CANADA DAYBOOK: Election Campaign Second Half, Teck Earnings

The federal election campaign entered its second half following the leaders’ debates last week. Teck Resources Ltd. is estimated to post a first-quarter profit of 76 cents a share.

WHAT TO WATCH: *Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff kicked off the second half of their campaigns for the May 2 federal election in Ontario last week.

G-20 unified on coping with Japan risks

The Group of 20 countries have expressed their intent to jointly support Japan's reconstruction, underscoring the fact that the aftermath of the Great East Japan Earthquake poses a new concern for the global economy.

The prolonged stagnation of the Japanese economy, which took a direct hit from the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, could negatively impact the global economy. Each country shared a sense of crisis and placed high expectations on Japan's early reconstruction.

G20 agrees to take actions to reduce downside risks

Downside risks remain in the global economy, even as the recovery is broadening and becoming more self-sustained with increasingly robust private demand growth, the G-20 countries have said.

After the meeting of finance ministers and Central Bank Governors, the group comprising most influential economies in the world, issued a joint communique which they agreed to remain vigilant and take necessary actions to reduce risks to the global recovery.

Trichet: G-20 Didn’t Discuss Greek Debt Restructuring

There was no discussion of a possible restructuring of Greek sovereign debt at Friday’s meeting of finance ministers and central bank governors of the Group of 20 leading developed and emerging economies, European Central Bank President Jean-Claude Trichet said.

G-20 to draw up tentative debt, surplus rules

The Group of 20 finance ministers and central bankers will finalize specific measures to use to gauge mismatches or imbalances between export-oriented, creditor nations and consumption focused, debtor economies, a senior U.S. Treasury official said Tuesday.

Untimely Leak From Canada's Auditor General

You don't have to be an auditor-general to know some of the Harper Government's spending around last year's G-20 and G-8 event in Ontario was wasteful, partisan and even eridiculous. But that certainly is not the sort of message a party leader wants the electorate to be reminded of mere weeks before an election.

G-20 wants Japan revival plan

G-20 finance ministers will ask Japan for a plan to revive its economy on fears that the nation's disaster could dent global growth, said Takatoshi Kato, a former IMF deputy managing director.