Canadian icon Pierre Berton died this afternoon in Toronto.
Burton was 84.
He received 3 Governer-General awards for his writing and was a Companion of the Order of Canada. He started out working as a newspaper reporter, moved to the CBC and is best known for about 50 books he wrote. His history books are well known.

And the French-Canadian broadcaster who was to host the dinner for the US president at the Museum of Civilization this evening died of a heart attack today. Pierre McNicoll was in his 60’s.

Hong Kong released some of it’s restrictions against Canadian beef today.

Hong Kong will start off by only resuming imports of boneless beef from cows less than 30 months old that have had their brains and spinal cords removed during slaughtering, the department said in a statement.

A ban had been in place since May 2003.

US Visit
Side stories in politcal visits can be interesting. US media, covering the president have taken time to get flu shots in Ottawa. Many US media take time to purchase Cuban cigars on their visits north.

And Campaign Life Coalition’s National Public Affairs Director Aidan Reid got to shake President Bush’s hand and speak to him briefly, quite by accident.
He was quite excited and talks about it at LifeSite.

A bit of humour never hurts.

Bush said he received a “warm and hospitable” reception on the ride from the airport and thanked “the Canadian people who came out to wave, with all five fingers.”

Ian’s Messy Desk has some former presidental comments on er, our relationship. A taste:

John Adams
The Unanimous Voice of the Continent is “Canada must be ours; Quebec must be taken.” - 1776. While serving as a delegate to the Continental Congress.