U.S. President Joe Biden is in Ottawa today for an official go to — a whirlwind journey that may embrace an address to Parliament, a gathering with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and a gala dinner on the metropolis’s Aviation Museum.
The 2-day journey, the primary non-summit in a single day go to by a U.S. president in practically 20 years, is an opportunity for Biden and Trudeau to proceed their efforts to renew the bilateral relationship, which was marked by some stress lately.
The Trump years had been a making an attempt time for Canadian officers. However Biden’s resolution to cancel the Keystone XL pipeline, promote protectionist insurance policies like Purchase American and withhold some vaccine provides had been additionally irritants within the early days of his presidency.
Since then, there’s been significant progress on key information: a deal to shield the NEXUS trusted traveller program and a plan to embrace Canadian-made automobiles in a U.S. electrical automobile tax credit score program.
U.S. President Joe Biden’s schedule for Friday
11:20 a.m.: Assembly with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau1:50 p.m.: Biden addresses Parliament3:45 p.m.: Biden and Trudeau communicate to the press6:30 p.m.: Biden, Trudeau and dignitaries attend a gala dinner at Ottawa’s Aviation Museum
Watch and hear to U.S. President Joe Biden’s first official go to to Canada on CBC Information: Particular stay protection begins Friday at 1 p.m. ET on CBC TV, CBC Information Community, CBC Gem, the CBC Information App and YouTube, and at 1:30 p.m. ET on CBC Radio and the CBC Hear app.
And in accordance to sources who spoke to Radio-Canada/CBC Information on the situation of anonymity, there’s a deal in hand that may enable Canada to shut the Roxham Highway website, the place tens of 1000’s of refugee claimants have crossed the border irregularly lately — a political headache for Trudeau.
Diplomats on each side of the border are hoping extra offers will probably be introduced throughout the go to.
Biden’s entourage might recommend some particulars of what is to come.
Accompanying the president are: Jennifer Granholm, the power secretary; Biden’s nationwide safety adviser Jake Sullivan; Liz Sherwood-Randall, the homeland safety adviser; and Secretary of State Antony Blinken, the highest U.S. diplomat.
That listing suggests there may very well be motion on pure sources, the border and overseas threats.
U.S. President Joe Biden speaks as he and First Girl Jill Biden, left, meet with Gov. Gen. Mary Simon, second from proper, and her husband Whit Fraser, proper, at Ottawa Worldwide Airport on Thursday in Ottawa. (Andrew Harnik/The Related Press)
U.S. Ambassador to Canada David Cohen has mentioned he desires Trudeau and his cupboard to spend extra on defence. The USA additionally desire a deeper dedication from Canada to continental air defence by NORAD.
The U.S. can also be keen to see Canada take a management position in efforts to restore order in Haiti, which has descended into chaos in latest months as gangs have tightened their grip on some components of the Caribbean nation. To this point, Canada has resisted deploying troops.
Canada, in flip, desires to seal the deal on Roxham Highway and safe some kind of repair to the Secure Third Nation Settlement, which has allowed migrants to cross at “irregular” websites to declare asylum.
An extension of the settlement to cowl the entire Canada-U.S. border may discourage that kind of exercise.
WATCH | U.S. and Canada attain deal on closing Roxham Highway border crossing: 
Biden arrives in Ottawa as Roxham Highway deal reached
Joe Biden arrived in Ottawa on Thursday for his first official go to to Canada as U.S. president, and already, sources say the 2 nations have reached an settlement to enable for the Roxham Highway border crossing to shut.
Sources say that is what Trudeau and Biden are anticipated to announce at their press convention later today.
Canada additionally has the financial system on its thoughts.
Biden’s Inflation Discount Act — which was actually a climate-change invoice, regardless of its title — contains main tax breaks for corporations that pursue green-friendly tasks.
U.S. President Joe Biden drives a Cadillac LYRIQ electrical SUV throughout a go to to the Detroit Auto Present in Detroit on Sept. 14, 2022. (Kevin Lamarque/Reuters)
Canada is racing to compete — and there could also be a job for Canadian companies to play because the U.S. retools its financial system to make it cleaner and greener.
The nations will use the go to to “establish concrete methods to make one another robust, extra resilient, extra affluent, extra environmentally acutely aware, safer, safe and equitable societies,” mentioned Kirsten Hillman, Canada’s ambassador to the U.S.
In an interview with CBC’s Energy & Politics, Hillman mentioned the 2 nations have “taken inventory” and so they need to “set the bar actually excessive for the way we’re going to be working to mutually help one another.”
The Biden journey comes simply after Chinese language President Xi Jinping visited with one other authoritarian chief in Moscow — Russian President Vladimir Putin.
That symbolism is just not misplaced on Bruce Heyman, the previous U.S. ambassador to Canada.
Russian President Vladimir Putin meets with China’s President Xi Jinping on the Kremlin in Moscow on Monday. (Sergei Karpukhin/Sputnik/AFP/Getty Photographs)
Whereas China cozies up to Russia, he mentioned, Biden is right here in Ottawa to bolster relations with its “greatest buddy” and closest ally, a democratic Canada.
“The variations and the contrasts are stark. There’s a very robust message that’s being despatched in consequence,” Heyman mentioned in an interview.
Undoubtedly, China’s rising belligerence and Russia’s warfare crimes will probably be matters of dialog when Trudeau and Biden sit down Friday, Heyman mentioned.
Canada and the U.S. will need to draw even nearer collectively because the world turns into more and more unsure, he mentioned.
One space of potential cooperation is the U.S.-supported improvement of Canada’s important minerals sector — an business that at the moment is dominated by China, an unreliable enterprise accomplice, Heyman mentioned.
There’s one other factor Biden may have to think about whereas in Ottawa: what to have for dinner.
The Nationwide Arts Centre catering group, led by chef Kenton Leier, has ready braised Alberta beef quick rib and east coast Yellowfin tuna for diners at tonight’s gala.
Dessert will probably be a wild blueberry and Quebec maple mousse cake topped with a “screech rum” caramel.
