[PHOTOS] Joe Biden arrives at Parliament and signs the Book of Honor

United States President Joe Biden arrived at Parliament to sign the Honor Book with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, ahead of a busy day.

• Read also: Biden’s visit to Ottawa: $100 million more to stabilize Haiti

• Read also: [EN IMAGES] Joe Biden arrived in Canada for his first official visit

The leaders of the oppositions in the House and in the Senate put on their 31 to shake hands and exchange a few words with the most powerful man on the planet in a room lined with American and Canadian flags.

Arriving in Ottawa late Thursday afternoon, Mr. Biden spent part of the evening at Rideau Cottage with his vis-à-vis and Governor General Mary Simon.

Parliament Hill has turned into an ultra-secure zone in the last 36 hours. Fences and barricades dot the heart of the federal capital.

On the occasion of his first official visit since taking office, Joe Biden is due to deliver a speech in the House of Commons at the end of the afternoon, a few hours before a reception at the Ottawa Aviation Museum, in which must take part “the two Michaels”, Canadian diplomats imprisoned in China in 2019, then released in 2021.

The agenda preceding these ceremonial activities is nevertheless full: a meeting between the two heads of state in Mr. Trudeau’s office, followed by a bilateral meeting. A joint press conference is to take place after the address in the House.

The meetings should make it possible to advance a number of files of common interest.

Among other things, we expect the unveiling of a new version of the Safe Third Country Agreement, announcements on trade related to green energy, as well as an investment of $ 100 million to strengthen law enforcement and stabilize Haiti.

Joe Biden will head back to Washington on Friday evening. He came to Ottawa in 2016 as Barack Obama’s vice-president.