Prime Minister Harper declines a summit with Bono

Stephen Harper apparently not quite as smitten by celebrity as his predecessor was, declined a chance to discuss world issues with the U2 singer and crusader for world action.

So, for Stephen a little serenade from Bono and the crew. There's always a message in the lyrics if he's looking to listen...

Harper cold-shoulders Bono
Bush's 'good company' not good enough for Harper
Andrew Mayeda, CanWest News Service
Published: Thursday, June 07, 2007
KUHLUNGSBORN, Germany --

Prime Minister Stephen Harper has shunned a trio of celebrity anti-poverty activists led by Irish rock star Bono.

The U2 front man, accompanied by fellow Irish rocker-activist Bob Geldof and Senegalese singer Youssou N'Dour, met at the G8 summit yesterday with U.S. President George W. Bush, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President Nicolas Sarkozy and Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi.

Bush held an end-of-day meeting with Bono and the president joked about the encounter: "Hanging out with good company, aren't I?"

Bono praised Bush for announcing plans last week to pour $30 billion US over five years into Africa to fight AIDS.

Bono had requested to meet with the prime minister several times over the past few days but received no response from the Prime Minister's Office, said Taylor Thompson, a spokeswoman for DATA, an aid organization co-founded by Bono and Geldof.

Thompson said Canadians are known as "great, generous people," but Harper's team "is not currently doing them justice."

Sandra Buckler, Harper's director of communications, didn't respond when asked if the PMO received the requests. Earlier she said a meeting with Bono was unlikely.

"The prime minister has spoken in the past with Bono via telephone. Obviously, the prime minister has a very full agenda over the next two days. After the G8, I see no problem with them having a chat," she said.

Former prime minister Paul Martin met Bono on a number of occasions.

Geldof earlier this week attacked Canada's aid record. At the 2005 G8 summit in Gleneagles, Scotland, the group pledged to double aid to Africa by 2010-11.

Harper says Canada is on track to meet the commitment, but DATA says the government will need to increase its funding by $479 million over the next two years to keep its promise.

The Tory government has promised to provide figures to counter DATA's claim, but has yet to do so.

Reuters and the Vancouver Province