Bush Thanks Canada For 9/11 Aid

President Bush offered a belated "thank you" to Canada on Wednesday for helping Americans in the aftermath of the Sept. 11 attacks, as he wrapped up a two-day visit aimed at warming frosty ties between the neighboring nations.

Noting that some 33,000 passengers on diverted U.S. commercial flights got stuck in Canada on Sept. 11, Mr. Bush said, "Canadians came to the aid of men and women and children who were worried and confused with nowhere to eat and sleep."

"How does a person say thank you to a nation?" he said. "Well, that's something a president can do. So let me say directly to the Canadian people ... Thank you for your kindness to America in an hour of need."

Acknowledging a rift with Canada over the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq, Mr. Bush said, "Two years ago, we disagreed about the best course in Iraq." But he said that both countries know what's at stake and now agree essentially about how to "go forward."

"There's only one way to deal with enemies who plot in secret," he said. "We must take the fight to them. We must be relentless and we must be steadfast in our duty to protect our people."

He praised Prime Minister Paul Martin as a strong leader and said he looked forward to a "strong partnership" with Canada in his second term.

"We have important work ahead. A new term in office is a perfect time to reach out to our friends," Mr. Bush said.

Mr. Bush said he believes the people of the United States and Canada will remain close, as they have over time, "beyond the words of politicians and the natural disagreements that national leaders will have."

Hundreds of people lined the roads to get a glimpse of Mr. Bush as his limousine and long trailing entourage made their way into the seaside city of Halifax on an overcast day. The vast majority displayed no feelings toward him and merely watched respectfully. One of the few placards directed at him read, "Be Nice, Mr. Bush."

"When all is said and done, we are friends," Mr. Bush declared.

Both Mr. Bush and Prime Minister Martin are seeking to rebuild U.S.-Canada relations, which cooled under Martin's predecessor, Jean Chretien. The dialogue became especially strained when Chretien decided against sending troops to Iraq — a decision supported by more than 80 percent of Canadians. Thousands of Canadians protested Mr. Bush's visit.

"We don't always agree, and we won't always agree," Martin said, acknowledging Mr. Bush's unpopularity in Canada. "But there is a spirit of renewal in the relationship between our two countries."

Mr. Bush has been trying to elicit Canada's participation in the new U.S. continental missile defense program, which the Canadians have not yet agreed to join.

He spoke at Pier 21, a modest port where nearly 1 million immigrants arrived between March 8, 1928, and March 28, 1971 — the official opening and closing dates of the entry point for people migrating into Canada. Pier 21, which was refurbished and opened as a museum in 1999, also served as the departure point for nearly 500,000 Canadian troops who joined allied forces in World War II.