G7 white hatter ceremonies casualties of security climate
Delegates to the upcoming G7 will receive Calgary's trademark white hat, but it'll be done unceremoniously.
Rising security concerns tied to a volatile geopolitical climate mean VIP visitors who arrive in Calgary en route to Kananaskis won't be welcomed with the usual white hatter ceremony, Mayor Jyoti Gondek said Monday.
'This is a tradition we hold close to our hearts, and it's a way of sharing Calgary's western hospitality and Stampede spirit,' Gondek told reporters.
'But we have to respect that security considerations today are very different from the last time we hosted the summit in 2002 . . . there's been a lot of nostalgia about what we were able to do in 2002.'
Instead, delegates will be given a white Smithbilt hat minus the usual formal ceremony — along with a gift bag containing soap, chocolate, coffee, beef jerky and glassware that's been subject to security protocols, she said.
'Don't want to antagonize': G7 protesters vow restraint, question if police will follow suit
More security measures taking effect around Kananaskis as Canada prepares to host G7
That ceremony typically includes the recipient repeating a pledge to spread that hospitality — while being fitted with the Calgary-made cowboy hat.
Recipients have included the Dalai Lama, Bob Hope, Marilyn Monroe, Oprah Winfrey, Queen Elizabeth II, George W. Bush, Luciano Pavarotti, Bob Dylan and Ozzy Osbourne.
When asked if U.S. President Donald Trump — a convicted felon who has threatened Canada's sovereignty — will also receive a white hat, Gondek said the city won't discriminate.
'It's really important to practise diplomacy, so every delegate will be treated with equal respect,' said the mayor.
She said it's not yet certain how many of the 2,000 delegates who will arrive for the political summit will receive white hats and gift bags.
The number of guests accepting invitations to the summit has remained in flux, with non-G7 leaders such as Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum being recently added to the list.
Gondek reiterated that the G7, despite its tight security, will showcase Calgary's hospitality, business acumen and beauty to a world audience.
'The eyes of the world are on Calgary,' she said, noting 1,400 journalists from around the globe are expected to attend.
'This is Calgary's moment to lead and to welcome with both confidence and care.'
The annual event is expected to boost Calgary's economy to the tune of $190 million, with 10,000 hotel room bookings resulting from it.
BKaufmann@postmedia.com
X: @BillKaufmannjrn
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