First G7 summit for Mark Carney as a host

A few weeks after his election as the Canadian Prime Minister, Mark Carney is hosting the summit of the G7 industries. Three days, from Sunday to Tuesday, the heads of government and state in the Kananaski holiday resort will be together in the Canadian Rocky Mountains.

Carney’s preparation time for the summit was short. And not only because of the forest fires in the west of Canada and the smoke development could be somewhat cloudy. US President Donald Trump is traveling to Canada for the first time since his election, a country in which he is extremely unpopular with a large part of the population. The appearance of the unpredictable president is closely observed and is an imponderability.

G7 success hangs on Trump

From the last G7 summit in Canada, 2018 in the Charlevoix in the Canadian province of Quebec, Trump had left early to meet North Korea’s head of state Kim Jong-un. Then he had had the joint press release burst at the final press conference during the flight to Kim, out of annoyance on statements by the then host, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. The success of the summit will very much depend on how the American President’s unpredictability will be managed, says Roland Paris, director of the Graduate School for International Affairs at the University of Ottawa and former advisor Trudeaus. « This will be a successful meeting if Donald Trump has no outbreak that disturbs the whole meeting, » says Paris to the Canadian broadcaster CTV.

Mark Carney is new to the prime minister – he only succeeded Trudeau in March and was confirmed in the parliamentary election at the end of April. However, as a central bank chief of Canada and later England, he took part in several meetings of the finance ministers and central bank governors of the G7/G8 and the G20, is therefore familiar with the dynamics of these peaks. « Canada has what the world wants and values ​​that others strive for, » he says.

The summit in Kananaskis is an opportunity for Canada to « work with reliable partners in order to master the challenges with unity, objectives and strength. » Carney points out that the G7 came together 50 years ago in the face of geopolitical tensions as a forum for cooperation and stability. He now also sees the G7 with this challenge.

G7 could burden Trump’s trade policy

The summit of Kanaaskis as well as for Carney is a premiere for German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. The G7 also includes the USA, Japan, Great Britain, France and Italy. The range of topics is wide and ranges from security policy- including support for Ukraine in the war against Russia- to economic and trade policy.

The trade war, which Trump has been binding against numerous states, including the EU and also the neighboring country Canada, is burdening the relationships between the participating states. In Canada, Trump is extremely unpopular because of his punitive tariffs that endanger jobs in this country, and because of its annexation deserts and his fabulating from Canada as a 51st US state. Carney also mentions the fight against foreign influence, such as elections, as well as transnational crime, as a host in the large area of ​​strengthening peace and security. He also wants to talk about energy security, securing the supply chains for critical minerals and the use of artificial intelligence to promote economic growth as well as private investments in infrastructure projects.

G7 hosts traditionally have the right to invite other guests. Carney’s decision in Canada, the Indian President Narendra Modi, is heavily discussed in Canada, despite the ongoing investigation by the Canadian police because of a possible participation of India in the murder of Canadian Sikh separatist Canadian Hardeep Singh Nijjar. The former Prime Minister Trudeau had publicly accused India of being involved in the fatal assassination attempt, which led to a significant burden on Indian-Canadian relationships.

Carney, who wants to diversify the trade of his country and want to make less dependent on the United States, is now trying to improve relationships with India again. However, the government also underlines that the investigation of the independent judiciary continued. According to Canadian press reports, the Saudi Prince Mohammed bin Salman is also said to have been invited. According to agencies, however, he did not accept the invitation. The heads of government of Brazil, Australia, Indonesia, Mexico, South Korea, South Africa and Ukraine will come to Kananaskis.

Demonstrations are expected

Canada has the presidency of the G7 for the seventh time. In 2002 Kananaskis was the scene of the then existing G8 summit. The host was Canada’s prime minister Jean Chretien, Chancellor Gerhard Schröder traveled from Germany and President Vladimir Putin came from Russia. A cooperation with African countries was agreed in Kananaskis at the time. Kananaski was chosen for its seclusion in order to be able to secure access to the conference venue better a year after the terrorist attacks in September 2001.

Smaller demonstrations against the summit or individual summit participants, in particular Donald Trump, are expected in the Banff tourist center and in Calgary, which, according to security forces and information from the organizers of the rallies, should be peaceful. The security measures for the Kananaskis summit also include planning the use of fire brigades due to the acute risk of forest fires in Canada. In extreme cases, this also includes the evacuation of communities in the Kananaski district. However, dangers for the summit itself are not expected.