The Canadian government yesterday defended the credibility of the G8 group of major industrialized countries amid speculation that the body’s annual summit, which starts in central Italy on Wednesday, is becoming unwieldy, unfocused and at risk of losing influence.
Canada has long cherished its role among the exclusive club alongside the United States, Russia, Japan, Germany, the United Kingdom, France and Italy.
But the G8, in a bid to show greater inclusiveness, is allowing leaders of 31 other countries to attend some of the sessions at the three-day gathering that starts tomorrow in the earthquake-ravaged city of L’Aquila.
The agenda is almost as extensive as the guest list, with leaders tackling a variety of issues including the economic crisis, climate change, food security, and the threat or reality of war in numerous hot-spots.
Some analysts say the annual G8 meeting, to be hosted next year by Canada, is being supplanted by the emerging G20 group of countries.
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“The G8 is a proven organization where people can have an intimate conversation among friends,” one of Mr. Harper’s top foreign policy advisers, speaking on condition of anonymity, told reporters at a briefing.
For some reason, I have a hard time believing a “top foreign policy adviser” would be mingling with reporters making comments like this… let alone insisting on anonymity… If this “source” truly exists (which seems unlikely), it is likely a low-level lackey at best…