The pomp and circumstance of a presidential visit will give way Friday to a series of talks about green energy, migration and Haiti as U.S. President Joe Biden heads to Parliament Hill.
The two countries have already agreed in principle to fortify immigration rules that have led to a spike in the number of people slipping across their shared border in order to claim asylum in Canada. The change would not physically close off unofficial crossings such as Roxham Road, between Quebec and New York, but serve as a disincentive to crossing there or anywhere else along the 8,900-kilometre frontier.
Canadian actor Eugene Levy was also in town for the event, saying he had been invited to attend Biden’s dinner at the Canadian Aviation and Space Museum on Friday night. Senior U.S. administration officials have also said that Biden plans to have what is known as a “pull-aside” conversation with Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, and to exchange pleasantries with other party leaders. It is unclear when that might occur.