During the U.S. presidential contest, Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien seemed to have an affinity for Al Gore. Still, it's Chretien who will become the first foreign leader Bush will meet as president today. The two countries share broad interests as well as an evolving set of disputes, and new presidents usually get to know the continental neighborhood early. Bush's first foreign trip is Feb. 16 to Mexico a choice that caused some concern among Canadian officials who scrambled to get to Washington beforehand. Also, Bush dealt often with Mexico as Texas governor and met Mexican President Vicente Fox during the U.S. presidential campaign.
Canadian officials place a premium on being first one way or another with U.S. leaders.
The Canadian foreign and defense ministers already have been down to see Secretary of State Colin Powell and Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld. Chretien's trip to Washington is low key, in keeping with the style of neighbors accustomed to talking at the highest level without always going through the flash and formality of a state visit. The leaders will hold a meeting and then a working dinner with 12 to 15 people. Officials say it is a get-acquainted session that will lay down markers on areas of agreement, such as promoting hemispheric free trade, as well as disagreement, such as Bush's wish to open the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska to oil drilling. Mrs. Parmer saw the program as a good avenue of endeavor for her students without a youth fair project.