Obama to throw state dinner for new Canadian PM Justin Trudeau

WASHINGTON, Dec. 30 (UPI) -- New Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his wife will visit Washington for meetings and a state dinner in March, the White House announced.

The visit by the charismatic, activist Trudeau, 44, and Sophie Gregoire-Trudeau will be the first by a Canadian prime minister since 1997.

The White House regards Trudeau as an ideological ally on energy, climate change and security issues. President Barack Obama had cordial discussions with Trudeau during meetings in Manila and Paris.

At the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Manila, Obama told Trudeau, "I know Canadians are incredibly inspired by your message of hope and change. I just want to point out that I had no gray hair when I was in your shoes seven years ago, so if you don't want to have gray hair like me, you have to start dyeing it soon."

The state dinner, scheduled for March 10, among the last of the Obama administration's state dinners, is likely to be a glamorous affair, given the Trudeaus' star power and the number of Canadians in the American entertainment business eager to be invited.