Rice in Ottawa, finally

At Canadian Corner, I did not expect to have so many updates on U.S. and Canadian politicians going back and forth. Mostly because I didn’t think they actually would travel. Trust me; normally this happens all the time. But not lately.

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is in Ottawa for two days of meetings with Canadian officials. It's her first official visit to Canada as secretary of state. Rice has visited more than three dozen countries before going north. She was scheduled to come last spring, but the trip was cancelled after Canada refused to join the U.S. missile defense shield.

While Rice and Prime Minister Paul Martin will talk about many topics, softwood lumber should be at the top of the list. After all, Bush listens to Rice, so she would be a good person to talk to about the softwood lumber.

Martin said other topics would include passports at the border and the flow of illegal guns from the U.S. into Canada.

The Canadian government is siding with groups opposed to a law that will require anyone entering the U.S. to have a passport by 2008.

Martin also wants the U.S. to crack down on gun smuggling after a number of fatal shootings this year, 44 in Toronto alone. Toronto is Canada's largest city.