Non-G7 leaders set to tackle climate, economy and security at summit
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.
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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 U.S. 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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Mexico
President Claudia Sheinbaum deliberated for more than three weeks before accepting Carney's invitation to attend the G7.
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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.
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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.
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Ukraine
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy might get another chance to speak with U.S. 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.
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Ottawa and its peers fear the U.S. 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 U.S. has accused of carrying out a genocide in Sudan. The UAE has strenuously denied involvement in the conflict.
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Carney lays out G7 priorities, faces criticism over Modi invite
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.
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'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 U.S. 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.
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Winnipeg Free Press
an hour ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Tariffs, wildfires and AI on the agenda as Canada hosts world leaders at G7
OTTAWA – Prime Minister Mark Carney has tried to pare down Canada's priorities as the G7 summit host, but there's still a lengthy list of global issues for leaders to discuss over the coming days. 'Leaders (will) meet at a moment of enormous flux globally, when tensions among G7 members are especially pronounced,' Carney's foreign policy adviser David Angell told a panel this week. He did not directly reference U.S. President Donald Trump, who famously walked out of the last G7 summit Canada hosted in 2018. Here's a look at what's on the agenda in Kananaskis, Alta., and what to expect. Economics On the formal agenda, the first discussion is about the 'global economic outlook,' followed by a working lunch on economic security and supply chains. Angell said this will include a discussion on 'anti-market practices by large, non-G7 economies.' China is among those countries accused of anti-market practices. 'There's no doubt that important discussion of President Trump's tariff strategy will take place,' he added. John Kirton, head of the G7 Research Group at the University of Toronto, said the discussion will likely set the tone on how countries balance fiscal stimulus through tax cuts or possibly more defence spending along with cutting back deficits. He said leaders will need to navigate the difficult reality that Trump's tariffs are hurting economic growth and likely caused the downgrading of Washington's credit ratings. Leaders are set to discuss critical minerals, and Kirton said this might involve setting labour and environmental transparency standards for minerals acquired in fragile countries such as the Democratic Republic of Congo. Sen. Peter Boehm, who played a central role in many G7 summits, said he expects Canada to raise the dysfunction of the World Trade Organization, though this might happen in an informal setting instead of part of the structured G7 meetings. The WTO's appeal body is the main global enforcer of resolutions in trade disputes, and it has been effectively stalled for years as the U.S. blocks the appointment of panel members, following frustration of how the WTO has ruled against Washington. In 2018, Canada launched the Ottawa Group, a committee urging WTO reform made up of more than a dozen economies ranging from Kenya to Norway, but it has had limited success. Wildfires and foreign interference The second session taking place Monday will involve safety, particularly wildfires, foreign interference and transnational crime. Canada is set to release a Kananaskis Wildfire Charter, spanning mitigation, response and recovery. Kirton said discussion around the document will focus on 'equipment interoperability' to allow G7 members to support each other during emergencies, as well as the use of satellite imagery to fight wildfires. He said the topic has become 'a burning issue' in part because wildfires in places like Los Angeles and across the Prairies show how the threat is relevant to Washington and its G7 peers. Leaders might try to raise climate change, but Kirton doubts that phrase will appear in any closing statements, with Trump pushing back on the topic. A brief circulated among G7 planners from various countries originally included the term 'countering migrant smuggling and drug trafficking' but Kirton noted that the term did not appear in later drafts. Kirton said he expects leaders to discuss tighter co-operation in combating the drug trade, given that the U.S. concern over opioids matches concerns other countries have about heroin trafficking. 'Making the world secure' The topic title of the Monday working dinner is broad. While such a session would normally involve conflicts in Israel and the Palestinian territories, North Korea and Sudan, analysts expect that recent strikes between Israel and Iran will dominate this discussion. Ukrainian sovereignty Tuesday's working breakfast will come after G7 leaders have a chance to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and amid concerns from other G7 members that the U.S. might sign a deal from Russia that only encourages further invasion of European countries. After that, G7 leaders have a larger meeting with the invited guests, which so far includes leaders of Australia, Brazil, India, Mexico, South Africa, South Korea, Ukraine, NATO, the United Nations and the World Bank. It's unclear whether Canada's bid to raise issues of foreign interference will come up in talks with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, whose government the RCMP has linked to extortion, coercion and homicide cases. In January, the foreign interference inquiry's final report said 'India is the second most active' threat actor, which is 'clandestinely providing illicit financial support to various Canadian politicians in an attempt to secure the election of pro-India candidates or gain influence.' Energy security Tuesday afternoon's discussion is set to include making energy affordable and creating the infrastructure needed to diversify of energy sources. Angell said 'a number of key leaders' visiting the summit as guests will be part of the talks. Carney's office has said Canada is seeking coalitions with reliable partners to open new markets, and generate large infrastructure investments. AI and quantum tech Carney's office says G7 leaders will discuss 'using artificial intelligence and quantum to unleash economic growth,' though it's not clear where in the schedule this will take place. Experts say quantum computing could rapidly speed up processing times and allow for more accurate or efficient tasks. But they say cryptography might be needed to prevent powerful quantum computers from breaking power grids and banking systems. Kirton said the discussion will likely include discussion on how to include developing countries in the gains of AI and how it can boost the efficiency of government bureaucracies and business of all sizes. Something useful — and Canadian While federal officials have warned that the summit will unlikely end with a lengthy communiqué that has been part of almost every other G7 summit, Boehm has faith Canada will still deliver points of consensus that liberal democracies can act on. Last month, finance ministers and central bankers agreed on action around cyber threats to the financial sector and the need to assess the possibilities and risks posed by artificial intelligence. In March, foreign ministers pledged to focus on maritime security, a topic that affects all G7 countries who also happen to share three oceans with Canada, giving grounds to look at everything from unregistered vessels undermining sanctions to illegal fishing and threats to undersea fibre-optic cables. These were largely seen as ways to bridge the growing gap between Europe and the U.S. and focus on shared goals. It's a skill G7 allies turn to Canada for, sometimes literally, in the middle of the night. 'There's often come a time, usually at three in the morning or something, where someone will look at me, or whoever is in the Canadian chair and say … 'it's time for the great Canadian initiative to compromise, and get this thing done.' So we do add value,' Boehm said. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 15, 2025.
Winnipeg Free Press
an hour ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
U.K. PM Starmer in Ottawa to talk trade, Middle East conflict with Carney ahead of G7
OTTAWA – British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is in Ottawa to meet with Prime Minister Mark Carney today before the two leaders leave for the G7 leaders' summit in Alberta. He will meet Carney this morning in his West Block office on Parliament Hill before both leaders fly separately to Calgary. Last night, Starmer had dinner with Carney at his official residence at Rideau Cottage, later taking in the hockey game between the Edmonton Oilers and the Florida Panthers. Starmer's visit comes as Canada seeks to reopen trade talks with the U.K. which were paused early in 2024, leaving in place a temporary deal signed after Brexit. There's a sticking point around Britain wanting to ban exports of hormone-treated beef from Canada and calls from British farmers to export more cheese to Canada's protected dairy sector. The conflict in the Middle East is likely also on the agenda after the exchange of missiles between Israel and Iran and both countries call for de-escalation while affirming Israel's right to defence. Starmer says he has positioned British jets for 'contingency support in the region,' The Associated Press reports. Last month both leaders joined French President Emmanuel Macron to sign a strongly worded statement about Israel's restrictions on food aid reaching the Gaza Strip. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 15, 2025.
Winnipeg Free Press
an hour ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Carney's task at G7 will be to keep the group alive as experts question the outcome
OTTAWA – As Prime Minister Mark Carney gets ready to host U.S. President Donald Trump and other leaders at the G7 summit in Alberta, analysts say Canada's most important goal will be to keep the G7 from falling apart — even if that means not issuing a joint statement. 'Keeping this informal international organization together will, I think, be a mark of success,' said Sen. Peter Boehm, a former diplomat who played a central role in Canada's participation in the G7 for decades. 'The challenge I think that we will be seeing at Kananaskis is whether we still have like-mindedness in the G7, and whether that can still project (unity), in terms of dealing with some of the big global challenges.' The G7 includes the United States, France, Germany, Japan, the United Kingdom, Italy and Canada, as well as the European Union. For five decades, the group's members have coordinated how liberal democracies respond to economic and social challenges. The group has set the tone for other industrialized democracies and the United Nations for decades, and in recent years has gone beyond economics to focus on global security. Each G7 nation takes a turn at a rotating presidency of the group; this year is Canada's turn. Carney will welcome leaders to Kananaskis, Alta., on Sunday and the summit runs through Tuesday. The meetings come days after Israel and Iran exchanged missile strikes and after months of Trump disparaging multilateral institutions and implementing tariffs widely seen as damaging to the global economy. Trump has said repeatedly that Russia should rejoin the group it was expelled from after it invaded Ukraine in 2014 — despite Moscow saying it has no interest in doing so. This year's summit was organized hastily. This spring's election and Justin Trudeau's resignation as prime minister caused the bureaucracy to scale back its planning and outreach to other G7 countries. It will be Carney's first major summit, though Boehm notes he took part in G7 and G20 meetings during his former career as a central banker. The summit normally ends with a joint communiqué, a lengthy statement outlining views shared by G7 countries that is negotiated over the course of weeks, and often through the night during the summit. In 2019, however, France issued a chair's statement — a step Boehm said G7 leaders reserve for the worst-case scenario when the leaders are unable to arrive at a consensus. 'What's the point of driving towards consensus when you're not going to get it?' he said, adding he does not expect this year's G7 summit to issue a full communiqué. 'There is always going to be some bumps and hiccups, and one country not seeing it quite the way the others do, but it's a venerable institution.' Federal officials who briefed Canadian media last Thursday hinted that this G7 might not end with a joint statement. 'Canada is adopting a focused approach this year. We have a streamlined number of priorities, ministerial meetings and negotiated outcome documents,' said a senior official who spoke on the condition she not be named. 'We really want to ensure that we continue to focus on actions that we can take together.' Kerry Buck, a former Canadian ambassador, said it might be 'impossible' to reach agreement with the U.S. on things like Russia's invasion of Ukraine, climate change and the need to preserve free trade. 'It's in no one's interest to pick a fight and have open conflict at the table,' Buck told a panel held by the Canadian International Council on June 4. 'A message of disunity coming from the leaders would actually do more damage to the G7 and it's in our interest to preserve it.' Buck said she expects the one-on-one meetings on the sidelines of the summit will lead to fruitful 'quiet diplomacy.' 'I would aim for a thin G7 leaders declaration at best, (and) work to minimize damage to the institution,' she said. Carney arrives Sunday afternoon in Alberta and has a series of bilateral meetings scheduled with G7 leaders and some of the non-G7 guests who he invited. The actual summit kicks off Monday. Boehm said it usually starts with a discussion on the global economy led by the U.S. president. A working lunch could touch on themes like energy security, artificial intelligence and critical minerals. The afternoon is expected to be about security, including Canada's concerns about wildfires and foreign interference. Tuesday is expected to focus on foreign policy and involve at least 10 invited leaders from non-G7 countries or international institutions. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy could play a large role, though the recent hostilities between Israel and Iran might also loom large. North Korea is a frequent topic at the G7 table, Boehm said, adding he hopes the discussion also touches on the crisis in international development spurred by the U.S. pulling back from foreign aid. The agenda has lengthy gaps between the sessions — time set aside for leaders to meet their new peers. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz only started his new job last month, just as Carney's post-election ministry was sworn in. Boehm said many leaders will want to meet Trump and the president prefers one-on-one chats to multilateral meetings. This month's talks could also shape ministerial meetings that Canada can host later in the year, particularly on energy and the environment. John Kirton, head of the G7 Research Group at the University of Toronto, notes that two G7 ministerial meetings already hosted by Canada generated much consensus on issues like artificial intelligence in banking and maritime security. Kirton said he is 'predicting a significant performance' even if there is no joint communiqué. 'I'm expecting that there will be probably a short, crisp, compact concluding chair's statement,' he said. He also predicts Canada will release six subject-specific documents summarizing the general position of G7 members. G7 hosts also tend to unveil a major development or humanitarian project — a 'signature initiative' — in a bid to get funding from partner countries. Canada has previously used the G7 to advance education for girls in conflict zones and maternal health in poorer countries, while Italy last year focused on biological threats in Africa. It's not clear if Canada will have the cash to make a major announcement this year. Kirton cited a budget crunch among G7 members, while Boehm said the spring election stopped a lot of outreach Canada would normally do in the months leading up to a summit. Some are anticipating a project pitch that wouldn't involve large sums of money, such as an initiative aimed at countering transnational repression. Given its power, the G7 is a target for advocates on a range of issues who hope to see their priorities reflected in the communiqué. Ottawa has faced calls to speak out against arbitrary detainment, Africa's debt crisis and Pakistan's Kashmir dispute with India. Business and civil society leaders will be holding a series of side events associated with the summit, although many will be far removed from the leaders' summit in Kananaskis. The RCMP said it has set up 'three designated G7 demonstration zones' that will be broadcast to G7 leaders with video and audio, and that the leaders will be far from the protests. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 15, 2025.
