This report provides a short overview of Canada's political scene, its economic conditions, and its recent security and foreign policy, focusing particularly on issues that may be relevant to U.S. policymakers. This brief country survey is followed by several summaries of current bilateral issues in the political, trade, and environmental arenas.

This report discusses the trade in agricultural products, which is one of the difficult issues negotiators face in concluding free trade agreements (FTAs). The report also deals with food safety and animal/plant health matters.

This report addresses the following issues central to the debate over European security and the future of the broader transatlantic relationship that may be of interest in the second session of the 110th Congress: the specific security missions of NATO and the European Union and the appropriate relationship between the two organizations; the types of military forces that are necessary for NATO's role in collective defense and for the EU's role in crisis management; the appropriateness and compatibility of NATO and EU's decision-making structures and procedures to ensure that there is an adequate and timely response to emerging threats; and the proper balance between political and military tools for defending Europe and the United States from terrorism and weapons proliferation.

This report provides background information on the history of Canadian waste imports, reviews congressional developments, and discusses issues raised by the voluntary agreement and legislation.

This report discusses the international beef market and U.S. efforts to regain foreign markets that banned U.S. beef when a Canadian-born cow in Washington state tested positive for bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in December 2003.