Francois Hollande, French president, makes 1st official visit to Western Canada

Prime Minister Stephen Harper playedtourguide Sundayas he hostedthe president of France in Banff National Park in Alberta.

Francois Hollande is the first French president to make anofficial visit to Western Canada.

Harper met Hollande in Calgaryand the two madethe 90-minute trip to Banff by car.

They plannedto discuss greater co-operation on internationalsecurity and threats, trade and economicdevelopment, innovation, and broader people-to-people ties.

Hollande will also address Parliament and isscheduled tovisit Montreal and Quebec City as well.

While in Banff both men attendeda state dinner hosted by Gov.Gen. David Johnston.

The last French president to make a formal state visit to Canada was Francois Mitterrand in 1987, although Nicholas Sarkozy attendeda European Union-Canada summit in 2008.

Hollande is accompanied by several cabinet ministers andlarge business and academic delegation.

Visit is 'significant:' Kenney

France is Canada's eighth-largest commercial partner, with bilateral merchandise trade totalling more than $8.5 billion in2013.

A senior Conservative cabinet minister said it is significantthat Hollande decided to visit Western Canada.

"It's not a coincidence that President Hollande asked to come toAlberta because I think the Europeans increasingly see Alberta as anengine of the Canadian economy. I think the largest Frenchinvestments in Canada are here," said federal Employment MinisterJason Kenney.

"Many European and governments around the world are growingtheir footprint in Alberta for that reason."