George Bush is using his first official visit to Canada to try out a less cocky tone towards allies who oppose his Iraq policy, writes Anne McIlroy
US President George Bush is to tread a carefully choreographed path to avoid parliamentary hecklers and public protests on his first official visit to Canada tomorrow.
Canadians opposed to Mr Bush's policies on issues ranging from the war in Iraq to marijuana use are organising large demonstrations. And the president has declined an invitation to address parliament, with national newspapers reporting he was concerned about being booed in the House of Commons.
Anti-Bush sentiment runs high among many members of parliament, including some who belong to the governing Liberal party.
The prime minister, Paul Martin, recently kicked a Liberal MP out of the caucus after she stomped on a George Bush doll while taping a segment for a national comedy show. Carolyn Parrish was already notorious for her untempered criticism of the Bush administration, having called Americans "those bastards" and described US allies in the missile defence plan as a coalition of "idiots".
Instead of risking more of the same, Mr Bush has chosen to deliver the major speech of his visit in the east coast city of Halifax. He is expected to thank the Canadian navy for its work in the Gulf and the hundreds of people who took stranded American airline passengers into their home after the terrorist attacks on the United States on September 11 2001.
It is Mr Bush's first visit to a Nato ally since his victory in the November 2 election, a warm-up for a trip to Europe in February, and he is expected to try out a less cocky, more conciliatory tone towards allies who disagree with the US-led invasion of Iraq.
The Halifax stop is a good place to start. Many Canadians felt snubbed when Mr Bush didn't mention Canada in a speech to Congress three years ago in which he thanked many other countries by name for their help after 9/11.
His visit is the first official trip to Canada since he was elected four years ago, although he has been to Canada twice, to attend a meeting of the G8 in Alberta and for the Quebec City Summit of the Americas. Mr Bush cancelled a planned trip to Canada in the spring of 2003.
Relations between Canada and the US have been chilly since the former prime minister, Jean Chrétien, decided not to join the invasion of Iraq. There have been slights and insults on both sides, with one of Mr Chrétien's most senior aides describing the president as a moron.
Mr Martin, who took over from Mr Chrétien a year ago, has vowed to improve that relationship.
He has confirmed that Canada will offer to help in Iraq's parliamentary elections planned for January 30. Even thought it meant reducing the strength of his minority government by one, he also fired Ms Parrish after she flattened the Bush doll under her heel. She now sits as an independent.
"I cannot, as leader of our party and the government caucus, tolerate behaviour that demeans and disrespects others," Mr Martin said. "It is unacceptable." (Bush stomping was not Ms Parrish's only offence, however. She also criticised Mr Martin's leadership and said she didn't care if he lost the next election.)
Many Canadians fiercely disapprove of Mr Bush and several of his policies, starting with the way he has handled the war in Iraq, but also including tax cuts for the rich and his hardline positions on gay rights, abortion and marijuana. Ms Parrish has many supporters, who have written letters to newspapers applauding her for speaking out.
Anti-war protests are planned to mark his visit, both in Ottawa and Halifax, and cannabis smokers are organising a demonstration that will include lighting up and inhaling on Parliament Hill.
As for the official agenda, the two leaders are expected to focus on areas of common interest, including border security and trade disputes over beef and softwood lumber. Mr Martin is also expected to talk about his proposal for the G20, a new multilateral body that would include the G8 and countries that are important regional powers.
Officials on both sides of the border are playing down expectations of substantial progress on many of these issues, except for the ban on Canadian beef imposed by the US 18 months ago after a single animal from Canada was found to have BSE. Canadian officials say Mr Bush is expected to announce a date for the ban to be lifted.
However, the tone of this visit appears to be what is most important, which is probably why Mr Bush didn't want to risk starting his trip with boos and jeers in the House of Commons.
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