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World Leaders Gather in Canada for G8, G20 Summits

   Dan Robinson 25 June 2010
   Britain's  Prime  Minister David Cameron, left, is greeted by Canadian
   officials  as  he  arrives for G-20 Summit in Toronto, Canada, 24 June
   2010

Photo: AP

   Britain's  Prime  Minister David Cameron, left, is greeted by Canadian
   officials  as  he  arrives for G-8, G-20 Summit in Toronto, Canada, 24
   June 2010

   World  leaders  are  gathering  in  Canada  for  two  summits of major
   industrialized nations, and the world's leading developing nations.
   Presidents  and prime ministers began arriving in Toronto Thursday for
   the  G8  and G20 summits, including Russian President Dmitri Medvedev,
   Japanese  Prime  Minister  Naoto  Kan and British Prime Minister David
   Cameron.
   In  an  opinion  piece  in  the  Globe and Mail newspaper, the British
   leader  said  the  summits  need  to  be more than "just grand talking
   shops" and make progress on key priorities like the global economy.
   Officials  say  leaders  will  discuss  security  concerns  but that a
   significant  focus  of  the  talks will be on ways to ensure sustained
   economic growth while battling growing budget deficits.
   U.S. President Barack Obama is expected to arrive in Canada Friday for
   talks with G8 leaders in Muskoka, north of Toronto.  On Saturday, the
   focus  switches  to Toronto and talks of the larger G20 nations, which
   account for 90 percent of the global economic output and 80 percent of
   world trade.
   On  Thursday  Mr.  Obama  called on countries to "re-balance" to allow
   their economies to prosper.
   Friday's  meetings  of  the  G8  will  also include a session with key
   African leaders on development and maternal and child health issues.
   The  G8  summit  is  also expect to discuss peace and security issues,
   with  a  focus  on  Iran,  North  Korea, Afghanistan, Pakistan and the
   Middle East peace process.
   In  a  message  ahead  of the summits, Canadian Prime Minister Stephen
   Harper  urged world leaders to take action on some of the world's most
   pressing problems.
   Canadian authorities have arrested at least three people in connection
   with possible threats of violence in recent days.

   Canada has spent close to $1 billion on security.  An unusually large
   number  of  officers  can  be seen on streets in Toronto, and many are
   equipped with bullet-resistant vests, helmets and gas masks.

   Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.

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