John Baird in Ottawa May 11, 2012. REUTERS/Chris Wattie

OTTAWA - Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird was in Washington D.C. Monday pressing the flesh in the hopes of gaining swift approval on key projects left to languish during the U.S presidential election race.

The Conservative government views the Keystone XL pipeline and the Detroit-Windsor bridge as important to Canada's economic future. Both projects need White House approval - and the time is ripe for political salesmanship with U.S. President Barack Obama, sworn in for his second term Monday.

In an interview with QMI Agency from Washington, Baird said he'd spent the weekend meeting with "as many decision makers and influencers here in town both Congressionally and within the administration" as possible to push Canada's interests.

And he's confident both TransCanada's Alberta-to-Texas pipeline and the Detroit-Windsor bridge will get the green light despite past hurdles.