Today on the Hill: Diplomats, academics talk about Harper at the UN

OTTAWA - Prime Minister Stephen Harper is in the Big Apple today, where he'll speak to the United Nations General Assembly this week for the first time in four years.

Harper will take part in a question-and-answer session with business leaders today and attend an event Thursday on maternal and child health before speaking to the assembly later that evening.

He was at a dinner Tuesday focused on climate issues with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, but has left it up to Environment Minister Leona Aglukkaq to be the government's emissary at the UN climate summit.

Back on Parliament Hill, a group of diplomats, academics and current and former politicians will hold a news conference today to talk about what in their view Canada should be doing at the meetings, which wrap up on Thursday.

Here are some other events happening today on and around Parliament Hill:

— Deputy Bank of Canada governor Timothy Lane will talk about Canada's largest trading partner in a speech focusing on how the United States and Canada have fared after the global financial crisis;

— The Transportation Safety Board will provide a progress report on its investigation into the fatal collision last September between an OC Transpo bus and a Via Rail passenger train;

— Former Canadian Alliance leader Stockwell Day, who is now senior adviser and chair of the advisory committee for Pacific Future Energy Corp., speaks to the Economic Club of Canada about the future of Canada's Pacific region;

— Also appearing at the Economic Club is Enbridge CEO Al Monaco, to discuss market access for Canada's energy products;

— MP Terence Young will appear at the Senate social affairs committee to discuss Vanessa's Law, otherwise known as Bill C-17, the Protecting Canadians from Unsafe Drugs Act;

— And Gov. Gen. David Johnston will welcome Germany's president, Joachim Gauck, to Ottawa for a four-day state visit to Canada.