CANBERRA, Australia - Prime Minister Stephen Harper has been asked to speak to an international audience about the war on terrorism on the emotionally charged anniversary of the 9-11 attacks.
The prime minister is considering an offer from his Australian counterpart John Howard to speak to his country's parliament on Sept. 11, Canadian officials confirmed.
The prime minister was originally scheduled to deliver an address on Sept. 12 but has been asked by his Australia hosts to make the speech a day earlier than expected.
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe had been expected to make the speech on the solemn anniversary but a political crisis at home forced him to cancel those plans.
Canadian officials said Monday they were looking to rearrange the prime minister's plans to fulfill the request. The prime minister will already be in Australia that week for the Asia-Pacific summit.
''It's obviously an honour to go to an allied country to address their parliament,'' a senior government official said.
''We are ensuring that Canada's voice is heard on the world stage and we view this as an important opportunity to speak.''
The official said Canada and Australia share a number of common ties, including their military and economic commitment to Afghanistan.
The ties include a personal and professional bond between prime ministers Harper and Howard.
In addition to being among Harper's closest allies among foreign leaders and in the struggle against terrorism, Howard has also served as a model on domestic political tactics.
Harper based his announcement-a-day election strategy in the last campaign on the method used successfully by Howard. In his last federal budget, Harper delivered a variety of fiscal goodies to the same suburban, middle-class families that the Aussie PM calls his ''battlers.''
Asia-Pacific leaders are holding their annual summit in Sydney, Australia, next month.
Howard told Parliament on Tuesday the Japanese prime minister will attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation leader's forum as planned. But he won't be pay a visit to Canberra, the Australian capital.
Howard addressed the Canadian Parliament in May 2006. He was the first foreign leader to visit Canada after Harper's Conservatives took office.
