OTTAWA — A leaked draft of the final communique for the coming G8 summit suggests Canada may have dodged a political bullet on the thorny issues of abortion and climate change.
The draft, obtained shows the world’s most powerful countries are prepared to throw money at “all factors” affecting the health of women and children in poor countries, but it doesn’t specifically mention abortion.
The Harper government has been under fire for insisting it will not fund abortion as part of its G8 maternal health plan.
There is no agreement yet on specific funding for the maternal initiative, climate change, food security or aid to developing countries, despite strong words urging concrete measures.
Two major sections meant to deal with climate change are bracketed and empty, suggesting nothing firm could be set to paper.
That despite pressure on the G8 to further climate-change negotiations and live up to promises to put $30 billion toward climate-change adaptation in poor countries.
The draft, dated May 26, says the private sector and other countries and organizations beyond the G8 will be expected to ante up, too.