Canada's Chretien Will Greet Pope After All

OTTAWA, Jul 10, 02 (LSN.ca/CWNews.com) - In reaction to public embarrassment, after it was revealed that Canada's Prime Minister would not be in Toronto to greet Pope John Paul II when the Pontiff arrives for World Youth Day on July 22, Jean Chretien's office has announced that Chretien's plans have changed and he will show up at the airport after all.

World Youth Day officials were previously informed that Chretien would not come to greet the Pontiff this time. Organizers were told that Deputy Prime Minister John Manley would fill in for Chretien, but a spokesman for the prime minister, Francine Ducros, claims that Manley was merely plan B. "There always would have been a backup plan," she said.

Toronto Liberal MPs, including Dan McTeague, said Thursday they received dozens of complaints from constituents regarding the prime minister's snub. The Governor General, Adrienne Clarkson, has made plans to be out of the country when the Pope arrives, even though he is a visiting head of state, but Clarkson's office says she will meet the Pope privately during his stay in the Toronto area.