The Globe and Mail reports this morning that, “The Harper government is making plans to move next year’s Group of 20 summit to the Toronto area from the Muskoka region because the demands of lodging and securing the vast retinue of officials threaten to overwhelm the rural Ontario district.”
G8 STILL IN HUNTSVILLE
“At the same time, federal and provincial sources say, the Conservatives plan to keep the related but separate Group of Eight economic gathering in Muskoka’s Huntsville, Ont.”
TIMING
“Both events are still expected to take place in June 2010, with the thinking being the G20 would follow the G8.”
“Planning envisions the G8 summit beginning in Huntsville, with the leaders later heading south to Toronto to join up with the G20 meeting, the federal government source said.”
DECISION PENDING
“A spokesman for Mr. Clement, however, said no decision has been made to move the G20 meeting from Muskoka.”
“But a senior Ontario government official said it is his understanding that the G20 will be held in Toronto or a neighbouring suburb.”
DECISION IN EARLY DECEMBER
“Mr. Harper is expected to announce a decision on the G20 location before he visits South Korea in early December.”
For an early campaign blog post on our plans for the G8 summit, please go to http://canadians.org/campaignblog/?p=396.
Today’s Globe and Mail article is at http://theglobeandmail.com/news/national/harper-government-plans-to-move-g20-summit-to-toronto/article1367540/?.