U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton didn't shy away from controversy during her visit to Ottawa, speaking candidly on Arctic sovereignty, abortion and Afghanistan.
When asked by a reporter about Canada's G8 plan on maternal health in the developing world, Clinton bluntly said: "You cannot have maternal health without reproductive health. And reproductive health includes contraception and family planning and access to legal, safe abortion."
"I do not think governments should be involved in making these decisions. It is perfectly legitimate for people to hold their own personal views based on conscience, religion or any other basis," she added.
"But I've always believed the government should not intervene in decisions of such intimacy."
Her statement stood in stark contrast to the approach which the Conservatives have taken on the issue. So far, the Tories have been reluctant to say if their health initiative will include family planning programs which could fund abortion.
Clinton made those comments as she sat next to Foreign Affairs Minister Lawrence Cannon, who has yet to commit on the issue.
It wasn't the only time that Clinton and Cannon, her Canadian counterpart, appeared to be in different political time zones during the visit.
Clinton arrived in Ottawa on Monday for an Arctic summit, but she left that meeting early because First Nations groups and three other northern countries were absent.
During her short visit, Clinton also told CTV's Power Play that Canada should remain in Afghanistan beyond the current 2011 pull-out date.
Harper addresses meeting
Earlier Tuesday, Prime Minister Stephen Harper said the world's leading economies must confront the security and development challenges of the global community if they are to secure a prosperous future for themselves.
Harper delivered a set of brief remarks to the foreign ministers of the G8 countries, who are meeting for talks on global security in Gatineau, Que.
Touching on an assortment of challenges, the prime minister's main message was that a security problem in one part of the world is a security problem for all parts of the world.
"War and terrorism, piracy and failed states, international organized crime, poverty and underdevelopment: these are all enemies of the informed objectives we share, not only to ensure prosperity, but to build a better world," Harper said Tuesday morning.
Naming North Korea and Iran as states that constitute "serious threats to global security," Harper said both countries must return to negotiations on disarmament. The longer the nuclear proliferation issue festers, the greater risk to global security, he said.
"If nuclear proliferation leads to the use of nuclear weapons, whether by states or non-state actors, then no matter where the bombs are set off, the catastrophe will be felt around the world."
Harper also outlined the development challenges in Afghanistan, where the ongoing war on the ground has tested the patience and resolve of many G8 nations. And he spoke about the rebuild of Haiti following the massive earthquake that occurred in January.
In Afghanistan, Harper said G8 members must continue to help the war-torn nation gain the ability to function independently, but must also hold its leaders' feet to the fire, to ensure they live up to their commitments.
In Haiti, there is a historic opportunity to rebuild the quake-devastated nation "as a new and better country," Harper said.
Looking forward to the G8 summit that will take place in Ontario this coming June, Harper said the meeting will give leaders an opportunity "to focus attention and resources on saving the lives of mothers and children in the developing world."
With files from The Canadian Press
