Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird heads to Washington on Thursday for his first one-on-one meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
Though details of the agenda weren't released, North Africa and the Middle East are likely to dominate, even if Canadian foreign ministers always want to press Canada-U.S. questions like border regulations.
Both countries are involved in the military mission in Libya, and the two foreign ministers have indicated they are looking for ways to back the rebels National Transitional Council with political support and money. The weekend crackdown in Syria, too, has left western nations searching for a way to respond.
And in the Middle East, both Ottawa and Washington have opposed a campaign by Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas to have a UN vote recognize Palestine – arguing that it's a symbolic measure that won't lead to peace.
The two foreign ministers have met before, at international meetings in Istanbul and Bali in June and July. But it will be the first time the two hold a bilateral meeting since Mr. Baird became Canada's foreign affairs minister in May. Mr. Baird can also be expected to push the Canada-U.S. perimeter talks, aimed at harmonizing security and regulations to smooth the flow of people and trade at the border.