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." 

 Image copyright EPA Image caption Justin Trudeau said Barack Obama understood his commitment to ending Canada's involvement in Syria and Iraq 
 
 Canadian Prime Minister-designate Justin Trudeau has confirmed he will withdraw Canadian fighter jets from the air strikes against Islamic State (IS) in Iraq and Syria. 
 
 He informed US President Barack Obama of his decision hours after leading his Liberal Party to victory in the polls. 
 
 As part of his election campaign, Mr Trudeau pledged to bring home the CF-18 fighter jets that were deployed to the region until March 2016. 
 
 He has not yet given a timescale. 
 
 Justin Trudeau's Liberals swept to power in Monday's election, ending nearly a decade of Conservative rule under Stephen Harper. 
 
 Mr Trudeau, an ex-high-school teacher, is the eldest son of late Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau. 
 
 Jets and refugees 
 
 In his first telephone conversation with the US president as Canada's prime minister-designate, Mr Trudeau informed Barack Obama that he would make good on his election promise to withdraw the fighter jets. 
 
 "I committed that we would continue to engage in a responsible way that understands how important Canada has a role to play in the fight against ISIL (Islamic State), but he (Barack Obama) understands the commitments I've made around ending the combat mission," he told reporters in Ottawa on Tuesday. 
 
 However, he said he would keep Canadian military trainers in northern Iraq, the AFP news agency reports. 
 
 Mr Trudeau has also vowed to take in 25,000 Syrian refugees by the end of the year - a move previously rejected by his predecessor Stephen Harper, who took a much harder line on the issue. 
 
 He also quipped that President Obama had "teased me about my lack of grey hair, but said I'd probably get some quite soon". 
 
 Justin Trudeau looks set to improve relations with the US in other areas, especially on environmental issues. 
 
 Trudeau's to-do list 
 
 During the 11-week election campaign, the Liberal Party said it would: 
 
 Cut income taxes for middle-class Canadians while increasing them for the wealthy 
 
 Run deficits for three years to pay for infrastructure spending 
 
 Do more to address environmental concerns over the controversial Keystone oil pipeline 
 
 Take in more Syrian refugees, and pull out of bombing raids against Islamic State while bolstering training for Iraqi forces 
 
 Legalise marijuana 
 
 Meet Justin Trudeau 
 
 Seven key Trudeau policies 
 
 "Canada's days of being a less-than-enthusiastic actor on the climate-change file are behind us," he said on Tuesday, in reference to Stephen Harper's decision to pull Canada out of the Kyoto climate change protocol in 2011 - the first country to do so. 
 
 The White House said in a statement on Tuesday that President Obama looked forward to working on climate policy with Mr Trudeau, who has pledged to set targets to reduce carbon emissions. 
 
 Ties are also likely to improve over plans for the Keystone XL pipeline, which would send Canadian oil south across the border. President Obama was reluctant to approve the proposal, which angered Stephen Harper who said it would create jobs for Canadians. 
 
 Mr Trudeau, who supports the plans, has said he is willing to work with the US to address some of the environmental concerns. 
 
 Speaking earlier to supporters, Mr Trudeau addressed concerns that under Conservative rule "Canada has lost its compassionate and constructive voice in the world over the past 10 years". 
 
 But, he continued, "on behalf of 35 million Canadians, we're back". 
 
 His Liberal Party began the election campaign in third place but now has a majority. 
 
 There is no fixed transition period under Canada's constitution. Mr Trudeau is expected to be sworn in in a few weeks' time. 
 
 Harper's miscalculations 
 
 Young Canadians' hopes 

 Story highlights Canada will stay in coalition but "engage in a responsible way," PM-designate says 
 
 Canadian jets began hitting ISIS targets in Iraq last year and in Syria this year 
 
 (CNN) Canada's new leader-in-waiting says he intends to follow through on his campaign promise to pull the country out of the U.S.-led bombing campaign against ISIS militants in Syria and Iraq. 
 
 "He understands the commitments I've made around ending the combat mission," Trudeau told reporters Tuesday, without giving a time frame for when Canada's airstrikes would stop. 
 
 Trudeau is expected to take office in the coming weeks, replacing Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper, who sent Canadian warplanes to carry out airstrikes against ISIS. 
 
 Canada's bombing raids started hitting the Islamic extremist group's positions in Iraq in November 2014 and expanded into Syria in April 
 
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– Canada's new leader had some bad news for President Obama in their first conversation since his stunning election win on Monday. Justin Trudeau told Obama that he plans to follow through on his campaign promise and end Canada's role in the airstrike campaign against ISIS in Iraq and Syria, CNN reports. Trudeau, who didn't say exactly when the fighter jets sent by ousted Prime Minister Stephen Harper last year would withdraw from the fight, said Obama "understands the commitments I have made around ending the combat mission," reports the CBC, which notes that Trudeau's Liberal Party has pledged to focus on humanitarian aid and training missions instead of airstrikes. The White House says the two leaders talked about issues such as the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal and efforts to fight climate change, on which Trudeau plans to work more closely with the US than Harper did. "Canada's days of being a less-than-enthusiastic actor on the climate-change file are behind us," Trudeau said on Tuesday, per the BBC. Trudeau said the tone of the call was "warm," and Obama teased him about his lack of gray hair, reports the CBC. "He said that I will probably get some quite soon, just like him," Trudeau said. (When Trudeau was a few months old, Richard Nixon predicted that he would become prime minister.)