Prime Minister Stephen Harper held a cordial discussion with U.S. President George Bush while demonstrators and police jostled outside the Montebello summit.
"Great place. Good choice," Bush told Harper Monday after arriving by helicopter at the posh log-cabin resort on the north shore of the Ottawa River, about 70 kilometres east of Ottawa.
The two held their only bilateral meeting of the summit, which also involves Mexico's President Felipe Calderon.
Canadian government officials said Bush and Harper talked about border issues, trade and Canadian sovereignty in the Arctic, The Globe and Mail's Jane Taber told 麻豆影视net.
In an interview with CTV's Question Period, Paul Cellucci, a former U.S. ambassador to Canada, said it makes sense to recognize Canadian sovereignty over the Northwest Passage.
Harper brought the remarks up with Bush. However, the president didn't reverse the longstanding American view that the passage is international territory.
The prime minister also said he would like to see a relaunch of talks to establish border pre-clearance rules.
Taber said Calderon and Harper had an unscheduled bilateral meeting on Monday evening. One issue they discussed was allowing more temporary Mexican workers into Canada.
The three leaders held a working dinner on Monday evening.
Tuesday will be dedicated to discussing the North American Security and Prosperity Partnership (SPP).
The summit will end around 12:20 p.m. Tuesday with a news conference. No major announcement is expected. Calderon is expected to hurry back to Mexico because of the threat posed by hurricane Dean. He had planned to stay in Canada until Wednesday.
The protests
Outside the Chateau Montebello grounds, police in riot gear jostled with about 50 hardcore protesters, using pepper spray and at least one canister of tear gas to push them back. Some protesters responded by tossing objects at police.
Four arrests were made, and several police officers suffered minor injuries.
Protesters from the Canadian Labour Congress who wanted a "family friendly" demonstration stayed back from the police.
Asked by reporters about the protest, Harper said: "I've heard it's nothing. A couple hundred? It's sad."
The demonstration petered out by late afternoon.
Ten busloads of protesters from Ottawa arrived just after noon and spilled on to the highway running through the hamlet of Montebello.
More than 500 people marched along the main road toward the gate of the summit compound, chanting slogans and carrying banners, including one reading: "Say No To Americanada."
Meanwhile, more protesters, some carrying anarchist flags, came from Montreal's Concordia University aboard a convoy of yellow school buses.
Some held signs describing Bush as a war criminal and urging an end to environmental destruction.
Protesters are prohibited from entering the compound but their demonstrations are being broadcast in the hotel lobby via two video monitors.
Secrecy complaint
Many activists are upset with what they see as a lack of transparency surrounding the SPP process.
While a group of top business executives will get a chance to make a presentation to the three leaders on Tuesday, no such invitation was extended to environmental or social activists.
Maude Barlow of the Council of Canadians attacked the SPP process as being "profoundly undemocratic."
She said the North American Competitiveness Council, the group that will meet with the leaders, is made up of 10 corporate bosses from each country and includes giant corporations like Wal-Mart, General Electric and Lockheed Martin.
Barlow told a Monday news conference that big business would like to see a competitive North American trade bloc.
"And for this they need regulatory, resource, labour and environmental convergence to the lowest common standards," she said.
"This is not about security for people, social security, security for the poor, environmental security or job security. This is about security for the big corporations for North America."
Monday
- 13:10 - Air Force 1 arrives at Hangar 11 in Ottawa, President Bush transfers to a helicopter
- 14:05 - Bush arrives at Montebello
- 14:10 - Official welcome by PM Harper
- 14:15 - Canada/USA Bilateral meeting
- 15:20 - President Calderon arrives at Montebello
- 15:25 - Official welcome by PM Harper
- 15:30 - USA/Mexico Bilateral meeting
- 18:30 - Official dinner hosted by PM Harper
Tuesday
- 9:00 - Breakfast
- 10:00 - Official photograph
- 10:30 - Trilateral meeting
- 12:20 - Trilateral press conference
With a report from CTV's Craig Oliver and files from The Canadian Press
