2012 the year in politics
Mitt Romney supporters are seen at a Women for Mitt rally in Columbus, Ohio, Thursday November 1, 2012. Romney's wife Ann Romney spoke at the rally.Kevin Van Paassen/The Globe and Mail
U.S. President Barack Obama, right, waves as he embraces Myanmar democracy activist Aung San Suu Kyi after addressing members of the media at Suu Kyi's residence in Yangon, Myanmar November 19, 2012. Obama became the first U.S. president to visit the Asian nation also known as Burma.Pablo Martinez Monsivais/The Associated Press
President Barack Obama, right, is picked-up off the ground by Scott Van Duzer, left, owner of Big Apple Pizza and Pasta Italian Restaurant during an unannounced stop, in Ft. Pierce, Fla. Sept. 9, 2012.Pablo Martinez Monsivais/The Associated Press
Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney, left, and President Barack Obama spar during the second presidential debate at Hofstra University in Hempstead, N.Y. Oct. 16, 2012Charlie Neibergall/The Associated Press
Egypt's Islamist President-elect Mohamed Mursi waves to his supporters while surrounded by his members of the presidential guard in Cairo's Tahrir Square, June 29, 2012.AMR ABDALLAH DALSH
France's President Nicolas Sarkozy reacts as he delivers a speech to present his New Year wishes to the world of culture in Marseille, January 24, 2012.JEAN-PAUL PELISSIER
Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu points to a red line he has drawn on the graphic of a bomb as he addresses the 67th United Nations General Assembly at the U.N. Headquarters in New York, September 27, 2012.LUCAS JACKSON
Prime Minister David Cameron of Britain (centre L-R) , President Barack Obama, Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany, Jose Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission, and others watch the overtime shootout of the Chelsea vs. Bayern Munich Champions League final in the Laurel Cabin conference room during the G8 Summit at Camp David, Maryland, May 19, 2012.WHITE HOUSE
A panda reaches for Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper during a photo at the Chongqing Zoo in Chongqing, China Saturday February 11, 2012. Two giant pandas will call Canada home for the next 10 years.Adrian Wyld
Wildrose leader Danielle Smith carries a sign given to her as cafe customers look on during a campaign stop in Cochrane, Alta., Thursday, April 5, 2012. Albertans go to the polls on April 23.Jeff McIntosh
Parti Quebecois Leader Pauline Marois is whisked off stage as she delivered her victory speech in Tuesday, Que. September 4, 2012. With the win, Marois becomes the first female premier in Quebec history.Paul Chiasson
President Barack Obama is greeted by New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie upon his arrival at Atlantic City International Airport in Atlantic City, NJ October 31, 2012. Obama traveled to the region to take an aerial tour of the Atlantic Coast in New Jersey in areas damaged by superstorm Sandy.Pablo Martinez Monsivais/The Associated Press
Mayor Rob Ford prepares to make a play during a short game of touch football on the GRid Iron at Nathan Philips Square in Toronto on Nov. 20, 2012.Peter Power
Ontario's Liberal Premier Dalton McGuinty (left) walks out of the Government Caucus room with his wife Terri in the Ontario Legislature on Monday October 15, 2012, after resigning.Chris Young
Former Italian Premier and People of Freedom party Leader Silvio Berlusconi gestures while attending the recording of RAI (Italian State Television) TV talk show "Porta a Porta"(Door to Door) hosted by journalist Bruno Vespa, in Rome, Tuesday, Dec. 18, 2012.Gregorio Borgia
Photographs of the empty legislature at Queens Park on Oct. 16, 2012. Premier Dalton McGuinty announced his resignation pending a provincial leadership convention.Fred Lum/The Globe and Mail
Laval Mayor Gilles Vaillancourt presses his hand over his heart as he announced his resignation in Laval, November 9, 2012.Christinne Muschi
A person dressed as Big Bird holds a sign outside Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney's headquarters, Monday, Oct. 8, 2012 in Derry, N.H. where House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio was about to speak to supporters.Jim Cole
Volunteer Clare Frew puts away a life-size cut out of presidential hopeful Mitt Romney as she prepares to close the Chatham County Republican Campaign office, Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2012, in Savannah, Ga.Stephen Morton