Official and unofficial visits by U.S. presidents are always highly anticipated by residents of the city. Typically, such a state visit includes a meeting with the Governor General, a state dinner (official reception), military honours, and the planting of a ceremonial tree at Rideau Hall.
Ottawa Yes will share more details about each of these eagerly awaited events in Canada’s capital.
President Franklin Roosevelt
From August 17 to 25, 1943, Franklin Roosevelt visited Quebec and Ottawa, taking part in the First Quebec Conference alongside Winston Churchill. Together, they addressed the Canadian Parliament. The President also spoke outside the parliamentary buildings to senators and Members of Parliament. At 11:50 a.m., locals saw the President and his vehicle for the very first time. This historic moment in the country’s life was broadcast by local radio starting at 11:30 a.m. A crowd of local residents gathered on Parliament Hill and cheered President Roosevelt enthusiastically.
It is worth noting that Roosevelt was not a stranger to Canada, as his family owned a summer house on Campobello Island. He spent time there until he became President. However, due to the pressures of the office, he gradually reduced visits to his once-favourite spot, limiting his trips to official visits.
President Harry Truman
From June 10 to 12, 1947, President Truman arrived in Ottawa on an official visit, accompanied by the Governor General, the Earl of Athlone, and William Lyon Mackenzie King. The primary goal of the trip was to address the Canadian Parliament.
Residents welcomed Truman warmly. The carillon on the Peace Tower played the “Missouri Waltz.” The visit was also memorable for the wreath that President Truman laid at the War Memorial and for the private dinner he attended with Prime Minister Mackenzie King at Laurier House.
President Dwight Eisenhower
From November 13 to 15, 1953, President Eisenhower visited Ottawa and spoke at a joint session of Parliament. He met with Governor General Vincent Massey and Louis St. Laurent.
Aside from this official visit, there was an unofficial trip from July 8 to 11, 1958. During that stay, the President met again with Vincent Massey and John Diefenbaker.
President John F. Kennedy
Kennedy first visited Canada on October 8, 1957, while serving as a senator. He toured an educational institution and spoke to students at the University of New Brunswick.
In his capacity as President, Kennedy undertook a state visit to Ottawa from May 16 to 18, 1961. He met Governor General Georges Vanier, Prime Minister John Diefenbaker, and addressed a session of Parliament.
Interestingly, after his inauguration, Kennedy chose Ottawa as his first international destination. Only four months into his term, he was able to speak before the Canadian Parliament.
President Lyndon Johnson
On May 25, 1967, President Johnson visited Montreal and Ottawa for the long-awaited Expo 67, holding an informal conversation with Prime Minister Lester Pearson and Roland Michener.
President Richard Nixon
The next president to visit Ottawa was Richard Nixon. During his official visit to Canada’s capital from April 13 to 15, 1972, he met Governor General Michener and Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, and also addressed Parliament. During this trip, the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement was signed.
President Ronald Reagan
He visited Ottawa several times:
- President Reagan first arrived in the Ottawa area on March 10–11, 1981. During his visit, he met with Prime Minister Trudeau and Governor General Edward Schreyer, and delivered an address in Parliament.
- A few months later (July 19–21), there was another meeting, as Ottawa was participating in the G7 economic summit in 1981.
- Another official visit took place on April 4–6, 1987. President Reagan met with Prime Minister Brian Mulroney and delivered a speech in Parliament.
It is worth noting that Reagan’s first visit to Ottawa happened just six weeks after his inauguration. As early as 1981, he began making state visits that were received with varying reactions—some places saw protests, while others offered a warm welcome.
President George H. W. Bush
On February 10, 1989, George H. W. Bush came to Ottawa on a working visit, during which he met with Prime Minister Mulroney. The next visit took place from March 13 to 14, 1991, leading to another meeting with the Prime Minister and the signing of the Air Quality Agreement between Canada and the United States.
President Bill Clinton
From February 23 to 24, 1995, President Clinton visited Ottawa, meeting with Prime Minister Jean Chrétien and Governor General Roméo LeBlanc, and speaking in Parliament.
Four years later (October 7–8, 1999), he returned on a working visit to Ottawa, where he met with Quebec Premier Lucien Bouchard and Jean Chrétien, officially opened the new U.S. Embassy building, and delivered remarks at the Forum of Federations conference in Mont-Tremblant.
President George W. Bush
The first presidential visit by George W. Bush to Ottawa took place four years after he was elected. It had been postponed multiple times, but eventually, residents of the capital got to see the U.S. President. Beginning November 30, 2004, President Bush conducted an official 26-hour tour of Ottawa and Halifax. He delivered a speech in Halifax and met with Prime Minister Paul Martin, among other significant engagements.
President Barack Obama
On February 19, 2009, President Obama came to Ottawa on a working visit, meeting the Prime Minister of Canada.
His subsequent visit to Ottawa occurred on June 29, 2016. He met with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Governor General David Johnston, and Mexico’s President at the North American Leaders’ Summit. During this official visit, Barack Obama addressed the Canadian Parliament.
In 2019, Obama visited Ottawa yet again, though no longer serving as President. Hundreds of children received free tickets to attend an event featuring the former U.S. President.
U.S. Vice President Mike Pence
While Donald Trump was President, he did not make a state visit to Canada. Nevertheless, Vice President Mike Pence came to Ottawa on a working visit, meeting with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
This fact stirred public discontent, as official visits to Canada and Ottawa by U.S. presidents—from Ronald Reagan to Barack Obama—had become a regular tradition. For example, George H. W. Bush and Bill Clinton chose Canada as their first international stop after taking office, while Reagan and George W. Bush picked Canada as their second.
On June 8, 2018, Donald Trump did visit Canada on a working visit, but departed the following morning after the G7 summit in La Malbaie, Quebec.
This trip by Trump to Canada was seen by many as a serious diplomatic failure, particularly because it broke the customary order of presidential visits.
President Joe Biden
His first official visit to Canada after taking office was scheduled for March 23–24, 2023.
Nonetheless, Prime Minister Trudeau had already met with Biden several times in 2021 and 2022.
Joe Biden had previously been to Ottawa as Vice President, supporting Prime Minister Trudeau. The two have known each other for quite a long time.
Some official and unofficial presidential visits to Canada—and specifically to Ottawa—are well documented, while others are not. Each time an American President has arrived in Canada’s capital, the visit has been unique. However, every one of them left a lasting impression on the country’s history.
