keywords: fence border canada canadian canadians
text: Bush Visits Canada On Fence-Mending Tour US President George Bush is visiting Ottawa today, his first stop on a fence-mending tour that takes him to Europe early next year. This is his first official visit to Canada since becoming president four years ago. He skipped Canada in favour of visiting Mexico at the start of his first term in office, and cancelled a state visit to Canada last year, after Canadians got vocal about their opposition to the Iraq conflict.  As CBC News reports, the purpose of this visit may be to smooth relations damaged by the war in Iraq and trade disputes over Canadian beef and softwood lumber. Bush is also expected to ask Martin for a stronger and longer commitment to peacekeeping in Afghanistan and help with organizing elections and rebuilding political institutions in Iraq. CBC News also speculates that Bush may offer a more definitive timetable for reopening the U.S. border to Canada's cattle.