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Environment and security on agenda of North American foreign ministers meeting

Foreign Affairs Minister Stephane Dion hosts a meeting with his American and Mexican counterparts today with environment, security and clean energy on the formal agenda.

QUEBEC — Foreign Affairs Minister Stephane Dion hosts a meeting with his American and Mexican counterparts today with environment, security and clean energy on the formal agenda.

The Quebec City meeting with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Mexico's Claudia Ruiz Massieu will set the stage for the full-fledged leaders summit in Canada later this year.

The so-called Three Amigos were supposed to meet in Canada last year, but former prime minister Stephen Harper cancelled the summit.

Dion said it was because Canada had difficulties with the United States on the Keystone XL pipeline project that has since been rejected and with Mexico about a visa dispute.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has said he wants to lift the requirement for Mexican visitors to Canada to get a visa, but sources say there will be no major announcement on that at today's meeting.

Dion says one of the reasons for the meeting is to enable Canada to play "catch-up" in its relations with the United States and Mexico.