Obamas Roll Out Red Carpet For Canada's PM

US President Barack Obama is hosting the first official visit by a Canadian prime minister in nearly two decades.

"It's about time, eh?" he said as he welcomed Justin Trudeau to the White House with pomp and pageantry on Thursday.

Canada's photogenic first couple arrived under unseasonably sunny skies with military bands blaring.

Mr Trudeau, 44, was treated to an Oval Office meeting, a Rose Garden press conference and a coveted state dinner.

He and his wife Sophie Gregoire-Trudeau, a former TV host, were greeted on the South Lawn by Mr Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama.

"‎There is no relationship in the entire world like the Canada-US relations," said Mr Trudeau.

The visitors came bearing gifts - a Canadian aboriginal sculpture for Mr Obama and an aboriginal beaded cape for Mrs Obama.

They also brought presents for the Obamas' daughters, designer scarves, and the US first family's pets - dog boots.

Americans sometimes tend to overlook their northern neighbour, but Canada is the United States' largest trading partner.

More than $2bn worth of goods and services cross the border every day, and about 75% of Canada's exports go to the US.

Mr Obama, 54, saluted the young liberal leader as an ideological soulmate who shares his views on tackling climate change and inequality.

"From my perspective, what's not to like?" Mr Obama said on Thursday.

Mr Trudeau went on a tour of the US Congress to meet House and Senate leaders.

More than 170 guests in tuxedos and designer gowns attended the state dinner in the East Room, which was decked out in orchids, hydrangeas and amaranth in shades of green and white.

Among the guests were Canadian actors Michael J Fox, Ryan Reynolds and Mike Myers.

Grey's Anatomy actress Sandra Oh, who was born in Ottawa, was also at the dinner, along with Saturday Night Live creator Lorne Michaels and retired NBA player Grant Hill.

Mr Trudeau, the son of late Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, aims to reboot relations that were strained during the time of his conservative predecessor, Stephen Harper.

The two countries' administrations clashed over the proposed Keystone XL oil pipeline, which Mr Obama rejected last year.

Ties soured to such an extent that the US ambassador to Canada could not get a meeting with Mr Harper or his Cabinet ministers for months.

Thursday's state dinner was the tenth hosted by Mr Obama during his time in the White House.

It is also the first state visit accorded to a Canadian prime minister since 1997 when Bill Clinton hosted Jean Chretien.