President Obama will meet with Prime Minister Stephen Harper of Canada at the White House this afternoon. 

"Canada is a close ally and partner of the United States, and the president looks forward to discussing our important bilateral relationship, including economic competitiveness and security, and key global issues," according to the White House. 

Obama and Harper will have a bilateral meeting in the Oval Office, before delivering statements to the media this afternoon. 

The president will later attend a campaign event in Washington, D.C. 

The White House is also expected today to continue its push for the confirmation of Richard Cordray as the director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, which is being blocked by Republicans who are demanding structural changes be made to the agency. 

"The Republicans in the Senate refuse to confirm him for the job; they refuse to let him do his job.  Why?  Does anybody here think that the problem that led to our financial crisis was too much oversight of mortgage lenders or debt collectors?" Obama said Tuesday.