic State group to joke about graying hair and trade compliments about their spouses and kids. 
 
 The warmth of the encounter triggered a flood of online jokes and tongue-in-cheek reports on a budding "bromance" between the leaders, as photos went viral showing them smiling like old buddies, or cooing over a photogenic baby on the South Lawn. ||||| President Barack Obama and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau may be having a bromance, but now their spouses are "soulmates." 
 
 First lady Michelle Obama and Sophie Grégoire-Trudeau held an event together on Thursday morning to promote girls' education around the world. 
 
 And it seems they are more than getting along. 
 
 Story continues below advertisement 
 
 Ms. Obama introduced Ms. Grégoire-Trudeau as "my soulmate right now." 
 
 "We've already gotten into trouble," she joked. 
 
 The first lady praised the Prime Minister's wife as a funny, beautiful role model who is a wonderful mother of three kids, including one "delicious" one, referring to youngest son Hadrien's curly hair. 
 
 "Sophie's a very passionate advocate for women and girls," Ms. Obama said, as Ms. Grégoire-Trudeau looked on. 
 
 While their husbands were in the Oval Office, their spouses attended the Let Girls Learn event at the United States Institute for Peace, before meeting up for a luncheon at the State Department hosted by Secretary of State John Kerry. 
 
 The Let Girls Learn program seeks to empower girls around the world, funding projects that help young women get an education. Ms. Obama said 62 million girls around the world are not in school. 
 
 "Canada truly understands that gender equality and gender empowerment is a priority," Ms. Grégoire-Trudeau told the crowd, made up of special visitors, Girl Scouts and members of Girls Inc., a non-profit organization. 
 
 Story continues below advertisement 
 
 Story continues below advertisement 
 
 She told the audience that they are the leaders not of tomorrow – but of today. 
 
 "You be fearless, because you already are fearless," she said. 
 
 The two women were greeted by students in the French-immersion program at Virginia's Kent Gardens Elementary School, who serenaded them with French songs before the event. 
 
 "It almost feels like home," Ms. Grégoire-Trudeau said. 
 
 Liberal MP Celina Caesar-Chavannes, who was in the crowd, said it's important for Ms. Grégoire-Trudeau to play an active role in the public eye. 
 
 "She has a role to play in our democracy, and I'm very glad that she's out there and she's being more present, and more accessible," Ms. Caesar-Chavannes said. 
 
 Story continues below advertisement 
 
 "I think that when young girls see that, and young women see that, they are inspired to do bigger and better and dream beyond what they possibly could dream about." 
 
 The Prime Minister's Office also revealed the gifts the Trudeaus gave to the Obamas: a sculpture for the President from Cree artist Leo Arcand, from Alexander First Nation in Northern Alberta, and an aboriginal beaded cape from Tammy Beauvais, a fourth-generation artist from Kahnawake, Que., for Ms. Obama. 
 
 Obama daughters Malia and Sasha received scarves from Ottawa designer Krista Norris, and "first dogs" Bo and Sunny got Muttluks, dog boots from a Canadian company.
– Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's state visit to Washington went so smoothly that social media and even the press seem agreed that a "bromance" has bloomed. In the first such visit since Jean Chretien dined with Bill Clinton at the White House in 1997, Trudeau and President Obama discussed issues including terrorism and climate change and appeared so much in sync that the Washington Post, AFP, and the New York Times, among many others, used that bromance descriptor. It was also big on Twitter, notes CTV. Meanwhile, Canada's Globe and Mail notes that Michelle Obama introduced Sophie Grégoire-Trudeau as her "soulmate" when the spouses attended an event to promote girls' education Thursday morning. The two countries are "closer than friends," Trudeau said at the Thursday night state dinner, which was peppered with Canadian celebrities, including Ryan Reynolds and Michael J. Fox, the Post reports. "We're more like siblings, really," he said. "We have shared heritage, though we took different paths in our later years. We became the stay-at-home type. You grew to be a little more rebellious." Obama praised the "enormous energy" of the Canadian delegation and warned the new leader: "If in fact you plan to keep your dark hair, then you have to start dying it early. You hit a certain point, it's too late. You'll be caught." McClatchy notes that Trudeau would be wise to push for a close relationship with the Obama administration now, as bromance is unlikely to blossom between the liberal leader and the likes of Donald Trump or Ted Cruz.