Canada, the G8, and the G20: A Canadian Approach to Shaping Global Governance in a Shifting International Environment, a new paper from the School of Public Policy at the University of Calgary by CIGI Distinguished Fellow Gordon Smith and Peter Heap, reviews the history of the Group of Eight (G8) and the subsequent establishment of the Group of Twenty (G20). It summarizes and analyzes the outcome of the most recent G8 and G20 Summits held in 2010 at Huntsville and Toronto respectively.
The paper takes stock of the G8/G20 summit processes, noting the emerging trends with respect to the role of Government Leaders, summit management and summit effectiveness. The paper concludes with a series of recommendations for a Canadian approach to influencing the rapid changes in international decision-making manifested by recent G8 and G20 experience. Chief among these suggestions is that Canada should lead work on resolving the relationship between the G8 and the G20 with a view to consolidating the G20 as a fully functioning instrument of global governance.
Download the paper here:
- SPP Briefing Paper
November 2010
Related:
- We're running out of chances, by Gordon Smith and Peter Heap, Ottawa Citizen Special
Following an underwhelming G8/G20 at home, Canada won't get too many more opportunities to be among the world's decision makers
(Image Credit: Flickr user permanently scatterbrained)