The G7 is going to bring a crowd. How businesses and residents are preparing
Calgary and the surrounding region will become a confluence of global powers in the next few days as thousands of delegates from several countries arrive in the city, taste its culture and add a flavour of their own.
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Parts of the city will also transform into a stage for some of the most pressing issues in the world, and where people from different nations rally for causes close to their hearts.
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This will mean a higher police presence, increased traffic, and potential disruptions by protesters. Among other measures, Calgary has designated City Hall and East Victoria Park as official protest zones. However, many businesses near these areas aren't too concerned about the latter.
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'We've gotten really used to it,' said Chevonne Centini, owner of Centini Restaurant, tucked into the corner of 1st Street and 8th Avenue at Telus Convention Centre. 'Every Saturday there's a protest… even when we had a patio, we didn't have any problem with any of the protests.'
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'We find that people just go by, they do their thing, and that's it,' she said.
Centini has received official guidance from Calgary police in a statement, which warned of 'larger crowds and demonstrations,' while stating it will 'police behaviour and not beliefs.'
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CPS gave a list of directions, including dialling 911 for a crime in progress while calling the non-emergency line for other situations. It also gave a list of contact details to report other specific circumstances.
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However, the approach is nowhere near the rigour of the security preparations in 2002 when Kananaskis and Calgary previously hosted the G7 conference, Centini added.
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She said she received personal visits from security officials, and her staffers required special passes to continue to work at the restaurant. In addition, a single-file line of 150 personnel with military gear was stationed at the back of the Telus Convention Centre.
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'It seems much more relaxed this time,' she added. 'We haven't been visited and talked to.'
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National Observer
3 hours ago
- National Observer
Leaders on Canada's expanded G7 guest list will tackle climate, economy and security
Canada is bringing the world to Alberta for the G7 leaders summit in Kananaskis. As summit host, Prime Minister Mark Carney can invite any leaders he chooses — even those from countries outside the G7 club — as he attempts to shape Canada's foreign policy and global geopolitics. When asked on June 7 to explain how Canada decided on the list of non-G7 leaders to invite, Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand said the government was seeking a discussion of "very serious issues that affect the global economy and the geostrategic environment." Here's a closer look at the names on Carney's guest list. Australia Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is a willing partner for Canada as it tries to shore up its trade and defence links across the Indo-Pacific. Both countries have shared values and small populations, and depend on a global rules-based system of trade to export large amounts of resources. In March, Carney announced a deal was in the works to have Ottawa partner with Australia on an early-warning radar detection system to use in the Arctic and across the US border. Brazil President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has tried to partner with countries across the Global South while advancing democracy and environmental protection. He'll be taking those themes to the COP30 summit in the Amazon this November. His office claimed this week that Carney will be attending that summit — Ottawa has yet to confirm. Brazil's president, widely known as Lula, has echoed Canadian concerns about online misinformation since a foiled coup plot in 2022. India Carney's most controversial invitation has been to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is arriving in Canada less than a year after the RCMP accused agents of his government of playing a role in "widespread violence" in Canada. Sikh separatist groups note that this month marks two years since the assassination of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, which Canada has linked to New Delhi. India insists these claims have no substance. Sikh groups have promised to stage large protests during the G7 summit. But regional experts argue Canada should advance trade relations with the world's most populous country and commit to structured talks on security instead of derailing the entire relationship. Canada has promised to raise transnational repression at the summit, and the Asia Pacific Foundation has argued Ottawa and New Delhi should commit to law-enforcement talks on both that issue and India's concerns about violent extremism. Indonesia President Prabowo Subianto will attend the summit after years of Ottawa pursuing deeper ties with Indonesia — a demographic and economic giant in the Indo-Pacific. Canada and Indonesia signed a free-trade agreement last year and Ottawa aspires to sell small-scale nuclear technology to the island nation as it helps to develop small reactors for northern Canadian communities. Mexico President Claudia Sheinbaum deliberated for more than three weeks before accepting Carney's invitation to attend the G7. Sen. Peter Boehm, who has played a key role in numerous G7 summits, noted that Sheinbaum does not travel abroad often and might have chosen to come based on the likelihood of a meeting with Trump and Carney or to make progress on the tariffs issue. "There's the possibility of having a short trilateral on the side," he said. The ideal outcome would be a clear timeline for the coming review of the North American trade deal known as CUSMA, Boehm said, along with some immediate progress. For example, "if we can make a deal that will allow everyone to step back and say, 'well, we got something out of that and, tariffs are coming down.'" South Korea President Lee Jae-myung is eager to present South Korea as a stable, democratic country following a turbulent period that started with the former president declaring martial law last December. The country has since maintained the rule of law and elected a leader who promised to reverse policies that sought to end gender-equality programming. South Korea has long aspired to join the G7 and argues that its economic and regional clout is similar to that of G7 member Japan. Ottawa and Seoul have pledged deeper co-operation on maritime security, critical minerals and the environment. In November, South Korea will host the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation forum, and Canada's prime minister has attended every APEC summit over the past two decades. South Africa President Cyril Ramaphosa will host the separate G20 summit in November — a much larger and more diverse group than the G7 that also tends to see less consensus. Boehm said the G20 host can act as a bridge to the G7 by making the topics and outcomes at the smaller summit more relevant to the needs of developing countries. Ramaphosa has attended previous G7 meetings and was in the room when Canada sought action on oceans protection at its 2008 summit. Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy might get another chance to speak with US President Donald Trump in Alberta, as Washington continues to push for an end to the war that started with Russia's 2014 seizure of Crimea and escalated to a full-scale invasion in 2022. Ottawa and its peers fear the US is too obliging to Moscow and that a bad deal will only create more instability in Europe. Ukraine has credited Canada with trying to advance Kyiv's cause at the G7. Canada has been leading efforts aimed at forfeiting Russian assets held in Western countries to help finance Ukraine's defence, with limited success. United Arab Emirates The Canadian Press has learned that Carney invited the United Arab Emirates to attend the G7 summit, which could mean UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan comes to Alberta. But as of Thursday evening, Abu Dhabi had not said whether it had accepted Canada's invitation. A readout Thursday from Carney's office said the two leaders spoke and discussed "opportunities to deepen bilateral collaboration in these sectors," and committed to remaining in contact. Canada has described the wealthy Gulf country as "a critical partner" in humanitarian efforts such as foreign aid projects and the resettlement of vulnerable Afghans. Sudanese groups have ccriticized Canada for not publicly calling out the UAE for its role in arming the Rapid Support Forces, a paramilitary the US has accused of carrying out a genocide in Sudan. The UAE has strenuously denied involvement in the conflict. Not coming: Saudi Arabia Carney also invited Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to the G7 summit, but Canadian officials said Thursday morning the country will not be attending. "The attempt will be for the prime minister to meet with as many of the leaders as possible," said an official briefing media on background, who said there was no complete list of invitees as of Thursday morning. Ottawa and Riyadh restored full diplomatic ties in May 2023, five years after the Liberal government's public comments on women's rights led Saudi Arabia to expel Canada's ambassador. The US Central Intelligence Agency says the Crown prince ordered the 2018 assassination of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. Saudi Arabia is among Canada's largest export destinations for military equipment. International organizations Canada could welcome NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and World Bank President Ajay Banga to the summit, Boehm said, and possibly even the secretary general of the United Nations or leaders of the World Trade Organization and the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development. A federal official said Thursday that Canada's G7 presidency has involved work with other groups, including the African Union and the Gulf Co-operation Council. It's not known if leaders of those groups will be present.
Canada Standard
3 hours ago
- Canada Standard
PM Modi-Carney G7 meeting opportunity to explore pathways to reset India-Canada ties: MEA
New Delhi [India], June 12 (ANI): Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said on Thursday that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Canadian counterpart Mark Carney's forthcoming meeting will be an important opportunity for them to explore pathways to set or reset ties based on mutual respect, shared interests, and sensitivity to each other's concerns and exchange views on bilateral and global issues. While addressing a weekly media briefing on Thursday, Jaiswal stated that PM Modi is travelling to Canada after he received an invitation from Carney. He said that the phone call was an opportunity to reflect on India-Canada ties. India and Canada, he said are vibrant democracies, which are bound by shared democratic values, a steadfast commitment to the rule of law and very vibrant people-to-people ties. On PM Modi's upcoming visit to Canada for the G7 Summit, the MEA spokesperson said, 'As you are aware, our Prime Minister had received a call from the Canadian Prime Minister last week. During the call, Prime Minister Carney had invited the Prime Minister to attend the G7. And as you are aware, the invitation has been accepted. It was also an occasion for the two Prime Ministers to talk about India or reflect on India-Canada relations and how do we take it forward.' 'As you are aware, India, Canada are vibrant democracies which are bound by shared democratic values and a steadfast commitment to the rule of law and of course very vibrant people-to-people ties. We believe that the forthcoming meeting between the two leaders on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Kananaskis in Canada will offer an important opportunity for them to exchange views on bilateral and global issues and explore pathways to set or reset the relationship based on mutual respect, shared interests, and sensitivity to each other's concerns. Our views on some of these have already been shared publicly in considerable detail,' he added. When asked about Carney's statement in the Canadian readout about PM Modi agreeing to engage in law enforcement dialogue, Jaiswal responded, 'I would say that there are existing mechanisms between Indian and Canadian law enforcement agencies that have discussed issues of mutual security concern over a period of time. This engagement is likely to continue.' On June 6, PM Modi received a call from Canadian Prime Minister Carney, who invited him to attend the upcoming G7 Summit in Canada later this month. In a post on X, PM Modi congratulated Carney on his recent election victory and thanked him for the invitation. PM Modi said he looks forward to meeting PM Carney later this month in Canada. 'Glad to receive a call from Prime Minister @MarkJCarney of Canada. Congratulated him on his recent election victory and thanked him for the invitation to the G7 Summit in Kananaskis later this month. As vibrant democracies bound by deep people-to-people ties, India and Canada will work together with renewed vigour, guided by mutual respect and shared interests. Look forward to our meeting at the Summit,' PM Modi wrote in his post on X. The G7 Leaders' Summit will be held in Alberta's Kananaskis from June 15 to 17. The G7 Summit is an international forum held annually for the leaders of the G7 member states of the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Japan, Italy, and Canada and the European Union (EU). The development comes after a period of strained relations between the two countries, triggered by Canadian allegations that Indian agents were involved in the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar outside gurdwara in Canada in 2023. India strongly denied the claims, and both nations expelled senior diplomats in a tit-for-tat escalation. India has expressed concern about extremism and the culture of violence and anti-India activities in Canada and has asked Canadian authorities to take action against these activities. (ANI)
3 hours ago
More than a dozen Canadian Sikhs face active assassination threats, organization warns
More than a dozen Canadian Sikhs live under active threats on their lives, an advocacy organization is warning. Those threats originate from India, said Balpreet Singh, a lawyer and spokesperson for the World Sikh Organization. The group argues it's unconscionable for the federal government to invite Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to next week's G7 meeting (new window) . Singh called for a series of actions to be taken against India at a news conference on Parliament Hill on Thursday alongside Moninder Singh, a spokesperson for the Sikh Federation (Canada). The father of two said he'd been warned by law enforcement about threats on his life about a half-dozen times in the last few years. Moninder Singh described leaving his home for months at a time, making arrangements with child protection services as well as the RCMP. You move around, constantly looking over your shoulder. You want to make sure that you're not in overly public environments, where other people could be harmed, said Moninder Singh. You can't go to your kid's school, you can't go to their practices, you can't go to family events. You avoid weddings, you avoid any type of family gatherings. WATCH | Modi G7 invite sends message 'our lives simply don't matter': Début du widget Widget. Passer le widget ? Fin du widget Widget. Retourner au début du widget ? Modi G7 invite sends message 'our lives simply don't matter': Sikh organization The World Sikh Organization of Canada is calling on Prime Minister Mark Carney to revoke Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's G7 invite unless three conditions are met. Balpreet Singh, the group's legal counsel, calls the invitation a 'betrayal of Canada's core values.' The two men said the Canadian government should not only rescind Modi's invitation, but also launch a public inquiry specifically targeting Indian foreign interference and transnational repression in Canada, as well as cancel intelligence-sharing agreements between the two countries. Earlier on Thursday, Global News cited confidential sources (new window) in reporting that former NDP leader Jagmeet Singh was targeted by a suspected Indian government agent in 2023, resulting in the leader getting police protection. The report says police no longer believe Singh is in imminent danger. CBC News has not independently confirmed that story. At the news conference, Moninder Singh said ending intelligence-sharing with India could make it harder for the country to surveil the NDP leader and Sikh activists. Balpreet Singh said he's heard the former NDP leader no longer has police protection, something he thinks is a mistake. CBC News sent questions to the federal Public Safety Department as well as the RCMP for details on Sikhs who have been targeted, including Jagmeet Singh. The government department deferred to the Mounties, which have yet to provide a statement. The idea to me that the leader of a Canadian political party could be targeted is such a clear indication of foreign interference, said the NDP's foreign affairs critic, Heather McPherson. To find out that Mr. Singh no longer has any sort of protection, when the threat is very real against him, it's appalling. All Canadians have the right to feel safe, said Conservative MP Andrew Scheer, the interim Opposition leader. Scheer said specific threats against a prominent Canadian who's held public office is something that our security officials should take very seriously. WATCH | Liberal calls Modi invite 'a bad idea': Liberal MP says Modi coming to Canada is 'a bad idea' 2 days agoDuration1:58Speaking to reporters in Ottawa, B.C. Liberal MP Sukh Dhaliwal said he met with Prime Minister Mark Carney Wednesday morning to express concerns he says his constituents have with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi being invited to the upcoming G7 summit in Alberta. The WSO's Balpreet Singh said other Canadian Sikh politicians are afraid to criticize India out of fear for their and their loved ones' safety. He declined to say which politicians have told him this. Imagine what that means to our democracy, said McPherson. Carney has said it makes sense to have the leader of the world's most populous country around the table when there are big challenges to discuss. Modi has been present at several recent G7 leaders' summits. At last year's event in Italy, he had a brief one-on-one with former prime minister Justin Trudeau. A dozen members of Carney's own caucus met him on Wednesday to raise their concerns about the decision (new window) , though many Liberals have also defended the invite. Liberal MP Charles Sousa said Canadians are concerned about their position on the world stage. India makes sense to be part of a global discussion, he said. Canada-India relations have been on shaky ground since Trudeau and the RCMP alleged Indian agents were involved in the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar (new window) , the Canadian Khalistani separatist who was brazenly gunned down outside a Sikh temple in B.C. in 2023. Raffy Boudjikanian (new window) · CBC News
