Kind words, tough talk: What to expect when President Joe Biden comes to Ottawa

When American presidents visit Canada, there's a recurring pattern to their oratory. They deliver spoonfuls of sugar — sweet, syrupy odes to one of the happier nation-to-nation relationships in a troubled world.

Then comes the dose of medicine — a shot of tough love along with the sucrose in the form of a request for Canada to do more in the world.

Take, for example, that celebrated speech by John F. Kennedy, quoted so often by politicians when they cross the border. "Geography has made us neighbours," Kennedy said. "History has made us friends. Economics has made us partners. And necessity has made us allies."

Less well remembered is another part of that speech — the part where President Kennedy publicly arm-twisted a reluctant Prime Minister John Diefenbaker to step up his involvement in the hemisphere and join the fledgling Organization of American States (OAS). Kennedy also urged a NATO revamp.

"To be sure, it would mean an added responsibility," Kennedy told Parliament in May 1961, speaking of the OAS. "But yours is not a nation that shrinks from responsibility."

President Barack Obama did the same thing. His 2016 address to Parliament triggered such a sugar high that by the time he was finished, elected Canadian politicians were on their feet chanting, "Four more years!"

MPs were cheering even as Obama (gently, politely) insinuated that Canada had been something of a deadbeat when it comes to spending on international security.

Drowning in applause, Obama said the world needed more Canada. "NATO needs more Canada," he said. "We need you."

Which brings us to this week. And to Joe Biden's visit, which starts Thursday.

For the first time in decades, a U.S. president will stay overnight in Canada during a bilateral visit. He'll finish with a speech to Parliament on Friday.

Relations between the two countries are in a relatively good place. A potentially damaging spat over electric vehicles was resolved, as was a smaller tiff over the NEXUS trusted-travel program, while perennial irritants persist over dairy and lumber.

But there's that recurring U.S. plea on international issues that can be summed up in a sentence: Do more, please, and do it faster. Specifically on migration, Haiti and defence spending.

U.S. officials have told their Canadian counterparts they appreciate recent increases that will see Canada's defence spending grow by $15 billion, or 40 per cent, within several years. They've saluted Canada's promises to buy F-35 jets and modernize NORAD.

They've also urged the Canadians to speed up the timetable. Ottawa has projected a 20-year program to refurbish NORAD. The Americans want it done sooner.