Prime Minister Stephen Harper at the G20 Summit.
THE SUMMITS
In June, Canada continued its extraordinary year on the world stage, hosting both the G8 and G20 Summits in Ontario’s Muskoka region and Toronto, respectively.
The G20: “Getting Our Fiscal Houses in Order”
The G20 Summit that took place in Toronto on June 26 and 27 had as its central focus recovery from the global economic and financial crisis and laying the foundation for sustainable and balanced growth, as well as the implementation of commitments from previous G20 summits (as at the G8 Summit in Muskoka, accountability going forward was a major theme).
Summit participants assemble for a group photo.
For the G20 leadership to discuss the global economic situation in Toronto, which the Prime Minister during his G20 opening remarks called “home of the most solid financial sector in the world,” was especially fitting. According to the G20 Summit Declaration, which was released on the Toronto gathering’s final day, “the G20’s highest priority is to safeguard and strengthen the [economic] recovery and lay the foundation for strong, sustainable, and balanced growth, and strengthen our financial systems against risks.” Central to the discussion was the importance of fulfilling the promise of the Framework for Strong, Sustainable and Balanced Growth that was launched last year at the G20 Summit in Pittsburgh.
Also discussed: the ongoing importance of financial sector reform (recognition of progress made combined with that of “more work required”); the centrality of International Financial Institutions in the global response to the global economic crisis and a commitment to strengthen their “legitimacy, credibility, and effectiveness…to make them even stronger partners for us in the future;” and the importance of fighting protectionism and promoting trade and investment (including a commitment to renew for a further three years, a G20 commitment “to refrain from raising barriers or imposing new barriers to investment or trade in goods and services”).
At the close of the Toronto summit, Prime Minister Harper summed up as follows: “We arrived here amid growing concerns over the growth of sovereign debt. As we strive to build strong, sustainable, and balanced economies, that is the issue we have had to tackle head-on, and we have arrived at firm targets for advanced economies on debt reduction and reducing debt-to-GDP ratios. The targets are a 50-percent deficit reduction by 2013 and a debt-to-GDP ratio that should be at least stabilized or on a downward trend by 2016.”
As the Prime Minister said at the summit’s outset, “It is imperative we follow through on existing stimulus plans, those to which we committed ourselves last year, but at the same time, advanced countries must send a clear message that as our stimulus plans expire, we will focus on getting our fiscal houses in order.”
With the sound state of Canada’s “fiscal house” prompting Foreign Policy magazine to call the 21st “the Canadian Century,” the Prime Minister was especially qualified to deliver this message to a listening world.
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G8 leaders start a working session at the G8 Summit.
The G8 “Accountability Summit”
At the conclusion of the G8 Summit in Ontario’s Muskoka region, held just prior to the G20 gathering in Toronto, Prime Minister Harper called the summit, which focused on international development (especially maternal, newborn, and child health), food security, political and economic reform in Africa, and peace and security, “very successful.” In addition, the agenda included discussions relating to the environment (“green recovery” strategies) and the economic crisis (a re-stating of the G8’s “commitment to free and open markets”).
Prime Minister Harper welcomes United States President Barack Obama to the Muskoka G8 Summit at the Deerhurst Resort in Huntsville, Ontario.
Remarking that the G8 had committed “an additional $5 billion over the next five years…bringing the total to $7.3 billion on the Muskoka Initiative on Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health [see next story],” the Prime Minister stressed that holding the G8 accountable for its commitments would be “key” moving forward. The Muskoka Accountability Report, a document designed to guide the assessment of “action and results against development-related commitments” made manifest this goal of effectively holding G8 nations to promises past, present, and future.
G8 leaders on their way to pose for a leaders’ group photo.
For their part, G8 nations stated in the Summit’s final communiqué, “We welcome the Muskoka Accountability Report: [it will assess] action and results against development-related commitments and will ensure follow-up on its conclusions and recommendations.”
Ultimately, “the accountability summit,” as the Prime Minister dubbed this cottage-country gathering of world leaders, will be remembered not only for its written framework for keeping G8 commitments on track, but also for its signature initiative, the Canada-led Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health initiative.
“The G8 has been reshaped and reenergized. Its members share common objectives in the world,” said Prime Minister Harper at the summit’s conclusion.
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PM Announces Canada’s Contribution to the Muskoka Initiative on Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health
Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced during June’s G8 Summit in Muskoka that the total Canadian contribution for the Muskoka Initiative on Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health will be $2.85 billion over five years. In addition to $1.1 billion in new money, the Government will also renew existing funding of $1.75 billion over the next five years, for what will be a permanent and long-term commitment.
The initiative, which will target the leading causes of maternal, newborn, and child mortality and support comprehensive and integrated approaches to provide the necessary health services for mothers and children, was boosted at the G8 by an additional $3.9 billion – above and beyond Canada’s expanded commitment – in pledges from the international community.
“Our contribution will make significant, tangible differences in the lives of the world’s most vulnerable people,” said Prime Minister Harper. “Canada [has] led the way in mobilizing support among G8 and non-G8 leaders, key donors, and private foundations for this initiative to reduce the mortality rates of mothers and their children. We have been successful.”
Befitting the 2010 Summit’s theme of accountability, follow-up on results will be an integral part of Canada’s contribution to the Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health Initiative. A rigorous accountability framework to measure progress, track results, and ensure that aid dollars are used effectively will be built into the intitiative, which will focus on a limited number of high-risk countries such as Haiti, Afghanistan, Mali, Tanzania, and Mozambique.
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The Margins
On the margins of the G8 and G20, there were many stories worthy of reporting. Here are some of them.
Canada Cancels Haiti’s Debt
Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced during the G8 Summit in Muskoka that Canada has paid off its share of Haiti’s debt to the Inter-American Development Bank and the International Fund for Agricultural Development. Canada is the first country to make all of the payments required to cancel the debt Haiti owes to all international financial institutions.
“Two weeks after the tragic earthquake in Haiti, Canada called for the full cancellation of the debt owed by Haiti to international organizations like the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund,” said Prime Minister Harper. “With today’s announcement, Canada has fully honored its international pledge to the people of Haiti, and we urge others to follow this example…”
While the Government had already cancelled the debt owed by Haiti to Canada under the Canadian Debt Initiative before the earthquake, following the tragedy Canada led a G20 consensus to forgive debt owed by Haiti to international financial institutions.
Since the earthquake struck Haiti in January, Canada has played a leading role in the global response by providing significant humanitarian and reconstruction assistance. Forgiving debt owed by Haiti has been a critical part of this effort.
President Obama and Prime Minister Harper Note Historic Memorandum of Under-standing
On the margins of the G8 and G20 Summit meetings in Canada, President Barack Obama and Prime Minister Stephen Harper noted the historic February 2010 memorandum of understanding between Premier Gordon Campbell of British Columbia and Governor Brian Schweitzer of Montana protecting the transboundary Flathead River Basin.
The two leaders discussed how relevant US and Canadian agencies, including the US Department of the Interior and Environment Canada, working with representatives of British Columbia and Montana, could support this understanding and help ensure the sustained protection of the Flathead River Basin.
This is a province-state agreement that “will ensure the environmental values in the Flathead River Basin are sustained in a manner consistent with current forestry, recreation, guide outfitting, and trapping uses to maintain the healthy eco-system that exists today,” Premier Campbell said at the time of its signing. “It will also lay the foundation for us to coordinate on climate action and to pursue clean, renewable, and low carbon energy that will benefit our citizens.”
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Prime Minister Harper announces Canada’s contribution to the challenge, while John Manley, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Canadian Council of Chief Executives, looks on.
Small and Medium Enterprise Finance Challenge Launched
Prime Minister Harper launched the G20 Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) Finance Challenge during remarks to international business leaders at the G20 Business Summit (B20). The Prime Minister, who was joined by Finance Minister Jim Flaherty, also used the opportunity to announce that Canada will be providing financial support for the initiative.
The SME Finance Challenge is intended to expand business opportunities and create jobs by inviting the private sector – financial institutions, private investors, companies, and foundations, among others – to develop proposals that will attract private investment for small businesses in low-income countries.
“Small and medium enterprises are the single largest contributor to employment and job creation, in Canada and around the world,” said Prime Minister Harper. “This G20 initiative will help provide developing countries with the access to financing they need to get their small businesses up and running.”
The best proposals will be presented at the G20 Summit in the Republic of Korea on November 11 and 12. The G20 has committed to ensuring public funding is available to implement the winning proposals.
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International Youth Delegates Share the Spotlight at the G8 and G20 Summits
Prime Minister Harper welcomed MY SUMMIT 2010 youth delegates to the G20 Summit in Toronto and spoke to them about the key economic issues that would be discussed at the summit. While at the G8 in Muskoka, the PM also met with G8 youth delegates, who presented and G8 leaders with their own final communiqué.
The PM and a Canadian youth delegate at MY SUMMIT 2010.
“It is exciting to see bright young people engaging on international issues and contributing to the future of their countries and the world,” said Prime Minister Harper. “MY SUMMIT 2010 is about giving youth a voice on G8 and G20 issues and providing them with a valuable learning experience.”
There were 13 Canadian youth delegates participating in MY SUMMIT 2010, and Prime Minister Harper invited his G8 and G20 counterparts to send youth delegations comprised of seven university students each.
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PM Holds Extended Outreach Meetings with Leaders from Africa and the Americas
In the midst of a busy G8 Summit schedule, Prime Minister Harper met with leaders from Africa and the Americas as part of Canada’s efforts at the G8 to engage key international partners on development and regional and international security.
His first meeting, with leaders from Algeria, Ethiopia (Chair of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development), Malawi (Chair of the African Union), Nigeria, Senegal, and South Africa, built on a strong G8 tradition of outreach with African partners. The leaders discussed their efforts to promote maternal, newborn, and child health as a key part of Africa achieving the Millennium Development Goals.
This group was then joined by leaders from Colombia, Haiti, and Jamaica for a more detailed discussion on regional and international security challenges – from natural disasters to the threat posed by criminal organizations.
“We discussed shared threats to our security and ways we can work together to address them,” the Prime Minister said. “The insights of our partners from the Americas and Africa served to ground our discussions in real-world examples.”
Many states and regions are struggling to manage the ongoing and pervasive security vulnerabilities they face – including terrorism, organized crime, and drug trafficking – and that continue to threaten global stability and prosperity.
“The linkages between criminal organizations and terrorists are a serious concern to all of our countries,” said the Prime Minister. “To confront them, we must cooperate effectively, while respecting democratic institutions and protecting human rights.”
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Michael Earle, an Environmental Response Specialist with the Canadian Coast Guard, closes the doors on the container holding a containment boom.
Government of Canada Assists the United States in Oil Spill Clean-up in the Gulf of Mexico
Minister of Fisheries and Oceans Gail Shea and Minister of Veterans Affairs and Minister of State (Agriculture) Jean-Pierre Blackburn announced in June that the United States had accepted an offer from the Government of Canada to help to contain the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Specifically, Canada is providing offshore booms to assist with oil spill clean-up efforts underway in the Gulf of Mexico.
After examining its environmental response capacity, the Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) determined that it can assist the US by providing at least 3,000 meters of ocean boom, which is in addition to technical and scientific support already being provided by Canada.
“[Canada] will continue to work closely with the US to ensure we can maximize Canada’s contribution to the clean-up effort in the Gulf of Mexico," said Minister Blackburn.
In addition, a number of Canadian federal departments or agencies have provided considerable expertise and support to the Gulf clean-up efforts:
* For many years Canada’s Fisheries and Oceans Canada has conducted research on oil-spill mitigation in the marine environment. At the US’s request, DFO sent a team of scientists from its Centre for Offshore Oil and Gas Environmental Research, headed by internationally recognized oil spill remediation expert Dr. Kenneth Lee, to assist US officials with monitoring the effectiveness of their clean-up operations;
* Transport Canada and Environment Canada have been working closely together to provide aerial surveillance of the spill area to help determine the course and location of the oil and to target clean-up operations;
* Transport Canada deployed a Dash 8 aircraft to the Louisiana, along with a Marine Aerial Reconnaissance Team. The team and the aircraft have provided aerial surveillance in support of ongoing US efforts;
* Environment Canada, Canadian Coast Guard, and Fisheries and Oceans Canada sent experts to attend meetings in Louisiana, at the request of the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, to provide advice and best practices on the use of dispersants.
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The Dahla Dam and its irrigation system.
© CIDA/Michel Huneault
Government of Canada Tables its Eighth Quarterly Report on Afghanistan
Minister of Foreign Affairs and Chair of the Cabinet Committee on Afghanistan Lawrence Cannon recently released the Government of Canada’s eighth quarterly report on Canada’s engagement in Afghanistan. The report covers the period from January 1 to March 31, 2010.
During that first quarter of 2010, “Canada completed and opened a new border facility at Spin Boldak to improve border management along the shared Afghanistan-Pakistan border,” said Minister Cannon. “We also met our target for correctional officer training, having trained 100 percent of officers at current staffing levels.”
Also this quarter:
* Canada completed the construction of two more schools, for a total of 16, with another 27 underway;
* The new Afghan National Customs Academy opened in January, and the first class of 48 customs officers graduated in mid-March;
* A total of 85,000 cubic meters of silt was removed from the main canal as part of the rehabilitation of the Dahla Dam and its irrigation system;
* Three of the six Afghan National Army kandaks (battalions) are now fully capable of planning, executing, and sustaining near-autonomous operations, an increase of one kandak over the last quarter;
* Canadian stewardship helped improve cooperation along the Kandahar-Baluchistan border by facilitating dialogue between Afghanistan and Pakistan.
The quarter was also marked by an important increase in US troops and civilians deployed to Afghanistan. These additional resources served to enhance Canada’s cooperation with its key ally and allowed Canada to further concentrate on advancing its six priorities and three signature projects in Afghanistan.
Canada continues to work with its international partners and the Government of Afghanistan to help build the capacity of Afghan institutions to deliver sustainable results to benefit the Afghan people.
© CIDA/Roger LeMoyne
Canada’s Priorities in Afghanistan
Canada is focused on a targeted set of objectives in keeping with proven Canadian strengths and consistent with Afghan objectives and the efforts of the international community.
The first four of six priorities focus primarily on the Afghan province of Kandahar. Canada is helping the Government of Afghanistan to:
* maintain a more secure environment and establish law and order by building the capacity of the Afghan National Army and Police, and support complementary efforts in the areas of justice and corrections;
* provide jobs, education, and essential services, like water;
* provide humanitarian assistance to people in need, including refugees;
* enhance the management and security of the Afghanistan-Pakistan border.
Nationally, Canada is helping to:
* build Afghan institutions that are central to Canada’s Kandahar priorities and support democratic processes such as elections;
* contribute to Afghan-led political reconciliation efforts aimed at weakening the insurgency and fostering a sustainable peace.
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Prime Minister Harper and Manmohan Singh, Prime Minister of the Republic of India.
Canada and India Conclude Successful Talks
Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Manmohan Singh, Prime Minister of the Republic of India, witnessed the signing of a nuclear cooperation agreement and memoranda of understanding (MOU) on cultural cooperation, higher education, and earth sciences and mining in June on the heels of Toronto’s G20 Summit. They also welcomed the conclusion of a Canada-India joint study that lays the groundwork for bilateral free trade negotiations.
“Our two countries are laying the foundation to take relations to the next level, motivated by our close friendship and complementary economies,” said Prime Minister Harper following bilateral discussions with Prime Minister Singh. “The initiatives signed today confirm that we are serious about expanding our relationship.”
The two leaders welcomed the conclusion of the report of the Joint Study Group on a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement. They also noted that the recommendations in the report would be examined by both countries, and necessary processes to obtain approvals will be initiated immediately with a goal of being completed by late October.
The bilateral agreements and MOUs reflect increased and broadened collaboration between the two countries, including:
* A nuclear cooperation agreement which will provide access for Canada’s nuclear industry to India’s expanding nuclear market;
* An MOU on higher education which will encourage the continued development of synergies between Canadian and Indian post-secondary institutions;
* An MOU on earth sciences and mining which will foster improved dialogue on mining and related activities, including bilateral investment;
* An MOU on cultural cooperation which will facilitate bilateral cultural initiatives, aid in the creation of economic opportunities for both Canada and India, and help to showcase Canadian cultural content in India, and Indian cultural content in Canada.
The two leaders also issued a joint statement outlining a number of areas of cooperation in the bilateral relationship.
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Prime Minister Harper (right) and Hu Jintao, President of China.
Canada and China Broaden Strategic Partnership
Just one day before the G8 Summit in Ontario’s Muskoka region, Prime Minister Harper confirmed Canada’s commitment to strengthening relations with China, following bilateral discussions with Hu Jintao, President of China. The two leaders witnessed the signing of new initiatives and reiterated their intent to deepen the linkages between Canada and China. Significantly, China has announced that Canada is now the first Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE)-affected country to regain staged market access for beef to China.
“This visit by President Hu confirms that the Canada-China strategic partnership is gaining momentum as we mark 40 years of diplomatic relations and chart a course for the future”, said Prime Minister Harper. “Today’s bilateral signings and the hundreds of thousands of Chinese citizens visiting Canada’s Expo 2010 Pavilion in Shanghai are signs that relations between our countries are flourishing.”
Building on the December 2009 Canada-China Joint Statement, Prime Minister Harper and President Hu witnessed the signing of several memoranda of understanding designed to strengthen relations between Canada and China in a broad range of areas. These include:
* A Cooperative Arrangement that re-opens the Chinese market for beef and beef products based on a staged approach, beginning with Canadian boneless beef derived from animals under 30 months of age and beef tallow for industrial use;
* A memorandum of understanding (MOU) to facilitate group travel from China to Canada, which cements Canada’s Approved Destination Status;
* An MOU to form an Environmental Protection and Energy Conservation Working Group that will focus on commercial cooperation in the environment and clean energy sector;
* An MOU on Cooperation on Combating Crime.
In the area of commerce, the leaders instructed officials to explore means of deepening the Canada-China economic partnership by establishing a working group under the Joint Economic and Trade Committee.
In the area of culture, Prime Minister Harper expressed Canada’s pleasure that negotiations will soon begin to secure a long-term loan of a pair of giant pandas to Canada and that the world-famous Terracotta Warriors would soon be on exhibit at the Royal Ontario Museum.
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The Governor General of Canada Visits China
At the request of the Prime Minister, and at the invitation of the government of the People’s Republic of China, Her Excellency the Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean, Governor General of Canada, visited China from June 30 to July 5. This visit to China, the first by a Governor General in more than 15 years, marked the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China, and highlighted the strong bonds between the two countries. |
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Prime Minister Harper and his wife Laureen greet Her Majesty the Queen at Canadian Forces Base Halifax.
Royal Visit, Summer 2010
Her Majesty The Queen’s 22nd tour of Canada took place from June 28 to July 6. Accompanied by The Duke of Edinburgh, Her Majesty celebrated Canada's record of service during the tour, which included stops in Halifax, Ottawa, Winnipeg, the National Capital Region, and Waterloo, Ontario. They honored a number of Canadian milestones and participated in events highlighting Canadian service commitment at the local, national, and global level.
The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh wave at the crowds one last time before departing Canada at the close of Her Majesty’s 22nd Royal Tour of Canada.
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