G8 Important, But Not A Global Government, Harper Suggests
Posted July 10, 2009 1:16 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
The Group of Eight remains an important forum but it’s not a global government and needs to be more representative, Prime Minister Stephen Harper cautioned Friday.
Speaking at the end of this year’s summit, Harper said consensus among the major developed countries on issues like climate change and pro-democracy demonstrations in Iran can spawn broader agreement.
“Some people say that the G8 is not a representative body in the modern world – it is not representative of the power, it is not representative of the economic realities of the modern world, it’s not an appropriate forum for global governance,” he said.
“I agree with that. I don’t think those of us who continue to support the importance of the G8 suggest that it is a body of global governance.”
Harper said a more representative forum is desirable and that the G8 is moving in that direction by inviting the participation of developing countries.
Canada will host the next G8 summit in cottage country – in Muskoka, Ont., next year.
Harper cited the various incarnations of the forum – G8, G18, G19, G20, now G24 – and he said Canada will try to use its presidency over the next year “to bring some coherence to this.”
“I think it’s important that the G8 continue to be a forum where we have the discussions among the major developed economies. At the same time, we do have to develop an institutionalized, more representative forum.”
