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Prime minister's agenda

The Prime Minister's Office made it official this morning. Prime Minister Harper will be going to the G8 Summit in Hokkaido Toyako, Japan.

Japan's Prime Minister, Yasuo Fukuda, says "world leaders will discuss the world economy, environmental concerns, African development and other pressing issues that must be tackled."
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Harper will stay on after the summit for meetings with Fukuda and an audience with the Emperor and Empress of Japan. No surprises in any of that.

Today's announcement does not say if Foreign Affairs Minister David Emerson will be on the trip. Emerson is scheduled to be in Japan Thursday and Friday for meetings with other G8 foreign ministers. But will Emerson still be foreign affairs minister on July 7?

Rumours are swirling that Harper will shuffle his cabinet as early as this week, and much of the speculation centres around what portfolio Emerson will be given.

Right now, he is holding down foreign affairs in addition to international trade.