Harper to attend Copenhagen climate summit

Prime Minister Stephen Harper will attend the Copenhagen climate change meeting next month after all, his office said Thursday — a day after saying he would not go. Harper decided Thursday to attend the meeting to work on a new climate change agreement after the U.S. president and Chinese premier announced that they will show up, his spokesman said. Canada has been strongly criticized internationally for reneging on the Kyoto climate protocol and for refusing to sign on to a new deal limiting greenhouse gases unless developing nations are included. Barack Obama will appear at the summit on Dec. 9 before heading to Oslo to accept his Nobel Peace Prize, according to a White House official. At least 65 world leaders, including Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao, are expected to be in Copenhagen, but unlike Obama, most are expected to attend the final days of the conference, which runs Dec. 7-18. It's not clear when Harper will be present.