I think it is a shame that he would feel the need to deny it, or that people would think there is some shame in it! Are world leaders not human? Are they expected to sit in meetings, meetings, photo ops, meetings, drinking mineral water, tea, coffee... and NEVER need a break!?
Get serious!

Ok, this is dumb. So what? Everyone needs the bathroom sometime, you know. And the photographer should have been polite enough to wait a few minutes before taking the picture.

So?

How is this news? Simon Hooper, do you consider yourself a journalist?

I agree with you guys.... this is not news. FIRE SIMON HOOPER!!! What is his problem? Does pee-pee = NEWS? What about kaka? Wait: This just in.... the President of the USA just blinked! Impeach him for waisting tax payers' money on blinking.

Oh, I know where Simon gets his news from... http://www.theonion.com Congrats Simon!

so what? give him a break

simon hooper is right to point out the time for toilet and for photo session.Human has to manage it

The world is in turmoil and this is the most important news report you can give people the people of the world deserves better and you do not know why the world thinks American are mindless thanks to you and your reporting they have good reason

Golly gosh!!!

we know what harper was upto but has anybody looked into why Berlosconi was not present at the second attempt?

could he be meeting more UK connections to make up lies on his behalf?

Stupid Harper, indeed!

So what, just because of a "small potato" who was taking a break in the bathroom, so the rest of the world leaders should have been polite enough to wait for him before taking the "family picture"?

What are you talking about? Are you kidding me?? Who do you think "Stephen Harper" is.. a King of the world??

Maybe he was dumping his toxic assets.

Greg Nagy – How about you and taxpayer's money? Tax money sent you to school, but you still don't know the difference between "waste" and "waist". Or were you just "waisting" time in school. ROTFLMAO!

Is this really news worthy?

Jeepers Folks ....lighten up!!!!!!

It was a simple 'human interest' story about a group of politicians etc and a 'family' photo! Thank you Simon Hooper for the smile. Its a nice break from all the doom and gloom about the state of the worlds economy etc.

I thought it was down right neighbourly of the others to do a re-shoot for the 'small potato'. Ironically, Prime Minister Harper represents one of the only countries who's banking system has NOT failed as well as leading the first G20 nation, Canada, out of the recession.

Are we to pooh-pooh this important news item?
The Prime Minister of Canada delayed because he needed to poo-poo?
Everyone knows that jet-lag can lead to constipation
(- hence the delay in the john.)
Worse, had he had to run out of a photo session – because of the runs.
Ah, the rich (and famous) are not like you and me.
But still, they've got to poo, and they've got to pee.

(OK, so this is blank verse. Give me a little time, and I'll arrange it in iambic pentameter. Nothing better to do. I'm retired now, and time lies heavy on my hands.....as it does on yours.)

Just like you he has the right to answer the call of nature! I sincerely think his employers should have him fired for no news.Godfrey Nigeria

so what if he missed the photo?

Dear Hayami

Stephen Harper is, as you astutely observe, not the King of the World.

This "small potato" is the Prime Minister of Canada – the country that is the largest trading partner of the United States and the supplier of most of the oil that the US consumes. Certainly not worthy of attention from an economic point of view.

He has a couple of other distinctions. He runs the country that has proportionally lost the most in blood and treasure amongst the US allies in Afghanistan, fighting in Khandahar – the bloodiest and deadliest area in that theatre of conflict, where Canada was one of the first in the world to join the US. Obviously not worthy of respect either, so your scorn is entirely appropriate.

He presides over a country that is weathering the recession/depression very well, thank you – no mortgage crisis, no healthcare crisis, no big bank, stock market or insurance crisis. No crisis of any kind really, thanks to fiscal responsibility and balanced budgets for decades – with enough left over to meet international responsibilities and also to bail out the Canadian subsidiaries of the US auto makers. Should the other G20 Leaders have been "polite" enough to wait for him to take a bathroom break? Probably not. I would suggest however that they might want to follow him out of the photo-op and spend more time on the toilet instead of in it.

Come on CNN, get a life!!! And try to get a reporter who has enough intelligence to take on some real issues that truly matter to the rest of us–for example, the effect of the Canadian tar sands oil production on the local and world environment. Or is that one just a notch too intellectually demanding for your international reporters?

Number 1 or 2 ?

this is news? I want my 30 seconds back for reading this crap. Now I remember why I stopped reading CNN when I was in the US.

Harper just needed time in front of the mirror.
"Mirror on the wall, who's the fairest of them all, me?"

hey ppl of the world,we all need bathroom time as shown by Harper but it shd be done at the right time.If he was trying to avoid a pose for a family photo by going to the toilet and taking ages thts strange and it was pre-arrangement.Wt abt berascloni-sp ?It mayb the same wth him,in the first place why dd they even come for G-20 summit if they cldnt pose for a photo wth their colleagues?

I guess you news people are running out of stories to write so you had to follow someone to the bathroom. Nice. Give your head's a shake people let people have a break sometimes it's needed. Don't you think.

I am extremely shocked that a well trained journalist can consider this to be news.

Of all things...please!!!!!!

With all the crap thats going on in the world. The news agencies have nothing better to report on then Prime Minister Stephan Harper of Canada taking a leak. Wow...now thats Journalism at its best...!!!

I found Rosemary's response to the article much more interesting then the original story. Perhaps she should work for CNN. Thanks Rosemary. I seem to remeber some Nazi in WWII refering to Canada as small fry, Winston Churchill's response was "Some fish!".

To Hayami:

You're an American aren't you? Could have guessed it!

Did he flush and wash his hands?

Rosemary and Louis, I htink you have perhaps misread the intent of "Hayami." That remark appeared to be satirical, and supportive of Mr. Harper.

A similar thing happened to GW Bush at a major meeting. A spy camera was used to read his note ot an aide at the meeting table–perhaps an alarming development in itself. When the text turned out to be "I think I may need a bathroom break," general hilarity ensued. Silly Bush! Silly US! Europe does not need bathrooms!

This is not a big deal.Besides, it was neither Haper's fault nor the delegates who asked him questions on his way.The organizer should at least make sure that everyone was in the 'photo session'.

In my view, the inevitable 'toilet break' is more neccessary than that photo session.

It was an historic photo-op and the story is to the point. why the people criticizing are not doing something better?

Personnally, being a Canadian, I take offence to the "small potatoes" reference. I know that shouldn't bother me because I know it is made out of ignorance, but it still does. To that individual I would point out that many Canadians have given their lives over many hard fought battles for freedom and democracy throughout our relatively young history as country. We have fought alongside our brothers and sisters in the US and in many battles, we have stood first. Check historical fact on that sir.
I must also admit I am a bit perplexed by the "no-show", however, with all of the challenges that confront us equally, (no one goes unscathed in this mess), I agree that too much can be made of it. At least this reporter's story initiated my response. First one. I promise not to make it a habit

This is not news. Too much air and webspace to fill. Next we'll hear about how President Obama stubbed his toe.

Well at least now every American will know who the Prime Minister of Canada is!!!

This could have been so easily solved. Why didn't they take the picture of the left-out person, then use the digital technology to graft him into the picture with the rest of group!??

Hayami,

It is unfortunately comments like yours that make the world think Americans are arrogant. Americans are wonderful people, and Mr. Obama is loved and respected around the world. But 8 years of chest-thumping have apparently had their effect. Just know this; some countries go about quietly doing what they need to do, taking care of their business under the radar. While Bush was out bullying everyone, Canada was quietly building what the IMF have called the strongest banking system and economy among the G7.

stupid reporters can't find anything else to report on. May this reporter should find a different career